The 2005 Women’s World Cup of Wrestling will be held May 20-21 at La Maison des Sports in Clermont-Ferrand, France. This event is the annual world dual-meet championship and is held in men’s freestyle, Greco-Roman, and woman’s freestyle wrestling. This year’s Women’s World Cup will include teams from France, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, Venezuela, and the USA. The event’s web site, in French, is at: http://www.auvergnelutte.com/ Leading the American team is two-time world champion and seven-time world medalist Kristie Marano, who will be wrestling at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. Here is the USA Wrestling press release, taken from the USOC Press Box site, about this event: Six national champions to lead U.S. team into Women’s World Cup of Wrestling, May 20-21 in Clermont-Ferrand, Franceby John Fuller – USA Wrestling Colorado Springs, Colo. – USA Wrestling has announced its 2005 Women’s World Cup lineup, which include six of this year’s national champions. The World Cup is a dual-meet tournament in which the U.S. will compete in a round-robin format against five of the top nations in the world. The team with the best overall record will be crowned as the World Cup champion. Individual medals at each weight class will also be awarded based on individual match results. Leading the U.S. team will be two-time World champion and seven-time World medalist Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. Marano is the most-decorated women’s wrestler in U.S. history. She won World gold medals in 2000 and 2003 and added a World Cup individual gold medal in 2003. Also competing for the U.S. will be 2001 World silver medalist Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., two-time World silver medalist Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and 2003 World bronze medalist Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 59 kg/130 lbs. Murata is an eight-time U.S. Nationals champion. She has competed in six World Championships. She won a silver medal at last year’s World Cup. George recently won her third U.S. Nationals title. She won World silver medals in 2002 and 2003 and has competed in five World Championships. She placed fourth in the 2003 World Cup. Roberts is a two-time U.S. Nationals champion. She has competed in two World Cup events, winning a gold medal in 2003 and placing fifth in 2004. The other 2005 U.S. Nationals champions on the U.S. roster are Sara Fulp-Allen (El Granada, Calif./Menlo College) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. and Iris Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. Fulp-Allen recently won her first U.S. Nationals title. She placed third at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and currently competes for the Menlo College women’s wrestling team, where she won the 2004 U.S. College National Championships. Smith is a four-time U.S. Nationals champion and competed in the 2000 World Championships. She also was a member of the 2001 U.S. World Team, but could not compete in the World Championships due to her obligation with the U.S. Army to attend basic training. Rounding out the U.S. team will be Kaci Lyle (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. Lyle is a three-time U.S. Nationals runner-up. She placed third in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Coaching the U.S. team will be Edinboro assistant coach Lou Rosselli (Edinboro, Pa.) and USA Wrestling Women’s Resident Coach Tom Tomeo (Colorado Springs, Colo.). The U.S. will compete against teams from host-country France, Japan, Russia, Ukraine and Venezuela. Last year, the U.S. placed fifth at the Women’s World Cup, while forfeiting one weight class in every dual meet. Japan won the team title in 2004. Complete information on the 2005 Women’s World Cup can be found at www.auvergnelutte.com/. 2005 Women’s World Cup of Wrestlingat Clermont-Ferrand, France, May 20-21U.S. Roster48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Sara Fulp-Allen, El Granada, Calif. (Menlo College)51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Stephanie Murata, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)55 kg/121 lbs. – Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)59 kg/130 lbs. – Sally Roberts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Kaci Lyle, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Kristie Marano, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)Coaches: Lou Rosselli, Edinboro, Pa. and Tom Tomeo, Colorado Springs, Colo.
