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World Champion Showdown between Sandra Bacher and Kristie Marano for No. 1 ranking on Women's Team USA set for Nov. 4 in Phoenix, Ariz.

10/26/00
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling

A Special Wrestle-off for the No. 1 ranking at 149.75 pounds on Women's Team USA will be held between 1999 World Champion Sandra Bacher (San Jose, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) and 2000 World Champion Kristie Marano (Albany, N.Y./ATWA) on Saturday, Nov. 4 in Phoenix, Ariz.

The best-of-three series will be held at Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, Ariz. Session times for the Special Wrestle-off will be at 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. If a third match is needed, it will be held at 1:00 p.m.

At stake in the battle of star World Champion wrestlers is the top ranking at the weight class and the level of National Team funding for each athlete during the 2000-2001 season.

The Wrestle-off will be held alongside the Sunkist Kids International Open, a major international wrestling event for men and women in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.

The series was originally scheduled for the Women's World Team Trials in Battle Creek, Mich. in June, but delayed by Bacher, the 2000 U.S. Nationals champion, due to injury. Bacher and Marano agreed to delayed the series until November in order that Bacher could compete in judo at the 2000 Olympic Games. Bacher participated in her third Olympic Games in judo in Sydney, Australia this summer.

Marano represented the U.S. at the weight class at the WomenÕs World Championships in September and won the gold medal. The United States has now won the weight division at the World Championships for two straight years, as Bacher was the World Champion in 1999.

At the 2000 U.S. Nationals, Bacher defeated Marano, 5-1 in the finals at 149.75 pounds. The athletes also competed in the finals of the 1998 U.S. Nationals, with Marano scoring a 4-1 victory at 165.25 pounds. The athletes also have previous meetings during their judo careers.

Bacher has won three World medals in women's wrestling, a gold in 1999, a silver in 1997 and a bronze in 1998. She won U.S. National Championships in 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2000 and has won the World Team Trials the past five years.

Marano has been a World Championships finalist for five straight years, winning the gold medal in 2000 and silver medals from 1996-1999. All of her World silver medals were at 165.25 pounds. She dropped to 149.75 pounds for the first time this year. She won the Pan American Championships in 1997 and was a Junior World Champion in 1998. Marano has won four career U.S. Nationals titles (1996-1999).

WRESTLE-OFF SCHEDULE

November 3

6:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. - Weigh-in

November 4

9:00 a.m. - Match #1 of series

12:00 noon - Match #2 of series

1:00 p.m. - Match #3 of series (if necessary)

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Sunkist Kids International Open, featuring international wrestling stars, set for Nov. 3-5 at Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, Ariz.

10/20/00
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling

Many of the top wrestlers in the United States, along with some talented foreign athletes, will head to Phoenix, Ariz. to compete in men’s freestyle, men’s Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle wrestling at the 16th annual Sunkist Kids International Open, held at the Desert Vista High School, Nov. 3-5.

Numerous talented U.S. athletes are expected to compete in all three divisions. Other countries that have indicated that they may compete are Japan, Bulgaria, Romania, Canada, Kyrgyzstan, Great Britain, Nigeria and Jordan. As the first major international event held in the United States after the 2000 Olympic Games, the event is expected to showcase some of the young talent that will challenge for the U.S. World and Olympic teams during the next four years.

Among the champions in the 1999 Sunkist Kids/ASU International Open was Greco-Roman star Rulon Gardner (Afton, Wyo./Sunkist Kids), who went on the win the Olympic gold medal in Sydney, Australia on Sept. 27. Gardner was the Outstanding Wrestler in Greco-Roman at the 1999 competition.

Another 1999 Sunkist Kids Greco-Roman champion was Jim Gruenwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) in the 138.75-pound class. Gruenwald placed sixth at the 2000 Olympic Games at 127.75 pounds.

Also winning a gold medal at the 1999 Sunkist Open was Melvin Douglas (Mesa, Ariz./Sunkist Kids), who competed for the United States at the 213.75-pound class in freestyle in Sydney, his second Olympic team berth.

The other Outstanding Wrestlers in 1999 were Chris Bono (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) in men’s freestyle at 152 pounds and Sara McMann (Marion, N.C./Sunkist Kids) in women’s freestyle at 138.75 pound. Bono placed second in the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, and McMann competed on the 2000 U.S. Women’s World Team.

Other 1999 individual freestyle champions from the United States included Stephen Abas (Fresno, Calif./Sunkist Kids) at 119 pounds, Dwight Hinson (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 127.75 pounds, Troy Steiner (Madison, Wis./Team Excel) at 138.75 pounds, Brian Dolph (Ridley Park, Pa./Dave Schultz WC) at 167.5 pounds and Tolly Thompson (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 286 pounds.

Other 1999 Greco-Roman champions were Joey Dansby (San Luis Obispo, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) at 119 pounds, Duaine Martin (Quantico, Va./U.S. Marine Corps) at 127.75 pounds, Shon Lewis (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 152 pounds, T.C. Dantzler (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 167.5 pounds and Kenny Owens (Quantico, Va./U.S. Marine Corps) at 187.25 pounds and Jason Gleasman (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 213.75 pounds.

Among the 1999 Sunkist Kids women champions was Patricia Miranda (Stanford, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) at 101.25 pounds. Miranda won a silver medal at 112.25 pounds at the 2000 Women’s World Championships.

Another 1999 Sunkist Kids women’s champion was Stephanie Murata (Williamsburg, Ky./Sunkist Kids), who was fourth in the 1998 and 1999 World Championships. Other individual women champions were Megan Andrews (Napa, Calif./Cowboy WC) at 136.5 pounds, Kaci Lyle (Eureka, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) at 149.75 pounds and Sarah Van Skaik (Willamsburg, Ky./Cumberland College) at 165.25 pounds.

In addition, a Special Wrestle-off for the No. 1 ranking at 149.75-pounds on Women’s Team USA will be held between 1999 World Champion Sandra Bacher (San Jose, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) and 2000 World Champion Kristie Marano (Albany, N.Y./ATWA). Bacher, the 2000 U.S. Nationals champion, delayed the series in order to compete in judo at the 2000 Olympic Games. Marano represented the U.S. at the weight class and won the gold medal at the Women’s World Championships in September. At stake is the top ranking and the National Team funding for the 2000-2001 season.

The Sunkist Kids International Open is the traditional kick-off event of the USA Wrestling Senior season. A number of college wrestlers from top programs also enter the event in both the men’s and women’s divisions.

SUNKIST KIDS/ASU INTERNATIONAL OPEN BASIC INFORMATION

TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR: Lee Roy Smith (480) 965-8113

SCHEDULE:
Friday, November 3
9:00 am - 12:00 pm: FILA Officials Clinic, Session #1 (Hotel)
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: FILA Officials Clinic, Session #2 (Hotel)
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm: Freestyle & Greco-Roman Registration (Hotel)
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm: Freestyle Weigh-in,+2KG (Hotel)
5:30 pm - 6:00 pm: Greco-Roman Weigh-in,+2KG (Hotel)
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm: Women’s Registration (Hotel)
6:30 pm - 7:00 pmWomens Weigh-ins (Hotel)
[Hotel indicates Wyndham Gardens]

Saturday, November 4
9:00 am - 1:00 pm: Freestyle Preliminaries
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm: Greco-Roman & Women’s Preliminaries
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm: Freestyle Preliminaries
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm: Greco-Roman & Women’s Preliminaries

Sunday, November 5
9:00 am - 1:00 pm: Freestyle, Greco-Roman & Women’s Prelimaries through Pool Finals
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: ALL Finals

EVENT LOCATION:
Desert Vista High School
16440 South 32nd St.
Contact: Todd Ford (480) 855-9558

HOST HOTEL:
Wyndham Gardens, 7475 W. Chandler Blvd, Chandler, AZ 85226, Phone: (480) 961-4444

Single/Double: $78; Additional Information call: Ty Watson (602) 793-7530