2005 U.S. Women's Freestyle Winter Tours to kick off with the Ivan Yarygin Memorial Jan. 29

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John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
12/10/2004


The 2005 U.S. Women's Freestyle Winter Tours will begin on Jan. 29 with the Ivan Yarygin Memorial International in Krasnoyarsk, Russia and close out with the Medved International in Minsk, Belarus on March 26.    Four World medalists and one Olympian will highlight the U.S. rosters, which will compete in a total of five tournaments throughout the winter.    Three of those medalists will compete at the Ivan Yarygin Memorial International.    Leading the U.S. team will be 2001 World silver medalist Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., two-time World silver medalist (2002-03) Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 55 kg/121 lbs., 2004 Olympian Tela O'Donnell (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and 2003 World bronze medalist Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 59 kg/130 lbs.    Also competing for the U.S. at the Ivan Yarygin Memorial International will be two-time U.S. Nationals runner-up (2002-03) Kaci Lyle (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and 2004 U.S. Nationals runner-up Stephany Lee (Honolulu, Hawaii/Missouri Valley) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.    At last year's Ivan Yarygin Memorial International, O'Donnell won a gold medal at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Iris Smith won a gold medal at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. for the U.S. team.    The U.S. will then send a team to the Gilbert Schaub Open in Tourcoing, France on February 20.    That squad will be led by two-time U.S. Nationals runner-up (2003-04) Malinda Ripley (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. She will be joined by 2004 U.S. Nationals champion Na'Tasha Umemoto (Portland, Ore./Sunkist Kids), who will compete at 59 kg/130 lbs.    Other past U.S. Nationals medalists competing in the Gilbert Schaub Open include Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) and Sara Fulp-Allen (El Granada, Calif./Menlo College) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Tori Adams (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Samantha Lang (Tualatin, Ore./Sunkist Kids) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.    Chun is a four-time U.S. Nationals runner-up (1999-2000, 2003-04) and placed second at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Lang placed second at the 2003 U.S. Nationals.    Fulp-Allen placed third and Adams placed sixth at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and both have placed at the U.S. Nationals as well.    Stefanie Shaw (Waterford, Conn./New England Elite) will compete at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. Shaw placed fourth at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.    The U.S. will then travel to the Klippan Ladies Open in Klippan, Sweden on March 6.    Murata, George, Lyle will all compete at this tournament. They will be joined by 2003 U.S. Nationals champion Katie Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. and three-time U.S. Nationals runner-up and 2001 U.S. World Team member Erin Tomeo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 59 kg/130 lbs.    2004 Junior Nationals champion Caitlyn Chase (Hanover Park, Ill./Gator WC) will compete at 48 kg/105.5 lbs.    Rounding out the U.S. squad at the Klippan Ladies Open is Tina Pihl (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), a placewinner at the Canadian Olympic Team Trials in 2004.    Last year at the Klippan Ladies Open, the U.S. placed third as a team behind a gold medal from Patricia Miranda at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., a silver medal by Kristie Marano at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and bronze medals by Jenny Wong at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Katie Downing at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.    Murata, Ripley, George, Roberts, Shaw and Downing will lead the U.S. team at the Trophe Milone in Naples, Italy on March 13.    This tournament will be attended by many of the residents of the new U.S. Olympic Education Center (USOEC) program for women's wrestling, including two-time U.S. National Team member (2002-04) Mary Kelly (Mahomet, Ill./New York AC) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs.    2004 U.S. Nationals champion Ali Bernard (New Ulm, Minn./Rolling Thunder) will compete at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.    Also competing from the USOEC program will be Amy Borgnini (Terre Haute, Ind./USOEC) and Danyelle Hedin (Honolulu, Hawaii/USOEC) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Teri Lopez (Katy, Texas/USOEC) and Linse Meadows (Katy, Texas/USOEC) at 59 kg/130 lbs., Ku'u'ini Johnson (Honolulu, Hawaii/USOEC) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. and Donnell Bradley (Aiea, Hawaii/USOEC) and Randi Miller (Arlington, Texas/USOEC) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.    The final stop of the 2005 winter tours for the U.S. women will be at the Medved International in Minsk, Belarus on March 26.    Chun, Ripley, O'Donnell, Roberts, Adams and Lyle will be joined by 2003 World bronze medalist Jenny Wong (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs.    Also competing for the U.S. team will be Katie Kunimoto (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. and Marcie Van Dusen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs.    Kunimoto placed seventh and Van Dusen placed fifth at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Van Dusen was also a 2004 University World champion.    TheMat.com will provide news and results from each of these events as they happen.      2005 U.S. Women's Winter Tour Rosters  Ivan Yarygin Memorial International  Krasnoyarsk, Russia  Jan. 29, 2005  51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Stephanie Murata, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  55 kg/121 lbs. - Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  55 kg/121 lbs. - Tela O'Donnell, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Dave Schultz WC)  59 kg/130 lbs. - Sally Roberts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)  63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Kaci Lyle, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Stephany Lee, Honolulu, Hawaii (Missouri Valley)    Gilbert Schaub Open  Tourcoing, France  Feb. 20, 2005  48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Clarissa Chun, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)  48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Sara Fulp-Allen, El Granada, Calif. (Menlo College)  51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Malinda Ripley, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  59 kg/130 lbs. - Na'Tasha Umemoto, Portland, Ore. (Sunkist Kids)  63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Tori Adams, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Stefanie Shaw, Waterford, Conn. (New England Elite)  72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Samantha Lang, Tualatin, Ore. (Sunkist Kids)    Klippan Ladies Open  Klippan, Sweden  March 6, 2005  48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Caitlyn Chase, Hanover Park, Ill. (Gator WC)  51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Stephanie Murata, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  55 kg/121 lbs. - Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  55 kg/121 lbs. - Tina Pihl, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  59 kg/130 lbs. - Erin Tomeo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Kaci Lyle, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Katie Downing, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)    Trophe Milone  Naples, Italy  March 13, 2005  48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Mary Kelly, Mahomet, Ill. (New York AC)  51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Stephanie Murata, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Malinda Ripley, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  55 kg/121 lbs. - Amy Borgnini, Terre Haute, Ind. (USOEC)  55 kg/121 lbs. - Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  55 kg/121 lbs. - Danyelle Hedin, Honolulu, Hawaii (USOEC)  59 kg/130 lbs. - Teri Lopez, Katy, Texas (USOEC)  59 kg/130 lbs. - Linse Meadows, Katy, Texas (USOEC)  59 kg/130 lbs. - Sally Roberts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)  63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Stefanie Shaw, Waterford, Conn. (New England Elite)  67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Ali Bernard, New Ulm, Minn. (Rolling Thunder)  67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Katie Downing, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Ku'u'ini Johnson, Honolulu, Hawaii (USOEC)  72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Donnell Bradley, Aiea, Hawaii (USOEC)  72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Randi Miller, Arlington, Texas (USOEC)    Medved International  Minsk, Belarus  March 26, 2005  48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Clarissa Chun, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)  48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Katie Kunimoto, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)  51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Malinda Ripley, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  55 kg/121 lbs. - Marcie Van Dusen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  55 kg/121 lbs. - Tela O'Donnell, Co