Japan, the nation that has dominated women's freestyle wrestling since the sport joined the international scene in the late 1980's, is seeking to defend its title at the Women's World Cup, set for Clermont-Ferrand, France, May 20-21. Japan claimed the team title in this international dual-meet championships in 2004, which was held on their home mats in Tokyo. Also in the field is the United States, the 2003 World Cup team champions. Completing the talented field of teams are Ukraine, Russia, Venezuela and host France. The nations will compete in dual meets, with final standings determined based upon the team records from these duals. Individual medalists are also recognized, based upon the results in each weight division. Japan had the most dominant performance at the 2004 Olympic Games, the first time that women's wrestling was included in the Olympics. All four of the 2004 Olympians for Japan will be wrestling in the World Cup this year. That includes Olympic champions Saori Yoshida at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Kaori Icho at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. Olympic silver medalist Chiharu Icho will compete at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., up a division from where she wrestled at the Athens Games. Olympic bronze medalist Kyoko Hamaguchi will wrestle at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. These athletes have won numerous World gold medals as well, including five by Hamaguchi, two by Kaori Icho and Yoshida, and one by Chiharu Icho. Many of the team members have won World Cup titles, including three from Hamaguchi and Kaori Icho. This is an all-star team, the best that Japan can offer. If Japan has weaknesses, it is at 48 kg/105.5 lbs and 67 kg/147.5 lbs., where the entries are not World medalists. For a team to beat Japan, it must win at those two divisions, and pull a few upsets in the other weight classes. As in previous years, the Japanese team does not lack for confidence going into the competition. ``Each nation has a few strong wrestlers,'' Japan coach Shigeo Kinase told the Japanese newspaper Asahi. ``So we'll have to take care of all of them to win the World Cup. That's our goal, to win the World Cup.'' The rest of the field will battle to see who earns the right to challenge Japan for the team title. Most of the other teams have a mix of experienced talent, along with some exciting new contenders. Team USA will be talented, with six of the seven 2005 U.S. Nationals champion in the lineup. The top star is two-time World champion and seven-time World medalist Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. 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. 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. Rounding out the U.S. team will be nationals runner-up Kaci Lyle (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. Russia will be led by three of its four 2004 Olympians: Lorisa Oorzhak at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Natalia Smirnova at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. and Alena Kartashova at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. None of them won Olympic medals, and Smirnova competed up at 55 kg in Athens. With Smirnova dropping down, two-time World bronze medalist Natalia Golts was inserted in the lineup at 55 kg/121 lbs. Smirnova and Kartashova are past World champions, although at other weight classes. When you add in Elena Perpelkina at 67 kg/147.5 lbs., the defending World Cup champion, as well as 2003 World bronze medalist Svetlana Martynenko at 72 kg/158.5 lbs., you have a very strong lineup. Host France also brings its big guns to this tournament, including 2004 Olympic bronze medalists Anna Gomis at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Lise LeGrand at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. LeGrand won her Olympic medal down at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. France, which was a major women's power in the early years of the sport, seemed to have dropped off a bit, but came back with a tremendous performance at the Athens Games. Gomis is considered one of the sport's all-time stars, with four World titles to her credit (1993, 1996, 1997, 1999). The rest of the French team is experienced, with athletes such as Anne Catherine Deluntsch at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Vanessa Boubryemm at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., Audrey Prieto at 59 kg/130 lbs. and Fanny Gai at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. all with past European, World Cup and World Championships appearances. Ukraine always has a very competitive women's team, and this year, their World Cup team leans toward the young side. The superstar on the team is 2004 Olympic champion Irini Merlini, who has moved up from her normal 48 kg/105.5 lbs to compete at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. this year. Merlini has won three World titles to go along with the Olympic gold, and she is etched in history as the first woman to ever win an Olympic title in wrestling. The other experienced stars are 2002 World champion Katerina Burmistrova at 67 kg/147.5 pounds, along with Svitlana Sayenko at 72 kg/158.5 lbs., who was fourth at the 2004 Olympic Games. For Ukraine to do well at the World Cup, the athletes in the roster who are coming up from the Junior ranks will have to do very well. Venenzuela did not submit a roster to the official web page. This nation has traditionally been the top women's wrestling power from South America, and has a number of women wrestlers win World medals or high placements at the World Championships. Without a roster to review, it is unknown whether Venezuela will bring some of its veteran stars, or will use this event as a chance to test out some new talent. For more information on the Women's World Cup, visit the official web page posted by the hosts in France at: http://www.auvergnelutte.com/Equipes.htm 2005 WOMEN'S WORLD CUP LINEUPS at Clermont-Ferrand, France, May 20-21 JAPAN 48 kg SAKAMOTO Makiko 51 kg ICHO Chiharu 51 kg SAKAMOTO Hitomi 55 kg YOSHIDA Saori 59 kg SHODA Ayako 59 kg NAKANISHI Hatsumi 63 kg ICHO Kaori 67 kg SAKAMOTO Eri 67 kg SAITO Noria 72 kg HAMAGUCHI Kyoko 72 kg MORASHIMA Ayako UKRAINE 48 kg KOHUT Oleksandra 51 kg MERLENI Irini 51 kg LEVKOVSKA Olga 55 kg KOMAROVA Alena 59 kg SINISHIN Natalia 63 kg SHALIKOVA Oxana 67 kg BURMISTROVA Katerina 67 kg ZLATOVA Valeriya 72 kg SOENKO Svitlana UNITED STATES 48 kg FULP ALLEN Sara 51 kg MURATA Stephanie 55 kg GEORGE Tina 59 kg ROBERTS Sally 63 kg LYLE Kaci 67 kg MARANO Kristie 72 kg SMITH Iris RUSSIA 48 kg OARZHAK Lorisa 48 kg KASKARAKOVA Liliya 51 kg SMIRNOVA Natalia 51 kg TOLSTENKO Elena 55 kg GOLTS Natalia 59 kg ZAGAINOVA Viktoria 59 kg IVASHKO Natalia 63 kg KARTASHOVA Alena 63 kg POLOVNEVA Anna 67 kg PEREPELKINA Elena 67 kg DEZHNEVA Anastasia 72 kg MARTYNENKO Svetlana 72 kg STARODUBTSEVA Alena FRANCE 48 kg DELUNTSCH Anne Catherine 51 kg BOUBRYEMM Vanessa 51 kg WILLOCQ Juliette 55 kg GOMIS Anna 55 kg LEBON Hélène 59 kg PRIETO Audrey 59 kg SELLOUM Meyriem 59 kg SEVE Sandrine 63 kg MOUSSAOUI Nadia 67 kg LEGRAND Lise 72 kg GAI Fanny 72 kg DOS SANTOS Catherine VENEZUELA Lineup not yet available