The 2nd annual Kit Carson International Cup of Greco-Roman wrestling will be hosted at the Special Events Center at Fort Carson, Colo., Jan. 27-28.  The tournament will match wrestlers from the Greco-Roman National Teams represented by Japan, Bulgaria, Uzbekistan, the Czech Republic and the United States in dual meet competition.

The tournament will tentatively last from 5 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 27, and from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28.

There is no cost of admission.  To enter Fort Carson, patrons need to bring title and proof of insurance, the registration of their vehicle, and a photo ID at the main entrance off U.S. Highway 115.

The Kit Carson International Cup was created last year by Staff Sgt. Shon Lewis, who serves as the head coach of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program wrestling team at Fort Carson.  The tournament was formed to bring top international competition to wrestlers in the United States.

The international tournament gives both the American teams and foreign teams more practice in preparation for competition on the World and Olympic levels.  The number of participants in the tournament has more than doubled since its inaugural year in 2005, when Belarus, Bulgaria, and the USA attended the tournament.  

The U.S. will enter three teams in the tournament.  USA Team Red is comprised of all the members of the 2005 U.S. World Team, each ranked No. 1 in the nation.  Included are 2002 World champion Dremiel Byres (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs, 2005 World bronze medalist Justin Ruiz (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs, and 2004 Olympian Brad Vering (Colorado Springs, New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs.  USA Team White features 2004 Olympian Oscar Wood (Fountain, Colo./U.S. Army) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.  

The top foreign athletes expected to compete include two-time Olympic champion Armen Nazarian of Bulgaria at 60 kg/132 lbs, 2005 World champion Nikolay Gergov of Bulgaria at 66 kg/145.5 lbs, 2005 World bronze medalist Petr Svehla from the Czech Republic at 66 kg/145.5 lbs, 2001 World champion Dilshod Aripov of Uzbekistan at 60 kg/ 132 lbs., and 2004 Olympic champion Alexandr Dokturishivili of Uzbekistan at 74 kg/163 lbs.  

Most of the athletes competing at the Kit Carson Cup will also enter the Dave Schultz Memorial International at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., Feb. 3-4.

2006 Kit Carson Cup Tentative Schedule:

Thursday, Jan. 26
5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.-Medical Check/Weigh-in at the Olympic Training Center Wrestling Room

Friday, Jan. 27 
5 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.-Session I
Japan vs. USA Red
Bulgaria vs. USA White
Uzbekistan vs. USA Blue
Czech Republic vs. USA Red

6:10 p.m.-Presentation of Army personnel following the first dual

Saturday, Jan. 28 
9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.-Session II
Japan vs. USA Blue
Uzbekistan vs. USA White
USA Red vs. Uzbekistan
USA White vs. Japan
USA White vs. Czech Republic
Bulgaria vs. USA Blue
USA Red vs. Bulgaria
Czech Republic vs. USA Blue

2006 Kit Carson Cup Team Rosters

United States Team Red
55 kg/121 lbs. - Lindsey Durlacher, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Joe Warren, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Harry Lester, Akron, Ohio (USOEC/Gator WC)
74 kg/163 lbs. - T.C. Dantzler, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Brad Vering, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Justin Ruiz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Arm)

United States Team Blue
55 kg/121 lbs. - Joe Betterman, Chicago, Ill. (USOEC/New York AC)
60 kg/132 lbs. - James Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Glen Garrison, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Keith Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Brad Ahearn, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Adam Wheeler, Lancaster, Calif. (USOEC/Gator WC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Russ Davie, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)

United States Team White
55 kg/121 lbs. -  Jermaine Hodge, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Josh Habeck, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Mark Rial, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. -  Oscar Wood, Fountain, Colo. (U.S. Army)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Marcel Cooper, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
74 kg/163 lbs. -  Jess Hargrave, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
74 kg/163 lbs. -  Brandon McNab, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Sasha Petkovic, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
84 kg/185 lbs. -  Zac Dominguez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Phil Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - R.C. Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Al Sankey, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Brandon Ruiz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)

Bulgaria
55 kg/121 lbs. - Ivo Angelov
55 kg/121 lbs. - Venelin Venkov
60 kg/132 lbs. - Armen Nazarian
60 kg/132 lbs. - Emil Milev
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Nikolay Gergov
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Plamen Petrov
74 kg/163 lbs. - Velin Marinov
74 kg/163 lbs. - Yavor Yanakiev
74 kg/163 lbs. - Plamen Palev
84 kg/185 lbs. - Hrisio Marinov
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Vladislav Metodiev
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Kaloyan Dinchev
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Petar Bogaevski
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Todor Mihov

Czech Republic
55kg/121 lbs. - Michal Novak
60 kg/132 lbs. - Jan Hocko
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Petr Svehla
74 kg/163 lbs. - Tomas Sobecky
84 kg/185 lbs. - Bohumil Domkar
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Jiri Matysek
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - David Vala

Japan
55 kg/121 lbs. - Kohei Hasegawa
55 kg/121 lbs. - Kazuma Kuramoto
55 kg/121 lbs. - Takuimo Otsu
60 kg/132 lbs. - Ryutaro Matsumoto
60 kg/132 lbs. - Kenta Iwasaki
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Noritomo Eto
74 kg/163 lbs. - Teppei Okamoto
84 kg/185 lbs. - Tsukasa Tsurumaki
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Ryuji Yamaguchi
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tetsuya Shato

Uzbekistan
55 kg/121 lbs. - Sherali Shodmanov
55 kb/121 lbs. - Akbar Kuziev
60 kg/132 lbs. - Dilshod Aripov
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Valijon Jonhurozov
66 kb/145.5 lbs. - Jakhongir Muminov
84 kg/185 lbs. - Denis Zdorikov
84 kb/185 lbs. - Abdumalik Aliev
74 kg/163 lbs. - Alexandr Dokturishivili
74 kg/163 lbs. - Rinat Fatkullin
Weight Unknown - Rawshan Ruzikulov
Weight Unknown - Kamol Holmatov
Weight Unknown - Sukhbat Khajiev