USA Wrestling has announced its 2006 Winter Tour schedule for men's freestyle wrestling. The nation's top Olympic-caliber freestyle wrestlers will compete in three major international competitions this winter, testing themselves against many of the world's greatest wrestlers and teams.

Each year, USA Wrestling sends teams on international tours, which allows top athletes to improve themselves by competing against talented international opponents and gaining experience at the highest levels. The tours also allow the wrestlers to prepare for the major domestic events later in the year, including the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials.

The first U.S. tour team will travel to Krasoyarsk, Russia to compete in the Ivan Yarygin Golden Grand Prix, Jan. 26-27. This event is one of the new FILA Golden Grand Prix events, which provides prize money to athletes based upon their placement.
Competing on the U.S. team competing in Russia are two athletes who are ranked No. 2 in the nation at their weight classes: Jared Lawrence (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Lee Fullhart (Christianburg, Va./Gator WC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. Also attending this tour is 2005 World University Games champion Tommy Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. High school sensation Henry Cejudo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) will compete at 55 kg/121 lbs.

All seven members of the 2005 U.S. World Team, each currently ranked No. 1 in the United States, will compete at the Yasar Dogu International in Samsun, Turkey, Feb. 11-12.

Among the stars on the tour are 1998 World champion and 2000 Olympic silver medalist Sammie Henson (Flintstone, Ga./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs. Two-time World bronze medalist Joe Williams (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) will wrestle at 74 kg/163 lbs., and 2005 World bronze medalist Tolly Thompson (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) will compete at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Also on the tour to Turkey is 2000 Olympian Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

The next Freestyle Winter tour will travel to Brzeg Dolny, Poland, to compete in the Poland Open International, March 3-4. Leading this tour is 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials runner-up Mike Zadick (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye TC) at 60 kg/132 lbs. Also on the trip is Nick Preston (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids), who is ranked No. 2 on the freestyle national team at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

The final tour for U.S. freestyle wrestlers will be the Uzbekistan Independence Cup Grand Prix in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, March 11-12. All seven members of the 2005 U.S. World Team, each currently ranked No. 1 in the United States, will attend this event, including past World medalists Henson, Williams and Thompson. Additional athletes may also be added to this tour, which will be a Golden Grand Prix event that offers prize money based upon placement.

Results from these tours will be posted in the international events section of TheMat.com.

Men Freestyle Tours

Ivan Yarygin Memorial Golden Grand Prix, Krasnoyarsk, Russia, Jan. 26-27
55 kg/121 lbs.  - Henry Cejudo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Angel Cejudo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Jared Lawrence, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Bill Zadick, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Donny Pritzlaff, Northport, N.Y. (New York AC)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Joe Heskett, Grover Beach, Calif. (Gator WC)
82 kg/185 lbs. - Lee Fullhart, Christianburg, Va. (Gator WC)
82 kg/185 lbs. - Chris Pendleton, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Damion Hahn, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minn. Storm)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Nik Fekete, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
Coach - John Peterson, Comstock, Wis.
Coach - Jamill Kelly, Stillwater, Okla.

Yasar Dogu International in Samsun, Turkey, Feb. 11-12
55 kg/121 lbs. - Sammie Henson, Flintstone, Ga. (Sunkist Kids)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Michael Lightner, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Mike Zadick, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye TC)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Chris Bono, Ringgold, Ga. (Sunkist Kids)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Ron Groves, Colorado Springs, Colo. 
74 kg/163 lbs. - Joe Williams, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
82 kg/185 lbs. - Mo Lawal, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Nick Preston, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tolly Thompson, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
Coach - Dan Chaid, San Jose, Calif.

Poland Open International in Brzeg Dolny, Poland, March 3-4
55 kg/121 lbs. - Matt Azevedo, Arroyo Grande, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Mike Zadick, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye TC)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Phillip Simpson, Nashville, Tenn. (U.S. Army)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Aaron Holker, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Scott Owens,  Annapolis, Md. (New York AC)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Tyrone Lewis, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
82 kg/185 lbs. - Andy Hrovat, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC)
82 kg/185 lbs. - Greg Parker, New York, N.Y. (New York AC)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Nick Preston, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids) 
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Nik Fekete, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Mike Irving, Colorado Springs, Colo. (unattached)
Coach - Roman Ruderman, Stanhope, N.J.
Coach - Steve Knight, Ames, Iowa

Uzbekistan Independence Cup Grand Prix in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, March 11-12
55 kg/121 lbs. - Sammie Henson, Flintstone, Ga. (Sunkist Kids)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Michael Lightner, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Chris Bono, Ringgold, Ga. (Sunkist Kids)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Jared Lawrence, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Joe Williams, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
82 kg/185 lbs. - Mo Lawal, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tolly Thompson, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
Coach - Ed Giese, Woodale, Ill.