The sport of wrestling will be well-represented at the Oklahoma Centennial Regatta Festival this weekend in Oklahoma City.

The Centennial Regatta Festival centers around the USA Rowing World Challenge, a warm-up competition for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing featuring competitors from the United States, Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Georgia, Switzerland and the Republic of Moldova.

The rowing competition will include 2000-meter Olympic style racing during the day, then 500-meter sprint finals under the lights.
Organizers have added live music, entertainment, food, evening fireworks and an interactive "Olympic Experience" to create the festival atmosphere.

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum has put together a display showcasing wrestling's Olympic success. On hand on Friday from 4:30-6 p.m. to sign autographs will be Olympic gold medalist Doug Blubaugh and legendary silver medalist Danny Hodge. Saturday, from 10-11:30 a.m., Olympians Daniel Cormier, Eric Guerrero, Blubaugh and former U.S. National Freestyle Coach Lee Roy Smith will sign autographs.

"We are very excited to join the city of Oklahoma City in welcoming all of the visitors to the state," said Smith, who now serves as Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. "It's a unique opportunity for us to share the great heritage of the sport of wrestling with them, and to join other sports in a real hands-on demonstration of what the Olympics are about."

A small number of wrestlers from the four local universities that sponsor the sport will roll out the mats for live demonstrations both days. On Friday, from 4-6 p.m. Oklahoma City University wrestlers will be on the mat. OSU competitors will appear on Saturday from 10 a.m.-noon.

On Saturday afternoon, University of Central Oklahoma wrestlers will be on the mat from 1-3 p.m. and the University of Oklahoma from 4-6 p.m.

Other sports represented in the Olympic Experience will be rowing, kayaking, gymnastics, cycling, swimming, softball, triathlon, archery, volleyball and weightlifting.

The Oklahoma Centennial Regatta Festival will be held at Regatta Park, adjacent to downtown Oklahoma City and the Bricktown entertainment district. Regatta Park is located at 725 S. Lincoln Blvd, one-half mile south of the intersection of Lincoln Blvd. and Reno.

The Olympic Experience will be open both Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For more information on the Oklahoma Centennial Regatta Festival, visit the event's web site at:
www.oklahomaregatta.com