Dremiel Byers competing in the 2009 World Championships finals. Tony Rotundo photo VANTAA, Finland - Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) captured a gold medal at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. on the first day of the 30th annual Vantaa Cup. Byers defeated U.S. teammate Brandon Rupp (Colorado Springs, Colo. /New York AC), 1-0, 5-0 in the gold-medal match. It was the second straight weekend where Byers defeated Rupp in the finals of an international tournament. Byers stopped Rupp 5-0, 1-0 in the finals of the New York Athletic Club International Greco-Roman Championships on Sunday. To reach the finals, Byers beat Madis Sihimets of Estonia, 1-0, 1-0 and pinned Taisto Lalli of Finland in the first period. Byers, a 2002 World champion, has won three World medals in his career. He was a 2009 World silver medalist and a 2007 World bronze medalist. Byers was also a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. Rupp, who is ranked No. 2 in the USA behind Byers, had another strong showing. He opened with win over David Oganesyan of Russia, 6-4, 6-2, then defeated 2006 World champion Heiki Nabi of Estonia, 3-0, 6-0. Nabi won his World title at 96 kg. Also capturing a silver medal at 84 kg/185 lbs. was 2009 U.S. World Team member Chas Betts (St. Michael, Minn./Minnesota Storm/USOEC). Betts won three straight matches to qualify for the finals. He stopped Hannu-Pekka Kattelmak of Finland, 1-0, 1-0, then edged Christoffer Ljungback of Sweden, 1-0, 1-0. In the semifinals, he defeated American Aaron Sieracki (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army), 1-0, 1-0. Betts lost to Fisnik Zahiti of Sweden in the finals, 0-2, 2-0, 0-4. Zahiti was a member of the 2009 Finnish World Team. Sieracki finished fifth, the only other American to reach a medal match. He lost to Christoffer Ljungback of Sweden, 0-1, 0-1 in the bronze-medal round, and had a 2-2 record on the day. After the first day, the United States second in the team standings with 18 points, trailing only Russia with 24 points. Sweden was third with 10 points. There are 20 national and club teams entered in the tournament this year. Three weight classes compete on Sunday: 60 kg, 74 kg, and 96 kg. VANTAA CUP At Vantaa, Finland, November 21 55 kg/121 lbs. 1. Valeriy Borgoyakov (Russia) 2. Khamid Shavaev (Russia-St. Petersburg) 3. Thomas Rönningen (Norway) 3. Mingiyan Semenov (Russia) 5. Vyugar Ragymov (Ukraine) 6. Anar Zeinalov (Estonia) 66 kg/145.5 lbs. 1. Vasily Lukov (Russia) 2. Vahan Juharyan (Armenia) 3. Yuri Denisov (Russia) 3. Stig Andre Berge (Norway) 5. Pavel Skorobogatov (Russia-St. Petersburg) 5. Olexandr Khvoshch (Ukraine) 84 kg/185 lbs. 1. Fisnik Zahiti (Sweden) 2. Charles Betts (USA) 3. Vladislav Lukasevic (Lithuania) 3. Christoffer Ljungbäck (Sweden) 5. Alo Toom (Estonia) 5. Aaron Sieracki (USA) 120 kg/264.5 lbs. 1. Dremiel Byers (USA) 2. Brandon Rupp (USA) 3. David Oganesyan (Russia) 3. Madis Sihimets (Estonia) 5. Heiki Nabi (Estonia) 5. Taisto Lalli (Finland) U.S. Greco-Roman performances 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Faruk Sahin, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) LOSS Jacob Curby (USA), 0-1, 1-0, 0-3 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Jake Curby, LaGrange, Ill. (New York AC/USOEC) WIN Faruk Sahin (USA), 1-0, 0-1, 3-0 WIN Artem Kudyk (Ukraine), 0-1, 3-2, 3-0 LOSS Vahan Juharyan (Armenia), 0-1, 0-1 LOSS Stig Andre Berge (Norway), 0-1, 0-1 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Glenn Garrison, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) LOSS Esa Uimonen (Finland), 1-0, 0-1, 0-1 84 kg/185 lbs. - Chas Betts, St. Michael, Minn. (Minnesota Storm/USOEC), 2nd WIN Hannu-Pekka Kattelmak (Finland), 1-0, 1-0 WIN Christoffer Ljungback (Sweden), 1-0, 1-0 WIN Aaron Sieracki (USA), 1-0, 1-0 LOSS Fisnik Zahiti (Sweden), 0-2, 2-0, 0-4 84 kg/185 lbs. - Aaron Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 5th WIN Cameron Duckworth (USA), 3-0, 3-0 WIN Mika Lyly (Finland), 1-0, 2-0 LOSS Chas Betts (USA), 0-1, 0-1 LOSS Christoffer Ljungback (Sweden), 0-1, 0-1 84 kg/185 lbs. - Talan Knox, Salt Lake City, Utah (Sunkist Kids/USOEC) LOSS Vladislav Lukasevic (Lithuania), 0-1, 0-7 84 kg/185 lbs. - Cameron Duckworth, Portland, Ore. LOSS Aaron Sieracki (USA), 0-3, 0-3 84 kg/185 lbs. - Courtney Myers, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines) LOSS Mika Lyly (Finland), 0-2, 0-1 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 1st WIN Madis Sihimets (Estonia), 1-0, 1-0 WIN Taisto Lalli (Finland), pin 1st period WIN Brandon Rupp (USA), 1-0, 5-0 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Brandon Rupp, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 2nd WIN David Oganesyan (Russia), 6-4, 6-2 WIN Heiki Nabi (Estonia), 3-0, 6-0 LOSS Dremiel Byers (USA), 0-1, 0-5 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Peter Kowalczuk, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) LOSS Heiki Nabi (Estonia), 0-1, 0-1