USA Wrestling’s Women’s Sports Committee has approved the qualification process for the 2011 U.S. Women’s World Team.

Only the four women’s freestyle Olympic weight classes will be contested at the 2011 U.S. World Team Trials, scheduled for Oklahoma City, Okla., June 9-11. The women’s divisions which will be held are 48 kg/105.5 lbs., 55 kg/121 lbs., 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and 72 kg/158.5 lbs.

Athletes will qualify for the U.S. World Team Trials through the existing qualification system in all seven women’s weight classes. Athletes must select one of the four Olympic weight classes when they attend the U.S. World Team Trials in Oklahoma City.

In the four Olympic women’s weight classes, the 2011 U.S. Open champions in Cleveland, Ohio in April advance directly to best-of-three championship series for the U.S. World Team Trials in Oklahoma City.

The winners of the U.S. World Team Trials in Oklahoma City will qualify for the 2011 U.S. World Team which will compete in Istanbul, Turkey, Sept. 12-18, provided they fulfill the World Team Training Camp requirements. In addition, the winners of this event will also qualify to represent the United States at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadelajara, Mexico, Oct. 14-20.

The U.S. World Team Trials for the non-Olympic weight classes will be contested in Colorado Springs, Colo. on July 1-2. The divisions which will be held are 51 kg/112.25 lbs., 59 kg/130 lbs. and 67 kg/158.5 lbs.

The competition will be held in conjunction with the June 22-July 3 Women’s National Team Training Camp, also set for Colorado Springs. Athletes are not required to attend the training camp to participate in the U.S. World Team Trials in Colorado Springs.

No athletes qualify to advance directly to the best-of-three Championship Series at the U.S. World Team Trials in Colorado Springs. All of the qualifiers must compete in the Challenge Tournament. The Committee will seed/separate four individuals in each weight after completion of weigh-ins. The seeding committee will be made up of the same structure as the seeding/separation committee for the National Championships.

The two wrestlers who qualify for the finals of the Challenge Tournament in these three weight classes will advance to the best-of-three Championship Series.

Athletes who are eligible for the Challenge Tournament at the U.S. World Team Trials in Colorado Springs must meet the following qualification criteria:
• 1st -7th place from the 2011 U.S. Open at the non-Olympic weights
• All athletes that qualified into the 2011 U.S. World Team Trials at the Olympic weights
• Past World and Olympic Team members

The winners of the Championship Series qualify to represent the United States at the 2011 World Championships at the non-Olympic weight classes, provided they fulfill the World Team Training Camp requirements.

The approved Women’s World Team qualifying process allows individuals who normally compete at the non-Olympic weight classes the opportunity to adjust their weight up or down to an Olympic weight class and to participate in the U.S. World Team Trials/Pan American Games Trials without any consequence at the non-Olympic weight classes. It also allows the top individuals at the Olympic weight classes who don’t make the 2011 U.S. World Team and Pan American Team to try out for the 2011 U.S. World Team spot at the non-Olympic weights.

In the event that an athlete qualifies for the 2011-12 women’s national team at both Olympic and non-Olympic weight classes, USA Wrestling will provide the athlete with the highest-paying stipend. USA Wrestling will move individuals up accordingly as to make sure that there are three individuals at the Olympic weights and two individuals at the non-Olympic weights getting the approved financial and competition support from USA Wrestling.

The 2011 World Wrestling Championships in Istanbul, Turkey will be the first 2012 Olympic Games qualifying event for wrestling in the 18 Olympic weight classes, including the four women’s Olympic weight classes. The top six placewinners in the 2011 World Championships in the Olympic weight classes qualify their nation for the Olympic Games.