The Dave Schultz Wrestling Club will travel to Nice, France to compete in the 26th Henri Delgane Challenge, which will be held in Nice, France, Nov. 24-25. This annual competition includes both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, and features club and national teams from a number of nations.In addition to the wrestling action, a group of U.S. wrestling fans will accompany the team on the trip from Nov. 20-27, with the opportunity to witness world-class wrestling along with tours of Monaco and Monte Carlo, the French Riviera, lodging at Hotel Normandie and much more.
The Dave Schultz WC team will include a number of veteran international stars, as well as some young talents who are expected to challenge for future U.S. World and Olympic teams.
Headlining the group is 2000 U.S. Olympian Heath Sims (Huntington Beach, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) at 152 pounds. Sims was the 2000 U.S. Nationals champion, and represented the U.S. at the Sydney Olympic Games in Greco-Roman.
Also on the tour is two-time Greco-Roman Olympian Dan Henderson (Gresham, Ore./Dave Schultz WC) at 187.25 pounds. Henderson competed in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games.
The top veteran among the freestyle wrestlers is Eric Akin (Overland Park, Kan./Dave Schultz WC) at 127.75 pounds. Akin competed in the 1999 World Championships, and placed second in the 1996 and 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
The rest of the team features young talents who are considered top future stars. A pair of past NCAA champions, Glen Pritzlaff (Philadelphia, Pa./Dave Schultz WC) at 167.5 pounds and Markus Mollica (Cambridge, Mass./Dave Schultz WC) at 187.25 pounds, will compete in Nice. Pritzlaff was a NCAA champion for Penn State, while Mollica claimed two NCAA titles for Arizona State.
Coaching the team will be Chris Horpel of Stanford, Calif., the head coach at Stanford Univ. and head coach of the Dave Schultz WC. Nancy Schultz of Foster City, Calif., the president of the Dave Schultz WC, will serve as delegation leader, and Karen Reina of Philadelphia, Pa., is the event organizer.
Those accompanying the team for the wrestling vacation tour will participate in a number of fun and interesting cultural activities. The group will have a guided tour of a sweets factory on the Nice harbour and witness the changing of the Guard in Monaco. An evening in Monte Carlo will also be part of the agenda. The fans will also have a guided tour of a perfume factory "Galimard" in Grasse, participate in a picnic near Gourdon and visit Saint Paul de Vence and "Les gorges du Loup."
HENRI DEGLANE CHALLENGE
at Nice, France, Nov. 24-25
Dave Schultz WC Freestyle Team
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Eric Akin, Overland Park, Kan. (Dave Schultz WC)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Dustin Denunzio, Cambridge, Mass (Dave Schultz WC)
69 kg /152 lbs. - Yoshi Nakamura, Philadelphia, Pa. (Dave Schultz WC)
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Glen Pritzlaff, Philadelphia, Pa. (Dave Schultz WC)
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Sam Kline, Morgantown, W.Va. (Dave Schultz WC)
85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Markus Mollica. Cambridge, Mass. (Dave Schultz WC)
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Rafael Davis, Bakersfield, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC)
Greco-Roman Team
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Joe Dansby, Pebble Beach, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC)
69 kg /152 lbs. - Heath Sims, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC)
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Ethan Harris, Salt Lake City, Utah (Dave Schultz WC)
85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Dan Henderson, Gresham, Ore. (Dave Schultz WC)
Head Coach - Chris Horpel , Stanford, Calif.
Delegation Leader - Nancy Schultz, Foster City, Calif.
Official - Pete Gomez, Walsenburg, Colo.
Event Organizer - Karen Reina, Philadelphia, Pa.