Action from the 2010 U.S. Beach National Championships. Rochester, N.Y. will again host the event for two more years. Pat Fox photo

USA Wrestling has announced that the 2011 and 2012 U.S. Beach National Wrestling Championships and World Team Trials will return to Rochester, N.Y.

The event has been held in Rochester for the last four years (2007-2010). The competition will again be hosted at Ontario Beach Park (also called Charlotte Beach) in Rochester.

The dates for the 2011 U.S. Beach National Wrestling Championships and World Team Trials in Rochester will be July 9-10, 2011.

The proposed dates for the 2012 U.S. Beach National Wrestling Championships and World Team Trials in Rochester will be July 14-15, 2012.

"We are proud to once again work with the Rochester wrestling community and the Monroe County Sports Commission to host this competition for two more years,” said Pete Isais, USA Wrestling National Events Director. “Our partners in Rochester organize a first-class competition, and have helped the event to grow and improve. Our most important Beach wrestling event will continue to be showcased at the highest level.”

The local organizing committee is the Team Titan Worldwide Wrestling Club, an active and respected USA Wrestling sanctioned club in the community.

"The Rochester community is very excited. We are 100% committed to this style of wrestling and to USA Wrestling," said event director Lou Lombardo. “We are pleased to host the event for two more years and look forward to the future growth of the competition.”

The 2011 U.S. Beach National Championships will be held on Saturday, July 9, with competition in five age groups: Schoolboy/girl, Cadet, Junior, Senior (men and women) and Veterans. In all age groups, weight classes will be determined after weighins, using the blocked weight system. Athletes from other nations will be permitted to enter in all of the age divisions.

A team belt award will be given to the top club at the Beach National Championships. Standings will be determined based upon points earned in all age divisions. The defending champion is the Worldwide/Team Titan from New York.

Among the top U.S. stars in Beach Wrestling on the Senior level are two-time World medalists Jeff Funicello of American Pankration and Carlos Dolmo of NY Blast Double.

There will not be a U.S. Beach World Team Trials in 2011 as in other years. FILA has moved the Beach World Championships earlier in the summer to July 16-17 in Batumi, Georgia. The Beach World Team qualifying process for the 2011 team will be announced shortly.

Instead, on Sunday, July 12, the International Beach Cup will be held on the Senior level. Competition will be hosted in the two FILA weight classes for Beach wrestling, Below 85 kg/187.5 lbs. and Above 85 kg/187.5 lbs. All of the athletes who competed at the Beach Nationals will be permitted to enter, and athletes from other nations may participate. 

For the fourth straight year, the National High School Beach Duals will be held on Sunday, July 12. High school club teams can enter this competition, and battle for team trophies and bragging rights. The addition of the High School Duals gives athletes two full days of quality wrestling. Titan Worldwide I is the defending champion.

Held alongside the U.S. Beach Nationals and World Team Trials will be a number of other exciting sports events at the beach, along with music and other entertainment. Some of the sports expected this year are beach volleyball and pickleball. This combined activity has proven to be very successful in past years.

One of the new events expected to be held alongside the U.S. Beach Nationals is a bench press competition. In past years, when the bench press event was hosted on the beach, it was very successful. Those participating in the U.S. Beach National Championships will also have an opportunity to enter the bench press tournament if they choose.

"The Monroe County Sports Commission is committed to growing both the beach wrestling tournament as well as the entire Sports and Music Festival. They are looking to expand this event every year,” said Lombardo. “Ontario Beach Park is a gathering spot for people in our community. There is a lot of activity and hustle-and-bustle during the entire weekend. Lake Ontario is a great location for summer activities.”

Beach Wrestling was added as a new style of international wrestling in 2005. Athletes compete on sand, in a style that features takedowns within a ring. The sport has been growing in popularity across the nation and world.

USA Wrestling has sanctioned Beach events since 2005, and held its first U.S. Beach National Championships and World Team Trials in 2006. FILA hosted the first World Championships in 2006 in Antalya, Turkey.

For more information, contact event director Lou Lombardo at (585)313-8503 or via e-mail at ljlclean@yahoo.com.