Ali Feizasa of Iranwrestlingnews.com is the winner of the 2011 Pick the Winners contest among international journalists from the recent World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey.

Feizasa was the only journalist to pick at least eight of the 21 champions in Istanbul, including four of the seven women’s champions. He was also the only journalist to pick a Greco-Roman champion correctly.

Feizasa nailed winners with Saeid Abdelavi of Iran in Greco, Zamira Rakhmanova of Russia, Saori Yoshida of Japan, Kaori Icho of Japan and Stanka Zlateva of Bulgaria in women’s freestyle, while correctly picking Viktor Lebedov and Besik Kudukov of Russia and Iran’s Mehdi Taghavi in men’s freestyle.

Centre Daily Times (Pa.) wrestling beat writer Guy Cipriano was alone in second place, picking seven champions correctly. 

Cipriano pegged four women’s champions – Hitomi Sakamoto of Japan along with Yoshida, Icho and Slateva and also picked Lebedev, Kudukhov and Jordan Burroughs of the United States.

Eight journalist correctly picked at least four women's champions, while only four hit at least three of the men's freestyle champions.

Last year, Andrew Hipps, Willie Saylor, Eddie Goldman and Earl B. Smith tied with 11 champions picked correctly.

In all, 20 journalists from around the world participated in this year’s contest.

8 champions
Ali Feizasa, IranWrestlingNews.com (Iran)

7 champions
Guy Cipriano, Centre Daily Times (USA)

6 champions
Mikolaj Jarocki (Poland)
Gregg Henry, WrestlingReport.com (USA)
Pat Tocci, NWCA (USA)
Andrew Hipps, InterMat (USA)
Earl B. Smith, D1CollegeWrestling.net (USA)

5 champions
Willie Saylor, TheOpenMat (USA)
Ikuo Higuchi, Japan Amateur Wrestling Association (Japan)
Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling (USA)
Al Bevilacqua, Beat The Streets (USA)
Matt Diano, LighthouseWrestling.com (USA)

4 champions
Eddie Goldman, No Holds Barred (USA)
Joe Caprino, IndianaMat.com (USA)
Craig Sesker, USA Wrestling (USA)
Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com (USA)
Byambaa Tsagaanbatar, Tavan Tsagarig Sports Newspaper (Mongolia)
Mark Morris, PA Wrestling Resources (USA)
Jason Bryant, USA Wrestling (USA)
Lee Roper, FloWrestling (USA)