Clarissa Chun competing at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, where she qualified for her second U.S. Olympic Team. Larry Slater photo

The United States will compete against the top women’s wrestling powers at the 2012 Women’s World Cup in Tokyo, Japan, May 26-27.

The top eight nations from the 2011 World Championships are entered in the World Cup, which is the annual international dual meet championships. The event will be held at the Yoyogi National Grand Second Gymnasium.

The United States placed second in the Women’s World Cup in 2009 and 2010, falling to China in the championship finals both years.

Three athletes who have qualified to compete in the 2012 London Olympic Games will be on the U.S. roster: two-time Olympian Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., plus Olympians Kelsey Campbell (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Elena Pirozhkova (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.

Competition will be in the seven weight classes contested each year at the World Championships. Of the eight wrestlers on the U.S. lineup, seven have competed for the United States at the Senior World Championships during their career. Among them is 2011 World bronze medalist Adeline Gray (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), who is moving up in weight to compete at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.

The teams competing in the World Cup, based upon 2011 World Championships placement are: 1. Japan; 2. Canada; 3. Mongolia; 4. United States; 5. Russia; 6. Azerbajain; 7. China; 8. Ukraine. 

The event will be split into two pools of four teams, with each team wrestling the other three nations in their pool. These three bouts will be held on Saturday, May 26. Based upon the pool results, the medal match pairings will be determined, with those matches contested on Sunday, May 27. The pool pairings for this year’s Women’s World Cup have not yet been announced.

“This is a very important competition,” said National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner. “The World Cup is a team competition. We have to do this as a program and as a team. That has been our message to the athletes. This is a good reason to pull together as a team.”

“We have the top eight teams in the world at the World Cup. It is being held in Tokyo, which is important in women’s wrestling. We would like to go over there and make a statement. We are here as a program and we are coming here to win. The last two years, we have been No. 2 behind China at the World Cup. I’d like to think we have made improvements and would like to show that at this competition,” he said.

WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
At Tokyo, Japan, May 26-27

U.S. roster
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Clarissa Chun, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Alyssa Lampe, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Kelsey Campbell, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (New York AC)
59 kg/130 lbs. – Leigh Jaynes, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Jennifer Page, Orangevale, Calif. (OCU/Gator WC)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Adeline Gray, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
National Freestyle Coach Terry Steiner, Colorado Springs, Colo. 
Assistant National Freestyle Coach Izzy Izboinikov, Colorado Springs, Colo.
World Cup coach – Keith Wilson, Colorado Springs, Colo.

World Cup event schedule (local time in Tokyo)

Saturday, May 26
1:00 p.m. – Opening Ceremonies
1:30 p.m. – Session I
3:30 p.m. – Session II
5:30 p.m. – Session III

Sunday, May 27
1:00 p.m. – Fifth and Seventh Place Finals
3:00 p.m. – Third Place Finals
4:00 p.m. - Championship Finals