USA Wrestling is pleased to announce the selection of Boise, Idaho as the host city for the 2003 World Cup of Freestyle Wrestling. The World Cup is the most prestigious international team competition for the sport of freestyle wrestling. The best freestyle wrestlers in the world will travel to Boise to compete in the 2003 World Cup of Freestyle Wrestling which will be held at Bank of America Centre on April 5th and 6th.    The organizer of the event will be Star USA of Spokane, Wash., which has produced numerous major Olympic sports events, including two previous World Cup of Freestyle Wrestling events.    The World Cup, which has been held annually since 1973, is the annual international dual meet championships. The World Cup features dual meet competitions between five  nations, with a team champion determined. In addition, individual medalists are awarded, based upon the results in each weight class. Traditionally, many of the world's best international freestyle wrestlers participate in the event.    "USA Wrestling is pleased to award the 2003 World Cup of Freestyle Wrestling to Boise," said Rich Bender, Executive Director of USA Wrestling. "The city of Boise and the state of Idaho have a long tradition of supporting amateur wrestling. We are excited to showcase the world's best freestyle wrestlers for the sports fans of this region."    Boise becomes only the seventh U.S. city to host this event, joining Toledo, Ohio, Chattanooga, Tenn., Stillwater, Okla., Spokane, Wash., Fairfax, Va. and Baltimore, Md.  Other international sites for the Freestyle World Cup have been Las Palmas, Canary Islands; Ulan Bator, Mongolia; Moscow, Russia; Edmonton, Canada and Tehran, Iran.    This will be the third time that USA Wrestling will have entrusted the organization of this event to Star USA. The event was held in Spokane, Wash. in 1999 and is scheduled to be held in Spokane again April 6-7, 2002. Star USA also promoted the 1996 Olympic Team Trials, one of the greatest wrestling events ever hosted in the United States.    Fans who want to get a preview of what they can expect from the 2003 World Cup can purchase tickets to the 2002 World Cup in Spokane. Tickets for the 2002 World Cup in Spokane can be purchased by calling 1-800-325-SEAT or online at www.ticketswest.com. Tickets for the 2003 World Cup in Boise will go on sale soon.     "Star USA has done an outstanding  job organizing major wrestling events, including two World Cups," said Bender. "We are very confident that the World Cup will be extremely successful in Boise as well."    Boise State University has one of the best Div. I wrestling programs in the nation. High school wrestling is thriving in Idaho. The USA Wrestling state organization in Idaho has done a tremendous job providing wrestling opportunities for athletes of all ages. Fans from the entire Northwest region of the nation are expected to attend, as well as many wrestling fans from across the nation.    The host United States has recently dominated the Freestyle World Cup, winning nine of the last 12 team titles, including the most recent World Cup held in Baltimore, Md. in 2001.  Russia won the 1992 and 1998 World Cups, and Iran was the champion of the 1996 World Cup.    The nation with the most World Cup titles is the former Soviet Union, which captured 15 World Cup team titles between 1973 and 1983.    For more information on the World Cup, contact Gary Abbott of USA Wrestling at 719-598-8181.