United States opens World Cup with 21-3 sweep over Germany    The host United States won all seven matches to open the Northern Quest 2002 World Cup of Wrestling with a 21-3 win over Germany.    Stephen Abas (Fresno, Calif./Sunkist Kids) opened with a 5-0 win over Vasilij Zeiher at 55 kg/121 lbs. Abas opened the first period with a pair of takedowns and a 2-0 lead at the break. In the second period, he quickly added a takedown and a two-point turn to make it the final 5-0 mark.    Eric Guerrero (Stillwater, Okla./Sunkist Kids) scored the second straight U.S. shutout win, stopping Daniel Wild, 7-0 at 60 kg/132 lbs.  Guerrero posted a 3-0 lead in the first period, then broke the match open in the final minute with a takedown, then a tilt and additional exposure point for the final 7-0 shutout.     Bill Zadick (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC)  kept up the pressure, with a 7-3 win over Sergei Kowalenko at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Zadick opened with a 5-0 lead, but the match got tighter when Kowalenko scored a three-point throw to close it to 5-3 with 1:18 to go. Zadick closed it out with two more takedowns for the 7-3 win.    In a battle of international stars, 2001 World bronze medalist Joe Williams (Iowa City, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) defeated Alexander Leipold, 4-1. Williams scored a first-period takedown for a 1-0 lead at the break, then put the bout away with a three-point takedown to exposure with 1:42 left in the match. Leipold scored one point, but could not close the gap.    At 84 kg/185 lbs., Lee Fullhart (Havre, Mont./Hawkeye WC) scored the first pin for the USA, putting away Marc Buschle in 2:08. Fullhart turned Buschle over with a leg turn, then pressed for the fall.    Chad Lamer (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) continued the U.S. run, beating Juri Schmatow at 97 kg/211.5 lbs. , 8-0.  Lamer led 3-0 after one period and turned on the scoring in the second period.    2000 Olympian Kerry McCoy (Bethlehem, Pa./New York AC)  closed out the sweep with a 6-1 win over 1995 World silver medalist Sven Thiele. Thiele led 1-0, on a fleeing the mat call, but McCoy tied it a 1-1 with a takedown early in the second period. After a passivity, McCoy turned Thiele twice for exposure, including an additional back point, for the 6-1 win.    The U.S. stands at 1-0 in this year's World Cup, and Germany drops to 0-1.    U.S. quotes  Head Coach Bruce Burnett  "The outcome was good. Some of the guys had a slow start. They kept the pressure one. Tactically and technically we did a nice job. It is not often that you can shut out a team. The start is very important. Stephen Abas and Eric Guerrero got us going. Joe Williams did a nice job. He was a bit tentative. Anytime you wrestle a multiple World medalist, you don't want to make mistakes. It was Leipold who made the mistake, and Joe made him pay for it."    Stephen Abas, 55 kg  "It feels good to be here. I haven't wrestled freestyle since the Worlds. I'm excited to get my freestyle shoes on and get it going. I could tell he wasn't too good on his feet. I like to take advantage of that situation. As it went along, I was also able to turn him. I need to work on my wrestling from the top."    Joe Williams, 74 kg  "I've been working with Kevin (Jackson) in being real consistent. That's what I am working on in this tournament. I was looking to score at all times. He stopped a little bit and I had an opportunity. This win makes me feel good. I never wrestled him before. But I know I could have wrestled better and I have many things I have to work on."      Russia beats Canada, 18-9, to win its opening World Cup dual meet     Russia won five of seven matches, to open the Northern Quest 2002 World Cup of Wrestling with a 18-9 win over Canada.    Canada opened with surprising strength, winning the first two matches against Russia, the reigning World Champion freestyle team.    Canada's biggest surprise over the powerful Russians was an upset at 55 kg/121 lbs. Mikhail Japaridze of Canada hit a three-point move in the first period and went on to a 6-0 win over Bazarsada Dachinemaev.    In a battle of international stars, 2001 World Champion Giuvi Sissaouri of Canada came from behind to beat past World silver medalist Ramil Islamov of Russia, 8-7 in overtime.     Islamov held a 2-0 lead after the first period, and added a takedown for a 3-0 lead. Sissauori came back with two points to close it to 3-2 in the final minute. In a scramble exchange, both athletes scored two points. Sissaouri tied it with a takedown, then tilted Islamov, but in the final seconds Islamov hit a two-point reversal to tie it at 7-7 at the end of regulation.  In overtime, it took 25 seconds for Sissaouri to score the winning one-point takedown.    Russia proceeded to win the next five bouts. The most dramatic win came at 120 kg/264.5 lbs., where Oleg Khorpiakov pinned Eric Kirshner in an amazing five seconds. Young star Khadshimourad Gatsalov  of Russia scored a technical fall at 84 kg/185 lbs. Other  Russian victors were Chamil Oumalatov  at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Irbek Farniev at 74 kg/163 lbs. and 2001 World champion Guegorgui Gogchelidze at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.    Russia's World Cup record stands at 1-0, while Canada is 0-1 for the tournament.    Korea defeats Mongolia 17-11 to win its first World Cup dual meet    In a battle of Asian powers, Korea won five of the seven bouts for a 17-11 win over Mongolia in their opening bouts of the Northern Quest 2002 World Cup of Wrestling .    The teams split the first two bouts, with Kim Jong-Dae of Korea taking a 9-1 decision at 55 kg/121 lbs. and 2001 World silver medalist Oyunbileg Purevbaatar  (Mongolia) winning a tight 3-2 decision at 60 kg/132 pounds.    Korea then ran off four straight wins.Among the winners was Olympic and World silver medalist Moon Eui-Jae who scored a 11-1 over Tumen-ulzii Munkbayar  at 84 kg/185 lbs. Other Korean winners included   Baek Jim-Kuk  at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. , Choi Kwon-Sub at 74 kg/163 lbs.  and Kang Dong-Guk at 97 kg/211.5 lbs.     At 120 kg/264.5 lbs., Gelegjamts Usukhbayar of Mongolia closed out the action with a 13-2 technical fall win over  Jung Chun-Mo.     Korea's record is 1-0 in the tournament, while Mongolia stands at 0-1 for the meet.    Canada claims first World Cup victory with 15-12 decision over Germany    Canada won four of the seven matches to defeat Germany, 15-12, for its first victory at the Northern Quest 2002 World Cup of Wrestling. Canada's record evens at 1-1, while Germany drops to an 0-2 record.    For the second straight bout, Canada won its first two bouts, with victories by Mikhael Japaradze at 55 kg/121 lbs. and 2001 World Champion Giuvi Sissaouri at 60 kg/145.5 lbs. Sissaouri won a 10-0 technical fall over Daniel Wild.    Germany won the next two bouts, with wins by Engin Urun at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and  1994 World Champion Alexander Leipold at 74 kg/163 lbs. Leipold pinned Zoltan Hunyady in 1:33.    Canada clinched the win with two straight wins by Nick Ugoalah at 84 kg/185 pounds and Dean Schmeichel at 97 kg/211.5 lbs. Schmeichel, trailing 2-1, hit a three-point throw with 10 seconds to go for a 4-2 win over Juri Schmatow.    1995 World silver medalist Sven Thiele of Germany closed out the dual with an 8-1 win over Eric Kirshner.