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Just few never wrestled on the beach sand - the Sun, fresh air and water are favorable to active games. Beach wrestling is both -- a folk amusement and an official sport with the rules and terms.
We should give Americans due - they know how to actively relax and have fun, among other things, thanks to numerous sand beaches in Hawaii, Caribbean, East and West Coasts. In early 1920s, the "Beach Volleyball" appeared in the sunny California and then spread all over the world. The other beach sport also was born on the American beaches - wrestling.
In fact, beach wrestling is an old amusement activity. Wrestling matches on the sand beaches (in Europe, Asia and Africa) had been popular long before contemporary coastal resorts even appeared.
As it happened for other combative sports, men first started practicing in the new sport and soon women joined them. As far as friendly wrestling matches or frolicking are concerned (rather than the official sport), women have participated in beach wrestling since quite old times. Even famous artists, such as Renoir and Pisarro, depicted wrestling female bathers.
Official beach wrestling events have been holding in the United States since 2004, including competitions in Oregon, New Mexico, Ohio and New York. The first National-level Beach Wrestling competition, the ASICS 2005 East Coast Beach Nationals, was hosted in Long Beach, N.Y. on August 13. Matches were held in the following categories: High school boys, high school girls, college men, open men and open women. Weight classes: four in the high school divisions, two in the other divisions. No weigh-ins -- weight to be determined by "sight," according to organizers. The championship featured 218 entries from numerous USA states and foreign countries, including Tajikistan, Mexico and Senegal.
The women's high school title went to 2005 Junior Nationals champion Nicole Woody of the New York, who won a round-robin, including a victory over runner-up Alicia Yungandreas. Woody also participated in the boys high school competition -- she won a number of matches, placing fifth in Division 1.
In 2004, FILA, the international wrestling federation, announced that Beach Wrestling would be added as a new international wrestling style for men and women. Said FILA President Raphael Martinetti, "In many countries, for example in Africa, beach wrestling is a traditional sport... We don't want to copy beach volleyball, we take it up because it is a good idea."
The rules and terms for Beach Wrestling are simple. Men wear athletic swimming trunks and women wear a one or two piece bathing suit. Athletes wrestle on a sand surface, with a 20-foot diameter circle marked in the sand. Matches start in the standing position and last three minutes. All wrestling is done from the standing position, with points awarded for takedowns and when a wrestler leaves the circle. When an athlete has two scoring moves or pins the opponent, the bout is ended.
To win a Beach Wrestling match by score (not by pin), an athlete must do one of the following:
- Score two takedowns (by throw or by any other technique);
- The opponent is penalized twice for fleeing the competition area;
- Scoring one takedown and having one fleeing call against the opponent.
After the three-minute period ends and none of the above mentioned conditions is met, the match is determined by these criteria:
- First takedown or throw;
- First wrestler penalized for fleeing;
- Penalties;
- Officials decision.
Октябрь 2005 года
Amateur Beach wrestling
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Beach Wrestling Mat
Episodes of the Beach Wrestling Championship in August 2005. The champion Nicole Woody (in the black shirt) wrestles with female and male opponents. Photo by Danielle Hobeika. WEB site Amateur Wrestling Photos
Wrestling in the DWW club
The girls rode along the beach and just felt unendurable desires to wrestle...
Amateur Beach Wrestling
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