Beach World Series Blog: The squad arrives in Turkey

Wednesday, 11 October – On the road again! Eva and I are just settling back into our American household after a summer in Slovenia. There, we enjoyed being able to drive to several key wrestling events, including two in the Beach World Series. 

For Turkey, I gotta’ fly.  The Juice, I’m sure, will be well worth the Squeeze!  This is the Finale of the 2023 World Series.  The previous four events included Buenos Aires, Singapore, St Laurent du Var (near Nice), and Constanta (Romania).

Personally, I’m thrilled that Sarigerme Beach, near Dalyan, is hosting the Finale.  Sarigerme previously hosted two championship events.  The region, on Turkey’s southwest coast, is spectacular this time of year.  The wrestling community is strong, with one of UWW’s Bureau members (Rodica Yaksi) living only a few kilometers away.

Our American contingent is a collection of studs.  We are led by recent World Series #4 Champion Eliana Bommarito.  Joining her are Beach Wrestling mainstays Isabeau Shalack, Mitch Cook, and Ty Loethen.  Rounding out the U.S. Eight are up-and-coming superstars Jennesis Martinez, Wayne Lamont, Justin Benjamin, and Gabe Rangel.

Palomar’s Timmy Box serves as our Team Leader / Head coach, while California’s Jay Watkins will referee his second consecutive World Series Finale.  North Carolina’s Ed Duncan, who leads Beach Wrestling’s Tour of America, represents the Americas on UWW’s Beach Wrestling Committee.

Unfortunately, I’m sure much of that Committee’s discussion, along with conversations among athletes, coaches, leaders, will center on LA28’s recent proposals for five demonstration sports in the XXXIVth Olympic Games.  Beach Wrestling was not among those proposed.

The proposed five include Baseball / Softball, Cricket, Lacrosse, Squash, and Flag Football.  Now, I can make a case for Baseball / Softball in a Games hosted in the western hemisphere.  Cricket has a pretty strong following in the old British Empire.  Squash enjoys a certain Native American background, while Squash is popular with the wealthy, globally.

But… Flag Football… are you Kidding me?  Is this the depth of thought our Olympic organizers are capable of?   Is this offering simply designed to boost the U.S. medal count?  Is this proposal catering to some planned influx of NFL dollars? 

Nobody on the planet plays American football!  OK… Canadians have their version and some of the JV fuel European professional leagues.

Wrestling, on the other hand, is practiced by every culture in existence.  Much of our sport is contested outdoors, and many folkstyles take place in the sand.

Olympic hosts are saddled with limits on housing athletes.  Yet these ugly Americans offer up four team sports with rosters full of substitutes.  What thought wen into this?

Adding Beach Wrestling brings a maximum of eight athletes per nation into the village.  Developing nations with limited budgets can develop and qualify an athlete or two.  The greater Los Angeles metro-plex can stage magnificent backdrops and pack temporary, eco-friendly venues.

Knowing what we’re up against, I still must urge wrestling leaders… UWW and all Federations to implore the IOC to veto this slate of proposed additions at their meeting next week.  Demand that LA28 act like an Olympic host and show some respect for our oldest Olympic centerpiece.

I’m sure the Beach Wrestling Committee will strengthen that plea during their Monday meeting.  I’m equally sure that reasonable Australian thinkers will be all over this, as they begin to plan Brisbane ’32.

I hope all of you will express your support for continued growth of Beach Wrestling, globally and here in the States.  In so doing, you voice wrestling’s commitment to equity, individual and national opportunity.

Thursday, I’ll turn my attention to the task at hand… the arrivals and preparation of the American Eight.  We will continue to make U.S. presence in the Beach World Series better than ever.

Ciao,

Rusty