#BeachWrestling

'22 Beach Wrestling World Series Schedule Announced

Friday, January 28, 2022 - 14:21 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (January 28) -- To the Black Sea and back - before the Kings and Queens of the beach will get coronated at the Beach Wrestling World Champions during the final stop on Romania’s magical Mamaia Beach in Constanta this September, the athletes will provide for high flying action, eye-catching throws and a lot of athleticism on beaches across Europe this summer.

With the season opener in Odessa, Ukraine, the World Series will return to one of its 2019 locations by the Black Sea and will be hosted in Spain for the very first time only three weeks later when Sanxenxo in Galicia calls to the beach. After back-to-back tournaments in Saint Laurent du Var on the Côte d’Azur in France and Katerini, Greece, in July the World Series and its recurring stars from four different weight categories for the women and men will return to the Romanian part of the Black Sea for a spectacular season showdown in charming Constanta.

As the athletes get ready for a stocked summer of beach bustle, let’s look back at the previous year’s most magical moments 3rdBeach Wrestling World Series season.

Save the dates & stay tuned for more details!

Beach Wrestling World Series 2022
28-29 May – Odessa (UKR) | Arcadia Beach
18-19 June – Sanxenxo (ESP) | Silgar Beach
01-02 July - Saint Laurent du Var (FRA) | Landsberg Beach
09-10 July - Katerini (GRE) | Paralia Beach
03-04 September - Constanta (ROU) | Mamaia Beach

UWW Beach Wrestling
UWW, then known as FILA, codified the form of beach wrestling in 2004. Beach wrestling is standing wrestling done by wrestlers, male or female, inside a sand-filled circle measuring 7 meters (23 ft) in diameter. The style originally mirrored the rules used before the use of wrestling mats, and beach wrestling has been regarded as the oldest version of international competitive wrestling. The international rules have been modified in 2015 by UWW, with the current rules allowing wrestlers to score points via takedowns, pushing their opponent out of bounds, or bringing the opponent down to their back. 


Introduced in 2019, the Beach Wrestling World Series will crown the Beach Wrestling World Champions during the final of the 5-legged competitive season across beach locations around the world in 2022.

Weight classes
Women: 50 kg, 60 kg, 70 kg, and +70kg
Men: 70 kg, 80 kg, 90 kg, and +90kg

Find out all about the Beach Wrestling World Series at www.beachwrestling.org
Follow us on social media
IG @uwwbeachwrestling
FB @ Beachwrestlingworldseries
YT @ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU82VJze6xdYhhp3uEFA_tw/featured - watch the competitions live

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open Best Move: Blades Suplex

Friday, February 14, 2025 - 15:22 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 14) -- Kennedy BLADES (USA) is making the suplex her own. After thrilling a packed Champs de Mars Arena with a majestic suplex at the Paris Olympics, the 21-year-old star began her 2025 season with two of them at the Zagreb Open last week.

"When I get behind, in my mind, I am like I have to execute this because it's so rare to hit a suplex," Blades said in Zagreb. "So every time I get behind in matches or big stages, I try to hit the suplex. I want to do it at the world stage because I know it will be on the highlights."

At the Zagreb Open, Blades was at 68kg, two weight classes down from 76kg, in which she won the silver medal at the Paris Games. She debuted at 68kg with a fall over Kendra DACHER (FRA) and another fall over world bronze medalist Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE).

The first glimpse of her suplex in the match against Noémi SZABADOS (HUN). Close to a minute had gone in the bout when Blades used her reach for a outside single-leg. Instead of going for a takedown, she stood up and locked Szabados from behind and out came the throw.

However, the perfect arch was missing and it was awarded four points.

Blades wasn't satisfied. In Round 5 and leading 7-0, Blades countered Karolina POK (HUN) in a perfect set up for a suplex. Pok made a half-hearted attempt for a headlock but Blades snuck out and moved behind.

Pok knew it was coming. She did not resist and Blades did not relent. A picture-perfect arch, a beautiful throw, safe landing and a cheeky smile at the end. Blades was content.

"I just feel like when someone gets a headlock, they probably have to throw it really hard because growing up, I used to wrestle Greco in the summer," she said. "So my coach always taught us how to set up the suplex if they grab your head for a headlock and they don't go. When someone gets in a headlock position and they don't go super hard, then the suplex is there. If I would ever be in that position, I just go flat because I know that they can probably throw me. "

While it has become relatively easy for Blades to throw her opponents at 68kg, she still needs to tackle their speed and movement.

"I think at 68kg, the girls just feel lighter and that's what makes it a tiny bit easier," she said. "The difference though is that they wrestle a little bit more so my conditioning and footwork needs to be better. Whereas at 76kg, they're kind of hand fighting. It's more like strength. But at 68kg, it's speed and technique. It's hard to distinguish if it's easier or not, but I think the fact that I was able to lift the girls up easy was the best thing ever."

The suplex isn't new to Blades. She performed one at the U20 World Championships back in 2021, then at the Olympics and now in Zagreb. However, Blades picks the one in Paris as the best one so far.

"The best suplex is probably my Olympic one because that was straight back on her neck, on the Olympic stage, first match." she said. "I was on fire. I kind of want to see that the suplex I just hit because I think it was pretty nice. But the Olympic one is so hard to beat and I was in a pink singlet."