ST. PETERSBURG (March 7) – Despite a first-round loss to Ukraine, host Russia emerged from a three-way race in Group B as to make the finals of tomorrow’s Women’s World Cup at Concert and Sports Hall in St. Petersburg.

Japan, who chose to sit three-time Olympic champions Saori YOSHIDA and Kaori ICHO, surprised Group A with a dominating 3-0 performance against the United States, Poland and Azerbaijan. The Japanese win also included an automatic forfeit at 63kg due to injury.

Led by 2014 world champion Chiho HAMADA the Japanese team made easy work of Poland (7-1) the United States (5-3) and Azerbaijan (5-3).

“Because I won all my matches I feel like I have accomplished my duties, but I didn’t wrestle my best” said Hamada. “Maybe there is more pressure without the older girls, but I’m happy that we won and did our job well today.”

Russia and Japan will meet in the gold medal match Sunday night at 3pm local.

Ukraine’s Oksana HERHEL (UKR) became day one’s most notable individual wrestler besting two top-ranked wrestlers at 60kg including world No.1. SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL). The No.13 wrestler in the world, Herhel also dispatched of No.6 Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) and unranked Zhargalma TCYRENOVA (RUS) by fall.

In perhaps the most shocking upset of the day No.3 Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) dropped a hard fought 6-4 match to No.20 Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR). That unlikely win tied the match score 4-4 and allowed Ukraine to knock-off Russia via classification points, 17-16 and forced a three-way tie with Mongolia.

The Russian side advanced by having the most classification points over the course of group competition.

In Group A action the United States finished 2-1 on the day, edging Azerbaijan on the third criteria. With a match score tied 4-4 and classification points knotted at 17, it went to technical points where the Americans held a slim 42-39 advantage. World No.2 Helen MAROULIS (55kg) led the USA as she racked up three wins, including an improbable 12-second fall against Hikari SUGAWARA of Japan.

Wrestling will continue tomorrow at noon and begin with 7th place matches, followed immediately by 5th place, bronze medal and gold medal finals.

GOLD: Japan v. Russia
BRONZE: United States v. Mongolia
5th place: Azerbaijan v. Ukraine
7th place: Poland v. Sweden

Potential Line-up for Japan v. Russia Finale

48kg: No.7 Yu MIYAHARA (JPN) v. Nadezhda FEDOROVA (RUS)
53kg: No.1 Chiho HAMADA (JPN) v. Mariia GUROVA (RUS)
55kg: Hikari SUGAWARA (JPN) v. No.3 Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS)
58kg: No.9 Risako KAWAI (JPN) v. No.2 Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS)
60kg: Kanako MURATA (JPN) v. Zhargalma TCYRENOVA (RUS)
63kg: No.5 Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) via forfeit
69kg: Kayoko KUDO (JPN) v. No.3 Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS)
75kg: No.12 Hiroe SUZUKI (JPN) v. No.13 Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS)

For more information and results please check the event page for the Women’s World Cup, found here (http://uww.io/95tJd)