The Klippan Ladies Open Continues Reign as Scandinavia's Toughest Wrestling Tournament

KLIPPAN, Sweden (March 2) -- Each year, Sweden’s Klippan Ladies Open brings some of the most compelling matches women’s freestyle wrestling has to offer. The 2014 version of the tournament was no exception.

This year, talented teams from Sweden, Azerbaijan, Russia, Hungary, Canada and France all vied for the most medals in a star-studded field. When the smoke cleared, a powerful team from the USA held claim over more medals than any other country with seven.

While the2014 Klippan showcased a number of great national wrestling teams, the tournament truly shined with its high profile individual matchups.  All ten gold medalists at this year’s tournament held a world ranking.

48 kg- In a weight where world No. 6 Valeria CHEPSARAKOVA (RUS) and world No. 10 Nadeshda FEDOROVA (RUS) failed to medal, world No. 2 Mariya STADNYK (AZE) held true to form. The Azerbaijani  dominated the field, defeating fourth ranked  Alyssa LAMPE (USA) in the semifinals 3-1, and then, in the finals beat another American in Victoria Anthony by the score of 4-0.

53 kg- World No. 6 Maria GUROVA (RUS)took the top spot at this weight, downing Whitney CONDER (USA) in the finals 3-0. Conder, unranked by FILA, upset world No. 6 Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA) in the semis. DEBIEN would win a bronze medal.

55 kg- African champion Marwa AMRI (TUN), with a world ranking of only No. 20, beat out a loaded field at 55 kg to take first place. AMRI, from the unlikely country of Tunisia, beat one tough opponent after another; her final victim was No. 3 ranked and past World silver medalist Helen MAROULIS  (USA), whom she defeated in 5-0 shutout.

Amri has now announced herself as a serious contender for what would be a historic gold medal for Tunisian and African wrestling at this year’s World Championships in Tashkent.

58 kg- Finish star Pera OLLI (FIN), ranked No. 7 in the world made the short trip across the Gulf of Bothnia to claim gold in Sweden, defeating Valeriya KOBLOVA (RUS) 5-0. OLLI faced a tough road to the finals and had to beat world No. 6 Braxton STONE (CAN) in the semifinals, while KOBLOVA upended world No. 1 Marianna SASTIN (HUN). STONE and SASTIN both took bronze.

60 kg- Wrestling up a weight, world No. 2 at 58 kg Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE)looked great up a weight claiming gold by defeating surprise finalist Michelle FAZZARI (CAN) 3-1.

63 kg- Henna JOHANSSON (SWE), ranked No. 9 in the world, gave the home fans a thrill by nearly claiming the top spot in the weight, but second ranked Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) continued her recent run of superb form, overcoming the Swede 4-1 in the finals.

World No. 10 Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) overcame an early loss to GRIGORJEVA to storm back for a bronze.

69 kg-World  No. 7 Aline FOCKEN (GER) defeats world No. 13 Randi MILLER (USA) 4-1 to bring home a gold for Germany. In the semifinals, FOCKEN ended host nation Sweden’s final big for a championship at their own tournament, beating Fanny GRADIN (SWE) 4-0.

75 kg- FILA third ranked Erica WIEBE (CAN) came in at the highest ranked wrestler at this weight and left as the champion. The Canadian wins her third tournament in a row with a decision over world No. 8 Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS).

Results for medal matches and semifinals at the 2014 Klippan Ladies Open appear below.

48 kg

Gold: Mariya STADNIK (AZE) df. Victoria ANTHONY (USA) 4-0

Bronze: Alyssa LAMPE (USA) df.  Elitza YANKOVA (BUL) 5-0

Bronze: Kanae YAMADA (JPN )  df.  Valeriya CHEPSARAKOVA (RUS) 3-1

Semifinal: Mariya STADNIK (AZE) df. Alyssa LAMPE (USA) 3-1

Semifinal: Victoria ANTHONY (USA) df. Kanae YAMADA (JPN ) 3-1

53 kg

Gold: Maria GUROVA (RUS) df. Whitney CONDER  (USA) 3-0

Bronze: Aurélie BASSET (FRA) df.  Mercédesz DENES (HUN) 3-1

Bronze: Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA) df. Vanessa BROWN (CAN) 3-1

Semifinal: Whitney CONDER  (USA) df. Aurélie BASSET (FRA) 3-1

Semifinal: Maria GUROVA (RUS) df. Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA) 5-0

55 kg

Gold: Marwa AMRI (TUN) df. Helen MAROULIS  (USA) 5-0

Bronze: Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) df. Jillian GALLAYS (CAN) 5-0

Bronze: Rumi HIROSE (JPN) df. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) 4-0

Semifinal: Helen MAROULIS  (USA) df.  Jillian GALLAYS (CAN) 3-1

Semifinal: Marwa AMRI (TUN) df. Rumi HIROSE (JPN) 5-0

58 kg

Gold: Petra OLLI (FIN) df. Valeriya KOBLOVA (RUS) 5-0

Bronze: Marianna SASTIN (HUN) df. Kelsey CAMPBELL (USA) 3-0

Bronze: Braxton STONE-PAPADOPOULOS (CAN) df. Kayla MIRACLE (USA) 4-0

Semifinal: Valeriya KOBLOVA (RUS) df. Marianna SASTIN (HUN) 4-1

Semifinal: Petra OLLI (FIN) df. Braxton STONE-PAPADOPOULOS (CAN) 3-1

60 kg

Gold: Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) df. Michelle FAZZARI (CAN)3-1

Bronze: Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) df. Alli RAGAN (USA) 3-0

Bronze: Jennifer PAGE (USA) df. Yoshimi KAYAMA (JPN) 3-1

Semifinal: Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) df. Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) 3-1

Semifinal: Michelle FAZZARI (CAN) df. Yoshimi KAYAMA (JPN) 3-1

63 kg

Gold: Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) df. Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) 4-1

Bronze: Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) df. Valeriya LAZINSKAYA (RUS) 3-1

Bronze: Monica MICHALIK (POL) df. Therese PERSSON (SWE) 5-0

Semifinal: Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) df. Valeriya LAZINSKAYA (RUS) 4-1

Semifinal: Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) df. Therese PERSSON (SWE) 3-1

69 kg

Gold: Aline FOCKEN (GER) df. Randi MILLER (USA) 4-1

Bronze: Fanny GRADIN (SWE) df. Daria OSOCKA (POL) 5-0

Bronze: Masako FURUICHI (JPN) df. Dorothy YEATS (CAN) 3-1

Semifinal: Aline FOCKEN (GER) df. Fanny GRADIN (SWE) 4-0

Semifinal: Randi MILLER (USA) df. Masako FURUICHI (JPN) 3-1

75 kg

Gold: Erica WIEBE (CAN) df. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) 3-1

Bronze: Francy RADELT (GER) df. Patrycja HOWIS (POL) 4-0

Bronze: Adeline GRAY (USA) df.  Epp MAE (EST) 4-0

Semifinal: Erica WIEBE(CAN) df. Francy RADELT (GER) 5-0

Semifinal: Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) df. Epp MAE (EST) 3-1