CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (March 4) – World champions Yulia TKACH (UKR) and Adeline GRAY (USA) returned to action for the first time since their triumphs in Tashkent and reaffirmed their positions on top of the United World Wrestling rankings with convincing wins in February.

Tkach renewed her rivalry with European champion Anastasija GRIGORIJEVA (LAT) at 63kg with a 3-0 win at the Klippan Open in Sweden, while Gray rolled over the field at 75kg at the Cerrado Pelado International in Havana.

Meanwhile, 69kg world champ Aline FOCKEN (GER), also stepping on the mat for her first international competition since September, fell to world silver medalist at 63kg Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA) in the Cerro Pelado final. 

Pirozhkova’s triumph in Havana was her second of 2015 at 69kg, after her win at the Schultz Memorial crown at the end of January, but the 2012 world champ remains ranked No.2 behind Tkach at 63kg.

The fourth world champ in action in February, SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL, 60kg) won the 63kg crown at the Flatz Open in Austria. Sukhee, who has been active since September, however, has only won two of the four events she has entered over the fall and winter.

Also second-ranked and moving between weight categories is Asian Games gold medalist ZHOU Feng (CHN), who divides her mat time between 69kg and 75kg, but is currently ranked No.2 the heavier category.

Zhou defeated 2012 champ Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) in the quarterfinals on her way to the 69kg crown at the Klippan Open.

Meanwhile, world bronze medalist Maria STADYNK (AZE) was back in form defending her Klippan crown at 48kg to climb to No.2 while defending champ Erica WIEBE (CAN) defeated 2013 world champ ZHANG Fengliu (CHN) for the 75kg title to move to No.3 behind Zhou.

Petra OLLI (FIN) edged world silver medalist Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) in the semifinals to win her third straight Klippan crown and leapfrog the London 2012 bronze medalist for No.3 in the rankings at 60kg.

With plenty of churn in the lower half of the rankings, two newcomers stand out, leaping from unranked to No.10 after wins in Klippan.

Youth Olympic Games winner Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) won the 53kg title in Klippan after finishing second at the Yarygin Grand Prix in January, and Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) won at 55kg after taking a bronze medal in the Russian Open in November.

The world rankings are listed by the wrestler’s name, country code, the wrestler’s most recent or most notable result in the last 12 months, and the wrestler’s position in the previous rankings.

48kg – Mariya STADNYK (AZE) avenged a September loss to Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL) with a 6-1 triumph in the semifinals of the Klippan Open to defend her title there and climb to No.2 in the rankings.

Victoria ANTHONY (USA) notched four falls in Havana, including a semifinal win over 2013 world bronze medalist Alyssa LAMPE (USA), to win her third straight international crown at Cerrado Pelado, edging up to No.8.

1. Eri TOSAKA (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Mariya STADNYK (AZE) – World No.3 (4)
3. SUN Yanan (CHN) – Paris GP No.1 (2)
4. Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL) – Paris GP No.2 (3)
5. KIM Hyon-Gyong (PRK) – World No.3 (5)
6. Valentina ISLAMOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (6)
7. Yu MIYAHARA (JPN) – Yarygin GP No. 3 (7)
8. Victoria ANTHONY (USA) – Cerro Pelado No.1 (9)
9. Elena VOSTRIKOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (8)
10. Genevieve MORRISON (CAN) – Schultz Memorial No.3 (10)
11. Alyssa LAMPE (USA) – Farrell Memorial No.1 (11)
12. Tatyana AMANZHOL (KAZ) – Yarygin GP No.5 (12)
13. BYAMBAZAYA Tsogtbaatar (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.3 (13)
14. Patricia BERMUDEZ (ARG) – Farrell Memorial No.3 (14)
15. WANG Lili (CHN) – Paris GP No.3 (15)
16. Anna LUKASIAK (POL) – Paris GP No.3 (16)
17. ERDENESUKH Narangerel (MGL) – Flatz Open No.1 (19)
18. Jasmine MIAN (CAN) – Klippan Open No.7 (18)
19. Jacqueline MOLLOCANO (ECU) – Cerro Pelado No.2 (not ranked)
20. Thalia MALLQUI PECHE (PER) – Copa Brasil No.2 (20)

53kg – Youth Olympic Games gold medalist Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) won her first senior-level title at the Klippan Open, after a silver medal in her international debut as a senior in January at the Yarygin Grand Prix, to break into the rankings at No.10. 

PANG Qianyu (CHN) defeated third-ranked Paris Grand Prix winner ZHONG Xuechun (CHN) in the Klippan quarterfinals but eventually stumbled in the final against Mukaida and remains at No.11 in the rankings.

1. Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) – World No.2 (2)
3. ZHONG Xuechun (CHN) – Paris GP No.1 (3)
4. JONG Myong-Suk (PRK) – World No.3 (4)
5. Whitney CONDER (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (6)
6. Olga KHOROSHAVSTEVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (7)
7. Nadeshda SHUSHKO (BLR) – Yarygin GP No.3 (8)
8. SUMIYA Erdennechimeg (MGL) – Yarygin No.3 (9)
9. Jillian GALLAYS (CAN) – World No.3 (4)
10. Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) – Klippan Open No.1 (nr)
11. PANG Qianyu (CHN) – Klippan No.2 (11)
12. Roksana ZASINA (POL) – Paris GP No.2 (10)
13. Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) – Klippan Open No.3 (7@55)
14. Ekaterina KRASNOVA (RUS) – Klippan Open No.3 (nr)
15. Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA) – Cerro Pelado No.2 (17)
16. Nanami IRIE (JPN) – Farrell Memorial No.1 (19)
17. Katherine FULP-ALLEN (USA) – Klippan Open No.5 (nr)
18. Brittanee LAVERDURE (CAN) – Nordhagen Classics No.1 (12@55)
19. Natalia BUDU (ROU) – World No.5 (12)
20. Natalya MALYSHEVA (RUS) – World No.5 (13)

55kg – Paris Grand Prix bronze medalist PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL) was one of four wrestlers from Mongolia to win at the Flatz Open in Austria, making her fifth trip to the medals podium over the last six months and lifting her to No.7 in the rankings.
Russian Open bronze medalist Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) rolled up three technical falls, including a 10-0 win over Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) in the Klippan Open final, to claim her first international title and a No.10 in the rankings.

1. Chiho HAMADA (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Helen MAROULIS (USA) – Cerro Pelado No.1 (2)
3. Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (3)
4. Irina KHARIV (UKR) – World No.3 (4)
5. DONG Jiahui (CHN) – Paris GP No.1 (6)
6. Karima SANCHEZ RAMIS (ESP) – Cerro Pelado No.1 (8)
7. PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL) – Flatz Open No.1 (11)
8. ALTANTSETSEG Battsetseg (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.2 (9)
9. Aiym ABDILDINA (KAZ) – Yarygin No.3 (10)
10. Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) – Klippan Open No.1 (nr
11. Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) – Klippan Open No.2 (17)
12. Katsiaryna HANCHAR (BLR) – Yarygin GP No.3 (14)
13. Becka LEATHERS (USA) – Klippan Open No.3 (nr)
14. Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) – Klippan Open No.5 (nr)
15. Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) – German GP No.3 (15)
16. Aurelie BASSET (FRA) – Cerro Pelado No.2 (18)
17. Marwa AMRI (TUN) – Poland Open No.3 (13)
18. JONG In-Sun (PRK) – Asian Games No.5 (16)
19. Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) – Cerro Pelado No.3 (nr)
20. Dorsaf GHARSI (TUN) – Klippan Open No.5 (nr)

58kg – Paris Grand Prix winner ZHOU Zhangting (CHN) won by injury default over Yarygin Grand Prix bronze medalist Michelle FAZZARI (CAN) to grab her second title in two weeks and climb to No.5 in the rankings. 

Asian Games silver medalist at 55kg SUNDEV Byambatseren (MGL) added the Flatz Open title at 58kg to the Russian Open crown she won in November to move from No.5 in the rankings at 55kg to No.7 at 58kg.

1. Kaori ICHO (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS) – World No.2 (2)
3. Anastassia HUCHOK (BLR) – World No.3 (3)
4. Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR) – World No.3 (4)
5. ZHOU Zhangting (CHN) – Klippan Open No.1 (7)
6. Allison RAGAN (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (6)
7. SUNDEV Byambatseren (MGL) – Russian Open No.1 (5@55)
8. Lissette ANTES CASTILLO (ECU) – Cerro Pelado No.2 (5)
9. Risako KAWAI (JPN) – Asia No.1 (8)
10. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) – Yarygin GP No.2 (9)
11. Irina NETREBA (AZE) – Paris GP No.3 (12)
12. Joice SILVA (BRA) – Paris GP No.2 (10)
13. Emese BARKA (HUN) – Paris GP No.3 (11)
14. Kelsey CAMPBELL (USA) – Cerro Pelado No.1 (19)
15. BAATARJAV Shoovdor (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.1 (13)
16. Anna VASILENKO (UKR) – GGP Final No.1 (14)
17. Justine BOUCHARD (CAN) – Copa Brasil No.2 (15)
18. Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) – Schultz Memorial No.2 (17)
19. TUNGALAG Munkhtuya (MGL) – World No.8 (18)
20. Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) – Cerro Pelado No.3 (nr)

60kg – Defending champion Petra OLLI (FIN) stormed from behind in the final minute of the Klippan Open semifinals to defeat world silver medalist Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE), 4-4, on criteria, and sailed through the final for her second title of 2015 and No.3 in the rankings.
European junior silver medalist Therese PERSSON (SWE) won her first senior-level crown at the Flatz Open in Austria to join the rankings at No.16.

1. SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL) – World No.1 (1)
2. Natalya GOLTS (RUS) – World No.3 (3)
3. Petra OLLI (FIN) – Klippan Open No.1 (4)
4. Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) – World No.2 (2)
5. Michelle FAZZARI (CAN) – Klippan No.2 (5)
6. Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) – Paris GP No.3 (6)
7. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) – Klippan Open No.3 (7)
8. Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (8)
9. Zhargalma TSYRENOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (9)
10. LUO Xiaojuan (CHN) – Klippan Open No.2 (12)
11. Haruka SATO (JPN) – Yarygin GP No.5 (10)
12. Natalya SINISHIN (AZE) – Paris Open No.2 (11)
13. Oksana HERHEL (UKR) – World No.7 (13)
14. Natalya FEDOSEEVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (14)
15. Yulia ALBOROVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.7 (15)
16. Therese PERSSON (SWE) – Flatz Open No.1 (nr)
17. Yoshimi KAYAMA (JPN) – Farrell Memorial No.1 (18)
18. Leigh JAYNES (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (17)
19. Rim AYARI (TUN) – Klippan Open No.3 (nr)
20. Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) – Paris GP No.5 (19)

63kg – World champion Yulia TKACH (UKR) returned to action at the Klippan Open and fashioned a hard-fought 3-0 decision over world bronze medalist Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) to strengthen her position at the top of the rankings.

Pan American bronze medalist Katherine VIDIAUX LOPEZ (CUB) notched a fall and three technical falls, including a 12-1 first-round triumph over Nadine WEINAUGE (GER), in a five-wrestler round robin to win the Cerro Pelado crown and earn a No.16 in the rankings.

1. Yulia TKACH (UKR) – World No.1 (1)
2. Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA) – World No.2 (2)
3. SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.1 (3)
4. Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) – Klippan Open No.2 (4)
5. Irina TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (5)
6. Valeria LAZINSKAYA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.9 (6)
7. Jackeline RENTARIA CASTILLO (COL) – Klippan Open No.3 (8)
8. XILUO Zhuoma (CHN) – Paris GP No.3 (9)
9. Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) – Yarygin GP No.3 (10)
10. Rio WATARI (JPN) – Yarygin GP No.5 (7)
11. WANG Xiaoqian (CHN) – Paris GP No.1 (11)
12. Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) – World No.5 (12)
13. Stacie ANAKA (CAN) – Klippan Open No.5 (nr)
14. Monica MICHALIK (POL) – World No.5 (13)
15. Yurika ITO (JPN) – GGP Final No.2 (14)
16. Katherine VIDIAUX LOPEZ (CUB) – Cerro Pelado No.1 (nr)
17. HAN Yingyan (CHN) – Klippan Open No.7 (19)
18. Erin CLODGO (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (18)
19. Nadine WEINAUGE (GER) – Cerro Pelado No.2 (nr)
20. Lais OLIVIERA (BRA) – Paris GP No.3 (18)

69kg – South American champion Luz Clara YAZQUEZ (ARG) posted three steady wins to advance to the finals of the Klippan Open, before stumbling to Asian Games gold medalist ZHOU Feng (CHN). Vazquez, a bronze medalist at the Schultz Memorial in January, climbed from No.16 to ninth in the rankings.

European junior bronze medalist Moa NYGREN (SWE) won the Flatz Open and cadet bronze medal winner Pauline LeCARPENTIER (FRA) took third to both earn places at No.18 and No.19, respectively, in the rankings.

1. Aline FOCKEN (GER) – World No.1 (1)
2. Sara DOSHO (JPN) – World No.2 (2)
3. Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (3)
4. Laura SKUJINA (LAT) – Paris GP No.2 (4)
5. Dorothy YEATS (CAN) – Yarygin GP No.3 (5)
6. Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) – World No.5 (6)
7. OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.2 (9)
8. HONG Yan (CHN) – Klippan Open No.3 (12)
9. Luz Clara VAZQUEZ (ARG) – Klippan Open No.2 (16)
10. Diana GONZALEZ (MEX) – World No.5 (7)
11. Alina MAKHINYA (UKR) – Europe No.3 (8)
12. BADRAKH Odonchimeg (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.7 (10)
13. Martina KUENZ (AUT) – Paris GP No.1 (11)
14. Randi MILLER (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.2 (14)
15. Agnieszka WIESZCZEK-KORDUS (POL) – Paris GP No.5 (13)
16. Dalma CANEVA (ITA) – Deglane Challenge No.1 (15)
17. Nadeshda MUSHKA (AZE) – Klippan Open No.5 (19)
18. Moa NYGREN (SWE) – Flatz Open No.1 (nr)
19. Pauline LeCARPENTIER (FRA) – Paris GP No.3 (nr)
20. Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) – Klippan Open No.3 (nr)

75kg – World champion Adeline GRAY (USA) scored a pair of falls and then rolled over Pan American champ Lisset HECHEVARRIA (CUB), 10-0, at the Cerro Pelado International to hold onto bragging rights at 75kg despite wins by Asian Games gold medalist ZHOU Feng (CHN) and Yarygin Grand Prix winner Erica WIEBE (CAN) in Klippan.

Zhou recorded a pair of technical falls and defeated fan favorite Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), 8-4, for the 69kg crown, while defending champion Wiebe took a 5-1 victory from 2013 world champion ZHANG Fengliu (CHN) in the 75kg final.

1. Adeline GRAY (USA) – World No.1 (1)
2. ZHOU Feng (CHN) – Asia Games No.1 (2)
3. Erica WIEBE (CAN) – Klippan Open No.1 (4)
4. ZHOU Qian (CHN) – Paris GP No.1 (5)
5. Epp MAE (EST) – Paris GP No.2 (6)
6. Aline FERREIRA (BRA) – Copa Brasil No.1 (3)
7. ZHANG Fengliu (CHN) – Klippan Open No.2 (14)
8. Alena STARODUBTSEVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (11)
9. OCHIRBAT Burmaa (MGL) – World No.3 (7)
10. Gouzel MANYUROVA (KAZ) – Asia Games No.2 (8)
11. Andrea OLAYA GUTEIERREZ (COL) – Farrell Memorial No.3 (9)
12. Hiroe SUZUKI (JPN) – GGP Final No.1 (10)
13. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (12)
14. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) – Yarygin GP No.5 (13)
15. Lisset HECHEVARRIA (CUB) –Cerro Pelado No.2 (nr)
16. QIANDEGEN Chagan (CHN) – Klippan Open No.3 (20)
17. WANG Juan (CHN) – Klippan Open No.3 (nr)
18. Justina DISTACIO (CAN) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (18)
19. Jackie CATALINE (USA) – Farrell Memorial No.1 (16)
20. Alyona AFANASEVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (17)

Criteria for United World Wrestling Rankings