Great Smoky Mountain Beach Wrestling Championships
USA BEACH WRESTLING TOUR OF AMERICA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 26, 2024
Contact: Ed Duncan (edduncan160@gmail.com), Chris Smith (chris@ashevillesports.org)
Beach Wrestling Comes to Asheville
The Inaugural Great Smoky Mountain Beach Wrestling Championships set for October 5th
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Summer is still happening in the mountains of Western North Carolina!
USA Beach Wrestling in conjunction with the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission and the High Country Youth League are bringing the fun and excitement of beach wrestling to Carrier Park in Asheville on Saturday, October 5th.
Beach Wrestling is one of the fastest growing styles of wrestling in the world and while events in Eastern North Carolina have become regular offerings, this mountain event is a first for the area.
"We're excited to be extending the footprint of beach wrestling to our local community," said Ed Duncan, event coordinator for USA Beach Wrestling and director of the High Country Youth League. "The event is about Sand, Sun, and FUN, and it doesn't matter if it's a beach, a lake, or a local park, it's going to be a good time."
‘We can’t wait for our community to be able to host and witness beach wrestling, as it’s a sport that will be a great addition to the local sports portfolio,” said Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission President Chris Smith. “This truly is a sport that brings exciting future opportunities for our region.”
Area clubs and wrestlers have participated on a national and even international level in the style. Last fall, Mitchell High School’s Halley Wheeler participated in the U20 and Senior World Championships, as did TC Roberson's Connor and Lilly Reece. This year, Alicia Reyes of Hendersonville will represent Team USA at the U17 Championships in Katerini, Greece, accompanied by the S. Matthew Baynard Foundation's Randall and Cheryl Baynard as coaches and team leaders.
“To have Asheville’s first foray into beach wrestling guided by Ed Duncan and Cheryl Baynard is quite the coup,” Smith added. “Ed and Cheryl bring a tremendous amount of expertise and knowledge and that can only spell great success for the Great Smoky Mountain Beach Wrestling Championship.”
The Great Smoky Mountain Beach Wrestling Championships is open to wrestlers of all ages. There will be both men's and women's divisions, as well as a "King/Queen of the Ring Competition". Weigh-ins get underway at noon, with wrestling action getting started around 2:00pm.
For more information visit the event website at www.ncwrestling.org
Photo Credit - Ed Duncan/USA Beach Wrestling
ABOUT ASHEVILLE BUNCOMBE REGIONAL SPORTS COMMISSION
The Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission was formed in the fall of 2010 by a handful of civic-minded leaders who had a vision to impact the local economy by bringing more sporting events to the region. The Sports Commission attracts sports events and related meetings to enhance the health, wellness, and quality of life for area residents and sports enthusiasts and will generate a positive economic impact by promoting our region as a recognized sporting destination.
ABOUT HIGH COUNTRY YOUTH LEAGUE
The High Country Youth League is the largest youth wrestling organization in Western North Carolina. We serve over twenty-five counties by providing affordable wrestling instruction for youth wrestlers as well as developmental based competitions.
ABOUT USA BEACH WRESTLING
From the days of Roman soldiers practicing for amphibious landings on the shores of the ancient Mediterranean, to the modern beaches of today, sand or “Beach” wrestling, has been an important international style of combat sport. Countless variations of “beach wrestling” have existed for millennium, however, common grounds had to be found in order to allow sportsmen from the different regions and countries to compete in official championships and games.