Dato Marsagishvili leads Georgian success at inaugural Beach Wrestling World Series as 2019’s Kings and Queens of the Beach get crowned in Croatian season final

Zagreb, Croatia (September 8) - Following two days of intense competition, with the action coming thick and fast in the wrestling circle in Zagreb’s Jarun Center, eight wrestlers walked off the sand with the title of Beach Wrestling World Champion. Georgia took three, Ukraine secured two, Brazil, Greece and Azerbaijan one medal each, after the “Kings and Queens of the Beach” proved their grappling skills on the sand during the four season events to establish the up-and-coming discipline of beach wrestling.

Following the opener on Portuguese sands, the wrestlers travelled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Ukraine’s Odessa before touching down on Croatian soil for the grand season finale. 11 nationalities took to the sand to not only decide on the best after four events, but also the individual winners from Zagreb.

In the women’s, Kateryna Mashkevych (UKR) defeated Kristal Kimberly Betanzo (USA) to take the win in Zagreb in the 50kg class ahead of the young American and Portugal’s Carmen Gomes Pereira.

It was Camila Fama Tristao from Brazil who set the tone in the women’s 60kg, winning her three matches without being scored against and edging Isabel Cristina Rodrigues (POR) into second place. The Portuguese was earlier taken down by Ukraine’s Valeriia Semonkina Zlatova, who took the bronze. 

While Diana Mary Botanzo (USA) had the fastest takedown on day 1 just eight seconds into the fight, the American had no chance against Anna Mazurkevych (UKR) during round 3 at 70kg. Ukraine took the gold in this category ahead of the United States. On third place was Sonia Maria Pereira Brazio from Portugal, who took her only win in this tournament against Slovenia’s Sara Trbulin with a hard throw.

The women’s heavyweight winner in Croatia was Aikaterini Eirini Pitsiava (GRE), who defeated Ukraine’s Iryna Pasichnyk 2-1. 

Levan Kelekhsashvili (GEO) defeated the 2017 Beach Wrestling World Champion Semen Radulov (UKR) in a highly anticipated final match at 70kg, winning 4-2 to take the 4th and final leg of the World Series. Besides these two, the only US wrestler in the men’s, Michael Peters, stepped up his game to finish in third. 

Without losing a single match during both days, Davit Khutsishvili from Georgia won his category in style – 3-0 in all fights – and presented himself in top form all weekend at 80kg. A clear gold for the man from Georgia ahead of Greece’s Georgios Koulouchidis, whose only defeat came from the class’s dominant Georgian. In third, Aleksandar Nikolic from Serbia secured the bronze.

Dato Marsagishvili, bronze medallist at the 2012 Olympic Games for Georgia, was dominant all weekend and capped off his campaign by scoring early and controlling the pace of the final match against Strahinja Dermanovic (SRB) at 90kg. Following the Georgian on the podium was Christos Samartsidis (GER), who won his match in pouring rain against Croatia’s Domenik Andreic. Strahinja Dermanovic completed the podium.

Four match wins to gold it was for the men’s heavyweight Oyan Nazariani from Azerbaijan, who defeated Ioannis Kargiotakis (GRE) in the final match of the day. These two made it one and two in this class ahead of Georgia’s Mamuka Kordzaia.

With three times the points available during the final event in Zagreb, those wrestlers who made the podium in Croatia had the best chances of bagging the overall titles.

In the men’s it was the Georgian trio of Kelekhsashvili (70kg), Khutsishvili (80kg) and Marsagishvili (90kg) who secured the overall wins and walked off with their world championships trophies after winning all three competitions in which they participated.. The heavyweight title went to deserving champion Oyan Naziarani from Azerbaijan.

After winning not only the event on home soil in Odessa last month but also the season finale, the titles in the women’s went to Ukraine’s Mashkevych (50kg) and Mazurkevych (70kg). Pitsiava from Greece clean swept the +70kg category after dominating all her three showings in the World Series.

With two victories and a second place, Brazilian Camila Fama secured her first world championships title in beach wrestling at 60kg and now feels ready for her next tasks: “I still can’t believe it. I keep asking myself if it’s real, did I really just get that title,” said Fama in a first statement. “I feel more trustful for the next step, which will be Qatar for me. I’m starting with the right foot. I’m very proud of myself.”

It was a season of intense competitions, frequent throws and a lot of activity throughout the whole Beach Wrestling World Series earning the applause from the spectators and international interest.. Topped with the coronation of eight new champions in the men’s and women’s, beach wrestling’s next big appearance will be during the 1st ever ANOC World Beach Games in Doha, Qatar mid-October.

Results Beach Wrestling World Series Zagreb
WOMEN
50kg
1. Kateryna Mashkevych, UKR
2. Kristal Betanzo, USA
3. Carmen Gomes Pereira, POR

60kg
1. Camila Fama Tristao, BRA
2. Isabel Cristina Rodrigues, POR
3. Valeriia Semonkina Zlatova, UKR

70kg
1. Anna Mazurkevych, UKR
2. Diana Mary Betanzo, USA
3. Sonia Maria Pereira Brazio, POR

+70kg
1. Aikaterini Eirini Pitsiava, GRE
2. Iryna Pasichnyk, UKR

MEN
70kg
1. Levan Kelekhsashvili, GEO
2. Semen Radulov, UKR
3. Michael Peters, USA

80kg
1. Davit Khutsishvili, GEO
2. Georgios Koulouchidis, GRE
3. Aleksandar Nikolic, SRB

90kg
1. Dato Marsagishvili, GEO
2. Christos Samartsidis, GRE
3. Strahinja Dermanovic, SRB

+90kg
1. Oyan Nazariani, AZE
2. Ioannis Kargiotakis, GRE
3. Mamuka Kordzaia, GEO

Final Standings Beach Wrestling World Series (after 4 of 4 stops)
WOMEN
50kg
1. Kateryna Mashkevych, UKR             40000
2. Carmen Gomes Pereira, POR                       31000
3. Kristal Betanzo, USA                                    24000

60kg
1. Camila Fama Tristao, BRA                48000
2. Valeriia Semonkina Zlatova, UKR     34000
3. Isabel Cristina Rodrigues, POR        31100

70kg
1. Anna Mazurkevych, UKR                  40000
2. Sonia Maria Pereira Brazio, POR      34000
3. Diana Mary Betanzo, USA                24000

+70kg
1. Aikaterini Eirini Pitsiava, GRE                       50000
2. Iryna Pasichnyk, UKR                       24000
3. Aline Da Silva Ferreira, BRA             10000

MEN
70kg
1. Levan Kelekhsashvili, GEO  50000
2. Semen Radulov, UKR          42000
3. Michael Peters, USA            19500

80kg
1. Davit Khutsishvili, GEO         50000
2. Georgios Koulouchidis, GRE            42800
3. Aleksandar Nikolic, SRB       19500

90kg
1. Dato Marsagishvili, GEO       50000
2. Christos Samartsidis, GRE    34500
3. Strahinja Dermanovic, SRB  19500

+90kg
1. Oyan Nazariani, AZE                        58000
2. Ioannis Kargiotakis, GRE     44300
3. Mamuka Kordzaia, GEO       35300

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.

Beach Wrestling World Series 2019
Chaves, Portugal               March, 29-30
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil         May, 10-11
Odessa, Ukraine                 August, 9-10
Zagreb, Croatia                   September, 7-8

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