Canadian Women Wrestlers enjoy hot June in Europe!

National Team selections on all levels faded to the background and international competition and preparation became the focus as Canadian Wrestlers entered the month of June. Many of the Men's team and smaller group of Women ended May and started June in Italy for the Sassari Tournament in Sardinia. The athletes involved competed in the Sassari International and followed the event with an international training camp. (I will post all results at the end of the article).

On June 4th more Canadian Women departed for the German Grand Prix in Dormagen Germany. This was the largest Women's Wrestling contingent to ever travel as one group internationally. Tournaments on two consecutive weekends offered the athletes an opportunity to compete, attend a short training camp, and then compete again all inside of an 11 day window. The tour in general focussed on members of our National A and B teams at the Cadet (U18), Junior (U21) and Senior levels. In all 35 Canadian Women Wrestlers took part in tour! It offered some very valuable learning and growth opportunities for those involved. Our cadets and juniors were able to observe and learn from the very strong set of veteran seniors in attendance. Both tournament convenors did an outstanding job in hosting our group and providing a great over all experience. The competition formats deviated from the typical Fila draw and allowed our athletes to attain important extra international matches and experience. The training camp, held between the two events, was extremely large yet very well run. There was strong enough athletes in attendance to challenge even the best of our veteran athletes, yet also have enough younger participants to ensure our newest athletes had appropriate balance between challenge and success.

Our athletes squared off against athletes from twenty different countries in competition and training.  I believe the Seniors did a great job at demonstrating why Canada has become one of the premier Women's Wrestling Nations on the planet. In general they stepped onto the mat excited to compete with intensity and showcase their skills. Our developing cadets and juniors also proved eager to demonstrate their skills, drive and determination.  It does not seem long ago when athletes such as Wiebe, Lappage, Gallays, Mian, Bouchard, Barker, and more entered these same tournaments as cadets or juniors! I hope all of the athletes involved grew and improved from the whole experience!

I would like to thank all of the Coaches whom travelled to Europe in June and continued to help build the foundation of our program. Coaches- Calder, Zilberman, Sissaouri (in Italy), Coaches-Ragusa, Dawkins, McKay in Germany, and Coaches- Ragusa, Dawkins and Zilberman in Austria.
I would also like to acknowledge the tremendous work of my newest coaching colleague Tonya Verbeek who worked and coached extremely diligently and passionately to make this event happen and be a huge success. Also thank you to the therapists on the tours (Tija, Westbrooke was with three teams for almost two weeks), also the officials- Ron Moncour (Italy), Gregor Gutssu (Germany), Dale Clancy (Austria).  Finally I would like to thank Alex Davidson (Wrestling Canada's High Performance Manager) who did a tremendous job turning chaos into order! Alex helps me, and all our programs function in as organized and professional manner as possible given every challenge that is thrown at him! I can tell you in all of my years coaching this is one of the very best tours I have ever attended! Thanks to all!

Team Results: 
Sassari International - 1st Kazakstan, 2nd Italy, 3rd Canada (3/12)
German Grand Prix (Combined Cadet & Senior) - 1st Russia, 2nd Canada, 3rd France  (2/21)
Austrian Ladies Open (Senior Team) - 1st Canada, 2nd USA, 3rd Switzerland (1/11)

Sassari International
Senior
48kg Jade Parsons (2/9)
55kg Lisa Wainman (3/8)
58kg Indira Moores (3/5)
60kg Michelle Fazzari (1/2)
69kg Olivia DiBacco (3/6)
75kg Veronica Keefe (2/3)

German Grand Prix
Senior
48kg Jessica MacDonald (3/21)
Jasmyne Mian (5/21)
53kg Brit Laverdure (3/23)
Cara Nania * (17/23)
55kg Jillian Gallays (1/11)
Amber Maschke * (11/11)
58kg Anna McKee * (7/12)
60kg Jazzie Barker (3/11)
Justine Bouchard (3/11)
63kg Breanne Graham (5/13)
Temitope Ojunjimi * (5/13)
Danielle Lappage (12/13)
Indyra Helfrich-Linares * (13/13)
69kg Justina Distasio (3/18)
Lorena Ellis * (16/18)
75kg Erica Wiebe (1/8)
Leah Callahan (7/8)
* Junior (U21)

Cadet (U18)
40kg Alexia Seal (3/3)
43kg Brianna Raymond (9/11)
46kg Jade DuFour (4/11)
Sarah Gregory (10/11)
49kg Hannah Little (10/15)
Ciarra McCrae (15/15)
52kg Tianna Kennett (8/19)
Jayd Davis (12/19)
56kg Kaylan Muir (14/17)
60kg Taylor Cartwright (7/14)
Micheila McNeil (10/14)
Larissa Buffalino (13/14)
65kg Rylee Denomy (7/10)
70kg Alannah Day (12/12)

Austrian Ladies Open
Senior
48 kg - Jessica MacDonald (1/7)
vs. Fiona Robertson (SCO) - W
vs. Genie Gokhman (CAN) - W
vs. Annie Monteith (CAN)- W

48 kg - Annie Monteith * (2/7)
vs. Vanessa Nussberger (SUI) - W
vs. Jade Dufour (CAN) - W
vs. Jessica MacDonald (CAN) - L

48 kg - Genie Gokhman * (3/7)
vs. Ciara McCrae (CAN) - W
vs. Jessica MacDonald (CAN) - L
vs. Fiona Robertson (SCO) - W
vs. Vanessa Nussberger (SUI) - W

48 kg - Jade Dufour * (5/7)
vs. Annie Monteith (CAN) - L
vs. Vanessa Nussberger (SUI) - L
vs. Fiona Robertson (SCO) - W

48 kg - Ciara McCrae * (7/7)
vs. Genie Gokhman (CAN) - L
vs. Fiona Robertson (SCO) - L

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53 kg - Jillian Gallays (1/10)
vs. Aurelie Basset (FRA) - W
vs. Jane Clason (SCO) - W
vs. Dorina Peter (AUT) - W 
vs. Cara Nania (CAN) - W
vs. Tatian Debien (FRA) - W

53 kg - Cara Nania * (5/10)
vs. Dorina Peter (AUT) - W
vs. Aurelie Basset (FRA) - L
vs. Jillian Gallays (CAN) - L
vs. Tianna Kennett (CAN) - W

53 kg - Tianna Kennett * (6/10)
vs. Shannon Hawke (SCO) - W
vs. Kathryn Marsh (SCO) - L
vs. Tatiana Debien (FRA) - L
vs. Cara Nanian (CAN) - L

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55 kg - Amber Maschke * (3/4)
vs. Becka Leathers (USA) - L
vs. Helen Maroulis (USA) - L
vs. Louisa Porogovska (GBR) - W

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58 kg - Jazmyne Barker (1/6)
vs. Ida Stenberg (SWE) - W
vs. Hayley Heffel (CAN) - W
vs. Ida Stenberg (SWE) - W

58 kg - Anna McKee * (4/6)
vs. Sarah Grundy (GBR) - W
vs. Chelsea Murphy (SCO) - W
vs. Chelsea Murphy (SCO) - L

58 kg - Hayley Heffel * (5/6)
vs. Ida Stenberg (SWE) - L
vs. Jazyme Barker (CAN) - L
vs. Sarah Grundy (GBR) - W

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60 kg - Justine Bouchard (1/3)
vs. Larissa Bufalino (CAN) - W
vs. Taylor Cartwright (CAN) - W

60 kg - Taylor Cartwright * (2/3)
vs. Larissa Bufalino (CAN) - W
vs. Justine Bouchard (CAN) - L

60 kg - Larissa Bufalino * (3/3)
vs. Justine Bouchard (CAN) - L
vs. Taylor Cartwright (CAN) - L

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63 kg - Danielle Lappage (1/10)
vs. Fabienne Wittenwiler (SUI) - W
vs. Shai Mason (USA) - W
vs. Laura Raffler (AUT) - W
vs. Breanne Graham (CAN) - W

63 kg - Breanne Graham (2/10)
vs. Indhyra Helfrich-Linares (CAN) - W
vs. Ilana Kratysh (ISR) - W
vs. Temitope Ogunjimi (CAN) - W
vs. Tamara Wittenwiler (SUI) - W
vs. Danielle Lappage (CAN) - L

63 kg - Temitope Ogunjimi * (6/10)
vs. Ilana Kratysh (ISR) - W
vs. Tamara Wittenwiler (SUI) - L
vs. Breanne Graham (CAN) - L
vs. Fabienne Wittenwiler (SUI) - L

63 kg - Indhyra Helfrich-Linares * (9/10)
vs. Breanne Graham (CAN) - L
vs. Tamara Wittenwiler (CAN) - L
withdrawal

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69 kg - Justina Di Stasio (1/4)
vs. Kim Reisterer (GER) - W
vs. Sonia Kalin (SUI) - W
vs. Lorena Ellis (CAN) - W

69 kg - Lorena Ellis * (3/4)
vs. Sonia Kalin (SUI) - W
vs. Kim Reisterer (GER) - L
vs. Justina Di Stasio (CAN) - L

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75 kg - Erica Wiebe (1/5)
vs. Veronica Keefe (CAN) - W
vs. Victoria Francis (USA) - W
vs. Sophie Edwards (GBR) - W
vs. Epp Mae (EST) - W

75 kg - Veronica Keefe (4/5)
vs. Erica Wiebe (CAN) - L
vs. Sophie Edwards (GBR) - W
vs. Epp Mae (EST) - L
vs. Victoria Francis (USA) - L

Cadet

43 kg - Brianna Raymond (2/3)
vs. Kim Gmeiner (AUT) - L
vs. Alexia Seal (CAN) - W

43 kg - Alexia Seal (3/3)
vs. Brianna Raymond (CAN) - L
vs. Kim Gmeiner (AUT) - L

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46 kg - Jade Dufour (1/3) 
vs. Sarah Gregory (CAN) - W
vs. Sariyah Jones (USA) - W

46 kg - Sarah Gregory (2/3)
vs. Jade Dufour (CAN) - L
vs. Sariyah Jones (USA) - W

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49 kg - Ciara McCrae (1/2)
vs. Hannah Little (CAN) - W

49 kg - Hannah Little (2/2)
vs. Ciara McCrae (CAN) - L

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52 kg - Tianna Kennett (1/3)
vs. Florine Schedler (AUT) - W
vs. Jayd Davis (CAN) - W

52 kg - Jayd Davis (2/3)
vs. Florine Schedler (AUT) - W
vs. Tianna Kennett (CAN) - L

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56 kg - Kaylan Muir (2/3)
vs. Maya Nelson (USA) - L
vs. Emmy Mared (SWE) - W

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60 kg - Taylor Cartwright (2/6)
vs. Koral Sugiyama (USA) - W
vs. Michiela McNeil (CAN) - W
vs. Kathrin Mathis (AUT) - L

60 kg - Larissa Bufalino (3/6)
vs. Lia Tescher (Bayern) - W
vs. Kathrin Mathis (AUT) - L 
vs. Koral Sugiyama (USA) - W

60 kg - Michiela McNeil (6/6)
vs. Taylor Cartwright (CAN) - L
vs. Koral Sugiyama (USA) - L
vs. Lia Tescher (Bayern) - L

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65 kg - Rylee Denomy (2/2)
vs. Magdalena Ragginger (AUT) - L

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70 kg - Alannah Day (3/3)
vs. Lisa Neumaier (AUT) - L
vs. Jessica Rottier (USA) - L


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