MWA and USA Wrestling Announce the second Annual 2006 Asics East Coast National Championships being held on August 12 and 13th on the beach at Long Beach, Long island. Last year the event attracted 213 wrestlers from 11 States to its inaugural event with over 4000 avergage spectators observing a bunch of people having some fun in the sun while wrestling in the sand.

Give it a try or come to the Island and have a great day mixing with thousands of wrestling people..

For further information clich here and for application by going to the schedule page and download application. First hundred to register will receive a free pair of wrestling shorts for the competition.

2006 ASICS East Coast National Beach Wrestling Championships

ASICS America Corporation is proud to once again announce it's sponsorship of the world's newest sport: Beach Wrestling. This year's event will be contested over two days, Saturday August 12th and Sunday August 13th in Long Beach, NY. Last year's inaugural event attracted 212 participants from 11 states, and was hosted by the Metropolitan Wrestling Association [MWA]. It was held just off an elevated 2 mile long boardwalk, with the surf beaches of the Atlantic Ocean in the background. Local, regional and national attention was generated through media outlets including the Fox 5 Good Day New York TV show, USA Today, Newsday, WINS radio, and the College Sports Television Network [CSTV]. LiveSportsVideo.com provided Internet production worldwide.

The competition will be sanctioned by USA Wrestling, the National Governing Body of wrestling in the United States, who will also be hosting the USA National Beach Wrestling Championships in Palm Beach, FL on August 19th. FILA, the worldwide governing body for wrestling, will premier the first ever World Beach Wrestling Championships in Turkey this October.

The ASICS East Coast National Beach Wrestling Championships will be held where thousands of people go to relax, exercise and enjoy a beautiful environment. Last year's event attracted over 12,000 spectators, while enhancing the general public's interest in, understanding of, and appreciation for amateur wrestling.

Revenues generated from this competition will be donated to the Metropolitan Wrestling Association's [MWA] Beat The Street's program, and an ASICS equipment donation will be made to the Long Beach Recreation Department's wrestling club to help outfit their members. The MWA's goal is to establish folkstyle wrestling in 100 middle school's and 100 high school's in New York City by the year 2010, and has to date raised over one million dollars of the 3.5 million needed to meet the ambitious goals of the organization. There are currently 25 high schools with wrestling in NYC.

"The City of Long Beach is very pleased to be hosting the ASICS East Coast National Beach Wrestling Championships", said Commissioner of Parks & Recreation, Joe Brand. "Last year's inaugural one-day competition was a huge success and we are all hoping that this year's two day event will attract an even greater response. Word has definitely spread around the wrestling community that the event was competitive, and professionally run. Not only do the wrestlers have a great time, but the spectators get to spend the day at our beautiful beaches, soaking up the sun, enjoying the ocean, and watching skilled wrestlers compete for the crown."

The event will have 6 divisions: middle school, high school, college, veteran's, girl's and women.

The rules for Beach Wrestling are simple: men wear athletic swimming trunks and women wear one or two piece bathing suits. Wrestling is on a sand surface, with a 20' diameter circle marked in the sand. Matches start in the standing position and last 3 minutes. Athletes may not kick, punch, or attack the face or hair.

To win a Beach Wrestling match, an athlete must do one of the following:

• Score a fall by forcing the opponent's shoulders to the sand
• Score two takedowns
• Score two throws
• When the opponent is penalized twice for fleeing the competition area
• Scoring one takedown and having one fleeing call against the opponent
• If the three minute period ends in a draw, the athletes wrestle in overtime until the winning points / fall are attained

ASICS America Corporation has been the official equipment supplier to USA Wrestling since 1984. ASICS is internationally recognized for consistently creating some of the world's most technologically advanced athletic footwear, apparel and accessories.

Specific information on registration, entry fees, schedule, etc. can be obtained on the Metropolitan Wrestling Association's web page www.mwausa.org

Additional information on the ASICS East Coast National Beach Wrestling Championships can be obtained by calling TW Promotions, Inc. at 631-588-4343 x104, or by e-mailing ASICSBeach@aol.com

Media inquiring concerning the event should be directed to Gary Abbott of USA Wrestling at 719-598-8181 or via e-mail at gabbott@usawrestling.org

For information on the City of Long Beach, visit their web site at www.LongBeachNY.org