The FloFilms department has been on a roll as of late and the great stories will continue.We have been breaking ground with recent series like Kolat, Terry
Feb 18, 2016 by Mark Bader
The FloFilms department has been on a roll as of late and the great stories will continue.
We have been breaking ground with recent series like Kolat, Terry and now Minnesota.
Next week will be the final episode of the Minnesota series which will focus on the Gophers finally breaking through and winning an NCAA team title.
Then we will move on to the Yarygin. The toughest wrestling tournament in the world in some of the harshest conditions on Earth.
Krasnoyarsk, Russia. Siberia in January.
I'll tell you what, it was cold. Damn cold!!!
But the trip was amazing and I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.
A tournament full of Russian competitors with elite wrestlers from other countries peppered in.
We embark on a journey to the other side of the world and go inside Team USA to find out what the Yarygin is all about.
An interesting dynamic that will be addressed in this film is the situation inside the Hawkeye Wrestling Club at 57kg. Currently, Tony Ramos sits as the #1 guy in the USA at that weight class. Right behind him at #2 is the current US Senior Nationals Champion Daniel Dennis, also of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club.
In separate interviews, we hear from both Ramos and Dennis, as well as Hawkeye Wrestling Club head coach Terry Brands on the dynamic that is going on inside the Iowa wrestling room and what we might expect if the two were indeed to meet head to head with an Olympic spot on the line.
Also on the trip are defending World and Olympic Champions Kyle Snyder and Jake Varner. The two 97kg wrestlers both struggled with the same Russian opponent in Anzor Boltukaev. Hear both athletes talk about their performance at the tournament and their desire to make the Olympic team and bring home gold for the USA.
The series will include an all-access look into the event and the atmosphere surrounding it. On this trip, we will watch several of the top wrestlers in the United States and their journey toward trying to attain gold at the historic tournament.
As an avid wrestling fan you have probably heard about the Yarygin, you've likely event see some match videos from the event. But this series will take you deep inside the Yarygin experience and leave you feeling like you have actually been there yourself.
Check out the photos below to help give you an idea of what it's like over there:
The Yenisei River. Behind this photo is the city, across the river is the Ivan Yarygin Sports Palace where the event is held.Brent Metcalf before a workout with Tony Ramos two days before the tournament
Bobby Telford getting ready to wrestle. Bill Zadick in the warm up area with Stieber and Snyder in the background. Jake Varner getting ready to wrestle. Daniel Dennis crossing the frigid Yenisei River.
Wrestler and coach from Dagestan talking between periods.
Nothing to hide: Terry Brands opens his bag at the security check point.
Russian fans LOVE their wrestling!Can you identify this masked man walking the cold streets of Krasnoyarsk?Logan Stieber laughing at Kyle Syder's Siberian selfie
Jake Varner traveling to the venue on competition day
Terry Brands looking at brackets in the warm up area
