The European Judo Union (EJU) has officially confirmed the kata categories and competition system for the upcoming EJU Kata Tour, in line with the standards of the IJF World Series. The tournament will feature senior, junior and cadet divisions, promoting kata development across all age groups.
Recognised Kata Categories
For the senior division, the following kata will be recognised:
- Nage-no-Kata
- Katame-no-Kata
- Ju-no-Kata
- Kime-no-Kata
- Kodokan-Goshin-Jutsu
- Koshiki-no-Kata
- Itsutsu-no-Kata
The junior tournament will include three kata categories:
- Nage-no-Kata
- Katame-no-Kata
- Ju-no-Kata
A junior athlete is permitted to participate with a second kata in the senior division, provided it is different from the kata performed in the U21 category.
The cadet tournament will feature the following categories:
- Nage-no-Kata (three sets: Te Waza, Koshi Waza, and Ashi Waza)
- Katame-no-Kata
- Ju-no-Kata
For the Nage-no-Kata competition only, the role of tori and uke will be decided randomly at the draw. A cadet athlete can participate for his second kata in the junior or senior division in a different kata than the one performed in U18. The Nage-no-Kata 5 sets is considered a different kata than the Nage-no-Kata 3 sets.
Competition System
The competition system of the EJU Kata Tour will follow the IJF World Series format.
- For kata with 17 pairs or fewer, competitors will be divided into two (2) groups. The top three (3) pairs with the highest scores from each group, six (6) pairs in total per kata, will qualify for the final.
- For kata with 18 pairs or more, competitors will be divided into three (3) groups. The top three (3) pairs from each group, nine (9) pairs per kata, will advance to the final.
- If the total number of pairs is fewer than ten (10), the competition will be held in one (1) group only and the top six (6) pairs will qualify for the final.
Any pair committing a forgotten technique or a major mistake during the preliminary rounds will not be eligible to participate in the final.
Author: EJU Media