British Open Judo

British Judo Open 2009

This year’s British open was held at the K2 Leisure Centre Crawley, it has been 26 years since I last attended this event the last time I attended as a competitor. I decided to attend because two of Club members from the Young Judo Club/Sittingbourne Judo Society had entered they were brothers Danny and Lee Carrott, Danny had to withdraw because of an injury his brother Lee had two fights which he lost but he found the experience worth while plus you have not been a top Judo competitor unless you have entered at least one British Open. Another reason I attended was to see the new rules and new fighting area in action plus meet old friends and some cases old enemies. The first thing I noticed was that I hardly knew anyone where were the fighters of my generation? I expect I knew about 5 people all about my age all high profile Judo Players but that was all and where were all the top Executives this was disappointment number 1. Next I was told that GB no 1 players were not participating because they were at a training camp in Brazil disappointment no 2 was I pleased that I wore my blazer with my International Badge this at least gave me free entry.

K2 is a beautiful place and big and the sports hall for the Judo was clean well lit with comfortable seats yet it was a venue like so many others which have Judo events, it did not have the Gravitas of the old Crystal Palace, the palace had its many faults and does look a bit shabby but when you walked into the CP hall with the British Open, you felt the importance of the event an occasion of elite Judo. I am sorry to say I never got this feeling at the K2 it felt that the event had been down graded to just another Judo Association event.

What of the Judo and the rule changes:

The mat area with no danger zone was a good concept as it stopped players being caught in the Keikoku trap, this was when you forced your opponent to step out of the area to receive Keikoku which was equal to a Waza-ari (3 shido’s). Once you received this it was a good chance you would lose. This gamesmanship was very prevalent in the 1970’s and 1980’s, in my bid for the 1980 Olympics my main rival was Arthur Mapp (he won an Olympic Bronze) I fought him 5 times he beat me 4 times once with Ippon with Sasea Tsurikomi Ashi, the other 3 times I lost on Keikoku for stepping out each time I was ahead on scores, I beat him once with Ippon Uchi Mata in the All England where I met Errol Carnegie in the Final where I caught him with a Keikoku step out. Letting you to continue play slightly outside the area should encourage more positive Judo, this is OK when there is a full size international mat area but in a small competition I still think we should use the red danger zone.

NO Koka eliminating the Koka I think was a bad mistake as what has happened what was a Koka has now become a Yuko, Yuko become a Waza-ari, and Waza-ari becomes Ippon. In fact an Ippon is when a person lands on his back no matter how. Sumi Geashi is not a throw to try a couple of times I saw attempts at this throw only to see the practitioner being awarded Ippon against him. Still think they should have accumulative scoring as in Sambo.

All penalties being called shido made good sense and were easy to follow

Attacking from the knees is now allowed and you can score Ippon, as a Sambo Wrestler I was used to this but not sure it suits Judo

In general I was not impressed I saw very little big throws very few strangles and Armlocks, the Referees continue look over officious with their big blazer badges, there were no superstars like in the 70’s and 80’s where were the now a days Brian Jacks, Neil Adams, Paul Radburn, Dave Starbrook etc plus the many foreign Superstars in the old days if one of these names were called the whole audience would move to watch them. The BJA organising was impeccable and maybe I am looking through rose tinted glasses on the past but Judo in my mind has changed in some cases beyond recognition not to my liking but maybe the newer generation get the buzz from this New Judo which I got from the old. I still think that rather then tinker with the rules they should look at the Gi bring in multi coloured suits and Judo Boots make the whole thing colourful .

Martin Clarke 8th Dan Sittingbourne