Folkestone Open

Folkestone Judo Open
March 7th 2010
Folkestone Sports Centre, Radnor Park
Colin Carrott of the Spitfire Judo Club Capel Le Ferne organised this very successful event. The event was to show of his new Judo he has just purchased with help from the Kent Community Foundation. Why new mats? Two reason one the old ones were becoming damaged and dangerous, two the International Judo Federation has changed the demarcation areas for competition and with Colin being the for most Judo and Sombo events organiser in that part of Kent it was essential to get new mats. The last two years has seen a dramatic drop in people participating in Judo so much so that towns that used have several clubs now have none but the Folkestone Open bucked the trend with 150 entries a good turn out. The new fighting areas were enthusiastically welcomed the new IJF rules were not, these new Judo rules have caused dismay throughout the world with lots of Judoka moving to other grappling sports, Colin done the sensible thing called the referees together to discuss them and those that were controversial were left out, some techniques that were valid on December30th 2009 would now get you disqualified. This decision is why I believe the tournament was such a success, well done Colin.
The Senior Competition saw some excellent Judo with some high class club players participating and it was surprising to see so many Veteran Judo Players participating and these were not Judoka who have been practising for years but new people who have just started. Veteran Sports have been a major growth industry with youngsters turning their heads away for Sports Participation preferring to be a spectator a generation of couch potatoes; people over 30 years of age are becoming the main stay of sport.
Clubs and officials from as far as Nottingham, Bedford, East Anglia as well as clubs from Kent participated; officials were supplied by the International Budo Federation
Colin has a lot more planned for the future he intends running Pankration & Sport CombatSombo Classes at his Dojo at Capel Le Ferne, as well as running tournaments at the Dojo in Sport CombatSombo, Pankration, Submission Wrestling and Jacket Wrestling and he is also looking to run the English Open Sambo Wrestling Championships in December at the Folkestone Leisure Centre.
Colin Carrott is a man on a mission lets all get behind him and make sure it is a successful one
The fighter of the day had to be Paul Bishbrown Faversham J C

Sittingbourne & Bredgar YOUNG JUDO CLUB
The club went through a difficult time last year but things are looking up for 2010 we came back with a medal haul 0f 20 putting 2nd in the medal table only one behind the host club Spitfire. It is always difficult to mention individual when you have a large medal haul but it was pleasing to see one of our bigger girls Lauren Allen winning Gold, the club has always had good female players but in latter years the older ones seemed to have dropped of hopefully Lauren will keep the flag flying. Although not in the medals 16 year old Jamie Mazetti had an extremely good day he was fighting Men’s u71k in the hardest event and with some of the best players in the County. He beat previous IBF National Champion Kieran Daniels 2nd Dan Black Belt and went to extra time with Daniel Diamond 2nd Dan also a previous National Champion before being beaten a great future for the boy.
YJC members are of to Ingelmunster Belgium this weekend to take part in a Major International
Anyone interested in Judo should telephone 01795 437124 ibfbcsa@googlemail.com www.youngjudoclub.co.uk

Full results at BUDO-IBF.CO.UK