KUMITE

REGISTER NOW

*Any registrations @ the door will have a +$25 late fee

*please note if you wish to cross-over and try a WAKO USA Team Trial division you must be a resident of the United States and it requires a 1-year WAKO USA Membership @ $29.00.  Winning Gold🥇/🥈Silver as a Junior and 🥇 Gold as an Adult will earn a spot on Team USA and be eligible to compete at WAKO international events.  Sign up for your WAKO USA membership.  Click the WAKO USA logo ⬇️

The Arnold Sports Festival attracts 100,000 people to Columbus so hotels sell out quickly.  We are looking for overflow hotels, but below is a discounted rate for Kumite Classic.  Otherwise use hotel apps to find a good location from the event (Lausche Building (Ohio Expo Center) 717 E 17th Ave Columbus, OH 43211

🏨Fairfield Inn & Suites Columbus Polaris (online booking)

9000 Worthington Road, Columbus, Ohio 43082 

T 614.568.0770   

129.00USD / Night King

155.00USD / Night Ex. King (with pull out bed).

129.00USD / Night Queens sold out

組手 KUMITE CLASSIC RULES

FORMS/WEAPONS:

*rules are subject to change, please check with center judge for any updates.

RINGS: Matted area for divisions

JUDGES: All divisions have the option to use 3 or 5 judges.

MAXIMUM DEVIATION: (only used with a 3-judge panel) .02 is the maximum deviation permitted from the “middle score.” This eliminates the impact of one judge altering the outcome of the entire division. This theory has been tested and utilized in national and international events.

TIES: Broken by head-to-head comparison scores of each individual judge (treated as votes). The majority of votes (higher individual preliminary scores) will break the tie if possible. If it is a “true tie” (unable to be broken) the competitors will run their form again and judges will point (by show of hands) to the winner.       Running a different form is optional and not mandatory.

PROTESTS: Must be made at the time of the ruling. Protocol is to ask the coordinator/scorekeeper to alert the center referee. If the situation requires further investigation the ruling can be arbitrated.. All decisions by the arbitrator are final.  *Protests can only be made by someone with an official coaches pass.

UNIFORM: All competitors must wear a martial arts uniform with no foul or offensive language.

AGE: Competitors must compete their age as of the tournament date as of the Kumite Classic.

SEQUENCE: Luck of the draw, competitor’s cards will be shuffled.  Pre-registered competitors will be seeded in the bottom half of the bracket.

CLOSED DIVISION: A division is considered closed once the first player bows-in to perform a form or once the first sparring match is started. *Exception: computer-based or staff related errors.

RESTARTS: 1 restart is permitted for under black belt divisions only.  No restarts for black belt divisions *Exception: restart for weapons that break during performance.

SCORING RANGE: 9.90-10 (black belts)  9.80-9.90 (under black belts)

TRADITIONAL: No gymnastics, splits, rolls, or creative interpretations. Any traditional uniform with a tie-over-style top is permitted. Patches and/or logos are a non-factor and permitted. A pure white uniform is NOT required, however the uniform should hold true to the standards of the style. Classical Japanese/Okinawan divisions enforce a maximum 4 kiai rule and based on unaltered kata.

FIRST TIMERS:  First timer divisions are for competitors with little to no tournament experience. The purpose it to build self-confidence.  All competitors win an award.

TEAM FORMS

Team forms must have a minimum of 2 players.  No maximum.  The entire team must perform in the “oldest” and/or “highest rank” of any team members.  (Therefore teams can “bump up” divisions but not down).  Teams may perform kata or weapons.  Judges will score on synchronization, technique, intensity and creativity.

SPARRING (POINT FIGHTING)

Point Fighting will use abbreviated WAKO Rules. This is summary used for UNDER BELTS.  BLACK BELTS fighting at Nationals will be subject to the full WAKO rule set and equipment requirements:  DOWNLOAD

UNIFORM: No exposed jewelry or metal.  No shoes

UNDER BLACK BELT EQUIPMENT: It is MANDATORY for all competitors to provide and wear their own approved sport karate head gear, safety boots, safety gloves, mouth guard, and protective cup (males). Highly recommended but not mandatory: elbow pads, face shields, chest protectors, leg pads, and knee pads.

WEIGH-IN: ALL players competing in a weighted division must weigh-in prior to the division

BYES: All byes are randomly selected by computer-based lottery. Competitors from the same school (not team) will not be matched in the first round if possible. *optional: logic is followed by same country then state.

OUT OF BOUNDS: Out of bounds (exit) is when any part of the body touches outside the mat (tatami).  No points can be scored out of bounds.  Intentional exit or avoiding the fight: 1-point penalty.  A contact exit, force-out, or offensive player who steps out due to momentum is not a penalty.

GROUND FIGHTING: Is not permitted

DOWN BY CONTACT: A player is considered down by contact when any part other than hands/feet are touching the ground [knee, elbow, hip, or backside etc.] after making contact with their opponent. The match is stopped.  No Penalty.

FALLING DOWN: A player is considered “fallen” down if they “intentionally” fall to the ground on their own accord (with or without contact).  1-point penalty by majority judge’s discretion.

SCORING TARGETS: Headgear area, face, torso (front/side) with control, light or moderate contact depending on player’s option, skill level, and division.

POINT TECHNIQUES: All clean martial arts punches, kicks, ridge hands, and back fists that use appropriate contact and form in the designated scoring areas. (Important: a hand or foot that touches the scoring area does not always warrant a point. The technique demonstrate martial arts merit). *This is a subjective matter, similar to  umpires calling balls/strikes in baseball.  Protests cannot be filed on judgement of points. The body backfist is a legal WAKO technique, but you must look at target.

SPREAD: 10-point spread (mercy rule) is in effect.

SCORING: 1-point: hand techniques and body kicks. 2-points: head kicks, jump body kicks.  3-points:  spinning head  elevated (jump). 1-point for sweeps (that causes the other player to go down additional point if score on the downed opponent).  Player with the most total accumulative points after the 2-minute round is the winner. Preliminary tie: Sudden Victory (next point wins).

Win BY 2: All “first place” matches must have a 2-point spread to determine the winner.

ILLEGAL TECHNIQUES: Haymaker (swinging/wild punches) with no regard for control, strikes to the groin or throat, uncontrolled, excessive or malicious contact to any area, intentional striking to non-scoring areas (spine, joints, legs etc.), late hits, dropping to the ground to avoid the fight, intentional running out of bounds. LEGAL CONTACT:

• -CONTROL:  No touch/pulled (Halo)……
• -LIGHT: Touch…………………………….
• -MODERATE: Slight penetration………..
• PENALTY CONTACT:
• -UNCONTROLLED:  Beyond legal contact (majority judges discretion)
• -EXCESSIVE: Extreme penetration  (majority judge’s discretion)
• -MALCIOUS: Intentional excessive contact:  Automatic DQ  (majority judge’s discretion).

PENALTIES: 1-point penalty points: (all infractions based on majority of judges) Uncontrolled contact to any area, intentional running out of bounds, intentionally falling (to avoid the fight),  intentional late hits, retaliation hits, unsportsmanlike conduct.

DQ (Disqualification): is based on the majority vote of the judges (*or if the arbitrator is ringside and witnesses the infraction). Malicious contact is automatic disqualification. Incidental excessive contact, accidental contact and/or self-inflicted injuries that may cause swelling or draw blood are subject to discretion of the arbitrator after consultation with judges. Medical staff has the final say if a competitor can continue or not.

INJURY: If a player is unable to continue on his own accord or is advised by medical staff to bow out due to incidental contact, accidental contact or self-inflicted injury then his opponent will advance.  Players will not        advance if they intentionally injure their opponent or use malicious contact.

CLOCK MANAGEMENT: 2-minute running clock except final 10 seconds (clock is stopped on each “stop” break). Match over at “0” on scoreboard.

(1) Ten-second time out is permitted per match. Coaches must stay within a specified coaches box. Only 1 coach per box.  Coaching without a wristband is a penalty. The timeout can only be used during standard match breaks (not during the flow of a match). A coach does not have to be a black belt (parents are permitted to coach with a coaches pass.  Coaches are only allowed on the competition floor when the specific division is being staged or in progress.  No coaches on the floor for forms divisions.

Lausche Building (Ohio Expo Center)

717 E 17th Ave
Columbus, OH 43211
Just 2.9 miles away from the Columbus Convention Center

coming soon…

coming soon…

coming soon…

Spectator tickets are purchased directly through Arnold Sports online or at the day of at the gate.

Q:  What does my competitor entry fee include?

A:  Competitor wrist bands include admission to martial arts festival and main Arnold Expo at Columbus Convention Center for the entire weekend.

Q:  What is the price for youth spectators?

A:  Spectators age 14-years-old and under get FREE admission all weekend to the kumite classic and Arnold Expo with a paying adult.

Lausche Building (Ohio Expo Center) GATE spectator prices:

*Friday: $25
*Saturday: $25
*Sunday: 25
*Weekend pass: $65

*These martial arts spectator tickets include FREE admission to all Arnold events and main Arnold Expo (Columbus Convention Center).

Q:  What does my competitor entry fee include?

A: competitor wrist bands include admission to martial arts festival and main Arnold Expo at Columbus Convention Center for the entire weekend. 

Q:  What is the price for youth spectators?

A:  Spectators age 14-years-old and under get FREE admission all weekend to the kumite classic and Arnold Expo with a paying adult.  

Q:  What is the difference between Nationals and State Games?

A:  The easiest way to differentiate the two categories is Nationals are for pro/elite level competitors and State Games are for amateur/regional level competitors.  

WAKO NATIONALS: TEAM TRIALS for USA Kickboxing.  This event is reserved for black belts or national level under belts.  You must be a WAKO member to compete.  

WAKO STATE GAMES: State titles  under black belts can earn. All ranks from beginners to black belts in regional competition.