Karate tournament cancelled

Press, 23 September 1987, Page 80

Karate tournament cancelled

The second annual North Island versus South Island karate tournament, which was to be held in the Roy Stokes Memorial Hall, has been cancelled because the North Island could not get a team together. However, a South Island tournament will still be held. «

Last year several South Island exponents of martial arts decided to start an annual tournament

against the North Island in the search for competition and travelled to Wellington for the inaugural competition. The event this year was planned for this week-end in New Brighton. North Island organisers were notified about four months ago but failed to assemble a team.

The fault, according to a South Island organiser of the tournament, John Grant, lies with poor or-

ganisation by the North Island administrators.

Even though the North Island is not attending, Mr Grant is holding the tournament at the same venue and is expecting entries from Invercargill and Dunedin. The tournament will be divided into five weight divisions with fights in each division lasting for two, two minute rounds.

A feature will be an exhibition by the New

Zealand Arnis Federation, martial artists who specialise in Filipino stick and knife fighting.

Mr Grant was uncertain whether the non-attend-ance of the North Island would mean the end of the annual event but said if the South Islanders could not get enough competition, they might have to go further afield for karate tournaments. An exchange with Australia was a possibility.