From Euro-Amateur to Euro-Professionnal ?

[Hoshifransu 0]

From Euro-Amateur to Euro-Professionnal ?

It's a great time for European Sumo and perhaps the beginning of a new era for European sumotori after a long Amateur past with the Czech Republic new hope, 19 years old, whose shikona is Takanoyama and who made it 5-2 for his first Basho in Japan last basho as West-Jonokuchi 29. It seems this is the real first time an European attempts to make it a career in Japan, I think ?

I would like to thank Moti Dichne's great job on his site and particularly as concerns the foreign wrestlers infos he gives. Go to Moti  Dichne's great page and check out the outstanding foreign borning stars : south-korean Kasugao 7-0 performer and yusho winner last time, reaches the rank of W-Makushita 1 that time, terrific ! Very soon in Juryo and in Makuuchi ! But the big big hope is certainly the man from Georgia called Kokkai. Would you believe it ? He made it a 26-2 record from the beginning of his career, he trashed everybody in Sandamne last time (Yusho, 7-0 record) and he's now Makushita 15, ready to fly to Juryo, I think !

[Kotoseiya Yuichi 3]

It seems this is the real first time an European attempts to make it a career in Japan, I think ?

There was an 18-year old Englishman called Nathan Strange who wore the shikona of Hidenokuni Hajime in 1989. The kanji used on his shikona apparently used the very same kanji England is written with. The whole shikona could be translated as "England's first".

He was introduced to ozumo by no one else but Syd Hoare. He lasted for three basho and got his kachikoshi on each of those but apparently he got tired of all the mundane stuff that accompanies a young toriteki in every heya and quit.

I can't find the name of his heya. Does anyone remember?

If we are to widen the discussion from Europeans to Caucasians* in general, we can't avoid discussion about John Tenta which I will gladly pass as I guess any Sadogatake supporter is tempted to.  :-)

* Caucasian is such a peculiar feeling word for a white person.  (Eh?)  I seem to recall there's also such a word as Europid but my computer dictionary doesn't recognize it.

[Hoshifransu 0]

I did not know about that English wrestler. It's great what Syd Hoare managed to make ! What a pity he couldn't have been involved himself, as a former Judo World Champion he was. I'm sure this is his big regret. On his site, when you join Syd Hoare's Sumo Fan Club's Mailing List , Syd Hoare asks the question if you'll be interested or not by makin' Sumo competitions, and I said "yes" (my weight is for real about 75 kilos !!! you can imagine the weak victim I'd be, but why not ?) and I didn't take that seriously but after what you told about Syd Hoare, it's really great what he achieved for European Sumo ! You do not know if he helped for the Czech Republic new hope ? One thing is sure : that country is very involved in Amateur Sumo, just check out that link about Czech Sumo  Come on, Czech Republic !  (Thumbs up...)

[Kotoseiya Yuichi 3]

You do not know if he helped for the Czech Republic new hope ?

I've understood Takanoyama was introduced to Naruto Oyakata by Shiroikuma, the chairman of the Czech Sumo Federation.