Jakusotsu 6,052 Posted October 12, 2004 The 12th Sumo World Championships will be held in Riesa (Germany) next weekend and I'm going to be there. I gather there will be male/female, weight class/open, single/team competitions, but I have no real clue what to expect, let alone know anything about the international amateur scene. Could anybody drop some hints which guys to look out for? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jonosuke 28 Posted October 12, 2004 (edited) Despite his weakened condition ??? our "bright hope", ShiroiKuma, should be there blazing away his opponents. I am looking forward to your report. Edited October 12, 2004 by Jonosuke Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenjimoto 40 Posted October 12, 2004 (edited) Good luck, ShiroiKuma! :-) Great to have you on this forum as well, by the way! (Sign of approval) . Caught a glimpse of you training at Naruto-beya (IIRC) during Aki Basho in the background of an interview by NHK. So you should be well-prepared B-) Who was the other European fellow with you? Also hoping to have you back on the NHK English broadcast some time soon... 'twas a pleasure last time! :-) Cheers! Zenjimoto Edited October 12, 2004 by Zenjimoto Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wanchanyama 0 Posted October 12, 2004 (edited) The 12th Sumo World Championships will be held in Riesa (Germany) next weekend and I'm going to be there. I'll be there as part of the Australian team. Should be a great experience. Apart for Jakusotsu, Shirokuma, and myself, was wondering how many people from the Forum/SumoML will be there. Would be great to meet a few people in person. Wanchanyama Edited October 12, 2004 by wanchanyama Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Johnofuji 232 Posted October 12, 2004 Yeah good luck Shiroikuma.You lucky bastards.I really wanted to compete this year but unfortunately I have to face up to other realities.Wanchanyama will be there with Martin a rugby league player.I would probably get creamed as I would have to drink some german beer to tip me into the middleweight class at over 85kgs.After losing 60 kegs from my peak in Dec 2001 at 145kgs I am still reintroducing myself to my limbs.I am so disappointed as I have trained hard and think I finally live up to the word "athlete" that they print on the ID tags.I remember having a good giggle at the use of the term the first time I saw it. Jakusotsu these events are usually huge because too much sumo is barely enough! I competed in the 6th in the Ryugoku Kokugikan (1 loss/1 )and the 10th in Aomori (2 wins 1 loss). (Blowing horn...) Who knows I may still chuck in my job and hop on a plane.I was so looking forward to catching up with the usual suspects like the magnificent Manny Yarborough who is the same height as Akebono and last time I heard was 350kegs of potential muscle.The German team are awesome and a classic to watch- jolly giants who could turn you into liverwurst of they squeeze too hard.I have a great photo of them all jammed in shoulder to shoulder on a very small plane in Japan. Please say gidday to Ronny Almann from Norway for me.If you are lucky he will sing the song that won the Eurovision song contest in 1973.I think it only has two words in the whole song. Check out Tsuihiji Rie from the Japan women team.The perfect woman -at a kilo for every centimeter she is tall she really cleans up on the dohyo and at the smorgasbord. You may even find that some of the female competitors more than make up for their aestetically challenged male counterparts. New Zealand may have a couple of magnificent heavyweights over 200kegs and if you pay for their pleasures it may earn you one of their sponsors outfits.(ask Fred) There are so many fascinating people in all shapes and sizes from a vast array of countries.I am still astounded at how much muscle some competitors stuff in for their weight class.If communication is a problem just grunt and nod like sumotori "Gambbrrmsssssss". Give my compatriot the high priestess of sumo Katrina Watts a bear hug for me.I really wanted to thank her for looking after us last time. Good luck everybody and go Aussie Oi Oi Oi (our obnoxious war cry designed to antagonise everyone else) Gotsuandesu Johnofuji Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sasanishiki 57 Posted October 13, 2004 Adding myself as another name of those who will be there (in N Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jonosuke 28 Posted October 13, 2004 (edited) Check out Tsuihiji Rie from the Japan women team.The perfect woman -at a kilo for every centimeter she is tall she really cleans up on the dohyo and at the smorgasbord.You may even find that some of the female competitors more than make up for their aestetically challenged male counterparts. I saw her on a TV program this past weekend. Obviously she works at an office during the day and works out in evenings with the company's sumo club that has former Ozumo rikishis as well as college rikishis. She was training with these men and one of them said there was no question she should keep on winning Yusho. But they also talked about her suffering a serious injury that could become a career ending. When you look at someone like Tsuihiji, you are really moved by their dedication and devotion to something she would never earn a great deal of fame or money (although she is well known in the sumo and sports circles). Night after night, injury or not, she would go for suri-ashi, shiko and teppos as well as sanban geiko with pretty hefty former rikishis. When you look at her physique (she is big), many think she wouldn't have to do anything but she worked out so hard to make it look so easy. She said in the program, one thing stands out about sumo was that not always the strongest wins. You could lose for a slightest miscue or move. So everyday she goes for more training to eliminate any possible error she may make. As for others in Shin-zumo, I posted the results here some time ago but I did see a list of "newcomers", mostly college women (I beliver there was one or two highshoolers) in sumo magazine but I am not sure how many of them will be there but from the pictures they looked more like lightweight wrestlers. If Katrina goes, she usually posts her report on the mailing list so I will keep an eye on it (I could e-mail her about it too). Edited October 13, 2004 by Jonosuke Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sasanishiki 57 Posted October 15, 2004 As an observer, I get the impression Rie Tsuihiji would struggle at the worlds. I Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jakusotsu 6,052 Posted October 15, 2004 Many thanks for Your replies. Too bad I just read that Sasanishiki is/was in N Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tenkashoryu 0 Posted October 16, 2004 For people who gonna be in Reisa over this wekend, please inform your fellow friends as fast as u can with the tournament news. (Poking the other guy...) And best of luck for those who are participating in the tournament. :-( Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wanchanyama 0 Posted October 16, 2004 For people who gonna be in Reisa over this wekend, please inform your fellow friends as fast as u can with the tournament news. (Poking the other guy...) And best of luck for those who are participating in the tournament. :-( I went to the organising committee meeting yesterday. About 3 hours to the first matches, light weight women, followed by men, then middles and heav weights. opening ceremony after the preliminaries. With the number of competitors being less than 30 per group, the competition will be 3 round preliminaries with the best 8 going through to the finals. Don't have much time to post now, more later Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sasanishiki 57 Posted October 16, 2004 I think if she goes up against a Russian (or whoever) or comparable size and with a bit of experience then sahe will struggle. Also, case in point, is that she has been to World Champs before and placed 3rd on one occasion. She is not nearly as dominant as she is in Japan (9 times national champ).I stand to be corrected this weekend, however. I Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
