Select & other tournaments 2023/24

[Akinomaki 39,802]

I lack a thread for the news&pics from tournaments other than the big 4 with TD-qs to get and the interhigh, for high school, university & corporate sumo

The 62nd national university select Usa tournament is on May 3rd, with 8 university teams from East and 4 from West Japan - sponsored by Mainichi shimbun http://mainichi.jp/articles/20230408/ddl/k44/050/362000c

Edited April 20 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,802]

Ibuki Niishima 新島 伊武起, middle school yokozuna and sumo club captain at Shonan high school, Kagoshima city (2 year younger brother Hiromasa 弘将) syonan-sumou.com/部員紹介/, now at Kindai won the west Japan newcomer championships yesterday - impressive

sf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w4uZEqdyCA

plus yusho with the Kindai team https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gccu8cjhPVg

https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2023/05/13/kiji/20230513s00005000621000c.html

results

Spoiler

　▽個人戦　準々決勝
篠侑磨（金沢学院大）　上手投げ　櫻田隼（近大）
武内楓夢（金沢学院大）　突き落とし　生駒智之（朝日大）
新島伊武起（近大）　押し出し　山口幸（朝日大）
森田陽彦（金沢学院大）　押し出し　火置雅弥（立命館大）

　▽準決勝
篠侑磨　寄り切り　武内楓夢
新島伊武起　押し出し　森田陽彦

　▽決勝
新島伊武起　押し出し　篠侑磨

　▽団体戦
優勝　近大（6勝18点）
2位　朝日大（6勝17点）
3位　金沢学院大（6勝16点）

[Scalipa 11]

 

On April 29, the Uwajima tournament was held.

The team tournament was won by Kinki University by beating Takushoku University 3-2. 

The individual tournament was won by Masaki Hanaoka, 3rd year of Nihon University who beat Shun Ikeda, 4th year of Kanazawa Gakuin University.

 

Hanaoda beat Masaharu Goshima, 3rd year of Takushoku University in the semi-finals while Ikeda beat a 2nd year of Toyo University whose name I can't remember (he won the Eastern rookies tournament last year).  

Omori, 2nd year of Kanazawa Gakuin University; Mita 4th year of Kinki University; Mikami, 3rd year of Toyo University and Myanmar, 3rd year of Toyo University all lost in the quarter-finals.

 

Team Tournament Final: Kindai Vs Takushoku

 

Individual Tournament: Quarter Final to Final

 

 

 

I will do the same thing soon with the USA tournament which took place on May 03 and was won by the very very big Kawabuchi from Nihon University who beat Omori in the final.  

Then, on May 05 was held the Kyushu tournament that I have not seen yet in full, if one of our forum specialists has information, I am interested.

Finally, the Eastern Rookies tournament was held on May 14th and was won by Narita from Nihon University, formerly Top High Schooler at Tottori Johoku High School.

There was also the All Japan weight class tournament on the same day which was held in a very strange way in which 8 wrestlers from each weight class (including women and high school students) took turns fighting each other, without direct elimination until one of them beat all the others. Not speaking or reading Japanese, I didn't really understand how these mini-tournaments worked. I let you judge by yourself. Anyway, Naoya Kusano faced and beat everyone in the open-weight category.

He really seems to be on top with his teammate Kawabuchi who didn't participate or didn't qualify for this tournament. 

Here is the link of the 8-hour livestream including the Eastern rookies tournament + the All Japan Weight class tournament. Go directly to the last hour of the live stream to see the Open Weight mini-tournament: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTv3S8DmNbg&t=2365s

 

Please feel free to add more information because I don't have access to all Japanese sites and the translation is often shaky. 

[Katooshu 3,135]

Thanks for the post! I expected Nihon University to run roughshod over the team events this year, but so far it's been a good mix of winners. A bit sad to see how far Nittaidai has fallen after dropping Nakamura, Choijil, and Ishizaki though.

[Scalipa 11]

Yes, Nihon also disappointed me so far especially Hanaoda despite his winning tournament. He lost several important games during the team tournaments. He is clearly unbeatable when he gets his right-hand grip from the beginning but when opponents adapt and prevent him from getting it he seems lost and often on the back foot. It remains however in my opinion the favorite team in every tournament thanks to Kusano and Kawabuchi who are clearly the two best college sumo wrestlers in the country. The X factor remains Hanaoda who must win these games in the future to win future tournaments. Lightweight Kawakami is less convincing than last year and can lose to average but much heavier wrestlers. Finally, the newcomer Narita, who was one of the best high schoolers last year, is not impressive at the beginning of the season but I'm sure he can get better 

As for NSSU, the loss of Nakamura, Ichizaki, Choijil and Hanada relegates them to a barely Top 8 team. Only the talented Mongolian Bucheroon can compete with the best but for the rest, it is very average. 

That said, it promises to be a great year because the level of the top 8 is much more homogeneous.

Kindai can rely on its duo Yamazaki-Mita to compete with the best, plus the solid lightweight Kitano, the former Middle School Yokozuna  Ibuki Niishima and several other talents with a level above the average.

Toyodai can also form a very talented team, without a superstar but with no loss assured. Mikami could have his breakout season and their Mongolian giant whose name I don't know is also to be watched very closely. I'm telling you right now he's a future top wrestler, I can't wait to see what he's going to offer next knowing that he's only in his 2nd year and that he's already capable of getting wins against the best.

Then, Takushoku is also interesting, Goshima seems to have passed a stage, Matsunaga is always capable of the best as well as the worst, and all the rest of the team, certainly less talented than some is in a mentality of death of hunger which never gives up anything. 

Finally, the team that rises from year to year and that will be very dangerous is Kanazawa Gakuin. Shun Ikeda remains the strong man of the team capable of competing with the best, Omori seems to be destined to become a superstar and several rookies have been added to the team and will directly impact the team. I don't remember their names but I think of two rookies who were top students at Kanazawa Gakuin High School last year and who are already very good. One of them was the finalist of the western rookie tournament and the other one was a semi-finalist. The one who was a finalist is really good, I was sure he would win the tournament. He's by the way the best newcomer this year even in front of Narita or Ibuki, according to me.

Edited May 15, 2023 by Scalipa

[Akinomaki 39,802]

10 hours ago, Scalipa said:

Finally, the Eastern Rookies tournament was held on May 14th and was won by Narita from Nihon University, formerly Top High Schooler at Tottori Johoku High School. 

There was also the All Japan weight class tournament on the same day which was held in a very strange way in which 8 wrestlers from each weight class (including women and high school students) took turns fighting each other, without direct elimination until one of them beat all the others. Not speaking or reading Japanese, I didn't really understand how these mini-tournaments worked. I let you judge by yourself. Anyway, Naoya Kusano faced and beat everyone in the open-weight category. 

Both held at the Yasukuni shrine sumo ground

Narita Rikido winning the final vs. Waseda's Ihara Rikuto - former Senshu University Matsudo High School, Chiba

o o

results

Spoiler

　▽4回戦
猪原陸人（早大）　すくい投げ　木崎大喜（日大）
小原颯太（法政大）　下手投げ　奥田史祐（東洋大）
内田京汰（早大）　押し出し　鈴木覇都（専修大）
本田豪太郎（日大）　上手投げ　依田蒼基（日体大）
篠崎颯太（東洋大）　突き出し　島ノ江貴斗（日体大）
成田力道（日大）　送り倒し　ウスフジャルガル（東洋大）
山岸力（東洋大）　突き出し　清宮健史（日大）
小宮山翔海（立教大）　居反り　山崎柊（日体大）

　▽準々決勝
猪原陸人　上手投げ　小原颯太
本田豪太郎　送り出し　内田京汰
成田力道　押し出し　篠崎颯太
山岸力　押し倒し　小宮山翔海

　▽準決勝
猪原陸人　押し出し　本田豪太郎
成田力道　押し出し　山岸力

　▽決勝
成田力道　下手投げ　猪原陸人

The 2nd All Japan weight class tournament was the one to determine the athletes who represent Japan at the World Championships in October at the Tachikawa Tachihi Arena - adult and juniors - in the heavyweight category Kusano Naoya

o

final win on the 5th at the 31st national select university/corporate Kyushu tournament vs. Kawabuchi Kazuma (both Nichidai), who won the Usa tournament on the 3rd - Nichidai won the team yusho in Kyushu

o

light heavy weight Miwa Hayato (corporate) - he was middleweight World Champion before

o

Nishide Daiki o from Wakayama (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HROGqjpNhyc) heavyweight juniors (juniors results: o )

 

Team winner Takushoku university at the 62nd Usa university select tournament https://www.usasumo.net/

o

Edited May 16, 2023 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,802]

The 107th Kanazawa high school tournament took place on the 21st, sponsored by the local Hokkoku shimbun, celebrating 130 years of existence for the paper, which is full of articles and the results https://www.hokkoku.co.jp/search?fulltext=第１０７回高校相撲金沢大会

About 10 000 watched in the stadium
o

news clip http://www.tvkanazawa.co.jp/nnn/news103x6hh421eivnluzox.html

Sho Igarashi from Takaoka Koryo high won the individuals (live streams: youtube.com/watch?v=GYnaQEZi-RU &  youtube.com/watch?v=5qeMxvtlEIE), the team finished 3rd https://takaokakoryo-h.ed.jp/students/6230

Results: http://www.hokkoku.co.jp/articles/-/1073889

final vs. Maaru Fukuzaki from Shonan high

ooo

o o

with the team

ooo

Wakayama pref. Minoshima high won the team title, 2nd Aomori's Goshogawara high, Tottori Johoku was another in 3rd place, local Kanazawa gakuin didn't make it to the best 8  - Saitama Sakae made it - team final tournament 3rd round till final https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62ghJ0-K9k4

o  o o o o o oo 

Edited May 23, 2023 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,802]

102nd East Japan student championships today, after 4 years again in the kokugikan, the last 2 years it was held at the Yasukuni grounds. Only 1 day this time.

(wrong date, of the newcomer tournament - last time Nakamura with Nittaidai - correct at the start of the video):

On 15/05/2023 at 21:22, Scalipa said:

the Eastern Rookies tournament was held on May 14th and was won by Narita from Nihon University

On 16/05/2023 at 07:03, Akinomaki said:

at the Yasukuni shrine sumo ground

Nichidai after last 8 years ago won their 38th title o

4-1 in the A class final against Toyodai, after beating Nittaidai 3-2 in the semif.,  with Kawabuchi, Kawakami (back row on the left),  front row: Yamamoto, Kusano, Hanaoka, in the team also Narita Rikido and Shirakawa (on the right in the back)

The 3rd title this year for Nichidai, after the select student vs. corporate Kyushu and Wakayama tournaments in May

the 97th West Japan Student championships were one week ago in Sakai

Ikeda from Kanazawa Gakuin won the individuals, vs. teammate 1st year Morita, 3rd places also went to Kanazawa Gakuin university. Kindai won the 43rd title in the 1st league competition 6-0, 6th year in a row

o

Edited June 12, 2023 by Akinomaki

[Katooshu 3,135]

Kazuma Kawabuchi won the East Japan individuals, scoring a victory in the finals vs first-year teammate and last year's junior Kokutai champ Rikido Narita, who might be the most baby-faced 19-year-old I've seen. Kawabuchi's power overwhelmed his opponents and he showed unusually sound technique and positioning for a 200kg giant - it's that combo which makes him very tough to beat. I think he'd do well in ozumo, but I worry for his longevity given his weight and injury history. Many of sumo's giants reached 200kg progressively after turning pro, while Kawabuchi has been around that size since high school.

Joint 3rd went to consistent high finisher Masaharu Goshima of Takushoku, who had Kawabuchi on the ropes and nearly out in their semifinal, and NSSU's Mongolian ace Bucheroon, who in team competition scored a spectacular victory over Nichidai's Kawakami, lifting him high then slamming him down. As Scalipa mentioned above, Toyo has a giant 2nd-year Mongolian, who clocks in at about 197cm/165kg - name sounds like Odonbatar or something similar. He did very well and his only losses were to Kawabuchi (once in team, then in the individual quarterfinals).

Defending champ Naoya Kusano of Nichidai appeared first in the team quarter finals, lost there, won his next two team matches, then pulled out of the individual tournament without a match. His ankle was wrapped (it usually isn't) so it appeared injury related.

It should be said, while Nihon won the team event, it wasn't easy for them, as they dropped a number of matches and two of their stronger competitors appeared injured. They twice had to come back from 2-1 down, including vs a B class team.

Edited June 12, 2023 by Katooshu

[Katooshu 3,135]

Shun Ikeda has textbook sumo and can do it all, being especially good with the uwatenage. He already has a Sd90TD secured and would make a good addition to ozumo if he goes that route. It's impressive that his teammate Morita made it to the finals in just his first year, although Morita's sumo was very sloppy and he won with a lot of desperation moves from challenging positions. 

Kanazawa Gakuin's #2, Omori, wasn't in the competition, which makes their individual dominance more notable, and perhaps the team outcome would've been different with him present. 

Defending champ Taiki Mita, who has made national finals and semifinals this year, was eliminated in the best 8 by Morita.

Edited June 11, 2023 by Katooshu

[Bakayokozuna 52]

Hi ! I am late but i watched the kyushu event few days ago and in the individual tournament former Nittaidai guy Ishizaki was fighting. Losing in round3 vs Hanaoka.

I cant rly read kanji so i didnt get who he was representing. Am I right to assume he is now in corporate sumo? Trying to be corporate yokozuna maybe ? 

Edited July 20, 2023 by Bakayokozuna

[Katooshu 3,135]

Yes he elected not to turn pro and is instead doing corporate sumo, despite having a sandanme tsukedashi qualification. 

[Katooshu 3,135]

Winner of the National Towada College Tournament is Masaki Hanaoka of Nihon University.  The best technician in college sumo, the uwatenage artist wins his third national title of the year, defeating team mate and fellow 3rd-year student Ryusho Kawakami in the finals. Kawakami, nephew of Onoe oyakata and brother of former juryo Ryuko, lost three times in the team competition, so it was a bit of a surprise to see him advance that far in individuals. Third place was Toyo's hulking Mongolian described in posts above, whose name I am not sure on yet - he was a standout of the tournament, and also went 6-0 in the team portion. 

Toyo won the team event, defeating Nihon 3-2 in the final. In the decisive match, Toyo's giant Mongolian won a lively encounter vs Kawakami, who almost pulled off an utchari but didn't quite get there. After dominating team sumo from 2016-2018, this is Toyo's first yusho in nearly 5 years, despite consistently placing 2nd or 3rd.

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by Katooshu

[Bakayokozuna 52]

Not sure what event this is but apparently this was happening today.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P04c2HSDOk8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6TOqsZO914

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJdTKvUFryA

 

Almost a perfect 3/3 for Nihon university  with the 1st places of Kawabuchi and Hanaoka but Bucheroon  beating Kusano in the other category ruined it. Congrats to Bucheroon, i didn't expect him to win here, he is stepping up.

The videos are for top8 only, i have no clue if you can find more elsewhere. So i can't say if guys like Mikami or the big mongolian from Toyo were there and eliminated or just not competing

Edited September 3, 2023 by Bakayokozuna

[Akinomaki 39,802]

On 03/09/2023 at 23:05, Bakayokozuna said:

Not sure what event this is but apparently this was happening today.

National student weight class championships - also today: the 64th Oita pref. Usa national high school sumo tournament https://www.usasumo.net/

Tottori Johoku won the team event, Kaiyo high's Turbold the individuals, winning against high school yokozuna Nishide  https://www.usasumo.net/page532681.html

winner Turbold o

the winning Tottori Johoku team - after 9 years again o

o

news clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VId2JQyqaU

Live stream

Edited September 13, 2023 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,802]

8 minutes ago, Akinomaki said:

National student weight class championships

The sumo federation will likely post the other weight classes later like the 3 top one above, the Nittaidai sumo channel has posted only the finals earlier from the lower weights with Nittaidai participation https://www.youtube.com/@user-gu8dv9hu3j/videos

[Bakayokozuna 52]

10 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

The sumo federation will likely post the other weight classes later like the 3 top one above, the Nittaidai sumo channel has posted only the finals earlier from the lower weights with Nittaidai participation https://www.youtube.com/@user-gu8dv9hu3j/videos

You were right. Other classes videos are up now. Indeed same format, top 8 for each class

Edited September 4, 2023 by Bakayokozuna

[Akinomaki 39,802]

11 hours ago, Bakayokozuna said:

Almost a perfect 3/3 for Nihon university  with the 1st places of Kawabuchi and Hanaoka but Bucheroon  beating Kusano in the other category ruined it. Congrats to Bucheroon, i didn't expect him to win here, he is stepping up.

Actually a 4-2 for Nittaidai, including the most important open weight and 3 in the 4 lightest of the 7+1 categories. First yusho on national level for 3rd year Bucheroon - next aim sempai Oshoma, student yokozuna, better next year though - like him he started in the wrestling club at Nittaidai Kashiwa high school, where also Hoshoryu began. https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2023/09/04/kiji/20230904s00005000197000c.html

final vs. Kusano

Edited September 4, 2023 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,802]

The Kariya national university and corporate select tournament today was won by Nichidai's Kawabuchi and Nittaidai, who beat Nichidai 2-1 in the final. Toyodai was 3rd, with their Mongolian Otgombat also 3rd in the individuals.

 

The big guy looking like Nakamura is Christopher - for a while now in the Nittaidai team, but I haven't seen him in a yusho pic yet, he lost to Hanaoka in the final though

o

 

[Katooshu 3,135]

Bucheroon (didn't compete in individuals) easily beat Kawabuchi twice in the team competition, after beating Kusano the other week in spectacular fashion to win the national openweight title. He has the number of the Nihon University guys right now.

Edited September 11, 2023 by Katooshu

[Bakayokozuna 52]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12MwBZ8-Jkw

From last sunday.

Teams of 9, 8 teams round robin, no play offs.Nihondai and Nittaidai both won their first 6 before facing each other, so it was like a final.

6-3 win for Nihondai. Quick 4-0 lead before Bucheroon won his bout to stop the streak, but Kawabuchi won his bout right after to get the decisive 5th win for the men in black mawashi

Toyo having only lost to the two "finalist" is 3rd (4-5 vs Nittaidai and 3-6 vs Nihondai if i remember correctly). About individual performance, my MVP of the event is Otgombat, perfect 7-0 on the day that includes a win vs Bucheroon (the only loss for the nittaidai guy).

[Akinomaki 39,802]

The first big event of the new season/school year is canceled due to damage at the venue from the earthquake in Ehime on the 17th, the 41st national university select Uwajima tournament in the Uwajima general gymnasium was planned for April 29th http://www.ehime-np.co.jp/article/news202404200007

[Akinomaki 39,802]

The first big event of the year and last of the school year was on March 16th and 17th the national select high school Kochi tournament

Wakayama Shogyo's Daiki Nishide won the individuals open weight for the 2nd year running o , runner-up Tottori's Bayasgalan(munkh) Munkhbilguun, then 2nd, now 3rd year and 3rd same year team mate Aito Kato - also 3rd KazutoTakashima from Takaoka Koryo o

o o o

Tottori Johoku after 5 years won the team again, final vs. Saitama Sakae o

Edited April 20 by Akinomaki