After a hiatus caused by the Covid pandemic, the Southern Area intercounties tournament will resume this year. Hampshire has a proud record in this event: the winning boys and girls teams from 2004 are pictured. (Court Lane’s Lewis Dolman is holding the trophy, with Andy Gould wearing GB patch behind him).
This year’s edition will be held in Eastleigh on Sunday 8th May. Hampshire’s team will be announced based on squad attendance and results at Hampshire Closed, to be held in April.
The event has been restructured, and will now feature more but smaller teams than previous years, along with grade banded mixed gender adult teams.
Each team will consist of 7 players with there being six categories – u12 years of age boys and
girls teams, u16 years of age boys and girls teams, senior mixed kyu grade teams and senior
mixed dan grade teams. Technical restrictions will be in place for the u12 teams and armlocks
and strangles permitted only in the senior events, minimum age 14 years.
Team Formats
U12 Boys
u27kg, u30kg, u34kg, u38kg, u42kg, u46kg and o46kg
U12 Girls
u28kg, u32kg, u36kg, u40kg, u44kg, u48kg and o48kg
U16 Boys
u42kg, u46kg, u50kg, u55kg, u60kg, u66kg and o66kg
U16 Girls
u40kg, u44kg, u48kg, u52kg, u57kg, u63kg and o63kg
Mixed Senior Kyu Grade (maximum grade 2nd Kyu)
Men u66kg, u81kg, u100kg and o100kg
Women u57kg, u70kg and 070kg
Mixed Senior Dan Grade (minimum grade 1st Kyu)
Men u66kg, u81kg, u100kg and o100kg
Women u57kg, u70kg and 070kg
Senior teams will fight alternately M, F, M, F, M, F, M
Regardless of the changes, team judo is one of the most exciting competition formats and this promises to be an exciting day as always!
