MARS HILL, Maine — The 26th annual Graves’ Summer Kick-Off Karate and Ju-Jitsu Tournament will take place Saturday, June 17, at Central Aroostook High School’s gymnasium. Set to begin at 10:30 a.m., martial arts students and black belt instructors will compete in point sparring (kumite), form kata, Ju-Jitsu pairs kata, weapons kata and power impactor.
Divisions for each discipline will be set up by age, weight, height, gender and experience, which is determined by each individual’s belt level. Beginner students wear white belts then become novice yellow belts, earn intermediate degrees of green and purple belts, then move up to three degrees of brown belt and finally after many years of study onto black belt and the title of sensei.
Students from 5 to over 65 years of age, and of every size and belt level, will travel from throughout New England and New Brunswick to vie for over 250 trophies.
Black belt matches will be the highlight of the day’s events, not just because of the spectacular techniques in the fighting and throwing events but also due to the grand championship trophies, which are the largest of any tournament in Maine. Each member of the top Ju-Jitsu pair will receive one, as will the winning female black belt fighter in the 17-34 age group and the senior 35 and over age division. Grand championship trophies also will be presented for weapons and form kata.
Three grands will presented to black belt men, one in the 17-34 group, another in the 35-44 senior men’s sparring and the third to the age 45 and over executive division winner. The huge 5-foot tall, three-tiered ornately decorated awards are topped with 10-inch tall gold fighting figures or a pair of throwers and each is sponsored by an Aroostook business.
Among this year’s generous supporters are York’s of Houlton, TD Bank, Falcon Transportation, Attorney Patrick Hunt, Machias Savings Bank, County Super Spuds, Mars Hill IGA, D & D Paving, Burtchell Trucking and TWB Speech.
Doors at the Mars Hill High School gym will open at 9:30 a.m. for spectators and events will begin an hour later with youth point sparring. Eight rings will be in use throughout the event, each with a chief referee and four judges to oversee and score each division. Ju-Jitsu pairs throwing routines will run next, followed by adult throwing with weapons and form kata competitions running simultaneously in other rings. Adult underbelt fighting will follow Ju-Jitsu and kata events, with men and women’s black belt sparring offered as the grand finale.
Grand Master Bill Graves oversees eight dojos throughout Aroostook County and one in Perth-Andover, N.B. Each belong to the Maine Ketsugo and Karate Association, a statewide group. The Mars Hill tournament is one of three annual MKKA events and the only competition north of Bangor.
It will be an exciting competition and a great opportunity for anyone who has never witnessed a martial arts tourney. A wide variety of concessions will be available during the event.
Further information, photos and videos may be accessed through Facebook on the Graves Institute of Self Defense page.
