Martial arts tourney slated

    HOULTON, Maine — In the mid-1980s about 25 martial arts tournaments took place annually throughout Maine.
Currently there are only eight remaining and three of those are sponsored by the Maine Ketsugo and Karate Association (MKKA). Graves Institute of Self Defense, a charter member of the MKKA with eight dojos in northern Maine and New Brunswick, will host its 23rd annual tournament on Saturday, June 14.
Graves’ Summer Kick-Off Karate and Ju-Jitsu Tournament will take place at the Houlton High School gymnasium beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Competitors from Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Canada constitute the bulk of the participants. Martial arts practitioners varying in age from 5 years old to over 65, and ranging from novice white belts to highly-experienced black belts have registered to contend for awards.
More than 200 trophies and medals will be awarded throughout the five-hour competition to winners in point sparring, form kata, weapons kata, Ju-Jitsu throwing and power impactor events.
Martial arts students will be separated into divisions set up by age, gender, size and belt color. Colored belts connote the time spent learning a martial art and level of accomplishment in that particular discipline.
At least six huge, multi-tiered grand championship trophies standing nearly five feet tall will go home with winners in several men’s and women’s black belt divisions. These ornate, much coveted awards are sponsored each year by regional businesses who support the Graves’ tournament.
Grand championship events include: men’s fighting, women’s fighting, senior men’s fighting, Ju-Jitsu team throwing (two trophies), form kata and weapons kata.
Martial arts tournaments are extremely exciting events for spectators as well as participants as six to eight competition rings are underway at the same time. A chief referee and four corner judges oversee each ring, taking care of scoring, trophy presentations and explanation of events to spectators.
As soon as one division finishes, another set of competitors are called up to compete so the action remains non-stop.
Doors open at 9:30 a.m. and the tournament begins at 10:30 a.m. at Houlton High School on Bird St.
Concessions will be available throughout the tournament for spectators and competitors. Everyone is invited to attend the only martial arts competition north of Bangor.
Youngsters under 5 and seniors over 65 enter free, while a nominal spectator fee applies to others and will be used to defray the cost of awards.
Check out Graves Institute of Self Defense on Facebook for more information on the tournament or available classes, times and locations.