The 8th Nordic Judo Kata Open Tournament was arranged on August 27th in the Helsinki region in Finland. The event was organized by Mr. Staffan Lindgren of Hontai Judo Club and Ms. Jonna Marttila who chairs the Kata Commission of the Finnish Judo Association This tournament provided serious kata competitors with a chance to compare their performance with others just one month before the Kata World Championships to be held on Malta in October 2016. We also continued our tradition of kata seminars in conjunction with the kata tournament. German kata experts Wolfgang Dax-Rohmswinkel 7.d and Ulla Loosen 6.d conducted an interesting kata seminar on Sunday, Aug 28th, going through both judo and kata fundamentals as well as comparing similar techniques in different kata. The competition, the workshop and seminar as well as the traditional dinner cruise in the archipelago offered an exellent chance to get together with old and new friends. RESULTS:    Nage-no-kata Points Percentage 1. Pasi Oinas 3.d TIK - Mika Salsoila 4.d TIK 405 79 % 2. Ossi Tauriainen 5.d SWE - Georg Vuger 4.d SWE 389 76 % 3. Jussi Nikander 1.d LOH - Jouni Lahtinen1.d LOH 386 76 % 4. Tomi-Pekka Takalo 1.k SHI - Joonas Vakkilainen 1.k SHI 357 70 %    Katame-no-kata Points Percentage 1. Ralf Ahlskog 2.d TIK - Pekka Värynen 2.d TIK 407 80 % 2. Pasi Oinas 3.d TIK - Mika Salsoila 4.d TIK 405 79 % 3. Georg Vuger 4.d SWE - Ossi Tauriainen 5.d SWE 389 76 % 4. Caroline Bergström 2.d SWE - Julia Hamilton 3.d SWE 350 69 % 5. Leo Mononen 2.d KOT - Jorma Paasi 2.d KOT 343 67 %    Ju-no-kata Points Percentage 1. Wolfgang Dax-Rohmswinkel 7.d GER - Ulla Loosen 6.d GER 452 84 % 2. Henna Mannonen 1.d TIK - Jonna Marttila 1.d TIK 408 76 % 3. Anna Lindgren 1.k SWE - Eva Kellner 1.k SWE 365 68 % 4. Willy Verdrengh SWE - Gösta Andersson SWE 322 60 %    Kime-no-kata Points Percentage 1. Marko Ryyppö 3.d HOL - Juha Alaluukas 2.d HOL 522 79 %    Kodokan Goshin -jutsu Points Percentage 1. Jussi Nikander 1.d LOH - Jouni Lahtinen 1.d LOH 536 78 % 2. Keijo Saarelainen 4.d KOT - Jorma Paasi 2.d KOT 487 71 % 3. Julia Hamilton 3.d SWE - Caroline Bergström 2.d SWE 417 60 % The weather was again sunny, but this time very windy, as the worst stormwinds this summer raged all over Finland. The archipelago route was however well shielded from the worst gusts and the ride was as smooth as ever. Everyone was able to enjoy the delicious seafood except the unfortunate one person, who turned out to be allergic to fish :-(

Arttu Laitinen, Staffan Lindgren, Åke Bransell (Swe),Trudie Michielsen (Ned), Hannu Mustonen and Jaakko Hannula

Links to the earlier Nordic Judo Kata Open Tournaments:

1st NJKOT 2009: Borås Sweden
2nd NJKOT 2010: Helsinki Finland
3rd NJKOT 2011: Mariehamn, Åland Islands (Finland)
4th NJKOT 2012: Gothenburg, Sweden
5th NJKOT 2013: Vantaa, Finland
6th NJKOT 2014: Skurup, Sweden
7th NJKOT 2015: Vantaa, Finland