Member News

September 20, 2006

Rendez-Vous Canada Women’s Lightweight Preview

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – An estimated 19 Americans are expected to compete in the women’s lightweight divisions of this weekend’s Rendez-Vous Canada, a Senior B-Level Elite Tournament, in Montreal.

Amid the mix are top medal favorites Sayaka Matsumoto (El Cerrito, Calif. / NYAC / East Bay Judo Institute / 48kg) and Valerie Gotay (Harlingen, Texas / Harlingen USA Judo National Training Site / 57kg).  Both athletes won bronze medals at this event last year as well as at the Pan American Championships in May.

A complete breakdown of each division is as follows:

Women’s 44kg (Estimated Division Size: 2)

As of early this week, this division is expected to be a two-woman show between Alexa Liddie (Colorado Springs, Colo. / Olympic Training Center USA Judo National Training Site) and Margaret Drake (Saratoga Springs, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center).  Liddie recently moved into the division from 40kg earlier this year, winning a bronze medal at the Senior Nationals while 22-year-old Drake is relatively new to the competition scene.  The two fought twice at the Fall Classic Nationals with Liddie taking both wins on the ground.

Women’s 48kg (Estimated Division Size: 17)

With Canadian star Isabelle Latulippe not slated to compete at the Rendez-Vous, this division quickly opens up for a number of potential takers.  Look for Japan’s Mayumi Takara, the 2005 Moscow Super World Cup and Pacific Rim Champion, and Donna Robertson (GBR) to be among the top contenders for gold.  Robertson finished second in a close final with Latulippe here last year and had a good European Tour in the spring, including a bronze medal at the Belgian Ladies Open.  Sayaka Matsumoto (El Cerrito, Calif. / NYAC / East Bay Judo Institute) will be looking for her second Rendez-Vous title and with her only loss at last year’s event coming to Latulippe, this could be Matsumoto’s year.  Caveat: Should Latulippe appear on Sunday, please note that all bets are off for this division.

Americans to Watch: Jeanette Rodriguez (Margate, Fla. / North Miami USA Judo National Training Site) is making her debut at this event.  Rodriguez has previously beaten all of the Americans in the division during the past two seasons, but it remains to be seen how she will fare with the international contingent.  Ann Shiraishi (Elk Grove, Calif. / Okubo / East Bay Judo Institute) didn’t compete at this event in 2005 either, but has shown great improvement this season, including a win over Rodriguez at the Fall Classic over Labor Day.  Shiraishi will be returning to competition with an added confidence boost after defeating a top-ranked Russian at the World Championships by Team of Nation on Sept. 16.  Second-ranked junior Brenna Clark (Hercules, Calif. / Okubo / APOA Judo Club) will be looking for senior international experience while 1994 U.S. Open Champion Stephanie Baim (Carrolton, Texas / Unattached) will be competing in her first international event in a decade.  Daimisy Porras (Miami, Fla. / North Miami USA Judo National Training Site) will be making her senior debut at 48kg.  A former 44kg National Champion, 16-year-old Porras is still new to the division, but could ruffle a few feathers with a good draw.

Women’s 52kg (Estimated division size: 26)

Japan again offers a strong podium hopeful in this division with Yoriko Yoshumura, a silver medalist at last year’s Moscow Super World Cup.  Poland also is expected to send a small team including Monika Cabaj.  Cabaj was one of the hottest athletes in the division on this year’s European Tour, winning three World Cup medals, including silvers at the Budapest and Bucharest events, but failed to place at the European Championships in May.  Aminata Sall (CAN) will be shooting for her third Rendez-Vous title and the 2006 Pan American Champion should fare well in the mix.

Americans to Watch: National Champion Carrie Chandler (Scotia, N.Y. / NYAC / Jason Morris Judo Center) is expected to be out of commission for this event which leaves Natalie Lafon (Harlingen, Texas / Harlingen USA Judo National Training Site) and Franchesca Durand (Coral Springs, Fla. / North Miami USA Judo National Training Site) as the highest ranked Americans in Canada with this being the first trip to Rendez-Vous for both athletes.  Neither athlete has an extensive international resume, although Lafon will be returning from the World Team Championships in Paris and 15-year-old Durand recently qualified for the Junior World Team.  Anna Palmer (Colorado Springs, Colo. / Olympic Training Center USA Judo National Training Site) also could be a factor to place.  Injured for a significant portion of 2005, Palmer looked good at the Fall Classic, defeating Lafon and fighting well in her final match against Durand.  Juniors Tara Clark (Hercules, Calif. / Okubo / APOA Judo) and Nicki Schultheis (Gurnee, Ill. / Gurnee Judo) also will be competing this weekend.

Women’s 57kg (Estimated Division Size: 22)

A final match between Maria Lindberg (SWE) and Valerie Gotay (Harlingen, Texas / Harlingen USA Judo National Training Site) could be one of the best matches on the women’s side – and a repeat of their match at the 2005 World Championships in Cairo.  Last time Gotay came out with the win en route to finishing ninth.  Lindberg had an excellent European Tour, finishing second at the Budapest World Cup and third in Birmingham while Gotay pulled out of Birmingham due to an injury sustained in Rome.  Gotay competed at the World Team Championships over the weekend, though, beating a Russian who was ranked seventh in the world and a former Junior World Champion from Japan.  If the travel doesn’t become wearing, Gotay is a top prospect for a medal.  Others with final round prospects include Belgium’s Katrien Ongena, a 2005 World Cup Champion in Madrid and Jyuri Miyamoto (JPN), last year’s Asian Championships silver medalist.

Americans to Watch: Marti Malloy (San Jose, Calif. / San Jose State University) made her first international splash here when she won this event in 2002 as a 16-year-old who upset most of the top names in North America in the process.  To date she’s the only American to threaten Gotay and could easily be found in the medal rounds in Montreal.  If she fights well, Senior Nationals bronze medalist Ashlie Martini (Chicago, Ill. / Tohkon) could offset the plans of some of the big names.  The division is rounded out by a crew of youngsters, including Junior World Team member Hannah Martin (Albany, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center), Hana Carmichael (Wellington, Fla. / Budokan) and Angelica Delgado (Miami, Fla. / North Miami USA Judo National Training Site).