| Member News
December 30, 2006
Pedro’s Challenge and Morris Cup Named USA Judo E Level Events
USA Judo is pleased to announce that two events have been named as E Level Senior Point Tournaments for the 2007 season.
 The Pedro’s Challenge Judo Tournament will be the second E-Level event of the year, held Feb. 17 in Wakefield, Mass. The Morris Cup, April 14 in Burnt Hills, N.Y., will be the final opportunity for athletes to earn senior elite points leading up to the 2007 USA Judo Senior National Championships.
“This is the fourth year we’ve held this event and we’re expecting that our new status as a point tournament will draw even more athletes to Boston,” said Jimmy Pedro (Methuen, Mass.), the Tournament Director and a two-time Olympic medalist. “Last year there were divisions were we had almost all of the top athletes come out and it’s always been a big event on the East Coast, but this should help it expand even more.”
Following the tournament, athletes are invited to participate in a one-day clinic on Feb. 18 with Pedro.
Pedro’s Challenge also will feature $250 cash prizes awarded to the winners of each of the senior elite divisions, provided by Zebra Mats.
“We’re also going to be a National Referee Certification Testing event which we’re very excited about,” Pedro said. “Having that status means that you have some of the top referees in the country coming in which will help make it a quality event.
 The Morris Cup, in its sixth year, has consistently drawn more than 400 players annually. Last year’s event included several #1s as well as a sizeable contingent from Canada.
“We’re very excited to be partnering with USA Judo next year,” said Morris Cup Tournament Director Jason Morris (Glenville, N.Y.), a 1992 Olympic silver medalist. “The event has just gotten better every year and we’re looking forward to this being our best event yet.”
The Morris Cup also will be providing $250 in prize money for the winners of the men’s and women’s elite Olympic weight divisions.
Prior to the tournament, the Jason Morris Judo Center is playing host to a spring training camp from April 8-13. Athletes who participate in both the training camp and the tournament will receive a free night’s housing.
The application for the Pedro’s Challenge is available at http://www.usjudo.org/documents/2007PedrosChallengeInformationandEntryPacket.pdf. Applications for the Morris Cup are available at http://www.usjudo.org/documents/2007morriscup.pdf. |
