Member News

May 25, 2007

Pan American Kata Championships Preview

Team USA will have two teams participating in the men’s and women’s Pan American Kata Championships on Saturday in Montreal.

The kata (forms) competition will have both men’s and women’s divisions and will include separate events for three different katas: Nage No Kata, Ju No Kata and Katame No Kata. 

Karen Whilden (Vienna, Va. / Baltimore Judo) and Diane Jackson (Silver Spring, Md. / Hui-O Beltsville Judo) will be competing in the women’s division.  Whilden and Jackson are the defending Pan American Champions in the Katame No Kata and finished second last year in the Nage No Kata. 

Jeff Giunta (Webster, N.Y. / Bushido Kai Judo Club) and Heiko Rommelmann (Webster, N.Y. / Bushido Kai Judo Club) also will be competing.  Together, the duo won four gold medals at the USA Judo Kata Nationals in April and is considered among the favorites in the men’s division.

Three countries will be represented in the women’s divisions and four in the men’s.  Canada, the United States and Colombia each have men’s and women’s teams, while Mexico also fielded male athletes.  As this is an open competition, each kata is expected to have between five and seven teams competing.

Also at stake for these athletes is the opportunity to compete with the best in the world at the Kodokan International Kata Championships in October in Japan.  Two teams will be selected from each kata division to participate in this prestigious event.