Current Issue -- December 2006

Shoryu Ends 2006 Perfectly

Junior Division Yusho Winners

   

Shoryu Ends 2006 Perfectly
Fifth 15-0 Eclipses Taka’s Mark
by “Yukikaze" for SUMO SHIMPO

Winning four yusho in a calendar year would be considered an exceptional season for most sumotori – unless your shikona happened to be Taiho, Kitanoumi, or Chiyonofuji.

It would have been safe to figure that yokozuna-East ASASHORYU (Mongolia) must have been somewhat ‘torqued’ to only have three Cups to his credit for the 2006 campaign.  But then he – along with the rest of Japan’s professional rikishi – returned to the Fukuoka Kokusai Center for the Kyushu Basho.  This place had given the “Mongolian Express” good karma:  he had won here in 2004 to start his historic run to sumo’s first true “Grand Slam” in the six-basho era (1958-present), and had returned twelve months later to put the exclamation point on his historic accomplishment.  Fukuoka’s fortune continued to smile on SHORYU this year, as he ‘ran the table’ on the field for his fourth Tenno-Hai of 2006 and 19th of his historic career.  It was his fifth zensho effort, which moved him past Takanohana (65) in that stellar statistic.

Four of the five ozeki survived losing to SHORYU to post acceptable marks.  #1-East CHIYOTAIKAI started very strongly with six consecutive wins and had his kachi on day 9.  But then he apparently lost focus – and five of his last six matches – to end matters at 9-6.  #1-West KOTOOSHU (Bulgaria) had no consistency in his effort, but did win two of every three to go 10-5.  Hatsu 2006 winner, #2-East TOCHIAZUMA was also 8-1 on day 9, but whatever had bogged TAIKAI down also infected the Tamanoi heyagashira as he lost 4 of his last six for a 10-5.  For someone who had done so badly in Tokyo that he was under demotion threat yet again, #3-West KAIO looked as if he’d been re-energized.  At the end of day 8 the hometown hero was just as zensho as SHORYU; but he then had to fight the other ozeki along with the 68th yokozuna, and the result was a 10-5 record that gives him 671 career Makunouchi wins.  The stock of #2-West HAKUHO (Mongolia) seems to have gone into a freefall steeper than that of Enron.  The Natsu 2006 champion who was being seen as a counterweight to SHORYU was injured during training, did not even answer the bell in Fukuoka, and is now kadoban.

Four of the six in the lower sanyaku managed to scrape out kachi efforts.  Despite having enough wins over the past three tournaments to qualify for re-promotion to ozeki, sekiwake-East MIYABIYAMA was most likely the victim of the logjam at that rank.  At this point, his earlier 14-1 no longer counts in the equation.  The higher-ranked member of Musashigawa Beya’s once-fearsome “College of Sumo Knowledge” keeps his current paycheck on the strength of an 8-7.  Sekiwake-West KOTOMITSUKI seems to be fitting into the mold of former Sadogatake stablemate Kotonishiki:  strong enough to hold a sekiwake slot, but not capable of making a run at ozeki rank.  The former college champion fought well for a 9-6.  The four-komusubi era has ended for the nonce:  two of the four at “the killer rank” will remain there in January.  #1-East KISENOSATO and #2-West ROHO (Russia) both finished at 8-7.  #1-West KOKKAI (Georgia Rep.) fell hard with a 3-12, while #2-East AMINISHIKI finished at 6-9.

Maegashira #11-East HOMASHO slugged out a 12-3 mark to take top hiramaku performance honors.  He also grabbed the Kanto-Sho (Fighting Spirit Prize) for himself and shared the Gino-Sho (Technique Prize) with #2-East KOTOSHOGIKU, who went 10-5.  Other notable maegashira postings:

 
#3-East TOKITENKU (Mongolia) (9-6)
#3-West DEJIMA (10-5)
#6-East KYOKUTENHO (Mongolia) (10-5)
#6-West BARUTO (Estonia) (10-5)
#9-East TAKAMISAKARI (10-5)
#9-West ASASEKIRYU (Mongolia) (10-5)
#14-East TAMAKASUGA (9-6)

Needless to say, neither the Shukun-Sho (Outstanding Performance Prize) nor any kinboshi were awarded.

In Juryo, #2-West JUMONJI won the second division’s yusho and earned himself a return to the banzuke’s top row with a strong 13-2 outing.  Other distinguished efforts among the ten-ryo boys:

#3-East KASUGANISHIKI (9-6)
#4-East TOKITSUUMI (10-5)
#7-West TOCHIOZAN (9-6)
#11-East WAKANOSATO (10-5)
#12-West KYOKUNANKAI (9-6)
#13-East SUMANOFUJI (9-6)

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JUNIOR DIVISION YUSHO WINNERS

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“Legendary” Yokozuna (10+ Yusho)

(updated after Kyushu 2006)

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The 600-Win Club

(updated after Kyushu 2006)

* Non-Japanese

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The ASASHORYU Watch

(begun after Kyushu 2006)

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2006 was a good year for the US Sumo Federation and its members.  There were a number of good tournaments and demonstrations throughout the year, along with an election for trustees and officers.

I would like to thank everyone again for electing me to be president and a trustee of the US Sumo Federation.  My phone and my E-mail will continue to be open for any questions, comments, suggestions, concerns and/or guidance.

With a few small changes in the plans, I hope the 2007 year promotes more memberships, more tournaments and more attendees and competitors in the World Sumo Championships.  We all have the common goal and objective of promoting the sport and US membership in a positive manner.  Let's continue to try to work together to further achieve what is best for our organization as a whole and be mindful and respectful to the IFS.

Respectfully yours,

Troy Collins
Trustee and President
UNITED STATES SUMO FEDERATION

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Sumo on YouTube
by “Tonkatsu” for SUMO SHIMPO

I first became aware of YouTube’s existence the evening of this year’s California Sumo Championships, when Gary Goltz sent me an e-mail with a link to a posting by Bradley Sutton.  Bradley has been filming sumo on his web cam and posting it on YouTube.  You can also find his videos on his own website at www.usasumo.net.

Recently, I decided