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1715 E.
Poinsettia St., Long Beach, CA 90805 | Tel. (562) 428-3831 |
||
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Current
issue December '09 |
October '09 |
August '09 |
April '09 |
February '09 |
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|
|
Rikishi |
No. |
YOKOZUNA
(#) |
No. / Y |
|
Akinoshima |
16 |
Taiho
(48) |
28/58 |
|
Takamiyama |
12 |
Kitanoumi
(55) |
52/62 |
|
TOSANOUMI |
11 |
Chiyonofuji
(58) |
29/53 |
|
TOCHINONADA |
11 |
Akebono
(64) |
35/39 |
|
Takatoriki |
9 |
Takanohana
(65) |
37/36 |
|
Kotonowaka |
8 |
Musashimaru
(67) |
21/19 |
|
Kotonishiki |
8 |
ASASHORYU
(68) |
18/25 |
|
TAMAKASUGA |
7 |
|
|
|
KAIO |
6 |
|
|
|
DEJIMA |
6 |
|
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[back to top] [back to Sumo Shimpo home]
|
Division |
Rank |
Shikona |
Heya |
Rec. |
|
Makushita |
17-E |
HOSHIHIKARI
(Mongolia) |
Hakkaku |
7-0 |
|
Sandanme |
36-E |
KYOZAN |
Oguruma |
7-0 |
|
Jonidan |
8-E |
TOCHIHIRYU |
Kasugano |
7-0 |
|
Jonokuchi |
33-E |
ARAN
(Russia) |
Mihogaseki |
7-0 |
[back to top] [back to
Sumo Shimpo home]
(updated after Haru
2007)
|
Rikishi (Top Rank) |
MD
Basho |
MD
Wins |
Wins/ |
|
Chiyonofuji
(Y58) |
81
|
807
|
9.96
|
|
Kitanoumi
(Y55) |
78
|
804
|
10.31
|
|
Taiho (Y48) |
69
|
746
|
10.81
|
|
Musashimaru
(Y67)* |
73
|
706
|
9.67
|
|
Takanohana
(Y65) |
71
|
701
|
9.87
|
|
KAIO (O) |
82
|
687
|
8.38
|
|
Takamiyama
(S)* |
97
|
683
|
7.04
|
|
Konishiki
(O)* |
81
|
649
|
8.01
|
|
Takanonami (O) |
75
|
647
|
8.63
|
|
Akinoshima
(S) |
91
|
647
|
7.11
|
|
Terao
(S) |
93
|
626
|
6.73
|
|
Wajima (Y54) |
62
|
620
|
10.00
|
|
Kotonowaka (S) |
90
|
608
|
6.76
|
|
|
|
|
|
* Non-Japanese
The
ASASHORYU Watch
(updated after Haru
2007)
|
Rikishi (Top Rank) |
MD
Basho |
MD
Wins |
Wins/ |
|
ASASHORYU (Y68) |
38
|
442
|
11.63
|
|
|
|
|
|
IF
YOU REALLY LOVE SUMO, AND WANT TO STAY CLOSE TO IT FOR MANY YEARS TO
COME…
MAKE THE COMMITMENT!!
Become
a United States Sumo Federation LIFE MEMBER
A one-time
tax-deductible donation of $200.00 eliminates your worries about annual
USSF dues FOR LIFE. If
you compete in USSF-sanctioned amateur sumo events for ten years or more,
a Life Membership will pay for itself.
It also shows you are very serious about the sport, and is a
definite ‘resume enhancer’ if you decide to seek office in the USSF or
any other amateur sports body.
SHUNBUN 2007: No Mongolian Spice, But Some Great Stories
Report
by “Yukikaze” for SUMO SHIMPO
To
be really honest, SHUNBUN 2006 was going to be a very hard act to follow:
There was only a slim chance (at best) that we would have anywhere
near the same number of competitors for the 2007 version.
When Troy Collins announced he would not be coming, the chances of
having any Mongolian sumotori joining us became slimmer still. The Oceanside Sumo Kyokai, which had made such a strong
showing the previous year, was represented solely by Michelle Pike and new
recruits Lindsey Hood and Jimmy Calas.
Golden State Sumo’s Doug Cochran brought Steve Moore, a former
high school/college football player, as well as his own children Sawyer
and Shannon. Dan Kalbfleisch
and Bradley Sutton carried the California Sumo Association colors.
Southern California Sumo Kyokai members Kurt Rightmyer, Art Morrow
and Mike Simpson drove in with kids Cory, Judy and Steve respectively, to
take part with SCSK founders Hiroshi Matsuzaki and this correspondent. Juvenile
males Brandon Freel (Goltz) and Zachary Clark (SCSK) filled out the lists.
The
field may have been smaller than last year, but the fighting spirit was
there in abundance. It was a
great outing for the Cochran children:
son Sawyer won a best-two-of-three against Cory Rightmyer, while
daughter Shannon’s hard work paid off with victory over Judy Morrow.
The big boys’ division saw rookie sumotori and judo student
Zachary Clark take the gold medal in surprising fashion, with Steve
Simpson taking the silver and Brandon Freel the bronze.
With
Trent Sabo and Jason Gilbert not present, the men’s lightweights came
down to a best-two-of-three between Art Morrow and Hiroshi Matsuzaki.
Our most-esteemed patron and research editor fought very hard, but
the coach from Palm Desert won out for the top honors.
There was no Masters’ competition this time out.
Only
two women came to the “DoD” to compete – but did they ever!
Michelle Pike had her hands more than full with football player/powerlifter/rookie
sumotori Lindsey Hood, who had driven up from San Diego to try her hand at
this. In probably the most inspiring story to come out of this
tournament, Lindsey won out in the best-two-of-three match battle
–despite the minor handicap of an artificial leg.
(Why should Heather Mills have all the fun on Dancing
With the Stars? – Ed.)
The
middleweights were (in the opinion of this correspondent, anyway) the most
exciting competition in this year’s edition.
Kurt, Doug, Brad and Jimmy threw themselves headlong into a
round-robin bursting with energy. When
all the official bouts were done, a three-way tie at 2-1 existed between
Brad, Doug and Jimmy. It then
went to a playoff, where the first man who could win two bouts in
succession would get the gold medal.
When the dust and salt finally settled, Jimmy had the top honors
with Doug holding the silver and Brad the bronze.
The middleweight medal presentation was done right afterwards –
because Jimmy, a newly-ordained minister, had to head back home to perform
a wedding! This action helps
make the case that amateur sumotori are better-conditioned athletes than
the professionals. In his
remarks after the tournament, organizer and referee Harry “Tonkatsu”
Dudrow stated that, in the future, round robins would be used to seed a
bracket for the finals.
2006
California Amateur Sumotori of the Year Dan Kalbfleisch claimed he would
be under the 253-pound middleweight threshold for the US Sumo Open in
April. (He did make it, with
good results: see article in
this issue – Ed.). But for
SHUNBUN he was still in the heavyweight category along with rookie
sumotori Steve Moore, Mike Simpson and this writer.
Unlike the middles, the four-man round robin yielded a clear 1-2-3
finish: Dan, Steve, and Mike.
These three, with Brad joining in, formed the field for the Open
competition. And once again,
the round robin action resulted in an unambiguous result:
Dan, Steve, and Brad.
Dan
now has four medals (all gold) for the 2007 season.
Jimmy and Steve both established strong chops for SUMO SHIMPO’s
Rookie-of-the-Year honors, while Lindsey has a ‘leg up’ (no offense
intended – Ed.) on being named Female Sumotori of the Year.
Full tournament results are located elsewhere on this page.
Together
with its autumnal counterpart, SHUNBUN represents sumo in its natural
state, on natural surface under the open sky.
It is here, however, that a somber event must be reported.
A large Brazilian pepper tree (also known as the ‘monkey
puzzle’ tree) had been in the backyard of what would eventually be
called “Meade Station” when Lorinda’s family moved into the house in
the mid-50’s. Over the
years it had grown to provide a large section of shade in that
otherwise-open yard. And many
sumo fans had utilized that shade when they came to the “Dohyo of
Dreams” for tournaments. Sadly,
they will no longer be able to hide from the sun under those tangled
branches: the fierce winds
that came through the area the week after SHUNBUN pushed the tree over,
ripping its roots from the ground. In
pace requiescat!
[back to
top] [back to Sumo Shimpo home]
![]() |
<< HEATHER WHO??… Rookie sumotori Lindsey Hood (in blue singlet) did not let her minor handicap get in the way, as she overpowered Michelle Pike for the gold medal in Women’s Open action at SHUNBUN 2007 on the “Dohyo of Dreams” in Garden Grove, CA. (Photo: “Yukikaze”) |
Winds of Change
Sweep “Dohyo of Dreams”
By
"Tonkatsu" for SUMO SHIMPO
As
the saying goes, "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a
lamb." Of course, the fact is, that the only thing predictable
about March weather is that it's totally unpredictable. Case in
point: Tuesday
March 27, 2007. The weather forecast called for "scattered
showers." We don't know about you, but a forecast of
"scattered showers" usually doesn't conjure up images in this
writer’s mind of roofs torn off, downed power lines and trees blown
down. But, that's exactly what we got in Southern California that
day.
[back to top] [back to Sumo Shimpo home]
RESULTS OF SHUNBUN 2007 (The Spring Equinox
Tournament)
(March 24, 2007: “Dohyo of
Dreams”, Garden Grove, CA)
|
Little Boys
(2-of-3) 1.
Sawyer Cochran (GSS) 2.
Cory Rightmyer (SCSK) |
Big
Boys (Round Robin) 1. Zachary Clark (SCSK) 2. Steven Simpson
(SCSK) 3. Brandon Freel (Goltz) |
Little Girls
(2-of-3) 1. Shannon Cochran
(GSS) 2. Judy Morrow (SCSK) |
|
Women’s
Open (2-of-3) 1. Lindsey Hood (OSK) 2. Michelle Pike (OSK) |
|
Men’s Lights
(-85kg) (2-of-3) 1. Art Morrow (SCSK) 2. Hiroshi
Matsuzaki (SCSK) |
|
Men’s Middles
(-115kg) (RR) 1. Jimmy Calas (OSK) 2. Doug Cochran (GSS) 3. Bradley Sutton
(CSA) |
Men’s Heavies
(+115kg) (RR) 1. Dan Kalbfleisch
(CSA) 2. Scott Moore (GSS) 3. Mike Simpson (SCSK) |
Men’s Open
(RR) 1. Dan Kalbfleisch
(CSA) 2. Scott Moore (GSS) 3. Bradley Sutton
(CSA) |
2007
US Sumo Open: Best Yet, IMHO
Report by “Yukikaze” for SUMO SHIMPO
The
Los Angeles Sports Arena at Exposition Park was where JFK and LBJ were
nominated as the 1960 Democratic Presidential ticket.
It hosted the Lakers and the Kings prior to the construction of the
Forum in Inglewood. It was then
home to the Los Angeles Clippers until the Staples Center was built, which
left the University of Southern California basketball teams as the venue’s
only major tenants. When the
new Galen Center opened on the USC campus, the Sports Arena became even more
empty and irrelevant.
It
was against this backdrop that the 2007 edition of the US Sumo Open came to
this historic venue. This
writer was committed to being there to cover the action, and was willing to
pay $85.00 (plus TicketMaster service charges) for the best possible
location. He also had a mission
to bring loaner mawashis for several people competing in this event. So he loaded everything he needed (mawashis, camera, spare
batteries, bottled water) into his big sports backpack and headed for the
wilds of Los Angeles. Once
there, he was able to get a good parking spot with a minimum of fuss. It took a little hiking around to find the way in (not easy
with a load later measured out at approximetely 70 pounds) but he finally
found himself standing at the dohyo. And
standing…and standing: no one
present could point out the seat location printed on his ticket!
Eventually, that all was squared away and he settled into an aisle
seat just 4 rows from the action, which gave him reasonably good camera
angles.
SUMO
SHIMPO’s Outstanding Sumotori of 2006, Dan Kalbfleisch had vowed that he
would make the middleweight limit (-253 pounds) for this competition.
And he did it. Even more
surprising to this writer: New
York’s powerful Carl Pappalardo managed it also. It
came out in conversation that part of the reason had stemmed from a very
wrenching experience: both of
Carl’s parents had passed away within a space of four months.
(Condolences have been extended in this issue on behalf of this
publication and the California amateur sumo community – Ed.)
There
were five women, ten lightweights, ten middleweights, eighteen heavyweights,
and one openweight – 44 competitors in all.
As the only referee, Douglas Cochran worked his tail off through a
massive preliminary schedule. (Troy Collins had been scheduled to split the officiating
with Doug, but was unable to come due to LAPD work commitments.)
Jeff Riddle was at one of the corners as a line judge:
the others were Koji Makiyama (JPN), Davaadorj Damdin (MGL), and
former women’s heavyweight competitor Kairi Kuur (EST).
The
lightweights fought in two pools, with the top two men in each pool moving
into the finals bracket. It was
a bit of a surprise that current US lightweight champ Trent Sabo did not
qualify; but his Oceanside teammate Javon Rushing did.
Joining him in the bracket were Valentin Gogov (BUL), “Bilgay” (MGL)
and “Mukii” (MGL).
The
middles were also parceled into two pools, same deal.
This writer was not totally sold on Odd Magnus Severinsen’s
qualifications, but he became a believer when the 2006 middleweight champ
downed Dan with a show of straightforward power.
There was a scary moment when Odd and Shawn Dostal (USA) had a
‘coconut collision’: the
Norwegian was motionless on the dohyo for a couple of minutes, but was able
to get up under his own power and finish. Carl was less fortunate:
a tumble off the raised platform tore up the big toe on his left
foot, making it impossible for him to continue.
Both Odd and Dan qualified for the finals, as did “Zolja” (MGL)
and Fausto Gobbi (ITA).
The
heavies were divided out into four pools: the top two in each would be placed in the finals bracket.
World heavyweight champion “Byamba” (MGL) showed commanding early
strength. Hans Borg (NOR)
hammed it up to the crowd with his ‘I can’t hear you cheering for me’
attitude, but backed it up with bone-bruising power.
Both of them made the “Elite Eight” as did current US champion
Kelly Gneiting, former US champ Wayne Vierra, “Tugsu” and “Bayanna”
(both MGL), Petar Stoyanov (BUL) and US junior champ Steve Jimenez.
Councilwoman
Janice Kelly and Councilman Bernard Parks (in USC gear) both made short
speeches during the intermission period.
As
the only woman who made the lightweight limit, Michelle Pike won the gold
medal in that division. Florence
Bannout, making her first dohyo appearance since the 2003 edition of the
Open in Manhattan Beach, was awarded the middleweight title.
There were three heavyweight competitors:
“Dashda” (MGL), Lindsey Hood (USA) and Elizabeth Gray (USA).
The SHUNBUN 2007 gold medalist fought very hard but finally fell to
the tall, experienced Mongolian.
The
lightweight finals quickly boiled down to “Mukii” and “Bilgay” in
the gold medal match. You know
the match is a long one when the audience begins stamping their feet to
encourage some action. You know
the match will go down in the oral history of the sport when the audience
actually manages to GET A WAVE GOING! The
two mighty Mongols were ‘statued up’ for (by this writer’s best
reckoning) at least eight minutes before “Mukii” finally downed his
friend and training partner. Valentin
bested Jovan for the bronze.
In
the middles, “Zolja” defeated Odd while Dan topped Fausto.
Fausto made it official that not only would Odd not repeat, but he
wouldn’t even get a spot on the podium.
Dan made a great effort to run his streak to five gold medals in
2007, but “Zolja” would not be denied.
As it turned out, Dan’s silver would be the only medal won by an
American male in this event.
Eight
heavyweights rumbled onto the dohyo. The first round was pure single elimination:
you win and stay in; lose one and you’re done.
Falling victim to this dictum were Kelly, Steve, “Tugsu” and “Bayanna”.
“Byamba” then defeated Wayne, and Petar ran Hans off the ring.
Hans topped Wayne for the bronze medal.
Petar is a very tough competitor, but in the end he could not
overcome “Byamba” as the reigning world heavyweight champ showed why he
is who he is.
“Dashda”,
Florence, Lindsey and Michelle answered the bell for the women’s open. They
finished in that order.
The
vast majority of the male competitors stepped forward to try their hand at
the Open division. They were
joined by one competitor who had come just for this particular competition.
It was his misfortune to draw Trent for what turned out to be his
only match in the single-elimination action:
not only did he lose, but he allowed Trent to get behind him.
Trent’s next opponent was Petar:
he fought well, but the strong and skilled Bulgarian sent him
tumbling ass-over-teakettle. The
eight qualifiers were Kelly, Dan, Fausto, “Byamba”, Wayne, Hans, Petar
and “Bayanna”. It became a mirror image of the heavyweight finals bracket,
with the only difference being “Bayanna” replacing Hans in the bronze
medal slot. “Byamba” nailed
down his second gold medal of the day, Petar his second silver.
RESULTS
of the 2007 US SUMO OPEN (from the California Sumo Association)
|
Men's
Lightweight |
|
|
Men's
Middleweight |
|
|
|
Gold |
Munkhjargal
Ulziibayar |
Mongolia |
Gold |
Zoljargal
Ulziisaikhan |
Mongolia |
|
Silver |
Erdenebileg
Alagdaa |
Mongolia |
Silver |
Dan
Kalbfleisch |
USA |
|
Bronze |
Valentin
Gogov |
Bulgaria |
Bronze |
Fausto
Gobbi |
Italy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Men's
Heavyweight |
|
|
Men's
Openweight |
|
|
|
Gold |
Byambajav
Ulambayar |
Mongolia |
Gold |
Byambajav
Ulambayar* |
Mongolia |
|
Silver |
Petar
Stoyanov |
Bulgaria |
Silver |
Petar
Stoyanov |
Bulgaria |
|
Bronze |
Hans
Borg |
Norway |
Bronze |
Bayanbat
Davaadalai |
Mongolia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Women's
Lightweight |
|
|
Women's
Middleweight |
|
|
|
Gold |
Michelle
Pike |
USA |
Gold |
Florence
Bannout |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Women's
Heavyweight |
|
|
Women's
Openweight |
|
|
|
Gold |
Dashdalum
Sambuu |
Mongolia |
Gold |
Dashdalum
Sambuu* |
Mongolia |
|
Silver |
Lindsay
Hood |
USA |
Silver |
Florence
Bannout |
USA |
|
Bronze |
Elizabeth
Gray |
USA |
Bronze |
Lindsay
Hood |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
TV Japan Cup winner
![]() |
![]() |
[back to top] [back to Sumo Shimpo home]
Condolences
SUMO SHIMPO
staff
We
at SUMO SHIMPO, the Southern California Sumo Kyokai, and the greater
SoCal amateur sumo community offer our deepest condolences to Carl
Pappalardo and his family, on the recent loss of both of his parents.
Carl
won the Openweight title at the 2005 Grand Sumo Open in Los Angeles, CA.
He competed as a middleweight in the recently-completed 2007 US Sumo
Open.
Current
Holders of USSF Dan Rank
|
Rank (Degree) |
Name (Club) |
|
Nidan (2nd) |
Hiroshi Matsuzaki (SCSK), Tom Zabel (LSSA), Harry Dudrow (SCSK) |
|
Shodan (1st) |
Jim Lowerre* (SCSK), Kelly Gneiting* (SRSA), Jeff Riddle (GSS), Doug Cochran (GSS), Andrew Freund (CSA), Troy Collins (CSA), Rene Marte (JKC), Tyler Olsen (GEM), Trent Sabo (OSK), Marcus Barber (SCSK), Kurt Rightmyer (SCSK), Bart Harris (LSSA), Art Morrow (SCSK), Glenn Crosby (Goltz) |
|
|
|
* eligible for promotion
in May 2007
Current
USSF Life Members
1. Harry Dudrow 2. Yoshisada Yonezuka 3. Jim Lowerre 4. Andrew Freund 5. Troy Collins 6. Hiroshi Matsuzaki 7. Manny Yarbrough (honorary) 8. Trent Sabo 9. Packy Bannevans 10. Doug Cochran 11. Tom Zabel 12. Dan Kalbfleisch 13. Kelly Bannevans 14. Richard Hopp 15. Gary Goltz (honorary)
Bow Twirler Retires
By "Tonkatsu"
with "Honetokawa" for SUMO SHIMPO
Facing
demotion from Juryo to Makushita, OGA, the rikishi who has been performing
the yumitori-shiki (bow twirling ceremony) since 2004, announced his
retirement at the conclusion of the 2007 Haru Basho.
[back to top] [back to Sumo Shimpo home]
USSF
Executive Director and past president Yoshisada Yonezuka (Yone for short)
will celebrate his 70th Birthday on May 19th.
Here
are some statistics on Sensei Yone:
Born May 19, 1937, in Aomori Prefecture. Did sumo as a boy and
in High School. Had an intense rivalry with the older brother of ISF
president Hidetoshi Tanaka. Attended Nihon University,
where he was on the judo team. Later mastered karate. Has run
the Judo Karate Center in Cranford, New Jersey since the early sixties.
Coached U.S. Olympic judo team in 1992. Current ranks are judo 9th dan,
karate 8th dan, sumo 5th dan. He has two children: Nick
(1999 North American lightweight champion) and Natasha.
They have given him four grandchildren.
California Sumo
Calendar for 2007
CLASSES/TRAINING SESSIONS
|
SESSION |
DAY |
START |
END |
LOCATION |
STAGING ORGANIZATION |
|
Sumo 101 |
SA |
ongoing |
ongoing |
Hughes
Community Center |
Claremont
Recreation/ |
|
GSS
Practice |
SU |
ongoing |
ongoing |
Combined
Martial Science |
Golden
State Sumo |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fees may be charged for training session attendance. Contact the listed STAGING ORGANIZATION for the latest information.
COMPETITIONS
|
EVENT |
DATE |
LOCATION |
STAGING ORGANIZATION |
|
Lone
Star Tournament |
May
5, 2007 |
Korean-American
Tae Kwon Do Academy, San Antonio, TX |
Lone
Star Sumo Association |
|
9th
Asian Sumo Champs. |
July
8, 2007 |
Chiang
Mai, Thailand: venue TBA |
International
Sumo Federation |
|
2007
California Open |
July
28, 2007 |
Hughes
Community Centre, Claremont, CA |
Southern
California Sumo Kyokai |
|
2007
US NATIONALS |
August
18, 2007 |
Los
Angeles, CA: venue TBA |
United
States Sumo Federation |
|
SHUUBUN
2007 |
Sept.
22, 2007 |
“Dohyo
of Dreams”, Garden Grove, CA |
Southern
California Sumo Kyokai |
|
2007
Georgia Sumo Open |
Sept.
29, 2007 |
TBA |
Georgia
Sumo Association |
|
8th
Junior World Champs. |
Nov.
17-18, 2007 |
Lausanne,
Switzerland: venue TBA |
International
Sumo Federation |
|
6th
Women’s World Champs. |
Nov.
17-18, 2007 |
Lausanne,
Switzerland: venue TBA |
International
Sumo Federation |
|
15th
World Championships |
Nov.
17-18, 2007 |
Lausanne,
Switzerland: venue TBA |
International
Sumo Federation |
(T) = Tentative
All information on this calendar is subject to change. Contact the listed STAGING ORGANIZATION for latest information.
This page last updated on 01/02/2010
Designed, hosted and promoted by: Shirabara, site @ sumoshimpo.com
ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT © 1999-2010 SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA SUMO KYOKAI