Important Announcements You Must ReadThings you must know to NOT get DQ’d and help the tournament run smoothely!!!
Thanks to everyone who registered and really showed that the U.S. Open is “America’s Favorite Tournament.” The final individual competitor count is 630! This is great news, as our previous record in the year 2000 was 423. However, the huge number of registrants has caused us to make some adjustments that will help us ensure that the tournament continues to run in a timely manner, which is a prime reason that most of you choose to come to our event. For starters, we have added a fourth mat to the competition area.
Please read the following announcement carefully, in order to ensure that you have a pleasant tournament experience. We will be enforcing our stated policies strictly to keep the event running on time, and so we will reiterate them here. For your convenience the brackets for the tournament are now available HERE. At this point, we cannot correct registration mistakes that YOU made. However, if WE made the error, we WILL correct it. Also, there are still rooms available at the BEST WESTERN on Ocean Street for the outrageous price of $99 a night for U.S. Open competitors (normally $199 per night). Be sure to mention the U.S. Open Tournament when making your reservations. Competitor Check-inCompetitor Check-ins Friday Check-in at the Claudio Franca Academy You must check-in to obtain your competitor t-shirts and tickets without which no one will be able to enter the event without paying the admission fee. Due to the high volume of competitors we higly recommend that you check-in at the Claudio Franca Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy on Friday, October 19th to avoid back-log and long lines on the day of the event. We have extended the hours the academy will be open on Friday from 12 pm – 10 pm. The location of the Academy is 2-1507 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95062 (831) 476-7650. Please DO NOT USE MAQUEST to obtain directions to the Acadmey. We’ve had huge problems in the past with them giving wrong directions. Yahoo or Google maps are okay. If you absolutely cannot check-in on Friday, then you may check in on the day of the event. LEAVE EARLY!!!! to avoid traffic and other possible hang-ups that can make you late and cause you to get DISQUALIFIED. We will open the competitor check-in at the side door of the Civic Auditorium early this year to accomodate the large amounts of competitors. Check-ins at the Civic on Saturday and Sunday will be 7:30 am to 2:00 pm. Check-in preference will be given to those competitors whose divisions start at 9 am. The tournament WILL START PROMPTLY AT 9 AM, so once again SHOW UP EARLY! Weigh-ins Things You Must Know About Weigh-ins to Avoid DISQUALIFICATION
Weigh-ins take place ON THE MAT WITH YOUR GI ON BEFORE YOUR FIRST MATCH.You must bring a VALID PHOTO ID to weigh-in. Driver’s license, passports, official state IDs and school IDs are acceptable. YOU GET ONLY ONE CHANCE TO MAKE WEIGHT at the OFFICIAL weigh-in WITH YOUR GI ON!!! If you don’t make weight you will be DISQUALIFIED. There will be a scale available outside the official weigh-in area for you to check your weight. Be sure you are at or under the stated limit of your weight category WITH YOUR GI ON. There will be no allowances whatsoever.
Hygene and Gi RequirementsPlease Read! Things You Must Know About Hygene and Gi Specifications to Avoid DISQUALIFICATION clicktoenrollredThe U.S. Open follows the rules put forth by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation. Below are some things you may not know that will help you avoid embarrassment, delay, frustration or disqualification at the U.S. Open Tournament. Also, for a FULL explanation of the rules, professor Alvaro Mansor Technical Director and Head of Referees for the IBJJF and CBJJ will be giving a seminar on the Rules from 4pm – 8pm on Friday, October 19th at the Santa Cruz Academy. Admission is half price for competitors ($25, normally $50). Click HERE to register.
(reprinted from the IBJJF website) ARTICLE 7º – HYGIENE
“A. The kimono must be washed and dried with no unpleasant odors.
B. Toe and fingernails must be cut short and clean.
C. People with long hair must keep their hair from interfering with there opponent or themself during the match.
D. Athletes are not permitted to paint there hair with spray and may be disquallified by the referee by doing so.E. Atheletes must wear underware beneath their gi pants!
ARTICLE 8º – KIMONO
COMPETiTORS ARE REQUIRED TO USE KIMONOS UNDER THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATIONS
A. Constructed of cotton or similar material and in good condition. The material may not be excessivly thick or hard to the point where it will obstruct the opponent.
B. Colours may be black, white or blue, no combined colors (white kimono with blue pants, etc.)
C. The jacket is to be of suficient length down to the thighs, sleeves must reach the wrist with arms extended in front of the body. The sleeve should follow the oficial measures according to CBJJ, and IBJJF.From the shoulder to the wrist.
D. Belt width 4-5cm, with colour corresponding to rank tied around the waist with a double knot , tight enough to secure the kimono closed.
E. Athletes are not permitted to compete with torn kimonos, sleeves or pants that are not of propper length or with t-shirts underneath the kimono (except in the female divisions).
F. Is not allowed to use paint kimonos, except for the teams.”Also, note the areas on your Gi where team patches are permitted. gi patches regulation Questions? Please call or email us ASAP? phone: (831) 476-7650Email: tournaments@claudiofrancabjj.com