New Zealand Open 2023

We have the honour of inviting you to the 2023 New Zealand Open.

This competition is Karate New Zealand’s second national Karate event for 2023 and will be hosted in Christchurch. 

This event is open to premier New Zealand Karate-ka and competitors aged 10 years to veterans from other countries.

Date:           Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd July 2023

Venue:        Pioneer Stadium, 75 Lyttelton Street, Somerfield, Christchurch 8024, NEW ZEALAND 

We look forward to seeing you there!

AGES FOR CATEGORIES FOR THIS TOURNAMENT:

Age is determined by a competitor's age on 1st July 2023.

TOURNAMENT PROGRAMME:

Please consult the draw and timetable on the Sportdata website for final times closer to the tournament when competitor numbers are confirmed.

Weigh-Ins:

Friday 30th June - 5:00 pm  

Saturday 1st July - 8:00 am 

Sunday 2nd July - 8:00 am 

Provisional Competition Times:

Saturday 1st July:        Starting 9:00 am

Sunday 2nd July:         Starting 9:00 am

PAYMENT FOR ENTRY FEES BY INTERNET BANKING

A delegate from each club must complete all entries and payments. When paying entry fees by Internet banking, please note that the payment is for NZ Open. 

Individual competitors do not permit payment; countries and clubs pay as a single combined payment. Refunds, if required, will be paid back to Countries or Clubs.

TOURNAMENT FEES:

NZ Open - Individual Entry     (Fees for the first individual event as below; plus $10 per additional individual event):

ALL ENTRIES MUST BE ENTERED ONLINE IN SPORTDATA VIA YOUR COUNTRY OR CLUB INSTRUCTOR OR DESIGNATED PERSON. Whoever registers the athletes for their club in Sportdata is responsible for informing players, coaches, instructors, parents, and supporters of the Terms and Conditions | Health and Safety | Code of Conduct as written in the disclaimer - this can be seen in the DISCLAIMER. Each club is responsible for making its athletes aware of the contents of the DISCLAIMER.

• All entries, players and coaches, must be entered on Sportdata by 6:00 pm WEDNESDAY 14th JUNE 2023. NO LATE ENTRIES OR CHANGES TO ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED by the Tournament Organising Committee.  This will enable the tournament organisers to plan more effectively and publish the final timetable earlier. If there are insufficient entries in a particular division, then divisions may be combined or not held. 

• All entry fees are paid as one club payment by 6:00 pm FRIDAY 23rd JUNE 2023 – seven days before the competition. PAYMENT OF ENTRY FEES BY INTERNET BANKING TO CWKA [Internet Banking Westpac Account: 03 1597 0049767 00] - add your country/ club name with 'NZOPEN-23' in the bank reference.

• International payment details... 
  Bank: Westpac Banking Corporation NZ
  SWIFT/BIC code: WPACNZ2W
  Branch: The Palms
  Account Holder Name: Canterbury/Westland Karate Assn Inc
  Account number: 03 1597 0049767 00
  Street address 1: 20-22 Marshland Road
  Street address 2: Shirley
  City: Christchurch
  Post Code: 8061
  Country: New Zealand

Please note:

• All teams and clubs must register in Sportdata to enter players, coaches, referees and officials.

• For New Zealand athletes, only premier-grade Karate-ka are eligible to compete.

• Athletes and spectators may be photographed or filmed for live web streaming and used on a highlights package (with international viewing options). So anyone attending the venue on Saturday and Sunday may be filmed. By attending, you give consent to potentially being filmed or interviewed.

• Kata and Kumite teams for cadets, juniors and seniors will need to be entered by their country.

• During the bow at the beginning of the tournament, all players must be in Gi or Country/ Club tracksuits and present themselves correctly. 

• Coaches must wear their country/ club tracksuits.

• Coaches will need current photo identification on Sportdata (similar to passport requirement) as photo ID will be on the above certification.

• No unauthorised persons will be allowed on the tatami at any time.

• Registered coaches should be able to practice First Aid and be aware of the signs of concussion  https://www.accsportsmart.co.nz/concussion/.

• The Organising Committee reserves the right to withdraw, combine or change Event Categories if and when required up to 48 hours before the Competition Opening.

• All under-18 and veteran players must present themselves to the Registration Table and register before their competitions. (Kumite players will be weighed) - Registration times will be posted once the timetable is finalised.

• WKF Rules will be applied as this is a Premier Grade tournament.

• All entries are final. Ensure all entries are completed correctly as incorrect age or weight information may result in disqualification from the tournament.

• Coaches/Countries/Clubs, please update your player and coach information in the Sportdata system; athletes get older, heavier/lighter and change grades. (The Sportdata system will only adjust age – not weight or grade).

TOURNAMENT REQUIREMENTS:

KATA:

WKF Kata 2023 rules will apply with the following modifications:

Individual Kata:

• For Cadet age and older competitors - any approved WKF Kata. No Repeats as per WKF rules. Electronically scored Kata events, as per the WKF rules and table below. Please see the 2023 WKF rules for more detail.

• For 10 to 13 years aged competitors - any approved WKF Kata. ABAB - may repeat but not in consecutive rounds.

•  Electronically scored Kata events, as per the WKF rules and table below. Please see the 2023 WKF rules for more detail.

WKF Kata System (as of 1.1.2023) used for Premier grades - the Number of Groups Kata Required

3.7.3 The number of Competitors will determine the number of groups to facilitate the elimination rounds. The following table summarises the number of pools and groups according to the number of Competitors: The Competitors have to perform a different kata in each round.

3.7.3 Groups of eight (with the exceptions explained for less than 11 or more than 96) will compete and for each round, reduce the number of Competitors per group to 4, passing on to the next round - until only two groups of Competitors (individual or teams) remains, whereupon the Competitors with the highest score in each of the two respective groups are pitted against each other competing for 1st place (the loser taking 2nd place) and the Competitors having the second highest score in each of the two groups are pitted against the third highest score in the other group to compete for the two 3rd places (bronze finals).

Team Kata:

• 10 – 13 Years Old: WKF Kata can be repeated; no bunkai is required.

• 14 – 17 Years Old: (Junior and Cadet) WKF Kata can be repeated, but not consecutively; Bunkai required for medal rounds; Ages: 14 - 17 Years Old, inclusive. NB: age band differs from previous NZ tournaments.

• 16 Years plus: WKF Kata in all rounds, no repetition permitted, Bunkai required for medal rounds; Ages 16 - 99 Years Old, inclusive.

• Must be completed within 5 minutes, including Bunkai.

NB: Competitors must announce the name of the Kata they will be performing before they start performing the Kata. They must also bow inside the competition area before starting and after completing the Kata. The competitor will be disqualified for failing to do so.

KUMITE:

• All Kumite divisions, depending on numbers, could be split into weight divisions, so please ensure your player's weight is correctly entered on Sportdata; otherwise, you may be disqualified from competing (non-WKF weight grades may differentiate weight grades).

• WKF points, warning, and penalty systems will be used for all Kumite Events.

• For ages 14 and over, the WKF rules will apply.

Kumite Bout Duration for Male and Female:

• 10 – 17 years old - 2.0 minutes (as per WKF rules)

• 18 years and older (U’21 and Senior) - 3.0 minutes (as per WKF Rules)

• Veteran divisions (35 YO and above) - 3.0 minutes

EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS:

All competitors (Kumite and Kata) must wear a clean white Gi in good condition. 

• Premier competitors must follow the WKF rules, i.e. white karate gi without stripes, piping, or personal embroidery.

• ALL KUMITE COMPETITORS MUST WEAR Mouthguards, Body protectors (protection), Red and Blue belts, and Red and Blue hand mitts (matching their competing belts). Foot protectors must match the belt colour.

• All Equipment should be KNZ, Oceania, or WKF approved. The referees will give final approval.

• Kumite competitors may wear their own groin protectors (WKF type)


• Female Kumite 14-year-olds & above – advised to wear approved chest protectors (breast protectors) underneath the body protector.

• Safety is our top priority in this tournament. While head protection is currently optional, we strongly recommend all participants wear it. The tournament organising committee accepts using WKF face masks or other padded protection. Starting January 1, 2024, a protective WKF helmet will be mandatory for all under-14-year-old participants. During the transition period in 2023, participants can choose between a WKF-approved face mask, a WKF helmet, or a KNZ-approved headgear for protection. We urge all participants and their families to take head protection seriously and prioritise their safety.

HEALTH AND SAFETY: 

This reminds the competitors, coaches, supporters, the public, and event workers: if you are unwell, DO NOT ATTEND.

As part of Health and Safety, we need to be sure that player weights for Kumite are correct. Therefore, check that player weights for Kumite are accurate on Club information in Sportdata.

Incorrect weight category entered could result in disqualification from that particular event - no refund!