NEW ZEALAND CUP 2022

We have the honour of inviting you to the NZ Cup for 2022. This competition is Karate New Zealand’s first national Karate event for 2022 and will be hosted in Hamilton. This event is open to premier New Zealand Karate-ka aged from 14-years-old to the adult division.

Due to the need to revise competition procedures to ensure health and safety for competitors, coaches, referees, and event staff under our COVID Protection Framework. Apologies for any inconvenience. We will endeavour to provide the NZ Cup competition to our development and intermediate athletes later in the year.

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To all sensei, coaches, players, parents, and supporters,

Due to the recent increase in COVID numbers in NZ, we are mindful of keeping our athletes, coaches, referees, and event staff as safe as possible.

For the upcoming NZ Cup scheduled for 19th and 20th March 2022, We are now faced with two options; Downsize or Postpone. Postponing does not give us any guarantee that a mid-term future date will be any different or better.

Therefore, we have decided to downsize the event and continue to try and have some form of the event for premier players only in the cadet (14-15), junior (16-17), Under 21, and senior grades. We regret any inconvenience caused for the downsized categories, but health and safety are foremost in our decision. The new date is Saturday 19th March, one day only. Entries will now close on Sunday 6th March.

We ask clubs that have entered players to update their entries as our decision moving forward will involve these statistics.

If there are insufficient entries by this new entry date, the event will be postponed. We will continue to monitor the situation and will keep you updated.

We will look to provide the NZ Cup for development and intermediate athletes later this year.

 

Thank you and best regards,

Grant Holland

President and Board Chair

Karate New Zealand

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Date:           Saturday 19th March 2022

Venue:        Hamilton Boys’ High School Gymnasium, Peachgrove Road, Hamilton 3216

 

Please Note: This event will only go ahead if New Zealand is at a safe Covid-19 Level in the Traffic Light System - we will liaise with SportNZ around guidelines for hosting a sports event. If there are insufficient entries we may cancel the event.

We may need to band year groups together depending on the number of entries, e.g. cadet male and female athletes, to make this event happen. They will be the only age group in the venue at this time. The Cadets do Kata, Kumite, then exit via a different door before the next group, 12-13-Year-Olds, enter through the main entrance. If one age group is too large, we may separate males from the females (split the age group). The first preference for entrance in the venue are referees, event staff, coaches, and athletes. Spectators may not be allowed entry unless they assist with the event with that age group so we don't exceed 100 people.

If there are any further changes, we will endeavour to keep participating clubs informed asap. Suppose the government and SportNZ change their policy regarding vaccine passports for an event for up to 100. In that case, we will carry on with a double vaccination status rule as the cut-off for entries was before these groups made any change, as mentioned earlier.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The information below was updated on 10th March.

 

AGES FOR CATEGORIES FOR THIS TOURNAMENT:

Premier – age on 4th June 2022; to assist for Oceania Championships selections. This age will include Team Kata and Team Kumite. Categories only for Cadet, Junior, U21, and Adults.

 

TOURNAMENT PROGRAMME:

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

Provisional:

Saturday 19th March:          Beginning at 10:30 am – Premier Grades

 

CLUB 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 ensure that you note that the payment is for NZ Cup.  Payment is not permitted by individual competitors; clubs pay as a single combined payment. Refunds, if required, will be paid back to Clubs.

 

TOURNAMENT FEES:

NZ Cup - Individual Entry     (Fees for the first individual event as below; plus $5 per additional individual event)

Cadets	14 to 15 Years Old	$60.00
Juniors	16 to 17 Years Old	$60.00
Under 21	18 to 20 Years Old	$60.00
Seniors	Kata - 16 Years Old and older Kumite - 18 Years Old and older	$60.00
Team Events	Kata - Club Based Kumite – Club Based  or Regional Teams	$45.00 each

 

ALL ENTRIES MUST BE ENTERED ONLINE IN SPORTDATA VIA YOUR 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 - seen later in this bulletin.

• All entries, players and coaches, must be entered on Sportdata by 6:00 pm SUNDAY 6th MARCH 2022. 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 TUESDAY 15th March 2022 – 5 days before the competition. PAYMENT OF ENTRY FEES BY INTERNET BANKING TO KARATE NEW ZEALAND [Internet Banking Westpac Account:  03 0180 0177734 00] - add your club name with 'NZCUP-22' in the bank reference.

 

Please note:

• New Zealand Karate clubs need to register in Sportdata to enter players.

• Only Karate-ka within New Zealand are eligible to compete.

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

• Competitors competing in Premier individual Kata or Premier individual Kumite categories in this event cannot compete as a Development or Intermediate in that discipline (Kata and/or Kumite) in future competitions; i.e. after competing at this event, they are now referred to as Premier competitors in either one or both of Kata and Kumite.

• Kumite teams will need to be entered by the club or the region. The club has the first call on players. The opportunity to enter as a regional team is to allow more players to be participating. Teams have to be entered by the entry deadline and named when entered.

 

VACCINE PASS EVENT:

 All competitors, coaches, officials and spectators over the age of 12 years and 3 months are required to present their Vaccine Pass for scanning, and proof of identity may be required. Athletes under the age of 12 years 3 months are not subject to these conditions. Although we recognise and respect that everyone has a right to choose whether to be vaccinated, under the new Traffic-light system, the only way we can provide this event is to operate as an organisation requiring a ‘My Vaccine Pass’.

  

OMICRON AND CHANGES TO THE TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM:

Based on the existing traffic light system, we will proceed with running the event should we be at the RED level. At the RED level, no more than 100 people can be in the venue at any one time. Once we have confirmed entry numbers week commencing 8th March, and we know what alert level we are in (Green, Orange or RED) we will be able to finalise the competition timetable to accommodate these limitations.

 

 

TOURNAMENT RULES:

 

• During the bow at the beginning of the tournament, all players must be in Gi or Club tracksuit and must present themselves correctly. Bow-ins under RED will be restricted to those in the venue at that time.

• Coaches must wear their club tracksuits.

• Coaches will need current photo identification on Sportdata (similar to NZ 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 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.

• Clubs can register a maximum of six coaches. Coaches will require an up-to-date photograph in Sportdata. See guidelines for the checklist for photos.

• WKF Rules will be applied for Premier Grades in this 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/Clubs, please ensure your player and coach information is up to date in the Sportdata system; athletes get older and heavier/lighter and change grades. (The Sportdata system will only adjust age – not weight or grade).

 

TOURNAMENT REQUIREMENTS:

KATA:

WKF 2020 rules will apply with the following modifications:

Individual Kata:

• Premier 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 2020 WKF rules for more detail.

 

WKF Kata System (as of 1.1.2020) used for Premier grades - the Number of Groups Kata Required

NUMBER OF COMPETITORS	NUMBER OF GROUPS	NUMBER OF KATA PERFORMED TO WIN	COMPETITORS IN THE SECOND ROUND
2	1	1	Zero (No second round)
3	1	1	Zero (no second round)
4	2	2	Medal Bout (only for gold)
5 to 10	2	2	Medal Bout
11 to 24	2	3	8 Competitors
25 to 48	4	4	16 Competitors
49 to 96	8	4	32 Competitors
97 or more	16	5	64 Competitors

 

Team Kata:

• 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.

• There will be a maximum of two teams per club that can be entered in each male and female category - players entered in the team/s must be registered and financial members of the club entering.

• Club Kata teams are to be named, in writing, before 10:00 am Saturday 19th March, and given to the Tournament Organising Committee - a form will be made available on the day.

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 bow 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:

• 14 – 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)

 

Kumite Teams:

Clubs have first call on competitors however to maximise participation, players within regions can form a regional team. All teams are to be named in the entry with two or three players. There is a limit of two teams per club. The number of competitors in each team is for our KNZ competition (not necessarily WKF numbers). 

• 14-17 Years: {one player aged 14-15, another aged 15-16 years, and another 16-17 years]; a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 3 players in each team.

• Female 18 years and older: a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 3 players in each team.

• Male 18 years and older: a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 3 players in each team.

• All Kumite teams are to be confirmed by name, in writing, before midday Saturday 19th March and given to the Tournament Organising Committee - a form will be made available on the day.

 

EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS:

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

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

• ALL PREMIER KUMITE COMPETITORS MUST WEAR Mouthguards, Body protectors (protection), Red and Blue belts, and Red and blue hand mitts (matching the belt they are competing in). 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 wearing approved chest protectors (breast protector) underneath the body protector.

• Head protection is strongly suggested (not compulsory); a WKF face mask or other padded protection is deemed acceptable by the tournament organising committee.

 

KATA & KUMITE EVENT MANAGEMENT:

Kumite and Flagged Kata events: 

• With categories with only 3 competitors, if time allows, a ROUND ROBIN DRAW will be made.

• With categories with 4-8 competitors, there will be a repechage for a single third place.

• With categories with 9 or more competitors, there will be a repechage for two third-places.

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY:

Please ensure to sign in using the Covid Tracer App when arriving at the venue. If you are unable to use this app, then please sign in with the hard copy paper forms provided inside the foyer at the venue.

Absolutely no eating of food inside the gymnasium by players or spectators.

A reminder to the players, 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!

 

REFUND POLICY:

A full refund of the Entry Fee paid can only be given if a competitor withdraws before Monday 14th March 2022, as the draws will be finalised the next day. Refunds after this date will only be provided if a Medical Certificate is sent to the Organising Committee c/- secretary.coachingcouncil@karatenz.org.nz . If your event has been cancelled due to a lack of numbers and you have not been reallocated to another event, you will then be entitled to a refund for that portion of your entry fee.

PLEASE NOTE: It is the player’s responsibility to listen for events being called and to report to the Marshall on time. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.

 

TOURNAMENT ORGANISING COMMITTEE:

 Information may be updated in preparation. However, this document will be dated to show current information. Any queries, don’t hesitate to contact the secretary of the National Coaching Council.

Correspondence C/- secretary.coachingcouncil@karatenz.org.nz

 

DISPUTES:

A Tournament Disputes sub-committee will be organised to cater for any disputes during and after the tournament, This sub-committee will consist of one member from each of the three KNZ Councils; i.e. Referee, Coaching and Policy Councils. Any dispute, or concern, after the event, must submit the dispute/ concern in an email to admin@karatenz.org.nz and this will be dealt with in a timely manner.