VICTORIA KARATE LEAGUE - SHOTOKAN KARATE CUP

The 2nd event in the inaugural Victoria Karate League for 2025

AQUALINK - BOX HILL

Surrey Drive

Box Hill Vic 3128

ONLY $85.00 - Additional events $15

Victorian Karate League

BACKGROUND

The Victorian Karate League (VKL) has been established to create a more competitive area for the development of both novice and elite Karate athletes. The VKL will create a regional competition aimed at encouraging participation and developing sporting attitude with an increasing awareness of sport karate. The VKL will allow greater competition for elite athletes as well as providing new Karate athletes with competition within their relevant level of expertise. It will provide a clearly structured pathway from local tournaments to state level competition.

The VKL will consist of 4 tournaments staged through out the year. Athlete’s results will be recorded on the VKL Result Ladder in both elite and development divisions. Results will be updated after each tournament and promoted to the Karate community via the Karate Victoria website. The top two athletes in the development divisions will be awarded at the last tournament of the season.

DIVISIONS

The VKL will consist of Development and Elite Divisions. Individual events may include further divisions such as Gladiators at the discretion of the event organizer.

Definition of an elite athlete for the purpose of VKL:

An elite athlete is someone who has been a member of the Victorian team in either of the previous two years. Please note this does not include reserves.

Any athlete who meets the above criteria must enter the Elite Divisions. However this only applies to the discipline in which they have achieved state team selection. Eg. If a competitor is a member of the State team in Kata but not in Kumite they are permitted to enter the development division in Kumite. 

Athletes who do not meet the definition of an elite athlete may enter the Development Division’s. These athletes may also choose to enter the Elite divisions however an athlete who has entered both Divisions and places 1st, 2nd or 3rd in the Elite Division cannot participate in the Development division in future events. (Unless there were only three competitors or less). 

Tournament Entry

All entries into the VKL tournaments will be done via the Sportdata website.

Coaches

All coaches must wear a tracksuit and must be a minimum of 16 years of age.

Competitors Uniform

Unless the competitor is from overseas, no competitor will be permitted to wear a National or State Badge on their karate uniform during the competition.

This exception allows overseas competitors to display their national affiliation, likely to facilitate identification and acknowledgment of their representation.

Victorian State Team Selection

All athletes seeking selection in the 2025 Victorian State Team MUST have participated in the 2025 Victorian State Championships. Athletes seeking selection in the 2025 State Team to compete at the National Championships, are encouraged to enter the Elite Divisions. Points accumulated over the four VKL tournaments in the elite divisions will be considered in the process of  State team selection. PLEASE NOTE IT IS NOT COMPULSORY TO ENTER THE VKL FOR SELECTION INTO THE VICTORIAN STATE TEAM.

Kata:

KATA competitors will perform:

13 years & under AKF rules apply: Heian, Pinan, Gekisai, Kanshuwa or Saifa first 2 rounds except if you're straight into final

13 year & under: can repeat kata, but not consecutively 

14 years & above WKF rules apply: Tokui Kata (Your choice) cannot repeat kata.

Age as at 11 July 2025 (Elite Division);   Age on date of tournament (Development division).

Kumite:

13 years & under: 1½ minutes Stop/Start timer

Cadet (14-15 years); & Junior (16-17 years) divisions  are 2 minutes Stop/Start timer.

U 21 years (18-20 years) and Senior (18 years & over): 3 minutes Stop/Start timer. However depending on time schedule, this could be reduced to 2 minutes Stop/Start at the discretion of the tournament organisor or the Karate Victoria Executive.

Age as at 11 July 2025 (Elite Division);   Age on date of tournament (Development division).

Equipment

Elite Divisions

All athletes entered into the Elite Divisions are to provide all their own equipment as per AKF/WKF rules.

• WKF/AKF approved Head Guards are compulsory for 13years and under.
• WKF/AKF approved Body protectors are compulsory for all competitors including seniors.
• WKF/AKF approved Blue & Red Mits are compulsory
• WKF/AKF approved Blue & Red Shin/Insteps are compulsory
• WKF/AKF approved Chest guard (14yrs & above Female competitors)
• Groin guard (Male competitors)
• Blue and Red belts are compulsory.

FURTHER INFORMATION

4 & 5 Years Kata and 6 & 7 years Kata are “Everyone Wins” events. Competitors perform their Kata and ALL receive a medal.

Please note: some events may be combined due to insufficient numbers.