GORILLA CUP UK JUNIOR GRAPPLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Introduction and apology — firstly may I apologise for my sloth like action in getting this report onto the websites; this report slipped the net of the Fighting Photographer and has been lurking around one of my folders for a good few months now; junior participants are the lifeblood of our sport, without these little hoodlums the sport cannot progress and flourish and move to new heights.

Sunday 20th July saw the inaugural Gorilla Cup UK Junior Grappling Championships take place at Castleford Sports Centre in West Yorkshire, UK. The Gorilla Cup is the name given by the Straight Blast Gym's grappling competitions in the USA. With Combat Base’s links with the SBGi BJJ Association, head honcho Darren Currie decided to use the same name that perfectly fitted some of the little 'monkeys' competing. It is always a great experience dealing with these young athletes, everyone comes to fight; there's no playing for points, getting a minor score and stalling their ass off for the rest of the match. They readily accept judges' decisions without question and fundamentally just got on with it. It is such a pleasure watching kids as young as 5 years old doing their Jits, working their guard to sweep and improve position rather than just trying to tie their opponent up, such an open game. All coaches and parents were glowing with pride and rightly so.

The competition catered for all ages between 5 and 16 years old where competitors were split into groups according to gender, age and weight. To the matches themselves, the event was a runaway success, attracting 120+ competitors who, in some cases, had 3 or 4 matches — to mention everyone here in a report would be nigh on impossible, so from myself and Darren and all the coaches, a great pat on the back and a knee ride go out to all the junior competitors who fought on the day and with great sportsmanship.

In the boys 5 to 6 years final Adam Piggott out pointed Ben Schofield to win the division; Adam also took fighter of the day for his group, but hats off to his opponent who performed well on the day, in this, his first competiton. In boys 7 to 8 years Luke Smith looked out of place being so much smaller but fought like a demon, rightly taking fighter of the day for this division and winning his weight group.

In boys 9 to 10 years Daniel Hall won fighter of the day for this division and also took 2nd place. Daniel was outweighed in every match but still performed superbly. In the girls 9 to 10 years division Katherine Hartley won her weight group with an excellent display of guard to sweep to mount beating Inka Doyle in the final.

In the girls 11 to 12 years heavyweight division Chelsea Smith won 1st place finishing all her matches with arm bar from guard. In the boys 13 to 14 years lightweight the star of the show emerged. Jonathan Smith used his flexibility, skill and agility to submit all of his opponents by arm bar. In the second match he skilfully avoided a foot sweep attempt straight into a flying arm bar that was easily the best technique of the day. Considering he gave away at least 15kg (33lb) in each match, he very much deserved fighter of the day, his 1st place in the group and a new nickname of Macaco. Is this kid the best for his age and weight?

In the girls 13 to 14 years heavyweight Roxanne Peacock continued her domination winning her division. Roxanne is a tough competitor and was only just shaded to fighter of the day for her age group by 'monkey boy' in the boys division. In the boys 15 to 16 years lightweights Tom Richardson met Kieron Higgins in the final after a hard semi-final match each but unfortunately Kieron had to withdraw.

In the boys 15 to 16 years heavyweights Paul Coupland used his weight advantage well taking the judges decision. In the boys 15 to 16 years openweight Tom Richardson put himself forward against Sam Batty and attacked constantly throughout the match. Sam kept his cool managing to get a side position late in the match and win by only one point.

Once again, the Pontefract Pitbull, not content with staging some of the UK’s premier senior grappling events, hosted a top flight event for the juniors; sportsmanship prevailed throughout the day and some future stars shone out in the middle of the mats — let’s hope we see them in the senior events.

RESULTS

Boys 5 to 6 years lightweight

1. Adam Piggott — Hull Sport Ju Jitsu

2. Ben Schofield — Combat Base

Girls 5 to 6 years lightweight

1. Jade Spurgeon - Hull Sport Ju Jitsu

2. Ellie Dobson - Hull Sport Ju Jitsu

5 to 6 Fighter Of The Day - Adam Piggott

Boys 7 to 8 years lightweight

1. Luke Smith — Clive Lawrence Ju Jitsu

2. Ashley Boxhall - Hull Sport Ju Jitsu

Boys 7 to 8 years heavyweight

1. Adam Jinto - Hull Sport Ju Jitsu

2. Tyrone Jepson Elliott — Royce Gracie Jiu Jitsu Network

Girls 7 to 8 years lightweight

1. Laura Grocock — Kickers Academy

2. Ren Bu Kai

Girls 7 to 8 years heavyweight

1. Lucy Jackson — Kickers Academy

2. Chloe Hobson - Hull Sport Ju Jitsu

7 to 8 Fighter Of The Day - Luke Smith

Boys 9 to 10 years

1. Ren Bu Kai

2. Daniel Hall — Fighting Chance Academy

Girls 9 to 10 years

1. Katherine Hartley — Combat Base

2. Inka Doyle - Combat Jiu Jitsu

9 TO 10 Fighter Of The Day - Daniel Hall

Boys 11 to 12 years heavyweight

1. Jonathan Dunn — Clive Lawrence Ju Jitsu

2. Andrew McQueen — Sunderland Jiu Jitsu

Girls 11 to 12 years lightweight

1. Emma Grocock — Kickers Academy

2. Georgina Dunn - Clive Lawrence Ju Jitsu

Girls 11 to 12 years heavyweight

1. Chelsea Smith — Combat Base

2. Laura Hall — Royce Gracie Jiu Jitsu Network

11 TO 12 Fighter Of The Day - Georgina Dunn

Boys 13 to 14 years lightweight

1. Jonathan Smith — Combat Base

2. Wayne Lister - Fighting Chance Academy

Boys 13 to 14 years heavyweight

1. Lee Ramsden - Fighting Chance Academy

2. Jonathan Pattinson - Fighting Chance Academy

Fighter Of The Day

Girls 13 to 14 years lightweight

1. Ren Bu Kai

2. Ren Bu Kai

Girls 13 to 14 years heavyweight

1. Roxanne Peacock - Hull Sport Ju Jitsu

2. Danielle Lewis - Hull Sport Ju Jitsu

13 TO 14 Fighter Of The Day — Jonathan Smith

Boys 15 to 16 years lightweight

1. Thomas Richardson — Combat Base

2. Kieron Higgins — Combat Jiu Jitsu

Boys 15 to 16 years heavyweight

1. Paul Coupland — Combat Jiu Jitsu

2. Nicky Pattinson - Fighting Chance Academy

Boys 15 to 16 years Openweight

1. Sam Batty - Hull Sport Ju Jitsu

2. Thomas Richardson — Combat Base

Girls 15 to 16 years lightweight

1. Kayleigh Merson - Newland School of Ju Jitsu
2. Holly Garforth - Newland School of Ju Jitsu

Girls 15 to 16 years heavyweight

1. Rebecca Armstrong - Newland School of Ju Jitsu

2. Emma James — Pete Guests Academy

15 TO 16 Fighter Of The Day — Sanpreet Sangra - Newland School of Ju Jitsu

NB. Many apologies to the Ren Bu Kai team as my PC crashed with all the results on and theirs are the only names I can't track down. Big thanks to the Combat Base crew Helen, Spenna the Triangle, Lucinda, Neil, Kath, Tom, Simon, Ben, Jenny, Pete and Cheryl for all their help. If you don't attend the next one, beware….you may wake up with a horse's head in your bed, if you wake up at all.

Report by Carl 'The Codfather' Fisher