To all the readers of this martial arts blog, we have some exciting news! There is a new karate tournament in the United States that we cannot wait to tell you about. Head out to Westgate Casino Hotel in Las Vegas this August to take part in one of the most lucrative karate tournaments out there.
Westgate Casino Hotel received a rave review for bringing karate down to Vegas and hosting two successful tournaments so far. In this article, we will discuss the upcoming third instalment of this fantastic karate competition. Readers of this martial arts blog will learn how to join as a participant or how to watch it live.
Westgate Karate Tournament – Basic Info
Let’s start with some basic information about the tournament itself.
The karate tournament will take place on August 19th, 2023, starting at 9 am. The exact location of the tournament is Westgate Casino Hotel, 3000 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV. If you want to contact the organizers of this event, you can call 702-813-5942 or email leo@karatelasvegas.com.
Westgate Karate Tournament – Karate Style and Rules
If you are a passionate karate practitioner, then you should give this tournament a go. The style of karate for this Westgate Casino Hotel tournament is Shinkyokushin karate, so to those of you who practice this style, this must be good news.
Shinkyokushin karate is the most popular full-contact karate around the globe. It was created by the Korean karate legend Sosai Masutatsu Oyama.
After years of mastering various karate styles and winning almost every title there is, Masutatsu Oyama came up with his own style – Kyokushin (meaning ‘the ultimate truth’). Kyokushin karate is one of the most aggressive styles of karate and one requiring utmost discipline and the following of Oyama’s philosophy (one should not ignore the philosophical aspect of karate).
After his death in 1994, many of his former students went on to create dojos of their own. Out of fear that the style would be transformed, most agreed that there should be a new name to denote Oyama’s style and that name is Shinkyokushin, with shin meaning ‘truth’ and ‘new’.
If you want to learn more about the history and the rules of this fascinating karate style, check out the WKO-Shinkyokushin website, belonging to the biggest Shinkyokushin organization in the world.
Naturally, as it is with every sports tournament, there are specific rules for the Westgate Karate Tournament. We advise all prospective participants to read the rulebook before they apply, so there are no surprises on the day of the event.
Westgate Karate Tournament – Application Process
Now let’s get back to the Westgate Casino Hotel tournament. We were pleasantly surprised by the wide range of age groups that would take part in it. Virtually everyone can join and we’re all there for it! The competition is segregated by sex, and divided by level and type of contact.
Here are all the participating groups:
- Boys/Girls 4-6 years old (Beginner/Advanced)
- Boys/Girls 7-9 years old (Beginner/Advanced)
- Boys/Girls 10-12 years old (Beginner/Advanced)
- Boys/Girls 13-15 years old (Beginner/Advanced)
- Boys/Girls 16-17 years old (Beginner/Advanced)
- Women’s Open (Semi Contact/Full Contact)
- Men’s Light Weight 70 kg (Semi Contact/Full Contact)
- Men’s Middle Weight 80 kg (Semi Contact/Full Contact)
- Men’s Heavy Weight +80 kg (Semi Contact/Full Contact)
- Men’s Senior Open (Semi Contact/Full Contact)
There is a fee for participation, which is $75 for minors and $85 for adults. Parents or legal guardians have to enrol their children and accompany them to the tournament. Navigate to the official website to register for this event.
Don’t forget that you have to bring gear for the tournament. For all minors and those adults who apply for the semi contact competition (there’s no required gear for the adults in the knockdown competition), it’s necessary to bring a helmet, shin guards, and gloves. Optional gear includes a mouthpiece, a groin protector, and a chest protector (for all events).
Westgate Karate Tournament – Audience
You don’t have to be a participant to watch the tournament, so if you find yourself in Las Vegas around this time, you shouldn’t miss it. The price for a ticket is set at $20, and that applies to both minors and adults. You can also get a cool T-shirt to commemorate this event.
To buy spectator tickets for this event, simply open the Westgate Karate Tournament website and fill in the form.