2012 Akita International Sumo Basho

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2012 Akita International Sumo Basho
2012 Sumo group photo.jpg
Details
DateJune 24
LocationAkita Budokan
No. Men12
Men's Championship
ChampionTravis Emery
Runner-upColton Runyan
Fighting SpiritTodd Horner
No. of bouts48
2011 2013

The 8th Annual Akita International Sumo Basho (第八回秋田県国際相撲場所) is a charity sumo tournament that was held on June 24th by the Akita Association of JETs. Every year JETs and friends gather from all across Tohoku (and some farther still) to decide who is worthy of the title of Akita's Yokozuna. Proceeds went to the Tohoku earthquake relief efforts. Over 90 people came to have a great time celebrating the fantastic aspect of Japanese culture that is sumo, as well as raise money for a great cause.

Training session

An optional training/information session was held June 16th at the Yabase Sports Park in Akita City. This session explained the rules, etiquette, and brief history of sumo to those who wanted to find out a bit more about the sport before participating in the real deal. Attendance was not necessary for participation in the tournament.

Details

  • Date: Sunday, June 24th 2012
  • Place: Akita Budokan, Akita City (google maps link)
  • Price:
    • Rikishi (participants): ¥1,500
    • Spectators: ¥ 1,000 were expected to show up no later than 9:30. Upon arrival, volunteers helped explain how to put on mawashis, explained the rules governing the bouts, and gave tips on how to fight.

Wrestlers

Men's
Name Country Hometown Akita Shikona
Owen Cunningham Republic of Ireland Kilkenny Central 相撲猿 SumOweN
Travis Emery United States of America New Hampshire Outside 虎美 Torabi
Neil Fanning United States of America Washington Central 歩人 The Hobbit
Todd Horner Canada Alberta Central 煙突 Smoke Stacks
Casey Kuester United States of America Minnesota Central ミネソタ武蔵 Minnesota Musashi
Colton Runyan United States of America Texas North 熊の山 Bear Mountain
Dean Ruetzler United States of America Vermont Outside 山葵の里 Wasabi no Sato
Jeff Onizak Canada Winnipeg North 不器用白熊 Clumsy Polar bear
Justin Velgus United States of America San Francisco Central 東北雷 Tohoku Thunder
Kenneth Grant Flag of the United Kingdom Britain Central 蹴荷威 Kick Stuff Powerfully
Gavin Fisher Canada Vancouver South 闘麒麟 Fighting Giraffe
Padraig de Cléir Republic of Ireland Donegal Central 田中 Tanaka

Tournament format

The original format was for each wrestler to fight 7 matches and the wrestlers with the best two records would fight each other for 1st and second place. After all 7 rounds had been completed, there was a 4-way tie for second place, with four wrestlers having 5-2 records. Single elimination matches were held to decide who would go against the sole 6-1 wrestler in the championship match.

Officials

The officiating for the 2012 tournament, as well as special prize decisions was overseen once again by the gentlemen of Sumo & Stogies.

  • Head Referee/Head Judge - Bryan Barber
  • Head Referee/Head Judge - Pat Costello
  • Ring-side Judge - Delmer Lopez
  • Ring-side Judge - Jae Grobler

Publicity

The Akita Sakigake Newspaper once again came and covered the tournament. Below is the original text and translation of the article that appeared in the April 26th edition of the newpaper.

県国際相撲大会
ALTら12人がまわし姿ね熱戦

県立武道館

Sakigake Article
(Neil Fanning vs Travis Emery)

県内の小学、中学、高校の外国語指導助手(ALT)らによる「第8回県国際相撲大会」が24日、秋田市の県立武道館で開かれ、まわし姿の外国人男性が熱戦を繰り広げた。県内のALTらで作る「秋田JET参加者の会」(ケーシー・キースタ会長)の主催。
出場力士は「ミネソタ武蔵」「熊の山」などと自信でしこ名をつけて試合に挑んだ。がっしり取り組み合った後に力いっぱい土俵の外へ押し出したり、土俵際で体を返し相手を土俵下に追いやるなど白熱した取組が目立ち、観客から「ナイスファイト」との声が上がった。
男鹿市船越のケニー・グラントさん(23)=英国出身=は「全力でぶつかり合うのが楽しい」と話していた」。
相撲大会は、異文化交流や募金活動を目的に、2004年から年1回開催している。観客から集めた入場料は日本赤十字社に寄付し、東日本大震災の被害者支援に充ててもらう。


Prefectural International Sumo Tournament
12 ALTs Battle it out in Mawashis
Prefectural Martial Arts Center
Elementary, junior, and senior high school ALTs from around the prefecture gathered on the 24th at the prefectural martial arts center to watch some of their fellow ALTs fiercely battle it our in mawashi. The event was sponsored by the Akita Association of JETs.
Participants wrestled under shikona that they thought of themselves, such as "Bear Mountain" and "Minnesota Musashi." Burly wrestlers found themselves being cheered on by calls of "Nice fight!" as they brutally shoved opponents out of the ring and forced them off the dohyo.
Kenny Grant, a 23 year old from England currently living in Oga said, "It's fun to hit your opponent at full power"
The international sumo tournament has been held once a year since 2004 and aims to raise money for charity and promote cultural exchange. The money gathered from this year's tournament will go to the Red Cross to support the victims of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

Bouts

Round 1

Round 1
East Video West
Neil Fanning watch Casey Kuester  
Todd Horner watch Gavin Fisher  
Owen Cunningham watch Jeff Onizak  
Kenneth Grant watch Travis Emery
Dean Ruetzler watch Justin Velgus  
Padraig de Cleir watch Colton Runyan

Round 2

Round 2
East Video West
Justin Velgus watch Todd Horner
Owen Cunningham watch Gavin Fisher  
Casey Kuester watch Padraig de Cleir  
Neil Fanning 1 Rematch Travis Emery
Dean Ruetzler watch Jeff Onizak  
Kenneth Grant watch Colton Runyan  

Round 3

Round 3
East Video West
Justin Velgus watch Owen Cunningham
Jeff Onizak watch Todd Horner  
Casey Kuester watch Kenneth Grant
Travis Emery watch Padraig de Cleir  
Dean Ruetzler watch Gavin Fisher  
Neil Fanning watch Colton Runyan

Round 4

Round 4
East Video West
Justin Velgus watch Casey Kuester  
Owen Cunningham watch Kenneth Grant  
Todd Horner watch Padraig de Cleir  
Jeff Onizak watch Travis Emery
Dean Ruetzler watch Neil Fanning  
Gavin Fisher watch Colton Runyan

Round 5

Round 5
East Video West
Justin Velgus watch Jeff Onizak
Gavin Fisher watch Padraig de Cleir
Neil Fanning watch Kenneth Grant
Travis Emery watch Casey Kuester  
Dean Ruetzler watch Owen Cunningham
Todd Horner watch Colton Runyan  

Round 6

Round 6
East Video West
Justin Velgus watch Gavin Fisher  
Jeff Onizak watch Kenneth Grant
Neil Fanning watch Padraig de Cleir
Owen Cunningham watch Travis Emery
Dean Ruetzler watch Todd Horner  
Casey Kuester watch Colton Runyan

Round 7

Round 7
East Video West
Justin Velgus watch Neil Fanning  
Jeff Onizak watch Gavin Fisher  
Kenneth Grant watch Padraig de Cleir
Owen Cunningham watch Todd Horner
Dean Ruetzler watch Casey Kuester
Travis Emery watch Colton Runyan

Playoff

East Video West
  Todd Horner watch Colton Runyan
Owen Cunningham watch Dean Ruetzler  
  Owen Cunningham watch Colton Runyan

Final

East Video West
Travis Emery watch Colton Runyan  

Exhibition bout

East Video West
  Travis Emery watch Igarashi

Statistics

(with playoff bouts)
Name Country Wins Losses PCT % Wins Losses PCT %
Travis Emery United States of America 6 1 0.857 7 1 0.875
Colton Runyan United States of America 5 2 0.714 7 3 0.700
Owen Cunningham Republic of Ireland 5 2 0.714 6 3 0.667
Todd Horner Canada 5 2 0.714 5 3 0.625
Dean Ruetzler United States of America 5 2 0.714 5 3 .625
Kenny Grant Flag of the United Kingdom 4 3 0.571
Jeff Onizak Canada 3 4 0.429
Padraig de Cleir Republic of Ireland 3 4 0.429
Justin Velgus United States of America 3 4 0.429
Casey Kuester United States of America 2 5 0.286
Neil Fanning United States of America 1 6 0.142
Gavin Fisher Canada 0 7 0.000

Country Records

Men's & Women's
Country Wins Losses PCT % Total Rikishi
Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 4 3 0.571 1
Republic of Ireland Ireland 8 7 0.533 2
United States of America United States 22 20 0.524 6
Canada Canada 8 13 0.381 1
  • Play-off bouts are not included.

Awards

Men's Champion: Travis Emery
Men's Runner-up: Colton Runyan
Men's Fighting Spirit Prize: Todd Horner

Gallery

See also

Years of the Akita International Sumo Basho
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2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
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