Category Name

Years of Birth (**)              Gender  Championship Weight Divisions

IJF Junior Born 2003-2008 (2009)   

M           60          66          73          81          90          100     +100 Kg 

F             48          52          57          63          70          78       +78 Kg   

Cadet Born 2006-2008 (2009)         

M           50          55          60          66          73          81          90       +90 Kg

F             40          44          48          52          57          63          70      +70 Kg

Juvenile Born 2009-2019 (2011)

M           36          40          44          48          53          58          64       +64 Kg

F             36          40          44          48          53          58          64       +64 Kg

Intermediate Born 2011-2012 (2013)            

M           28          31          34          38          42          47          52        +52 Kg

F             28          31          34          38          42          47          52       +52 Kg

Bantam-6 Born 2013 (2014)            

M/F        27          31          35          39          44              +44 Kg   

Bantam-5 Born 2014 (2015)            

M/F        25          29          33          37          41              +41 Kg   

Bantam-4 Born 2015 (2016)            

M/F        22          26          30          34          38              +38 Kg   

Bantam-3 Born 2016 (2017)             

 M/F        21          25          29          +29 Kg                                

Bantam-2 Born 2017 (2018)             

 M/F        19          23          +23 Kg                                              

Bantam- 1 Born 2018                       

 M/F        18          22          +22 Kg

** Year in parentheses () indicates the year of birth of the younger athlete who may choose to move into the next older age group in accordance with the rules given above.

Junior Novice Eligibility, Age and Weight Categories, and Belt--Rank Requirements

Eligibility:

1.     Novice Category athletes must not have medaled in 2022 at any of the USA Judo National Novice events. (Youth Nationals, Jr. Olympics, President’s Cup)

2.     Novice Category athletes that medaled in 2023 at any US National Event (Youth Nationals, Jr. Olympics) may still participate in the 2023 US Open Novice.

3.     Novice Athletes that are on the USA Judo Elite National Roster cannot participate in the Novice Category in the 2023 US Open.

4.     Novice Athletes that medaled at the 2022 US Open cannot participate in the 2023 US Open Novice.

Violators are subject to disqualification from the entire event with no refunds.

Rank Requirements: Bantam-1 through Bantam-6: Yellow and White ONLY; All other Junior categories: Orange, Yellow, White ONLY.

Weight Divisions:  Light Medium, Heavy.  Tournament staff will attempt to create safe weight divisions based on the range of weights in each Category. 

Ages: Same as those listed above for the Championships.

Rules: Same as those for the Championships with the exception that there will be NO chokes or armlocks allowed in the Novice divisions.

Match Scheduling Conflicts: Some athletes will be competing in more than one division on the same day.  For example, Novice and Championship.  Tournament staff will attempt to schedule the divisions as far apart as possible to avoid conflicts, but this is not guaranteed.  The standard “no show” protocol will apply if an athletes fail to appear because they are competing in another division at the same time.

JUNIOR GOLDEN SCORE EVENT–SPECIFIC INFORMATION

On Sunday, July 30, in order to provide more matches for the athletes and excitement for all, there will be a new-style tournament IN ADDITION to the normal age-weight divisions.

The Golden Score Tournament IS NOT a USA Judo point event but counts for the total Gold medal count for the team award grant.

Registration: Athletes may register during the Wednesday-Thursday registration periods or on Saturday during the same time period allotted for Senior and Veteran registration.

Weigh-in: There will be no weigh-in.  Weights used will be the athlete’s weight for the regular US Open Junior Championship.

Eligibility: Athletes MUST COMPETE in the Junior Championship of the. U.S. Open Judo Championship in order to be eligible for the Golden Score Tournament.

Awards:   Medals to 1st, 2nd & 3rd place winners

Competition Categories and Weights:

Age Categories

Weights

Same as for the Championship

Light

Medium

Heavy

JUNIOR GOLDEN SCORE METHOD OF COMPETITION, RULES AND POINTS

Elimination Systems: Round Robin for divisions of 5 or fewer; Modified Double Elimination for all others. 

Rules: First one to score wins. Time Limits:  5 minutes for Bantam-1, Bantam-2, Bantam-3 Categories; No time limits for all other Categories.

Eligibility: Athletes MUST COMPETE in the Junior Championship of the. U.S. Open Judo Championship in order to be eligible for the Golden Score Tournament.

The Golden Score Tournament IS NOT a USA Judo point event, but medals won WILL count for the $1,000 team award grant.