In the late summer of 2023, Karate BC’s Executive Committee reviewed the recent national competition and outcomes of the BC Team. It was felt that with the current selection process, some competitors had only limited exposure to high-level competition before competing at a national level. The Executive Committee felt that it was necessary to better-prepare athletes for national level competition by making participation in elite tournament divisions a mandatory requirement. This participation will expose the athletes to at least a minimum amount of high-level competition and help them to thrive at the national level.
As of this summer, in addition to existing criteria, any athlete that wants to be considered for the Karate BC Provincial Team MUST participate in both the Canada Open, and the Karate BC Provincial Championships. This includes athletes with automatic invites to the Nationals.
We understand that athletes may change age or weight categories between the Canada Open and the Karate BC Provincial Championships. As the goal is to ensure athletes have at least a minimum level of high-level competition prior to Nationals, the focus at the Canada Open will be on participation, not on Grand Prix points. Accordingly, at the Canada Open, athletes should compete in their age and weight categories at the time of the Canada Open, not their anticipated age and weight categories at the time of Nationals. At the Canada Open, athletes 12 years of age and older must participate in the Elite discipline (kata or kumite) in which they hope to compete at Nationals; athletes who will be 11 years old at the time of the Canada Open must participate in the Advanced Non-Elite discipline (kata or kumite) in which they hope to compete in at Nationals. (Refer to the BC Team Handbook for exceptions and more details on the Karate BC Provincial Team program.)
Providing this announcement in a timely manner allows athletes considering the BC Team to make the appropriate arrangements and register for these two events. Concerns regarding this decision can be directed to the Executive Committee. We feel that any athlete considering representing the province will find this minimum commitment level a reasonable and achievable goal.
Sincerely,
Karate BC Executive Committee
