BJJ takes over Europe
First ever European Championship set to rock Portugal in the end of January
By J.P. [
[email protected]]
Many European BJJ practitioners reserve time in their year schedule to travel to the tropics to fight in the prestigious Mundial (the World Championship) in Rio; some even go to the U.S. for the Pan-American Championship, a competition with true international status.
Well, starting this month, they better find some time off for a new tournament that will set another chapter in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu history. For the first time ever, Carlos Gracie Jr. and his staff are bringing the International Federation’s know-how and structure to Europe. On January 31st and February 1st they will be promoting the European BJJ Open Championship in Lisbon, Portugal.
“There have been other events in the past that were called European Championship, but this is the first time that we will be coming to Europe to make a tournament with the same production and formula of the Mundial in Brazil”, says Marcelo Araujo, the man in charge of the IFBJJ events.
The tournament will have two different attractions: an open championship for athletes of different nationalities, ages and belts, and the promising National Teams Championship. Both will take place in the same place and on the same days. The first one will have a wide range of categories, from juniors (16/17 years old) to Seniors 3 (over 46 years old), from white belts to black belts, including women. The best BJJ players in the continent are being expected.
The second part of the event will feature a National Teams battle, based on a formula successfully used in Brazil for many years (and most recently in the Pride Bushido show with the Gracie vs. Japan confrontation). Each country can have two teams of five blue belt athletes (under 76kg and over), and the team that wins three matches advances to the next round. Which country will come out on top? “This is history in the making”, says an excited Carlos Gracie Jr.
You heard the man, so don’t waste anymore time! It is still possible to register online at
[link widoczny dla zalogowanych Użytkowników] and get 40€ off the enrolment fee. The organizers also made arrangements with a number of hotels in the area so that competitors get special discounts. This and all complementary information are available at their web site.
[link widoczny dla zalogowanych Użytkowników]