s
|
|
|
|
|
|
Europe
Bound
Glenville, NY - Members from
the Glenville, NY based Jason Morris
Judo Club (JMJC) left today for a three week European
competition and training tour. Liz Burns (20),
Carrie Chandler (23) and Katie Mocco
(21) will be competing at the Finnish Open in Tampere, Finland this
weekend on their first stop. Burns (57kg) and Chandler (52kg) will
compete on Saturday, March 5 and Mocco will go on Sunday, March 6.
They will then participate in a four day training camp before
traveling to Prague, Czech Republic were they will compete in the
Czech Open the following weekend. Their coach, Jason Morris will
join them in Czech and remain with the team for the remainder of the
tour. Burns and Chandler compete on Saturday, March 12 and Mocco
will fight on Sunday, March 13. They again stay for a four day
training camp before traveling to their final stop, Rotterdam,
Holland for the competition at the Dutch Open the next weekend.
Burns and Chandler again compete on the first day, Saturday, March
19 and Mocco goes on March 20. This trip will serve as preparation
for the US Sr. Nationals in Virginia Beach, VA on April 22-23, 2005,
which is doubling as the world trials and hopefully the world
championships in Cairo, Egypt September 11-14, 2005. The winner of
the Nationals in their respective weight classes will qualify to
represent the US at the worlds. If the #1 seed loses
then the winner will face the #1 player in a 2 out of 3 fight
off after the conclusion of the finals of the Nationals. Chandler
and Mocco currently hold the #1 ranking and Burns is #2 and will
have to win the Nationals then the fight off against her new rival
in 57kg, Val Gotay. Burns has lost three close battles against Gotay
since moving up from 52kg after the 2004 Olympic trials in June. JMJC members Nate Torra (21) and Nick Kossor
(19) also have legitimate shots at making the world team. Torra holds
the #2 ranking at 66kg but could move to the #1 slot if he does
better than #1, Justin Flores (25) at the NY Open this Sunday at the
New York Athletic Club in Manhattan. Kossor (60kg) doesn't currently
hold a ranking but has shown in early season training camps that he
can hang with the top players and could pull an upset. Another JMJC
member has outside shot at making the team and that's Dave Chapman (18) at 90kg who is just making the transition from Jrs. where he
holds the #1 ranking but has yet to crack the Sr. ranks.
Left to Right:
Liz Burns, Carrie Chandler & Katie Mocco Photos by: Lou DiGesare/Real Judo
Magazine Jason
Morris Judo Club 575
Swaggertown Rd. Scotia,
NY 12302 (518)399-3936
|
