ENTRY OPENING DATE

Tuesday 26 November 2024

STAGE 1 ENTRY CLOSING DATE

Thursday 16 January 2025 at 23:59 – Team Entry Deadline

(For Open Team Kata, Men’s Team Kumite and Women’s Team Kumite, this is the deadline for Institution Administrators to enter a team into the event)

Tuesday 21 January 2025 at 23:59 – Student / Competitor Join Deadline

(Students / Competitors must apply to individual events by this deadline. For team events, competitors have joined the respective event on BUCS Play by this deadline)

Thursday 23 January 2025 at 23:59 – Institution Administrator Deadline

(Institutional Administrators are given 48 hours after the student / competitor deadline to approve all entries. For team events, players need to have been approved and assigned in a team by an Institution Administrator on BUCS Play)

ENTRY COSTS

Individual Kata and Kumite – £35.50

Mixed Team Kata – £54.75

Men's Team Kumite – £69.75

Women's Team Kumite – £54.75

STAGED ENTRY

Should the competition allow more entries a Stage 2 Entry window will open. Priority will remain with the entries received before the Stage 1 entry closing date. Entries received in the Stage 2 window and accepted into the competition, will be charged an additional 20% fee.

In response to competitor feedback and to make the event experience better for those competing, BUCS is introducing a weigh-in session from 17:00 – 20:00pm on the Friday evening before the event. Anyone weighing in during this will also be able to register, meaning on the day of your event you will not need to either weigh-in, or register, leading to what BUCS hopes will be a better experience for all. If you have any questions on this, please email Chris Lamb.

LICENCES (WKF STATUTE)

All competitors must hold a valid, up to date recognisable karate licence, duly completed with full and appropriate grading history. For competitors that gained grades from another association, then that licence must also be presented for scrutiny. Licence checks will be carried out on the day, and institutions and competitors are reminded that a valid licence must be presented upon request; failure to do so may result in disqualification. Licences can be digital or physical, providing that they have your full name, which matches that shown on a form of ID (e.g. Driving licence, passport or student ID).

If in doubt as to what this potentially means for your entry, or if you have any eligibility queries, please contact Chris Lamb via your Institution Administrator. Please be assured of your eligibility prior to submitting an entry for this event.

At the event licenses will be spot checked throughout. All semi-finalists will have a compulsory license check. To be clear, ALL licences must be physically present for scrutiny.

The following schedule is provisional and provided to aid with travel plans. Please note the addition of a Friday weigh-in option in response to competitor feedback. The timetable is not final and may be subject to change.

Friday 14^th February

17:00pm – Registration & Weigh-in opens

20:00pm – Weigh-in closes

Saturday 15^th February

8:00am – Registration (For those who did not attend the Friday Weigh-in)

9:00am – Coaches/Captains Briefing (Compulsory for 1 member of each institution to be present)

10:00am – Kata Events begin

14:00pm (Approx, dependent on Kata entries) – Team Kumite

14:30pm – Weigh-in Opens

16:30pm – Weigh-in Closes

19:00pm (Approx, dependent on entries) –Day 1 close

Sunday 16^th February

8:30am – Weigh-in open

9:30am – Weigh-in closes

9:30am – Individual Kumite begins (Novice to begin, lightest weights first)

17:00pm (Approx, dependent on entries) – Individual Kumite Finals

18:30pm – Medal presentations for ALL events (Kata and Kumite, Team and Individuals)

EVENTS

Kata Senior (Men’s and Women’s)

Kata Intermediate (Men’s and Women’s)

Kata Novice (Men’s and Women’s)

Men’s Senior Kumite -60kg

Men’s Senior Kumite -67kg

Men’s Senior Kumite -75kg

Men’s Senior Kumite -84kg

Men’s Senior Kumite 84kg+

Women’s Senior Kumite -50kg

Women’s Senior Kumite -55kg

Women’s Senior Kumite -61kg

Women’s Senior Kumite -68kg

Women’s Senior Kumite 68kg+

Men’s Novice LW Kumite -70kg

Men’s Novice MW Kumite -80kg

Men’s Novice HW Kumite 80kg+

Women’s Novice LW Kumite -57kg

Women’s Novice MW Kumite -63kg

Women’s Novice HW Kumite 63kg+

Team Kumite (Men’s and Women’s)

Team Kata (Mixed)

Please note: The categories listed here for Kumite are subject to change. Categories are only available according to the number of entries received and/or the number of competitors who attend the event and as a result some may be cancelled or merged either pre-event or at the event. If categories are merged only one set of BUCS Points will be awarded.

BUCS POINTS AVAILABLE

Please see Appendix 1 for the BUCS Points available at this event.

The Overall Team shall be calculated using the extracted scores across all competitions.

Individual Entries:

For non-team events, entries are limited to a maximum of three entries per category per institution.

Individuals are not permitted to enter more than one Kumite weight category, or both novices, intermediate or senior. Novice, intermediate and senior levels are restricted to the following grades:

Kata

Men’s/Women’s Novice: 4th Kyu or below (Competitors MUST have graded at least once to be eligible to compete)

Men’s/Women’s Intermediate: 3rd to 1st Kyu

Men’s/Women’s Senior: Dan grades

Kumite

Men’s/Women’s Novice: 4th Kyu or below (Competitors MUST have graded at least once to be eligible to compete for competitor safety reasons)

Men’s/Women’s Senior: 3rd Kyu and above

There is the possibility that weight categories for Kumite may be merged if entries are low.

Kumite round times:

Novice Kumite rounds will be one and a half minutes long.

Senior matches as per WKF rules will be 3 minutes long.

Team matches will be 2 minutes long.

BUCS reserves the right to alter these timings of matches across the event.

Team Entries:

Open Team Kata: One guaranteed entry per institution, upto 4 competitors per team (3 Competitors and 1 Reserve)

In Kumite - institutions are permitted to enter a team as long as they gain ascendency - this is a minimum of 2 for women's or 3 for men's teams

Men’s Team Kumite: One guaranteed entry per institution, 8 competitors per team (minimum of 3, maximum of 5 to compete with 3 reserves)

Women’s Team Kumite: One guaranteed entry per institution, 5 competitors per team (minimum of 2, maximum of 3 to compete with 2 reserves)

ENTRY PROCESS – INDIVIDUAL ENTRIES (NOVICE AND SENIOR KUMITE, KATA):

To apply for the competition all eligible competitors must follow these steps:

1. Competitor to apply to the event on BUCS Play (Instructions on how to do this can be found here)
2. Institution administrator approves entry (Instructions on how to do this can be found here)
3. BUCS approves/denies entry into competition and publishes confirmed entry list

Any data will be handled in accordance with BUCS Privacy Policy

By participating in this event you agree to adhere to BUCS General Event Disclaimer

To check whether you are eligible to compete in BUCS competitions, please visit REG 4 Individual Eligibility.

ENTRY PROCESS – TEAM EVENTS (TEAM KUMITE AND OPEN TEAM KATA)

To apply for this competition:

1. Entries will need to be submitted via the team entries section of our online entry system, BUCS Play (Instructions on how to do this can be found here)
2. Please speak to your Institution Administrator as they will need to enter the correct number of teams for you.
3. Competitors then need to apply for the respective event. (Instructions on how to do this can be found here)
4. Institution Administrators must assign competitors to the correct team during the approval process. (Instructions on how to do this can be found here)

Any data will be handled in accordance with BUCS Privacy Policy

By participating in this event you agree to adhere to BUCS General Event Disclaimer

To check whether you are eligible to compete in BUCS competitions, please visit REG 4 Individual Eligibility.

The following equipment is compulsory and must be provided by the competitors themselves:

•            Belts and mitts (None will be available around the mats on the day).

•            Gum shields, foot and shin pads and ladies chest protectors are compulsory.

•            Groin guards are advised.

In addition, competitors, as well as coaches, must only wear insignia of their institutions on all clothing including the Gi. No insignia of style, nation, federation, or association will be allowed.

It is also expected that coaches should be knowledgable in all aspects of Karate and knows the rules proficiently.

Competitors can make changes to their entry information (Including weight category) through BUCS Play until the entry closing date. Details on how to do this can be found here for the app, or here for the desktop.

After the entry closing date of Thursday 23 January at 23:59pm, no changes to entries can be made. Changes to weight categories may only be permitted on the day of the event (Not before), dependent on availability. Please therefore ensure the weight category you enter is as accurate as possible prior to the entry closing date. Should you need to change category on the day, and there are no available spaces in the category, you will not be allowed to compete, and will not receive your entry fee back.

Withdrawals after the entry closing date of Thursday 23 January at 23:59pm must be made by the Athletic Union (or equivalent) via e-mail to Chris Lamb, BUCS Event Lead. Withdrawals after the entry closing date will still be charged the entry fee.

Withdrawals after 17:00 on Tuesday 11^st February 2025, or not withdrawing/not registering at the event will be classified as a ‘no-show’ and will be charged the entry fee and an additional £50 fine payable by the Athletic Union (or equivalent).

Please see REG 7.9 for our full withdrawal policy.

The rules and regulations for the event can be found here.

BUCS are delighted to announce two supporting partners of Nationals 2025:

• New Balance – shop the look and grab your Nationals 2025 merchandise!  
• Milk Every Moment – a campaign showcasing the nutritional value of milk for sports students

As BUCS’ kit provider, New Balance are giving you as BUCS athletes the chance to access a range of bespoke and personalised Nationals 2025 kit. To purchase this new range, please head to the online shop here or during the event at the New Balance merchandise stands.

Milk Every Moment is a campaign showcasing milk, the timeless classic in your fridge, it is more than just a beverage, it's a nutritional powerhouse. Loaded with essential nutrients, it's a top-notch source of high-quality protein, all you need to build and repair muscles after a workout. Whether you're gearing up for your race or looking to recover post event, take a look at the website for more information and useful recipes.

Both partners are excited to be supporting you as you take on a thrilling weekend of sport. You will find Milk Every Moment ambassadors located across all venues during the event, where they'll be offering the opportunity to win some exclusive giveaways. You can also find further information about our partners on the official event webpage.

Anyone wishing to take photos or video at this event must complete the BUCS Media Accreditation Form prior to the event.

BUCS’ mission is to provide exceptional student sporting experiences that inspire, develop and unite.

Critical to our success is our commitment to always providing safe, friendly and enjoyable environments for all participants. Whether competing, coaching, officiating, volunteering, working or spectating at these events, the welfare of all is critical to our mission.

To find out more or report a concern, please click here.