North West Open, 2026

 NORTHWEST OPEN 2026 - BJA Level 3 *** POINT SCORING EVENT ***

Junior, Senior, Kyu, Masters and Teams Event

Organisation / Entries: Enquiries - E-mail: longtowerjudoclub@gmail.com

Venue:

Foyle Arena 2, Limavady Rd, Derry /  Londonderry BT47 6JY

Date: Sunday 22nd November 2026

Eligibility:

All players must have a current up-to-date membership of the BJA, NIJF, WJA, Judo Scotland or the IJA.

All international players must produce proof of membership to their federation.

Categories:

Juniors: Year of birth 2007, 2008, 20098, 2010, 2011, 2012 – Contest time 4 mins.

Seniors: Minimum age of 14 years – Contest time 4 mins.

Kyus: Minimum age of 14 years – Contest time 4 mins.

Veterans: Minimum age of 30 years (turn 30 in current year) – Contest time 3 mins.

All competitors must bring their JUDO LICENCE to the weigh-in to confirm grade and eligibility.

It is the competitor’s responsibility to check that their License is in date and that they meet the eligibility criteria to compete. Digital licenses will need to be accessed at registration/weigh-in to show valid date.

Competition Format:

Knockout & Compound Repechage System or Pools/Pools to Knockout (if fewer than 8)

This tournament qualifies for points scoring for promotion purposes.

The Tournament will be run under BJA Rules as per latest Tournament Handbook.

The wearing of WHITE judogi is compulsory at this event. Competitors should bring their own white and blue belts for competition use.

Weight Categories:

Junior Male -55kgs, -60kgs, -66kgs, -73kgs, -81kgs, -90kgs, -100kgs, +100kgs

Junior Female -44kgs, -48kgs, -52kgs, 57kgs, -63kgs, -70kgs, -78kg, +78kgs

Senior Male -60kgs, -66kgs, -73kgs, -81kgs, -90kgs, -100kgs, +100kgs

Senior Female -48kgs, -52kgs, -57kgs, -63kgs, -70kgs, -78kgs, +78k

(STRANGLES AND ARMSLOCKS PERMITTED IN ALL CATEGORIES)

KYU GRADES: 

Lower Kyu: White, Red, Yellow and Orange

Middle Kyu: Green and Blue

Upper Kyu: Brown belt

Kyu grade categories will be decided on weight and grade.

(Armlocks and strangles will be permitted in groups with Green (3rd Kyu) to Brown (1st Kyu) belts only).

Veteran Categories will be decided on the day, based on ENTRIES

Team Event: 

Teams entries can be entered before the event but will be accepted on the day and do

not need to be from the same club.

Teams will be made up of 3 players:

Male -73kg,-90kg,+90kg or 

Female -57kg, -70kg,+70kg

It is the judoka’s responsibility to check that their membership/licence is in date and that they meet

the eligibility criteria to compete ie age and grade.

Players MAY change weight categories during the registration process (weight changes must take place prior to the player stepping on the official weigh in scales).

The tournament director reserves the right to amalgamate adjacent weight categories depending on the number of entries in the respective weight categories. This includes the amalgamation of age categories in the Veterans categories depending on the number of entries.

Competitors who are entering a category which is different to their sex assigned at birth are requested to contact safeguarding@britishjudo.org.uk at the earliest opportunity.

Registration & Weigh-In

The official registration and weigh-in will take place –

Sunday 22nd November 2026

Weigh in times will be announced after the closing date.

Please note: Any competitor who has entered two categories should weigh in for the earlier weigh in, and let the official at weigh in know you have entered more than one category.

Please note: An open weigh in will be conducted at this event therefore ALL competitors must weigh-in wearing competition acceptable judogi trousers and a t-shirt (a 0.8kg allowance will be given). No changes of weight category will be permitted after the player has weighed in on the

official scales.

All competitors MUST bring their VALID judo licence (BJA or affiliate) to registration and also their record book showing they meet the minimum grade requirement.

The use of mobile phones is NOT PERMITTED in the weigh in area.

Competition Start:

Sunday 22nd November 2026

Competition starts: 10.00 am

Closing Date for entries: Friday 13th November 2026

Tournament director reserves the right to close the entry prior to the published closing date if the maximum entry

number permitted is reached. 

***Maximum Capacity was reached early in 2025, do not miss out on the last judo event in the North West in 2026!***

Normal Entry Fee & Payment: (UP TO 11TH Nov 2026)

£25 per individual normal entry; £35 per double entry (Kyu/Jnr, Kyu/Snr, Kyu/Vet, Jnr/Snr, Snr/Vet)

LATE ENTRY FEE: (11th to 13th Nov 2026)

£35 per individual normal entry; £50 per double entry (Kyu/Jnr, Kyu/Snr, Kyu/Vet, Jnr/Snr, Snr/Vet)

Team entry £15 per team

(Includes online booking admin fee.)

ON-LINE ENTRY ONLY - Please visit North West Open 2026 ON SMOOTHCOMP.COM to submit your entry. Please ensure that you fill out all relevant details to ensure that your entry is processed correctly. If you are experiencing issues then please email longtowerjudoclub@gmail.com

All payments must be made by Credit or Debit Card when entering. Your entry will not be accepted without payment being made.

Photography: Photographs may be taken for promotional purposes including publication on websites. By entering the event all participants and parents or guardians of participants are consenting to photography/filming which may be taken by the North West Judo Academy at the event.

In line with the British Judo’s Safelandings Policies and Procedures, the organisers of this event request that any person wishing to engage in any video or photography must register their details with staff at the Safeguarding desk before carrying out any such photography.

Additional Information:

By entering and/or attending this event you agree to abide by all British Judo Association policies and codes of conduct. This includes but is not limited to: 

- Transgender policy  https://www.britishjudo.org.uk/what-we-do/policies/transgender-eligibility-and-participation-in-competition-policy/

- Codes of conduct  https://www.britishjudo.org.uk/membership-terms-conditions/

- Contest rules  https://www.britishjudo.org.uk/compete/organising-a-competition/contest-rules/

o https://www.britishjudo.org.uk/roles-and-clubs/roles/referees/resources/

- Stoma bags: https://www.britishjudo.org.uk/participation-in-competition-with-stoma-bags/

- Prosthetic limbs: https://www.britishjudo.org.uk/participation-in-competition-with-prosthetic-limbs/

You must contact the organisers and events@bririshjudo.org.uk if you require any support at the event or have any questions regarding the above points.

Please note that failure to comply with these policies and codes of conduct may result in not being able to compete/attend this event, or removal from the event, and notification to the British Judo

ENTRY FEES ARE NOT REFUNDABLE NOR TRANSFERABLE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. (including injury)

CHANGES TO THE TOURNAMENT MAY BE MADE AT THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR’S DISCRETION

PARTICIPATION IN THE TOURNAMENT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IF THE TOURNAMENT ENTRY FEE HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED.

***ONLINE ENTRY ONLY***