JERSEY is to host its second World Ju-Jitsu Championships at Fort Regent later this month after successfully running the event in 2001.

Now in their tenth year, the championships were to be held in Belfast but that fell through and organiser Rob Staples received a call from the president of the World Ju-Jitsu Organisation asking if Jersey could step in and accommodate the event.

‘You normally have three years to organise it, but we’ve only had 18 months, although the preparations have all been quite smooth really,’ said Staples.

The event’s opening ceremony at 5 pm on Friday 28 September precedes a demonstration event before the international team event on the Saturday and the open competition on the Sunday (from 9.30 am to 5 pm on both days).

Fifteen nations will compete, including Australia, Israel, Argentina, India, and Mauritius with a Channel Islands team seeded third based on results in the 2004 event in Canada.

‘There are some top competitors, especially from the UK, with England as top seeds and America seeded second,’ added Staples.

‘It’s a big, big event with only black belts allowed to enter.

It’s a fast-paced sport that encompasses everything to do with ju-jitsu – striking, punching, kicking, ground grappling and turn overs – it’s so exciting to watch.’