2009 China(Shanghai) International Gateball Tournament
Chinese Gateball - Strong Technique, Bold Strategies !
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A chinese player sparks with low posture |
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the opening ceremony
Guests and the staff of CGA |
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Yunnan district team takes 1st prize |
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Referees of Shanghai GB association.
A decisive judgment and quick action of a referee gave the tournament the tension. |
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As a pre-tournament to the 10th World Gateball Championships to be held in Shanghai in 2010, the Chinese Gateball Association hosted the International Gateball Tournament from Thursday, September 24 to Saturday, September 26th. The Tournament was held at Gaodong Gateball Memorial Park in Gaodongzhen, Pudongxinqu, the same venue at which the Championship will be held next year.
One team of young players entered the tournament from Japan. Other teams included two from Hong Kong, one from India, and 28 powerful teams from China, the host country. The drama unfolded on four new courts covered in artificial grass. The teams, which were divided into Groups A and B, played league matches in groups of four, with winning teams advancing to a final tournament.
Chinese teams brought together the nation's top players, who not only demonstrated highly developed technical skill but an outstanding amount of raw talent. Playing with improved strategies and strategic moves such as placement of the ball on the very edge of a line, they made quite an impression with their high level of play.
China swept the top three places, with Yunnan district team taking first, Huabei district team taking second, and Zhejiang district team taking third. The Japanese team was defeated in a league match, showing the high level of international competition.
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The local government sponsored an impressive Closing and Awards Ceremony on the grounds of the park from 6:00 p.m. on September 26th, the final day of the tournament. Several thousand local residents were invited to this large-scale event, which featured an MC, a performance by a singer well-known in China, and other types of entertainment. With traditional Chinese dance and acrobatics, the Ceremony was a spectacular event. The Japanese team even made a surprise appearance, performing the traditional “Soran Bushi” dance to the great delight of the crowd.
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The Japanese team was made up of students from Sakushin Gakuin High School (Tochigi Prefecture) and Asaka High School (Saitama Prefecture), schools whose teams regularly qualify to compete at the National Junior Championship, as well as young players from Yamanashi Prefecture.
The team faced formidable competition at this international tournament in China, which is home to some of the world's top gateball players. Ultimately, the team was eliminated in a league match, an experience that showed them just how tough competition is at the international level. However, the team was able to play about 10 practice games with teams from other countries both before and after the tournament, which gave them valuable international experience. |
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The Japanese team was made up of students from 3 prefectures.
Left is the manager, highscool teacher |
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The Japanese team even made a surprise appearance, performing the traditional “Soran Bushi” dance |
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| The reception, atmosphere of the competition venue, and ceremonies of this tournament were all outstanding. Students were able to play practice matches against other teams, which allowed them to further improve their game. The first noteworthy point was the impressive technical skill of the Chinese players; the precision of their plays was truly astounding. Although at times their strategies lacked polish, their highly developed technical skills compensated for this shortcoming, enabling surprising comebacks with just a single play. The other commendable point was the brilliance of the referees. Their agility and speedy positioning of balls allowed competition to proceed at a comfortable pace. This tournament reaffirmed the importance of the referees in ensuring smooth play. This trip truly energized the students, who have been practicing hard in pursuit of their individual goals since returning to Japan. If another opportunity such as this one were to arise, my students and I would be delighted to participate. |
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at the old fashion street |
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