Ares Championship set for exciting return this October

Eight teams will battle for silverware, prize money and promotion to the Ares Premiership when the Ares Championship returns to High Wycombe Judo Centre on Saturday 10th October.

The Ares Championship is the second division of the Ares Judo league structure and provides clubs with the opportunity to compete in a team format, with promotion to the Ares Premiership – the competition’s top division – among the prizes on offer.

This year’s Championship promises to be one of the most competitive yet, with Budokwai, Esprit, Bath, Westcroft, Core, Irish Pathway, Rush Judo and Bishops Stortford making up the eight-team field.

There will be plenty at stake when the action gets underway at 12pm, with preliminary rounds running throughout the afternoon until 5pm before the competition reaches its conclusion with the final block from 7pm–9pm.

Former Premiership teams looking to bounce back

Among the leading storylines will be the return of Budokwai and Esprit, who were both relegated from the Ares Premiership last season.

Both will be aiming to make an immediate return to the top division, but they will face plenty of competition from the remaining six teams.

At the other end of the spectrum, Rush Judo and Bishops Stortford will make their Ares debuts after joining the league structure for the first time this season.

With eight teams bringing different levels of Ares experience to High Wycombe, Ares Judo Co-Founder Joe Chraniuk believes this year’s Championship could be the closest yet.

“I’m incredibly proud of how Ares has grown since we started, and more importantly, how it continues to grow. What started as an idea to bring something different to judo has developed into a brilliant community of clubs, athletes, coaches, referees, officials and supporters.

“The standard and competitiveness of the leagues continues to improve every season, and I think this year’s Championship could be our closest and most competitive event yet.

“With eight teams, two new clubs joining the Ares leagues and two former Premiership teams looking to bounce straight back up, there are so many different storylines going into the event. I couldn’t call who is going to make that final block, which is exactly what you want going into a competition like this.”

The Championship follows another exciting edition of the Ares Premiership earlier this year.

In May, Camberley Judo Club successfully defended their Ares Premiership crown, going back-to-back as champions and further establishing themselves as the team to beat in the top division.

Attention now turns to the Championship and the race to see which club can emerge from the second division and earn the opportunity to become the next challenger at Premiership level.

Chraniuk added:

“For us, Ares is about much more than just the competition. We want to create an environment that gets people excited about team judo, gives clubs something to aspire to and ultimately helps grow the sport.

“Seeing the community that has developed around Ares and the way clubs and athletes have bought into what we’re trying to create has been one of the most rewarding parts of the journey.”

Spectators can be part of the action at High Wycombe Judo Centre on Saturday 10th October, with tickets available for the event by clicking here.

With the Championship trophy, prize money and promotion all on the line, an exciting day of team judo awaits.

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