Karate: Championships 2025-26 (Part of BUCS Nationals)

ENTRY OPENING DATE

Tuesday 25 November 2025

STAGE 1 ENTRY CLOSING DATE

Thursday 15 January 2026 at 23:59 – Team Entry Deadline

(For Open Team Kata, Men’s Team Kumite and Women’s Team Kumite, deadline for teams to have been entered on BUCS Play by an Institution Administrator)

Tuesday 20 January 2026 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 22 January 2026 at 23:59 – Institution Administrator Deadline

(Institutional Administrators are given 48 hours after the student / competitor deadline to approve all entries)

ENTRY COSTS

Individual Kata and Kumite – £36

Mixed Team Kata – £55.50

Men's Team Kumite – £70.50

Women's Team Kumite – £55.50

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.

Following its successful introduction last year, there will again be a weigh-in session from 17:00 – 20:00pm on the Friday evening (13th February) before the event. Anyone weighing in during this will also be able to register. If you have any questions on this, please email Chris Lamb.

There will be further opportunities to weigh-in in the usual slot on Saturday, following the conclusion of the Kata competition, and a final opportunity on Sunday, prior to competition starting. Competitors will get two opportunities to make weight, if they weigh-in on Friday or Saturday. If the first weigh-in attempt is Sunday, there will not be a second opportunity to make weight. For approximate timings see the provisional schedule below.

The following schedule is provisional and provided to aid with travel plans. The timetable is not final and may be subject to change. Please consult the final schedule in the event guide when released closer to the event for full timings.

Friday 13^th February

17:00pm – Registration & Weigh-in opens

20:00pm – Weigh-in closes

Saturday 14^th February

8:00am – Registration (For those who did not register on Friday – You do not need to register again)

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) – Livestream - Senior Individual Kata Finals & Individual Kumite Finals

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

BUCS Points are available for all senior events in both Kata and Kumite, across both genders, as well as both team events. If you are in doubt as to whether your event attracts BUCS Points, please consult Appendix 1.

Full list of 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.

An Overall Team award will also be presented, 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.

Team Entries:

Open Team Kata: One guaranteed entry per institution, Max of 4 competitors per team

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, Max of 8 competitors per team (minimum of 3)

Women’s Team Kumite: One guaranteed entry per institution, Max of 5 competitors per team (minimum of 2)

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.

Individual Kata

8th to 4th kyu

Pinan/Heian kata only. Competitors will be expected to know a minimum of two kata, but will not be allowed to repeat a kata consecutively (including the final). They may alternate between any of the five pinan/heian kata as they wish or between the minimum two.

3rd to 1st kyu (brown belt kata)

Only the following kata may be performed, even in the final stage. Competitors may repeat any kata only once but not consecutively. The number of kata a finalist will need will depend on the entry, but a minimum two kata should be sufficient. If the entry is unusually large, we will review the situation prior to the event. To be clear, competitors entering the intermediate category may only perform kata from the following list for the whole competition:

Bassai dai (Passai)

Saifa

Seienchin (Seiyunchin)

Juroku (Seiru)

Matsukaze (Wankan)

Jion

Shio-kosokun

Tekki Shodan (Naihanchin Shodan or Naifanchin)

Gekiai dai Ichi or Ni

Heian or Pinan kata’s

Senior categories will be run using the WKF points system. Other categories will be run using flags.

Team Kata

Teams will be required to have a minimum of two kata.

Teams will be required to perform a different kata to the previous kata for all medal matches. A team may perform the same kata for all elimination rounds but must perform a different kata for the final.

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.

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.

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 lady’s 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. Brand logos will be acceptable as long as they are small, and at the bottom of the jacket/trouser leg only.

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

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, no changes to entries can be made except only changes to weight categories 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 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 10^th February 2026 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.

BUCS are delighted to announce Milk Every Moment and Subway as the supporting partners of Nationals 2026, and Ashaway as the Sports Programme Partner for Badminton.   

Milk Every Moment is a campaign showcasing milk, the timeless classic in your fridge; it’s more than just a beverage, it's a nutritional powerhouse. Loaded with essential nutrients, it's a top-notch source of high-quality protein and has 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. You will find Milk Every Moment ambassadors located across the venues during the event, where they'll be offering the opportunity to win some exclusive giveaways.

Subway joins Nationals 2026 as a supporting partner through its wider BUCS collaboration, encouraging students to get active as part of its ‘Fresh Moves’ initiative. During the event, Subway will be present across venues with fun activations, games, and more opportunities to win exclusive giveaways. 

Our Nationals 2026 partners are excited to be supporting you as you take on a thrilling weekend of sport. 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 reserves the right to prohibit photography equipment being used at a BUCS event. BUCS reserves the right to request that the individual ceases to take photographs, deletes any images and, if considered necessary, leaves the venue.

If you wish to take photos or videos at this event, please contact the BUCS Event Lead. 

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.