The third event of the season of 2023 Karate 1-Series A travels to Richmond-Vancouver in Canada, where hundreds of Karate athletes will fight for gold and to improve their standing in WKF World Ranking.

Here’s all you need to know about the anticipated tournament.

WHAT

• The Karate 1-Series A Richmond-Vancouver is the third event of the season, following the tournaments in Athens (Greece) and Konya (Turkiye)
  
  
• After Richmond-Vancouver, the 2023 Karate 1-Series A will travel to Larnaca (Cyprus), and Matosinhos (Portugal).
  
  
• Nearly 1000 athletes from 72 countries participated in the opening event of the season in Athens in January with Japan topping the medal table of the event.
  
• Over 800 athletes from 60 countries participated at the event in Konya with hosts of Turkiye leading the medal table.
  

WHERE

• The tournament will be held at the Richmond Olympic Oval in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada.
  
• Canada have hosted several major Karate events over the years, including a Karate 1-Series A tournament in Montreal in 2019.
  

WHEN

• The event is scheduled from April 14-16
  
  
• The eliminations will be held on Friday and Saturday (from 09.00 to 20.30 local times, GMT-8).
  
  
• The bronze medal bouts are scheduled on Sunday, from 11.00 to 14.30. The finals will be held on Sunday from 14.30 to 18.00
  
  
• CLICK HERE to go to the full competition programme.

WHO

• The main star of the 2023 Karate 1-Series A thus far is Mirisa Ohuchi of Japan who has won gold in Female Kata in both two events of the season.
  
• Anes Bostandzic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Male Kumite +84kg, Luciano Carmine of Italy in Male Kumite -60kg, both with one gold and one silver, and Gulbahar Gozutok of Turkiye in Female Kumite -61kg with one gold and one bronze have also starred at the competition.
  
• Kai Ayato of Japan in Male Kata, Pamela Bodei of Italy in Female Kumite -68kg, and Viktoriya Vashchyshyn of Ukraine in Female Kumite -61kg, all with one silver and one bronze, and Sevil Bas of Turkiye in Female Kumite -50kg with two bronzes also took awards in both events.    
  
  
• Over 500 athletes from 64 countries have registered to participate in the event.
  
  
• Hosts of Canada have the greater representation in Richmond-Vancouver with 89 athletes, followed by neighbours of the United States with 72 athletes, and France with 37 competitors.
  
  

HOW

• The Karate 1-Series A events are limited to competitors who are placed in positions 33 and below in the WKF World Ranking.
  
  
• Athletes are free to register as long as the total number of 96 competitors per category in Kumite and 128 entries in Kata is completed.
  
  
• The tournament follows a Knockout competition system.
  
  

WHAT ELSE

• Competitors participating in the Karate 1-Series A events aim at earning points to reach the top 32 positions in the WKF World ranking, which gives them the chance to compete at the Karate 1-Premier League.
  
  

WATCH IT LIVE!

• The medal bouts of the event on Sunday are available LIVE on the WKF YouTube channel. CLICK HERE to go to the WKF YouTube channel.

2023 KARATE 1-SERIES A RICHMOND-VANCOUVER