Four-way tie ends typically atypical

osaka basho

A WEIRD ONE
SPRING SUMO TOURNEY

Jimmihanada

 

Takanohana claimed another yusho in
Osaka, a predictable ending to an
unpredictable basho, which featured a
last day, four-way kettei-sen, an
explosion of kinboshi action and a
shattered iron-man record.

In one of the few anticlimaxes to the
tournament, budding yokozuna
Wakanohana bowed out after the third
day with a serious hamstring injury
which, it is speculated, might keep him
out of action until Nagoya. Had he
compiled a yusho, or even an impres-
sive record, he might have been
promoted to champion. As it stands, he
will now have to come back from the
kadoban position in his next tourna-
ment, having to win at least eight bouts
to keep his rank. As well, perrenial
ironman Terao was knocked out of
action after Day 13, conveniently, after
a horrible basho in which he had
posted only two wins. He had gone
over 1300 straight bouts without injury,
fifth all-time.

The first week was an odd one.
Yokozuna Takanohana started off
weakly, losing two in the first seven
days, one to Kotonowaka, and one to
giant-killer Kaio, who had a wicked
basho, doing his best impression of
Akinoshima, beating the other
yokozuna two days later to collect his
second kinboshi of the tournament
(kinboshi, meaning gold star, is
awarded to lower-ranked wrestlers
who beat grand champions).
Takanonami also had a strong start,
but eventually choked quite badly. After
seven straight wins, Takanonami was
upset by three maegashira in four

438 Sports

days.

But the basho was Akebono’s or
Musashimaru’s to win. Both had strong
leads going into the last few days, but
both Hawaiians lost on both Day 12
(Ake, lazily, to Asanosho, Musashi to
Kaio) and then again on Day 15 (Ake
to Taka in a tense mono-ii decision,
and Musashi to rival Takanonami).
That left a four-way tie with Kaio,
Takanohana, Akebono and
Musashimaru all tied with 12-3
records.

After drawing straws, Taka got
vengeance over his earlier loss to
Kaio, recovering from a weak tachi-ai
to drop the interloper, and Akebono
beat professional choker Musashimaru
to advance, right into the clutches of
Takanohana. After a brutal stare down,
Taka managed to easily flip a tired-

 

looking Ake onto the clay to claim his
sixteenth yusho, his fifth in the last
sixth, and eighth out of the last eleven.

For the awards, Dejima was
awarded the Ginosho, Kaio won the
Shukunsho, and Tamakasuga won the
Kantosho.

Preparation for the Vancouver
exhibition basho is well underway. It is
to be held June 6 and June 7, 1998 at
the PNE Colliseum. A website, though
down this week, has even been put up,
and it is quite impressive, as is the
logo. There is more information
available on the official Sumo Associa-
tion webpage at www.sumo.or.jp, and
as soon as the tournament website is
back on-line, your humble servant
Jimmihanada will let you, the honour-
able reader, know.

 

The BC Lions head coach
Adam Rita announced to
the media on April 30,
1997, the signings of two
new players and a trade.
Two Non-import players,
veteran quarterback and
kicker Guilio Caravatta
and offensive guard Bob
Beveridge, will be joining
the Lions this season,
along with the Non-import
linebaker Chris Tsangaris
who was aquired from the
Montreal Alouettes in
exhange for future
considerations.

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