RE: [sumo] [spoiler] Tachikaze

["Walker, Jay" <Walker@nhrc.navy.mil>]

>In a blow to state efforts to lure the Nihon Sumo Kyokai from Tokyo to Los 
Angeles, Kurt "Tachikaze" Rightmyer is currently tied for 71st place in 
the race of the governorship of California with over half the votes 
counted. 

So did any of the other Californians on the list wind up voting for
Tachikaze?  The one person running who I felt could do a seriously good job
had dropped out, and not finding the other major candidates particularly
palatable, I turned to Tachikaze.

I actually met him at the U.S. Sumo Open on Los Angeles in July.  I remember
distinctly that he won one match there, and my best recollection is that he
won two.  He wasn't among the leading competitors, but I thought he did
pretty well for a 38-year old.

The real treat at the event was the presence of Akebono oyakata.  After
sitting in the sun at the judges table for a couple of hours (it was an
outdoor event with maybe 1,000 in attendance), I think oyakata was getting a
little restless, so he announced that he was going to don a mawashi and take
on the winner of the open competition.  That turned out to be a Hungarian
(sorry I don't have his name with me at the moment), and he looked
impressive in going undefeated in winning both the heavyweight and open
competitions.  Akebono went through him in about 3 seconds.  Akebono asked
for more, and they fought a few other bouts with Akebono going at about 80%.
Then Akebono summoned a few other competitors for some friendly matches
before calling it a night.

-George W.
[EndPost by "Walker, Jay" <Walker@nhrc.navy.mil>]