Last year’s podium for the 1st Copa Bela / Photo: Mannie Romero

Arizona’s premiere all-female Jiu-Jitsu tournament returns for its second installment on May 4, 2013. Headed by stand-out Nova Uniao Brown belt, 2013 Pan Jiu-Jitsu Champion, and promoter of Inspire: All Female Open Mat, Kristina Barlaan, the 2nd Copa Bela boasts a tournament committed to the growth of women in sport Jiu-Jitsu. With divisions for juveniles, adults, and newly added masters division, as well as a brown/black belt absolute pro division offering $1000 to the winner, the tournament continues to push the pace for evolution of females in our sport.

“This is an excellent opportunity for women in the sport to compete and test their skills in a tournament atmosphere. Novice competitors get introduced to the thrills of competing for the first or second time and more advanced competitors get a nice tune-up competition before the 2013 IBJJF World Championship the following month. It’s great to see the women’s Jiu-Jitsu community grow with more seminars, camps, open mats, and, more recently, tournaments dedicated to that growth. Last year, the 1st Copa Bela saw 35 competitors take to the mats, with 4 of those competitors being in the brown/black absolute pro division. A lot of people may see that number and call it small. I call it a start. The very first Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship had 200 competitors and now it’s over 3,000! Of course the Copa Bela isn’t the Pans, but why should I not believe that it has the ability to grow in the same way? If we as a community continue to support these kinds events, then it’s only natural that we will not only see an increase of women in the sport, but an overall increase in women participating in competition,” says Barlaan.

You can read about the first installment and who won the brown/black absolute pro division by clicking here.

The tournament will be located at Phoenix College: 1202 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85013.

Registration ends April 29 at 11:59 p.m. DST but if you sign up before April 22, get a $10 discount and pay $70.

The 2nd Copa Bela is promoted by GDJJ Events in conjunction with the AZSBJJF, therefore following the protocols of the IBJJF.

For more information, go to www.gdjjevents.com.

To register, go straight to www.gdjjevents.com/copa-bela-registration.