Fighters Grapple For First Place at Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Competition

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SANTA CRUZ, Calif.- Close to 800 national and international competitors took to the mats last weekend at the Civic Auditorium for the 13th annual U.S. Open of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu hosted by the local Santa Cruz academy run by Claudio Franca.

The tournament is regarded to be among the top three events in the world for the martial arts discipline. Competitors battled in some 50 different medal classes in varying weights and belts.

Portions of money raised from the tournament go to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, as well as Santa Cruz's Good Shepherd Catholic School.

Among the notable people entered in the tournament was former two-time world longboard surfing champion Joel Tudor. Tudor competed in the featherweight divsion as a black belt, defeating Felipe Lattari by submission.

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