2017 Hatsu Basho banzuke released.

[Swami]

Sekiwake debutants add contrast to New Year tourney

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Details
Details
Created on Monday, 26 December 2016 12:11
Written by Kyodo

New Sekiwake Tamawashi © Kyodo

Tamawashi and Shodai were named Monday to man the sekiwake rank for January's New Year Grand Sumo Tournament, and the contrast between the two couldn't be any sharper.

When the 15 days of action kick off at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Jan. 8, Tamawashi will be competing in his 77th tournament. Only four other wrestlers have had more experience before making their debut at sumo's third highest rank.

On the other end of the spectrum from the 32-year-old Mongolian is 25-year-old Shodai, who will be competing in his 17th grand tournament. Among sekiwake debutants since 1958, only former ozeki Konishiki (14) needed fewer.

While Tamawashi, sumo's ninth Mongolian sekiwake, and Shodai are currently peers, their future progress is likely to be much different. Among the 11 sekiwake who took the longest to reach that rank, only Kirishima was ever promoted to ozeki.

On the other hand, the list of the 10 fastest movers contains four yokozuna and four ozeki -- including Tamawashi's countryman Terunofuji, who is currently active.

The Mongolian yokozuna trio of Kakuryu, Harumafuji and Hakuho remain at the top of the sport's pecking order, with Kakuryu at the summit following his championship in Fukuoka in November.

At ozeki, Kotoshogiku will be hoping for some of the good vibes he felt during his championship run last January. In Fukuoka, Kotoshogiku went 5-10 and will be demoted to sekiwake in March unless he can earn at least eight wins in January. It is his seventh tournament as a relegation-threatened "kadoban" ozeki.

Kisenosato, the ozeki senior statesman wrestler, is coming off a solid 12-3 record but is the only one of four men at his rank who has yet to win a grand tournament. Still, Kisenosato has been a candidate for yokozuna promotion three times in the past and a strong showing in Tokyo will likely earn him a fourth.

At the other end of the rankings, Egyptian Osunaarashi returns to the makuuchi division for the first time since July. He'll be wrestling at No. 16 maegashira after a 9-4 record in November in the second-tier juryo division.

He will be joined by two wrestlers making their upper-division debut. After winning the juryo championship in November, Sato has changed his name to Takakeisho. The 20-year-old will begin his makuuchi career as a No. 12 maegashira.

Also wrestling in the top flight for the first time will be 25-year-old Chiyoo, who earned promotion after going 8-7 as a No. 2 juryo wrestler in November.

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[Swami]

2017 January Grand Sumo Tournament Banzuke Topics
OzekiKotoshogiku

• Once again after the September tournament 2016 and personally for the 7th time, Kotoshogiku is Ozeki Kadoban. Following Terunofuji who had been Ozeki Kadoban in the last tournament, he is the 138th since the 1969 July Grand Sumo Tournament. Being active as Ozeki for 32 tournaments, he tied the 10th rank in history.

Sekiwake DebutTamawashi

• Tamawashi is the first Rikishi from Kataonami Beya to make his Sekiwake debut since Tamanoshima in the 2004 January Grand Sumo Tournament as well as the first since the present Shisho inherited it on the 4th of February 2010.
• He is the 9th Rikishi from Mongolia to reach that rank, following Terunofuji who had been promoted in March 2015.He is also the 19th foreigner. The previous ones had been Kaisei and Tochinoshin, both promoted this July.
• Taking 77 Basho to reaching Sekiwake since his debut ties the 5th slowest promotion in history, the same goes for taking 49 Basho since his first promotion to the Makuuchi Division.

Sekiwake DebutShodai

• Shodai is the first Sekiwake debutant from Tokitsukaze Beya since Toyonoshima in the 2008 September Grand Sumo Tournament and also the first Rikishi from this Heya to reach Sanyaku since Toyonoshima in May 2007.
• He is the 4th Rikishi from Kumamoto Prefecture post WWII to reach the Sekiwake rank. The previous one had been Fukunohana in January 1971. He is the 8th to reach Sanyaku. The previous one had been Futenno in September 2005.
• Concerning Rikishi who were successful in Amateur Sumo as students, Shodai is the 24th to reach the Sekiwake rank following Takarafuji who had been promoted this September. He is the 2nd former student of Tokyo University of Agriculture, following Yutakayama in November 1962, to reach the Sekiwake rank and the 44th Rikishi who was successful in Amateur Sumo as student to reach Sanyaku since Mitakeumi who had been promoted in the previous tournament.
• Concerning the Sanyaku promotion of Tokyo University of Agriculture’s former students, he is the 5th. The previous one had been Tokitenku in March 2007.
• Taking only 17 tournaments since his debut to reach the Sekiwake rank, Shodai tied the 2nd fastest promotion in history, also the 6th fastest concerning a Sanyaku promotion.

＜Tamawashi and Shodai＞

• There are two Sekiwake debutants again after Takayasu and Takarafuji in September 2016.

KomusubiTakayasu

• Takayasu returns to the Komusubi rank after 3 tournaments since July 2016 and is in Sanyaku for 4 consecutive tournaments.

Komusubi ReturnTochinoshin

• Tochinoshin returns to the Komusubi rank after 6 tournaments since January 2016 and to Sanyaku after 3 tournaments since July.

Makuuchi DebutTakakeisho

• Takakeisho is the second Rikishi to make his Makuuchi debut since the present Shisho founded it on the first of February 2004. The first one had been Takanoiwa in January 2014.
• He is the 24th Rikishi from Hyogo Prefecture to achieve this, following Kitaharima, who had been promoted in July 2016.

Makuuchi DebutChiyoo

• Chiyoo is the second RIkishi from Kokonoe Beya to make his Makuuchi debut since the present Shisho inherited it on the second of August 2016. The previous one was Chiyoshoma, promoted in September.
• He is the 22nd Rikishi post WWII from Kagoshima Prefecture, following Chiyomaru, who had been promoted in March 2014.

Makuuchi ReturnOsunaarashi

• Osunaarashi has returned to the Makuuchi Division after 3 tournaments since July 2016.

Juryo DebutRikishin

• Rikishin is the 4th Rikishi from Tatsunami Beya since the present Shisho inherited it on the 22nd of February 1999. The previous one was Meisei last tournament.

Juryo DebutTerutsuyoshi

• Terutsuyoshi is the 8th Rikishi from Isegahama Beya to make his Juryo debut since the present Shisho inherited Ajigawa Beya on the 26th of April 1993. The previous one was Terunofuji, promoted in September 2013.
• He is the 33rd Rikishi from Hyogo Prefecture post WWII to reach Juryo, the previous one had been Sato (current Shikona Takakeisho) in May 2016.

Juryo DebutDaiamami

• Daiamami is the 11th Rikishi from Oitekaze Beya to make his Juryo debut since the present Shisho founded it on the first of October 1998. The previous one had been Daishoho last tournament.
• He is the 32nd Rikishi post WWII from Kagoshima Prefecture, following Meisei.
• He is the 120th Rikishi who was successful in Amateur Sumo as student to reach Juryo since Oyanagi last tournament and the 48th former student of Nihon University following Tsurugisho who had been promoted in January 2016.

Juryo ReturnWakanoshima

• Wakanoshima returns to the Juryo Division after 2 tournaments.

Juryo ReturnKizenryu

• Kizenryu returns to the Juryo Division after 2 tournaments.

* For the first time since the return of Takasago Uragoro The First to the Sumo Kaisho in the 1878 May tournament where is Deshi Hibikiya appeared on a different ranking list in Makuuchi, there is no active Sekitori from Takasago Beya. Only Kasugano Beya has always had active Sekitori since those days.

Swami