The Mile High Karate Classic was a national open martial arts tournament promoted by Stephen Oliver in Denver, Colorado, from 1989 to 1999. It held the North American Sport Karate Association’s highest designation, World Tour status, every year of its run, and drew competitors from all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala and Haiti. Over the same years Oliver served on NASKA’s Board of Directors and executive committee as National Sanctioning Director.

Key facts

Years 1989–1999
City Denver, Colorado
Promoter Stephen Oliver, founder of Mile High Karate
Rating NASKA World Tour, every year 1989–1999 (described in period material as a NASKA “AAA” event)
Competitors from All 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala and Haiti
1989 grand champions Charlie Lee (forms) and Steve “Nasty” Anderson (fighting), per Stephen Oliver’s records
Video Black & Blue Productions recorded the 1997 event, including eliminations and the complete night finals

Why a Denver World Tour stop mattered

In the late 1980s the NASKA tour was concentrated in the East, South and Midwest. The Classic gave the western United States a top-rated event, and competitors who needed World Tour points came to Denver to earn them. By then Mile High Karate was already running internal tournaments of 500 to 800 students a quarter, so it had the volunteers, judges and logistics a national event needs: in Oliver’s own later description, more than 200 divisions in more than 20 rings, 150 or more volunteers and at least 100 Black Belt judges.

Who competed

The Classic ran through a decade in which sport karate changed. The early years were classic NASKA point fighting; by the mid and late 1990s musical, creative and extreme forms were filling the night-show grand championships. Competitors of the era on the circuit included Christine Bannon-Rodrigues, Mike Chaturantabut, Jon Valera, Chris Casamassa, Kevin Thompson, Garry Waugh, Ho Sung Pak, Steve “Nasty” Anderson, Hakim Alston and James Webster. National competitor Jeremy Keller’s published record lists results at the 1996 and 1998 Classics.

Stephen Oliver’s NASKA role

From 1989 to 1999 Oliver served on NASKA’s Board of Directors and executive committee and as its National Sanctioning Director, responsible for rating World Tour and national tournaments and for event quality control. A tournament’s rating decided how many points its winners earned, and so how many rated competitors it could draw.

Why the Classic ended in 1999

No announcement of the Classic’s end has surfaced. The record shows it held World Tour status to the end and, in Oliver’s own account, could net $30,000 to $50,000 at its peak. His later judgment, published in 2001, was that even that did not repay the time, travel and opportunity cost — staying relevant as a promoter meant twelve to fifteen weekends a year at other promoters’ events. His advice to school owners: promote a great tournament only if you love tournament karate and value the relationships, not because you expect it to grow your school. His energy went instead to Mile High Karate’s schools and, from 2000, to teaching other school owners.

Help complete the record

Grand champions for 1990–1999, attendance and venues for each year are still being documented. If you have programs, results sheets, ratings books, photographs or video from any Mile High Karate Classic, please call (303) 280-1839.

Further reading