Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Academy Championships - Sunday 16th October

The Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Academy Championships were held this year at Stratford Park Leisure Centre, Stroud on Sunday 16th September. Seventeen of the Wado Academy Clubs were represented these included: - Bristol Wado-Ryu, Budo-Juku (Bridgwater), Coventry College of Karate, Devon Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Kai, Farnham, Haslemere, Hardwicke Wado-Ryu, Jion (Aldershot), Lendo, Nailsworth Wado-Ryu, Ohku-Kai, Sparkhill Karate Club, Stonehouse Wado-Ryu, Stroud Wado-Ryu, and Worcester Wado-Ryu. Apologies for absence were received from Bournemouth Wado-Ryu.

The Tournament was organised and run by Nick Quilliam Renshi. Some of the Officials at the competition included: - M. Shiomitsu Hanshi, George Grimes Kyoshi, Bob Flowers Renshi, Arthur Meek Renshi, Robert Howells Sensei, Graham Tuckey Sensei, Len Jay Sensei, Leslie Giles Sensei, Humphrey Arnett Sensei, Peter Hill Sensei, Dr Graham Hopkins Sensei and Andy Kilby. Some of the helpers on the day included: - Jo Weatherall, Heidi Prosser, Denise Ward, Chris Gibbs, Nick Cameron, Kevin Green, Paul Huxstep, Ian Clare and Pete Miessner and some who help with the set up the day before - Leeroy Ellis Sensei and Jenny and Pete Miessner.

During the championships M. Shiomitsu Hanshi gave a demonstration of Tanto Dori with Arthur Meek Renshi.

Results

MEN’S 15+ INDIVIDUAL KATA 3rd KYU AND ABOVE 
1st Paul Cornish Budo-Juku (Bridgwater)
2nd Matthew Soanes Devon Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Kai 
3rd Andrew Rigby Budo-Juku (Bridgwater) 
4th Jamie Bowen Worcester Wado-Ryu

WOMEN’S 15+ INDIVIDUAL KATA 3rd KYU AND ABOVE 
1st Roxane Guttridge Devon Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Kai 
2nd Rebecca Neil Budo-Juku (Bridgwater) 
3rd Ashley Gouge Budo-Juku (Bridgwater) 
4th Natasha Johansen Stroud Wado-Ryu

MEN’S 18+ INDIVIDUAL KUMITE 3rd KYU AND ABOVE 
1st Ami Dhaliwal Sparkhill Karate Club
2nd Joe Bale Budo-Jiku (Bridgwater)
3rd Glyn Curtis Haslemere 
3rd Jitendra Shakya Jion (Aldershot)

WOMEN’S 15+ INDIVIDUAL KUMITE ANY GRADE 
1st Ashley Gouge Budo-Jiku (Bridgwater)
2nd Roxane Guttridge Devon Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Kai
3rd Sara Johanson Stroud Wado-Ryu
3rd Anna Cantin Ohku-Kai

MALE CADETS 15,16,17 YEARS INDIVIDUAL KUMITE ANY GRADE 
1st Edward Siviter Devon Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Kai 
2nd Jamie Bower Worcester Wado-Ryu
3rd Myles Gratton Budo-Juku (Bridgwater) 
3rd Lee Ziolkowski Bristol Wado-Ryu

MEN’S 18+ TEAM KUMITE ANY GRADE
1st Sparkhill Karate Club
2nd Budo-Juku (Bridgwater)
3rd Coventry College of Karate 

MIXED TEAM KUMITE 2 MEN 18+ AND 1 WOMAN 15+ 
1st Budo-Juku (Bridgwater) 
2nd Devon Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Kai 
3rd Ohku-Kai

MEN’S 18+ INDIVIDUAL KUMITE UP TO 4th KYU 
1st Imran Mirza Ohku-Kai
2nd Jalek Lechowicz Farnham 
3rd Paul Andrew Budo-Juku (Bridgwater)
3rd Stuart Moares Budo-Juku (Bridgwater)

INDIVIDUAL KATA 15+ ANY SEX UP TO 4th KYU 
1st Gareth Jones Worcester Wado-Ryu
2nd Maggie Thomas Sparkhill Karate Club 
3rd Jalek Lechowicz Farnham
4th Rosalie Darien-Jones Stroud Wado-Ryu

CHILDREN’S KATA 12 TO 14 YEAR OLDS ANY GRADE ANY SEX 
1st Amy Claire Sparkhill Karate Club
2nd Megan Jones Bristol Wado-Ryu
3rd Sheldon Herron Worcester Wado-Ryu
4th Jens Newton Nailsworth Wado-Ryu 

MALE CHILD KUMITE 12, 13 & 14 YEARS OLD ANY GRADE 
1st Ben Nash Budo-Juku (Bridgwater)
2nd Adam Guntripp Budo-Juku (Bridgwater)
3rd Sheldon Herron Worcester Wado-Ryu 
3rd Kurt Polley Budo-Juku (Bridgwater) 

FEMALE CHILD KUMITE 12, 13 & 14 YEARS OLD ANY GRADE 
1st Halima Afzal Sparkhill Karate Club 
2nd Mia Andrens Budo-Juku (Bridgwater)
3rd Megan Jones Bristol Wado-Ryu
3rd Shannon Townsend Bristol Wado-Ryu

CHILDREN’S KATA 8 TO 11 YEAR OLDS ANY GRADE ANY SEX
1st Jordan Thomas Sparkhill Karate Club
2nd Q Aftab Sparkhill Karate Club
3rd Matthew Mears Budo-Juku (Bridgwater)
4th Joseph Morgan Hardwicke Wado-Ryu

CHILDREN’S KUMITE 10 AND 11 YEARS OLD ANY GRADE ANY SEX
1st Lawrence Nicholson Budo-Juku (Bridgwater)
2nd Connor Polley Budo-Juku (Bridgwater)
3rd William Owusu Nailsworth Wado-Ryu

Medal table

Chris Gibbs makes it to 2nd Dan

At the European Dan Grading for the Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Academy on Wednesday 28 February 2007, Chris Gibbs of Stroud Wado-Ryu was awarded his Second Dan by the grading panel consisting of: M Shiomitsu Sensei 9th Dan, Hanshi Kazutaka Ohtsuka Sensei, George Grimes Sensei 7th Dan Renshi, Nick Quilliam Sensei 6th Dan Renshi, Arthur Meek Sensei 6th Dan Renshi

Chris said that being awarded his Second Dan was a great honour. Most people think that achieving a Black Belt is the ultimate goal in martial arts. In reality achieving a Black belt (1st Dan) is the beginning of a long journey. He also commented that whilst he was very pleased and elated to have received his Second Dan, he also felt a sense of relief. Grading can get in the way of training. Focusing purely on the grading syllabus is not what training should be about.

The Dan Grading took place on the last day of the 5-day Winter Course. The next day (Thursday 1st March) Chris could be found back in the Stroud dojo helping out with the youngsters and then enjoying his usual Thursday evening class. Some say he had a bigger smile than usual!