National Championships 2017

On Saturday, 6th May, the KUGB celebrated its 51st National Championship with competitors from all over the UK and Ireland traveling to the Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham.

The National Championships is the highest level of competition in the KUGB's home calendar. Alongside a large number of Karateka competing for the first time, there were many highly experienced competitors, including Internationals from the KUGB National Squads and USKF Ireland.

The eliminations started promptly at 10am and right from the start the standard of karate was extremely high on all areas. Every match was fiercely contested as competitors aspired to reach the finals and this helped raise the excitement for the many enthusiastic spectators and coaches.

Once the eliminations were complete, there was a short break which allowed not only the finalists to recharge their batteries, but also the Referees and Judges to get a respite from their very demanding schedule.

The finals started with the National Anthem followed by an introduction of Sensei Sherry, the KUGB's Chief Instructor and Chairman, and Senior Instructors of the KUGB: Sensei Terry O'Neill, Sensei Bob Poynton, Sensei Bob Rhodes, Sensei Billy Higgins, Sensei Jimmy Brennan, Sensei Frank Brennan (who's birthday it was), and Sensei Garry Harford.

KUGB Senior Instructors

A tribute was paid to a member of the KUGB Northern Ireland Squad, Zachary Geddis, who had recently passed away. Zachary had been a competitor many times at the KUGB National Championships and the crowd stood in silence to show respect.

Sensei Sherry then took time to meet and individually present certificates to those long standing members who had reached the following milestones in their KUGB Karate careers. The total number of LSM's currently training with the KUGB is 300 and these have amassed between them well over 10,000 years of training.

Over 20 years

Anthony Collins - St Johns
Matthew Jarrett - Cullompton
Alan Lea - South Notts
Graeme Lennie - KUGB Kazoku
David Mulvihill - Cullompton
Mark Williams - Largs

Over 30 years

Roger Green - Cullompton
Sab Hussain - Red Triangle
Michael Jones - Preston Rising Sun
Peter King - Stock
John O'Neill - Bushido
Malik Salameh - Preston Rising Sun

Over 40 years

John Hogan - Aaisatsu
Anthony Irvine - St Johns
Trevor Jarrett - Cullompton

Over 50 years

Michael Threlfall - Preston Rising Sun

Long Standing Member Ian Maclaren

A Special Presentation was also made to Ian MacLaren who was unable to receive his 50th award last year due to ill health.

The finals began with the Children's Individual Kata and Kumite events. In every final the talent and potential on display was excellent.

Then followed the first of two demonstrations. KUGB England Squad members Stuart Amos, Sam Light, Jamie Lottering, Jack Somers and Connor Wilson performed an excellent display of Team Kata, followed by Bunkai of the the Kata Gojushiho Sho.

Later on in the Finals there was a second demonstration by John Bruce, Sam Light and Jamie Allan of Sendai Kushiro who performed a self defence sequence. This showed how exciting and dynamic karate is with a range of kicks, throws and strikes.

All of the finals saw outstanding performances with those watching witnessing the depth and strength of the KUGB. Special mention goes to the Senior individual events where all four retained their titles : Holly Sterling in the Senior Female Kata for the 10th time, Rhianne Blundell in the Senior Female Kumite, Jack Somers in the Senior Male Kata and Joe Rawcliffe in the Senior Male Kumite. A fantastic achievement from them all.

The KUGB has three perpetual memorial trophies presented at the National Championships. These trophies are in memory of three Senseis that helped form and build the KUGB into the largest single style Karate organization in the UK. This year they were presented as follows:

The Sensei Charles Naylor Trophy for most outstanding competitor under 16 years was presented to Ilyas Hamid from Al Ghazali.

The Sensei Derek Langham Trophy for most outstanding competitor 16-20 years was presented to Bradley Williams of Woolton/Garston.

The Sensei Enoeda Trophy for most outstanding competitor over 21 years was presented to Joe Rawcliffe of Halewood.

Sensei Sherry was delighted that the National Championship was a such huge success. Both the number of competitors, including Jon McGorian who had travelled from the Falkland Islands in order to compete, had grown significantly as had the spectators. He was particularly pleased with the strong, spirited attitude and high technical standard of Karate from everyone who competed. He would like to congratulate all of the competitors and also thank the spectators, officials, volunteers, sponsors, medical teams and the staff of the Barclaycard Arena who, together, make this Championship such a prestigious and exciting event.

Results

Male Team Kumite

1. Leeds Shotokan
2. Cambridge University
3. Bargoed 
3. Halewood A

 

 

Male Individual Kumite

1. Joe Rawcliffe - Halewood
2. Remigijus Jurgilaitus - Leeds Shotokan
3. Herve Vanderkerchove - Cambridge University
3. Sam Light - Sendai Kushiro

 

 

Male Individual Kata

1. Jack Somers - Ipswich Higashi
2. Hisham Saif - Al Ghazali
3. Stuart Amos - Red Triangle
4. Matthew Gibson - Sendai Kushiro

Female Team Kumite

1. Halewood
2. Manchester University
3. Kirkby
3. Chelmsford A

 

 

Female Individual Kumite

1. Rhianne Rawcliffe - Halewood
2. Rebecca Rawcliffe - Halewood
3. Victoria Ogunseitan - Manchester University
3. Lottie Lindsley - Manchester University

 

 

Female Individual Kata

1. Holly Sterling - Sendai Kushiro
2. Cristina Finta - Manchester University
3. Thea Priest - KUGB Red Dragon
4. Rachel Edwards - Porthcawl

Adult Team Kata

1. Cambridge University 
2. Sendai Kushiro 
3. Ipswich Higashi 
4. Backwell

 

 

Male Junior Kumite 18-20

1. Ethan Armstrong - Leeds Shotokan
2. James Humphries - Leeds Shotokan
3. Ryan Spencer - Sendai Kushiro
3. Connor Wilson - St Johns

Female Junior Kumite 16-20

1. Katherine Cheshire - Halewood
2. Thea Priest - KUGB Red Dragon
3. Amy Bunnett - Malvern
3. Ellen Weaver - Cambridge University

 

 

Male Junior Kumite 16-17 Years

 

1. Bradley Williams - Woolton/Garston

2. Callum Wilson -St Johns

3. Alex Cockx - Hale Karate Academy

3. Aidan McLean - Malvern

 

 

Children's Team Kata

1. Al Ghazali
2. KUGB Chelmsford 
3. Sendai Kushiro 
4. KUGB Red Dragon

Boys Kumite over 5'5"

1. Leon Hoban - USKF Ireland
2. Niall Gillian - Solihull Karate Academy
3. Ilyas Hamid - Al Ghazali
3. Mikey Molloy - Kirkby

 

 

Girls Kumite 5'3" and over

1. Lily Rees - Tekki RS
2. Emily Kahl - Merthyr Tydfil
3. Kyra Bell - KUGB Kazoku 
3. Grace Couch - Red Lion

Boys Kumite 5'-5'5"

1. Abdul Saif - Al Ghazali
2. Dylan McCloskey
3. Bradley Barker - Kirkby
3. Marcus Barker - Kirkby

Girls Kumite Under 5'3"

1. Molly Scully - Malvern
2. Penny Sinclair - Porthcawl
3. Bethany Nelson - Tekki RS
3. Hannah Rodden - Zanshin NI

Boys Under 5' Kumite

1. Thomas Currie - Zanshin NI
2. Cowan Lewis - Akai Ryun
3. Thomas Hegarty- Solihull Karate Academy
3. Reece Hunt - Ipswich Higashi

Boys 10-11 Kumite

1. Sonny Groves - Malvern
2. Louis Jackson - Leeds Shotokan
3. Luca Harford - Shotokan Karate Academy
3. Alexander Lockett - KUGB Chelmsford

Girls 10-11 Kumite

1. Alice Jones - Merthyr Tydfil 
2. Millie Christopher - Kirkby
3. Ellie Morris - Porthcawl
3. Hannah Baird - Ashington NKA

Childrens Ippon Kumite

1. Layla King Lough -Sendai Kushiro
2. Ella Mackintosh - Sendai Kushiro
3. Caitlin Grimes - St Johns
3. Mayon Jayawickvama - Barnsley

 

Children's Dan Grade Kata

1. Ilyas Hamid - Al Ghazali
2. Leon Hoban - USKF Ireland
3. Mia Hillsden - KUGB Chelmsford 
4. Yusuf Pauls - Al Ghazali

 

 

Children's Kyu Grade Kata

1. Sam Ganner - KUGB Red Dragon 
2. Tom Dale - Ichiban
3. Jakob Bruce - Malvern
4. Skye Taylor - Stock

 

The Charles Naylor Trophy for Most Outstanding Competitor Under 16 was presented to Ilyas Hamid - Al Ghazali

 

The Derek Langham Trophy for Most Outstanding Competitor 16-20 was presented to Bradley Williams - Woolston/Garston

 

The Sensei Enoeda Trophy for Most Outstanding Competitor Over 21 was presented to Joe Rawcliffe - Halewood