For KUGB members, the Shotokan Cup signals the start of a very busy with competitions, Dan gradings and International tournaments looming.
The Shotokan Cup itself is the KUGB’s National Individual Championship and takes place at the Queens Park Leisure Centre in Chesterfield. It is open only to Black and Brown Belts from all parts of the UK and Ireland and over its 43 year history, this competition has seen many of our most famous competitors take part. This year it included many of the competitors who are hoping to be selected to represent their country at the ESKA European Championships in Nis, Serbia, in November.
The eighteen events were split into twelve Kumite categories and six for Kata and with so much talent on display, it presented the opportunity to enhance the reputations of the more seasoned competitors whilst highlighting future potential champions coming through the ranks. The enthusiastic audience were not disappointed.
As well as the trophies for each category, two solid silver ‘Shotokan Cups’ are presented for the most outstanding competitors in Kata and Kumite. This year Sensei Sherry presented these to Stuart Amos for Kata for the first time and for the fifth consecutive the Kumite Cup was presented to Joe Rawcliffe.
Congratulations to all of the competitors whose high standards and fighting spirit is an inspiration to us all and a big thank you to all those spectators who came to cheer them on. Sensei Sherry was particularly pleased with the strong, spirited attitude and high technical standard of Karate from everyone who competed and thanked all the Referees and Judges, Timekeepers and Recorders, the Medical Staff, Dudley Wheatcroft and members of the Satori Shotokan Karate Club and the Manager and Staff at the Queens Park Leisure Centre for their great help in organising this event.
The full results are as follows:
Male Senior Individual Kumite
1. Joe Rawcliffe – Halewood
2. Ryan Tucker – Leeds Shotokan
3. Jon McGorian – Halewood
3. Ethan Armstrong – Leeds Shotokan
Female Senior Individual Kumite
1. Rhianne Rawcliffe – Halewood
2. Rebecca Rawcliffe – Halewood
3. Caroline McGrath – Ronin
3. Charlotte Lindsley – Shotokan Karate Academy
Male Senior Individual Kata
1. Stuart Amos – Red Triangle
2. Joe Rawcliffe – Halewood
3. Marcus Ingham – Cambridge University
4. Richard Black – Regashi Karate Academy
Female Senior Individual Kata
1. Cristina Finta – Shotokan Karate Academy
2. Charlotte Lindsley – Shotokan Karate Academy
3. Sam Stuart – Malvern
4. Emma Lloyd – Solihull Karate Academy
Male Junior Individual Kumite 18-20
1. Kyle Watkin – Bargoed
2. Connor Wilson – St Johns
3. Tushan Joseph – Leeds Shotokan
3. Bradley Williams – Woolton/Garston
Male Junior Individual Kumite 16-17
1. Luciano Zanuni – Leeds Shotokan
2. Niall Gilligan – Solihull Karate Academy
3. Sam Holbrook – Malvern
3. Patrick O’Neill – Aigburth
Female Junior Individual Kumite
1. Katherine Cheshire – Halewood
2. Thea Priest – Somerset Ryu
3. Eliana Rooks – Sendai Kushiro
3. Amy Bunnett – Malvern
Male Junior Individual Kata
1. Matthew Gibson – Sendai Kushiro
2. Connor Wilson – St Johns
3. Bradley Williams – Woolton/Garston
4. Callum Wilson – St Johns
Female Junior Individual Kata
1. Jess Palmer – Tekki RS
2. Thea Priest – Somerset Ryu
3. Bethany Miller – Sendai Kushiro
4. Penny Sinclair – Porthcawl
Boy’s Kumite 5’5″ and Over
1. Marcus Barker – Kirkby
2. Bradley Barker – Kirby
3. Bryan Nichol – Merthyr Tydfil
3. Bradley O’Shaughnessy – Malvern
Girl’s Kumite 5’3″ and over
1. Rebecca Adie – Sendai Kushiro
2. Mia Hillsden – Chelmsford
3. Lois Shaw – Kirkby
3. Christina Fortuna – Rising Sun Academy
Boy’s Kumite 5′ to Under 5’5″
1. Jake Chin – Red Triangle
2. Lewis Robinson-Burns – Red Triangle
3. Tommy Mee – Kirkby
3. Sonny Groves – Malvern
Girl’s Kumite Under 5’3″
1. Miranda Moualeu – Leeds
2. Libby Vernon – Leeds
3. Bethany Nelson – Tekki RS
3. Molly Scully – Malvern
Boy’s Under 5′
1. Alex Lockett – Chelmsford
2. Thomas Heggarty – Solihull Karate Academy
3. Joshua Temple – Leeds
3. Josh Gibbons – Kirkby
Girls Kata
1. Mia Hillsden – Chelmsford
2. Bethany Nelson – Tekki RS
3. Maryam Lutfi – Kyoshin
4. Megan Fox – Sendai Kushiro
Boys Kata
1. Jake Chin – Red Triangle
2. Alex Lockett – Chelmsford
3. Max King-Lough – Sendai Kushiro
4. Denny Shy – Ashington NKA
Boy’s Kumite 10-11
1. Thomas Jago – Okami
2. Carlos Alvarez-Odell – York Elite
3. Jonathan Luke – Sendai Kushiro
3. Reece Keetley Costello – St Johns
Girl’s Kumite 10-11
1. Skye Taylor – Stock
2. Rojin Rafie – Sendai Kushiro
3. Ruby Evans – Merthyr Tydfil
3. Maryam Lutfi – Kyoshin
