6th Rocky Mountain Kyokushin Karate Tournament
November 4th, 2006, Cranbrook, BC

Osu!

November 4 2006 was the offering of the 6th Rocky Mountain Kyokushin Karate Tournament. The event saw both Kata & Kumite competition. The 2 segments of the day combined to have over 120 competitors from 18 dojos from BC, Alberta & Nevada, USA competing. Those clubs were Rocky Mountain, Invermere, Banff, Cremona, Keremeos, Penticton, Armstrong, Calgary, Stoney Plain, Edmonton, Surrey, Newton, Vancouver, Lumby, Surrey, Parksville and 2 dojos from outside the IKOK(C), Elko, Nevada & Dawson Creek. Due to unexpected snow fall in the mountains, the New Denver Dojo got snowed in at home.

The Kata divisions were hotly comtested this year. This component of the competition becomes stronger & stronger each year, with green & brown belts doing dan level kata, and doing them well. We saw Seipai & Kanku from this group in the Open division. However, experience & training paid off with Sensei Tats Nakamura winning the Gold in the Open Division over Grayson Clague (silver), 1st kyu (Kanku) & Aimee Ravenstein (Bronze), 3rd kyu (Seipai), with a masterful SushiHo

Once again the Rocky Mountain Tournament piloted a number of innovations to the divsions. Several years ago this tournament introduced the double elimination format to the non-contact children's divisions. This year this format was expanded to include all knockdown divisions including the Open division. The Rocky Mounatin Tournament was started to provide development for novice & intermiediate level fighte. The use of the double elimination format gives young fighters greater opportunity to gain experience in the ring. The other positive comment that was received about the format was that it gave those fighters which came from great distances a better experience and opportunity for their travel effort.

The open division featured 5 fighters this year and clearly the quality of the fighting at this level has improved greatly. At the end of the day Sensei Nathan Howat from Edmonton Dojo won the day. Sensei Nathan displayed a good variety of technique, scoring a number of wasari with his jodan mawashi geri. Lane McNealy from Elko Nevada took the Silver and Matt Stuckenberg of Parksville, BC taking the Bronze. But at the end of the day it was the coloured belt women that took the technical & spirit honours of the tournament. The Spirit award went to Lisa Johnson and the Technical Award went to Asya Flaata, both of the Rocky Mountain Dojo. The tournament also show the results of the Rocky Mountain Kyokushin ShinkoKai's (Promotion Society) fund raising efforts over the last number of years. The new tournament mats were used for the first time at the tournament. All the safety equipment used throughout the day as well as the mats were purchased due the the efforts of the society.

Part of the inovations this year included up dated and redesigned scoring software for both Kata & Kumite. This work was done by Rod Ravenstein, father of 3 long term Rocky Mountain students - Aimee, Adam & Lyndsay. As part of the up grade, kata results and kumite draws, both in real time, were projected on a wall screen for the enlightenment of the competitors and spectators. Many good comments were received about this inovation. Rod has promised a further updatyed version of the software for next year. Thanks Rod!

I would like to thank the dojos that participated, the competitors, the parents, the fund raising team and the organizing team from Cranbrook led by Sempai Maxine Adshead. This event is sponsored by the fund raising society as a fund raising event. So any profits made during the day will go back into equipment and travel funds for students here in Cranbrook.

A special thanks for Sensei's Tats and Brad for their work in running the officiating during the day.

See you next year!!!

Osu!

Don Corrigal

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Kata Results

White-Under 12
Jeremy Kapsata
Chris Lavery
Dalton Gallina

White
Karen Kettenacker
Carmen Gallina

Orange - Under 12
Sean Thompson
Ty Ryley
Breann Billey

Orange
Jennifer Quirt
Bettina Harach

Blue - Under 12
Tanner Eady
Brennan Weaver
Risa Haskins

Blue
Amanda Rutherford
Chris Carpenter
Tanya Dearden

Yellow
Aysa Flaata
Lindsay Waugh
Kaia Lange

Green
Eileen Kohorst
Adam Ravenstein
Aimee Ravenstein

Brown
Grayson Clague
Matt Stuckenberg
Jeremiah Breeze

Open
Tats Nakamura
Grayson Clague
Aimee Ravenstein

Black
Team Keremeos 
Rocky Roadsters
The Heavyweights

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The Cranbrook Tournament is the first tournament I've ever participated in.  It was incredibly fun and exciting and I can't wait until the next tournament that I can participate in.  It all started about two months ago when my training partners, Allana and Sempai Cathleen, and I started to train together in addition to regular classes.  During classes we received extra help from Sensei Tom, Sempai Dawn-Leah, Jim and Dwight (to name a few).  The two months felt like six we were training so much and as we got closer to the tournament the anticipation grew.  The tournament itself ran smoothly and was well organized; although it seemed time slowed down while I was waiting for my turn to compete in the kata and fighting divisions.  I found that I was far more nervous about the kata than the fighting but I'm very pleased with the end result.  I was hesitant to compete in the kata tournament but I really enjoyed it and I will continue to participate in kata tournaments.  Allana competed in the fighting and her spirit during her fights was incredible.  Watching everyone compete in both kata and fighting was inspiring.  I feel that I have grown and learned a lot thanks to participating in the tournament.  I would have never of participated without the support of everyone from the Newton Dojo.  I am so thankful for the support and advice I was given.  I would like to also thank Cranbrook Dojo for their hospitality.

 Osu,

Jennifer Quirt
Newton Dojo

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