|
2nd Annual AKC Invitational Bogu Tournament
February 20, 1999 began with bad weather, but that did not stop 50+ eager karate-ka from venturing out on slippery roads towards the Atlantic Karate Club (Chocolate Lake Community Center). They came to attend the second annual Invitational Bogu tournament. Planning had started before Christmas with advance notice sent out to all Chito Ryu clubs in the Maritimes in early January. Steven Gionet was the chief organizer, and was assisted by a small army of volunteers. Mitchell German was in charge of the referees, Sensei Delaney was the Head Referee, and Marc Waterfield designed the splendid graphics which ended up on the tournament T-shirts. Many thanks go to these guys and the many others who helped with set up the night before and with working at the tournament.
We were given some advance coverage by Q104 who enthusiastically mentioned the tournament on Friday morning. Also, Global TV aired an interview with Gary Sabean, also showing a brief demonstration of fighting in bogu. Afterward, the results were in both the Halifax daily newspapers. A complete listing of the tournament results appears later in this issue.
Mitchell German (left) and Gary Sabean (right) compete in the Black Belt Kumite Division.
|
The tournament was held in the main gymnasium of the Chocolate Lake Community Center. There were two rings set up and each event had a full complement of referees: five for the kata competition, and three for the kumite competition. Attendance had certainly been hurt by the weather, but everyone who came was very pleased to have been there. Some brave souls made the long trip from Prince Edward Island (from the West Isle Karate Club) and others traveled from the far end of Cape Breton (Leo Donovan's Cape Breton Highlands Karate Club).
Marc Waterfield performs the kata Ryusan
in the Black Belt Kata competition.
|
All in all it was a great day. I personally found it a very positive in that there was a larger than usual turnout in the adult women's division. With seven competitors in Kata and five in Kumite, this was a definite increase over last year, when there were only three adult females in attendance.
By: Poppy Balser
|
