Beaver Valley and Rossland Rec’s Chito Ryu Karate program attended Sensei Taneda’s Penticton Friendship tournament on the weekend with compelling results.
Dawson Stemmler and Meagan Campsall competed from the BV club while Morgaine Watts, age 10, entered from Rossland Chito Ryu karate.
“Other than the BC Provincials, this is usually the largest sanctioned Karate tournament in Western Canada,” explained Chito Ryu Sensei Scott Hutcheson in a release. “This year there were 180 competitors all from Chito Ryu Karate Dojo’s as far east as Saskatchewan and Hudson’s Hope, B.C. in the real north.”
Battling in Boys 10-11 Yellow Belt Division, Fruitvale’s Dawson Stemmler had a great performance and captured the bronze medal in the Kumite. Dawson and Meagan both placed fourth in their respective Katas, while Meagan grabbed fifth place in Kumite, and Morgaine placed fifth in her Kata.
“Everyone did an exceptional job,” added Hutcheson. “On Sunday there was the Clinic, and attending with us as guests were Sensei Robert From Salmo with a newly promoted first Kyu Brown Belt, and Zone 1 BC Winter Games team member Senpai Kobi Stephenson. It was the biggest clinic in Penticton as yet, I think, and it was a lot of fun.”
Next up for the Chito Ryu Karate Club is the BC Provincials in Richmond in May and possibly the revived Western Canadian Championships in Calgary in June. Call BV Rec at 367-9319 or Rossland Rec, 362-2327, FMI.