Twelve competitors from the 100 Mile House area made the trip to Vernon to take part in the Judo BC Open on April 5 and 6.
“We all had a great time and it was exciting to see everybody giving their best,” said Sabine Smolarek, co-owner and a coach of the event.
Maxi Springmann took home gold in the U14 50 kg weight classes. Kayden Little also won a silver medal in the 50 kg U14 competition. Wilfred Law also got a silver but in the U14 42 kg division.
Several other of the competitors won medals, with Andy Stoeckli (three golds) and Smolarek (one gold) in Kata - forms of self-defence and ground techniques.
Andrew May also came away with a silver in Tachi Waza and Newaza. Nicole Allport-Niles was rewarded with her efforts with a bronze medal in the female division.
Shakota Grotke, Emma-Lee Svendson, Johanna Springmann, Myah Mason and Preston Fields were also competitors.
In total, Shin Bu Kan Judo brought home eight medals.
The Shin Bu Kan Judo club has also founded a new Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) club called Kalianda this year.
Smolarek and Stoeckli, who co-own the dojo, had a summer camp with the West Coast BJJ Club in 2015, where they and Maizal Suryadi (the instructor at West Coast BJJ) practised both martial arts.
“This summer camp has been becoming a tradition over the last five years,” said Smolarek. “We met regularly and became friends with the West Coast BJJ Club instructor Maizal Suryadi. Every year more members of the judo family came out and practice Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu which is very familiar to people who practice judo.”
The new club will meet every Friday and have a one-weekend seminar per month, learning technique, movements, the scope of the martial art and the tournament rules and scoring system.
Both clubs are located at 125 Cedar Avenue.
“All participants profit from this cooperation and it is a lot of fun.”
For more information call Smolarek or Stoeckli at the Shin Bu Kan Judo Club at 250-706-9616.
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