April 5, 2009

KARATE GIRLS IN NATIONAL TEAM TRIALS

The 2009 Ontario sport karate regional trials took place in London this past weekend (April 4th) where competitors
from across Ontario converged to test their skills in hopes of advancing to the National team trials taking place
May long weekend.  Only the top eight competitors of each division advance to the national sport karate team trials in Ottawa. 

The all-black belt event included divisions of forms which are patterns with a set of techniques, traditional and 
extreme weapons, extreme forms which include flips and tricks and point fighting.   Although it was a black belt
competition it was also open to lower ranks who wished to test their abilities among the black belts.   Among those
competing were 2 Barrie martial artists from RMA Karate Centres.   

For black belt Tressa Y it was her fifth time at the event continuing to prove she has the right stuff.  Competing
in the 13 to 17 year category Tressa won gold in the chinese forms division, gold in the extreme open division, gold
in the traditional weapons division, silver in the traditional forms division, bronze in the musical weapons division and
bronze in the minus 50kg point fighting.   

Samantha M, an underbelt holding the rank of purple belt which is 3 levels away from black, gave her best
for her first time at the major event.  Being an underbelt did not deter her from showing the judges what she was made
of.  In the 12 years and under divisions Samantha won silver in the musical weapons division and bronze in the
chinese forms division.  

Both girls continue to invest in extra training to prepare for the upcoming national sport karate team trials in Ottawa next
month. The 2 are excited about attending the event and will give everything they have for their chance to be part of
the national team representing Canada at the world sport karate championships in Dublin Ireland this October.