Judo Yukon kicked off what will be one the organization’s busiest season in years on Saturday.
Judokas hit the mat at the Golden Horn Judo Championships, the first of four Yukon tournaments, at Golden Horn Elementary School on Saturday.
“This is the first tournament of the year. All the kids come out to get some competitive experience,” said Judo Yukon president Peter Melanson, who recently took over the role from long-time president Dan Poelman.
“We had a ton of new kids join up with the club, so that’s why it went a little late ... I think we had close to 60 new kids across the Yukon join up.”
In addition to the Yukon club championships, including the Yukon Open, there’s the Alaska State Judo Championships, the Edmonton International Championship and the Canadian Judo Championships next May in Montreal.
“We have a much larger team than past years going to nationals,” said Melanson. “I think the Yukon Open is going to be our biggest yet this year. I’ve been talking to Nunavut and they’re coming, Northwest Territories wants to come, Alaska is coming, and we’re trying to get some of the southern provinces to come up for it too.”
Yukon will also be sending a competitor to the Canada Winter Games this February in Prince George, B.C., for the first time since the 2007 Games in Whitehorse.
On board to represent Yukon is 16-year-old Jacob Melanson.
“I think it’s going to be awesome, a great experience and I can’t wait to go,” he said.
Jacob is a student at Whitehorse’s Shiroumakai Judo Club with nine years of experience under his brown belt. He has already represented Judo Yukon at numerous Canadian championships.
“No matter what happens, he’ll get a good experience out of it,” said Judo Yukon head coach Bianca Ockedahl. “It’s good preparation for the Edmonton International in March and the national championships in May.”
Judo Yukon is also hoping to assemble a team for the Western Canada Summer Games next August in Wood Buffalo, Alta.
The long term goal is to field a full team of 14 judokas for the 2019 Canada Winter Games, said Ockedahl, a three-time national champ.
“I’ll be here for five years, trying to get as many kids as possible into judo. Even if they don’t want to compete, they’re here to have fun, and especially at the younger ages that’s the most important thing. If they choose to compete after, there’s a program out there for them to develop those skills.”
Results
Male
U14 under-50kg intermediate
1st Kenny Hyatt
2nd Rowen Kingston
3rd Scottie Sheppard
U12 under-33kg intermediate
1st Jayden Iskra
2nd Kaleb Parry
3rd Glade Roberts
U8 over-25kg white belt
1st Gabriel Racine
1st Alex Lojang
1st Sam Zephyr
U8 under-25kg white belt
1st Kenai Bryden
1st Carter Little
U12 under-39kg intermediate
1st Ben Machtan
2nd Daniel Tonner
3rd Eban Basnett
3rd Kurtis Hyatt
U8 under-20kg white belt
1st Jana Lojand
U10 under-23kg white belt
1st Luke Roberts
U14 over-66kg intermediate
1st Darrien James
2nd Jayden Leenders
U10 under-32kg white belt
1st Brennan Little
2nd Nathan Mostyn
3rd Jazzen Patterson
Female
U12 under-45kg intermediate
1st Emersyne Siase
2nd Phoenix Scailes
U10 under-26kg white belt
1st Mackenzie Bolduc
U10 under-30kg white belt
1st Mackenzie Tonner
U12 under-48kg white belt
1st Taia Zakus
2nd n/a
3rd Mitchell Peacock
Knowledge (beginner)
1st Rogan Parry
2nd Damon Tonner
3rd Carter Little
Knowledge (intermediate)
1st Kenny Hyatt
2nd Jayden Iskra
3rd Rowen Kingston
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com