A total of 65 judokas from clubs throughout the territory were on the mat for the 2023 Yukon Judo Championships on May 6 at the Canada Games Centre in Whitehorse.
Over the course of the day, judokas ranging in experience, weight and age class competed in 21 different categories for the top spot in their category.
The youngest of the competitors were born in 2016.
In the mixed U8 intermediate category for the under 25 kilograms, Owen Zylstra of the Shiroumakai Judo Club in Whitehorse placed first, followed by Maximum Bellencourt of the Hiroshikai Judo Club in Carcross in second place. In third place for the category was Benedict Lefebvre also of the Shiroumakai club.
In the U8 mixed novice category for those under 28 kilograms, Forest Barnes of the Golden Horn Judo Club took first followed by Max Davis and Laszlo Biero, both of the Shiroumakai club in second and third place respectively.
The U8 mixed novice group for those under 23 kilograms saw Benjamin Kaeolev of the Shiroumakai club, Hunter Mack of the Faro Judo Club and Sierra Robinson-Brown of the Hiroshikai club take the first, second and third spots respectively.
Meanwhile, in the final U8 novice category for those under 32 kilograms, Clark Callahan from the Golden Horn club placed first, followed by Salem Robinson-Brown from the Hiroshima club in second place and Jacob Mcfadyen from Faro in third place.
The U9 mixed intermediate group for under 31 kilograms saw Shiroumakai club competitors Laila Knopp-Cullen and Bridget Sheridan place first and second respectively followed by Ava Maceigan of the Hiroshikai club in third place.
The U10 girls intermediate, under 35-kilograms category saw Ava Wilcox of the Faro club in first place, followed by Nicca Isabelle-Bulatao of Carmacks in second and Summer Robinson-Brown from the Hiroshikai club in third.
In the U10 novice mixed category for under 30 kilograms, Calvin Mao of the Shiroumakai club took the top spot, while Golden Horn judokas Aurora Barnes and Luca Berger took second and third place respectively.
There were two competitors in the U11 novice category for boys under 45 kilograms with Thompson Yeomans of Golden Horn taking first while Howard Germaine-Johns of Hiroshikai took second.
In the U11 intermediate boys category for those under 33 kilograms, Philippe Lefavre and Xavier Davis of Shiroumakai claimed the first and second spots respectively with Evan Boyko of Hiroshikai taking third.
The Faro club had athletes claim the first two spots in the girls U12 intermediate category for those under 33 kilograms with Kelsey Bellings coming in first and Adaylynn Wilcox in second. Alexa Crayford of the Shiroumakai club placed third.
The U12 mixed intermediate category for under 42 kilograms saw the Golden Horn club well represented with Aurthor Creamer in first and Joah Campbell in third. Lianna Corriveau of Hiroshikai placed second.
The boys U12 intermediate category for under 37 kilograms saw Kippen Briggs of Shiroumakai place first, followed by Golden Horn club members William Callahan in second and Wade Sheaden in third.
The boys U13 and U14 intermediate categories of under 47 kilograms for U13 and under 46 kilograms for U14 each had two competitors with all coming from the Hiroshikai club. In U13 competition, Aydri Mosquera placed first with Kingsley Leamon in second, while in the U14 action, it was Granite Davis in first place followed by Aydri Mosquera who placed second.
In the under 58 kilogram class for U14 intermediate boys, Kolten Bellmore-Mayer of Carmacks took first, followed by Eli Kiriak and Rowan Hodgson of the Shiroumakai club who placed second and third respectively.
The boys U16 intermediate category saw Leiland Baker and Laurick Corriveau, both of the Hiroshikai club, place first and second respectively.
The boys U16 advanced group saw Huxley Briggs from Shiroumaki in first place followed by Hiroshikai judokas Laurick Corriveau in second and Granite Davis in third.
Meanwhile, the girls U16 intermediate category saw Lily Harvey of the Hiroshikai club take first, followed by Maxime Oleshak of Shiroumakai and Annelle Ballencourt of Hiroshikai in second and third place.
In the advanced U21 female category, which had two competitors, Kaylee Fortier of Shiroumakai placed first followed by Anya Bellon of Golden Horn who placed second.
The men’s advanced U21 category saw Eban Basnett and Liam Gishler of Shiroumakai place first and second respectively, with Ben Lojang of Hiroshikai in third.
Finally, in the men’s open category, Scottie James-Sheppard of Hiroshikai took first, followed by Eban Basnett in second and John Baker of Hiroshikai in third.
Contact Stephanie Waddell at stephanie.waddell@yukon-news.com