A large turnout of Shiroumakai judokas at the Hiroshikai Judo Championships at Holy Family School on Saturday has pushed the club further ahead in the season standings.
The Shiroumakai Judo Club, which operates out of Vanier Catholic Secondary, more than doubled the participation of the other three Whitehorse schools combined at the tourney. Practically blanketing the podium results, Shiroumakai moved up to 89 points in Judo Yukon’s Champions League Cup standings over Hiroshikai with 32, Golden Horn with 23 and Northern Lights with 17. (The Championships League Cup, introduced this year, awards points to the four clubs over the four local tournaments in the season, crowning a winner in March.)
“We had the most numbers there - it was a pretty small turnout because of the weather,” said Shiroumakai sensei Aaron Jensen.
However, while the medal count is up for Shiroumakai, the Best Performance Club Trophy could head to Hiroshikai, which has a higher average of points per competitor after two tournaments.
That is not to say Shiroumakai was without big winners.
Shiroumakai white belt Emiko Teramura took in four gold medals, winning mixed 11/60lbs newaza (kneeling), girls’ U-11/60lbs, beginners’ judo knowledge and ukemi (break falls).
“She was on her game that day,” said Jensen. “She just started this fall, but she has a real flare for it, so we expect her to go places.
“She hasn’t been taught a lot, but what she has been taught she’s picking up fast.”
Another Shiroumaka beginner, Amy Roberts, won gold in mixed boys and girls U-17/100lbs and in the 120lbs category.
“She’s, I think, 12-years-old - she’s a little tiger,” said Jensen. “She’s another girl, that has natural talent, that we hope will stick with it. If she does, she can definitely go far.”
Shiroumaka also showed good spirit on the mats with the tournament’s sportsmanship award going to Kaylee Johnson.
“Just from having a positive attitude,” said Jensen. “She didn’t win all her fights, but even when she lost she had a smile on her face and was congratulating her competitor.
“On and off the mat she had a really positive attitude.”
Although judo is a sport included in the Canada Winter Games, being held next month in Halifax, there will be no judokas going with Team Yukon.
“Either they were too young or too old. The other thing was you have to compete at nationals and you have to be a green belt or higher,” said Judo Yukon president Dan Poelman. “So we only had one kid that qualified to go.”
While Yukon’s lone qualifying judoka will not be competing in judo, she will be representing the territory in Halifax. A multi-sport athlete, Lara Bellon will be one of five snowboarders on Team Yukon next month.
RESULTS
<Mixed boys and girls U-11/60lbs
Newaza (kneeling)
Gold: Emiko Teramura
Silver: Alan Johnson
Bronze: Maria Vasseur
Mixed boys and girl s U-15/100lbs
Newaza - Division 1
Gold: Raymond O’Neill
Silver: Thomas Dickson
Bronze: Paige Poelman
Mixed boys and girls U-15/100lbs
Newaza - Division 2
Gold: Erica Couch
Silver: Donovan Horvath
Bronze: Raymond O’Neill
Girls U-11/60lbs
Gold: Emiko Teramura
Silver: Kaylee Johnson
Mixed boys and girls U-15/100lbs
Gold: Jaydon Leenders
Silver: Thomas Dickson
Bronze: Erica Couch
Mixed boys and girls U-17/100lbs
Gold: Amy Roberts
Silver: Andrew Couch
Bronze: Donovan Horvath
Mixed boys and girls U-17-120lbs
Gold: Amy Roberts
Silver: Jerry Miller
Bronze: Andrew Couch
Boys U-15/+120lbs
Gold: Max Brewster
Silver: Jerry Miller
Judo knowledge (beginners)
Gold: Emiko Teramura
Gold: Donovan Horvath
Silver: Jadon Leenders
Bronze: Thomas Dickson
Bronze: Kaylee Johnson
Judo knowledge (intermediate)
Gold: Andrew Jensen
Silver: Paige Poelman
Bronze: Andrew Couch
Ukemi (beginners)
Gold: Emiko Teramura
Silver: Alan Johnson
Bronze: Jaydon Leenders
Ukemi (intermediate)
Gold: Paige Poelman
Silver: Erica Couch
Bronze: Andrew Couch
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com