There were as many Yukon clubs as Outside clubs represented at the Yukon Judo Championship on Saturday.
Yukon’s four judo clubs shared the mat with two clubs from Alaska, one from Kelowna, B.C. and one from Yellowknife at the Canada Games Centre.
“We thought we would make it a family visit and do the tournament as well,” said Kelowna Judo Club sensei Ingrid Stewart. “Maybe next year we’ll bring more from our club up ... It’s wonderful to get extra experience in - it’s more international with Alaska coming down as well.”
Saturday marked the first time B.C. and N.W.T. were represented at the championship. Nunavut sent judokas to compete last year and Alaskan clubs have competed every year since 2011.
“The reason the Alaskan clubs come to this is for the experience,” said tournament director and Shiroumakai sensei Aaron Jensen. “They’re kind of in the same boat as we are, they have to travel to the ‘Lower 49,’ as they call it, to fight somebody who’s not from your local area.”
The Kelowna Judo Club (KLJ) and Yellowknife Judo (YKJ) had small teams, but neither left empty-handed. Kelowna’s Shyanne Stewart, who was one of two to make the trip, won a silver and Yellowknife’s only competitor Hunter Hadley also captured silver.
Northern Lights Judo and Shiroumakai Judo pinned the most medals. Both Whitehorse clubs collected 17 medals. However, Northern Lights (NLJ) won eight gold while Shiroumakai (SHK) took in seven.
The two clubs also took in numerous individual awards.
Northern Lights’ Jaymi Hinchey was named toughest female competitor and Shiroumakai’s Daniel Tonner was named toughest male.
Shiroumakai’s Emersyne Sias received an award for female sportsmanship and Northern Lights’ Alexander Kiriak got the corresponding male award.
Shiroumakai’s Rowen Kingston was named most improved male and teammate Cassi Jensen got the award for best throw by a female competitor.
As well, Mackenzie Bolduc, of Golden Horn Judo (GHJ), was named most improved female and Gavin Mellon, of Anchorage’s Mountain View Judo (MVJ), was given best throw by a male.
A total of 61 competitors took part in the championship, down from the record of 86 set last year.
“As an organization, every year we fine-tune it,” said Jensen. “It’s a good development tournament. This year our U12s are a good group and hopefully in two years they’ll all be U14s. We have a good group of younger kids and that’s what it’s all about.”
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com
Mixed U8 under-23kg
1st Lia Hinchey (NLJ)
2nd Mannix Bingham (NLJ)
3rd Damon Tonner (NLJ)
Mixed U8 under-25kg
1st Covelle Patterson (GHJ)
2nd Kenai Bryden (HRK)
3rd Sapphira Oettli (NLJ)
Mixed U10 under-29kg
1st Jaymi Hinchey (NLJ)
2nd Luke Roberts (GHJ)
3rd Samara Jacob (NLJ)
4th Jack Anderson
(GHJ)
Mixed U10 under-32kg
1st Kaleb Parry (NLJ)
2nd Mackenzie Bolduc (GHJ)
3rd Dylan Watts (CCJ)
4th Mary Canapary (CCJ)
Mixed U10 under-38kg
1st Gabriel Racine (NLJ)
2nd Jazzen Patterson (GHJ)
3rd Mitchell Peacock (GHJ)
Mixed U10 under-41kg
1st Alexander Kiriak (NLJ)
2nd (Zephyr Bingham (NLJ)
3rd Anya Bellon (GHJ)
Girls U12 under-30kg
1stt Mackenzie Tonner (NLJ)
2nd Shyanne Stewart (KLJ)
Boys U12 under-33kg
1st Jayden Iskra (SHK)
2nd Olijah Armstrong (MVJ)
3rd Wyatt Burnett (SHK)
4th Nathan Mostyn (SHK)
Boys U12 under-36kg
1st Daniel Tonner (SHK)
2nd Edan Basnett (SHK)
3rd Glade Roberts (GHJ)
Boys U12 under-39kg
1st Jonathan Racine (NLJ)
2nd Dylan Anderson (GHJ)
3rd Samuel Bugg (GHJ)
Girls U12 under-44kg
1st Cassi Jensen (SHK)
2nd Emersyne Sias (SHK)
3rd Taia Zakus (SHK)
Junior men U14 under-44kg
1st Gavin Mellon (MVJ)
2nd Hunter Hadley (YKJ)
3rd Ben Machtans (NLJ)
Junior men U14 under-52kg
1st Carl Malagodi (MVJ)
2nd Rowan Kingston (SHK)
3rd Kenny Hyatt (SHK)
Junior women U14 under-57kg
1st Judy Russell (SHK)
2nd Paige Poelman (NLJ)
3rd Cassi Jensen (SHK)
Junior men U16 over-70kg
1st Jadon Leenders (SHK)
2nd Darrien James-Tizya (HRK)
Junior men U18 under-66kg
1st Jacob Melanson (SHK)
2nd Dorrian Mellon (MVJ)
Senior men under-81kg
1st Jay Watts (CCJ)
2nd Dorrian Mellon (MVJ)
3rd Jacob Melanson (SHK)
Beginner knowledge
1st Gabriel Racine (NLJ)
2nd Mackenzie Tonner (NLJ)
3rd Jaymi Hinchey (NLJ)
Intermediate knowledge
1st Jayden Iskra (SHK)
2nd Wyatt Burnett (SHK)
3rd Emersyne Sias (SHK)