Vale Karate News
What a Night!
On the evening of Red nose Day 2017, Ninety of our members set about the challenge of completing 30,000 Punches and kicks in less than an hour in raising money for good causes!
Also a photo opportunity to celebrate our Welsh Karate League success this season!
After about 40 minutes the challenge was achieved, with no less than 37,700 strikes competed! A great event, thoroughly enjoyed by all!!
CLICK IMAGE BELOW FOR SLIDESHOW
The Welsh Karate League season came to a dramatic end in Merthyr on March 12th after the closest of seasons!
For the first time in the WKL's history, the 'top club' trophy was undecided going onto the last event, however after a battle Royal with Mandie Read's mighty All Style Karate Alliance Association, Vale Karate secured the 'Club' top spot for the fifth consecutive season with a total of sixty-six Gold medals ahead of AKA's sixty-three, virtue of winning 13 gold medals at the finale!
There was a also an even closer battle in the race for third place with Cardiff Shotokan, Kansei and the Ken Bu Kan all on 24 Golds, however Cardiff secured third spot with more silver medals won.
Vale Karate had further cause for celebration as Leah Copeland, as well as winning both Ladies Kata and Kumite Categories, also landed the Overall Individual Champion of Champions award!
Gold medals won in Merthyr:
Bradley James U14 Special & Para Kata
Amelie Fisher U8 Girls Kata
Jack Eustace U8 Boys Kata
Nathan Shepherd U10 Novice Kata
Ellie-Jayne Farrugia U12 Girls Advanced Kata
Griff Hughes U12 Boys Advanced Kata
Rhydian Pullin U12 Boys Advanced Kumite
Danica Apologista U14 Girls Advanced Kata
Alysha Lee U14 Girls Kumite
Christopher Slack U14 Boys Advanced Kumite
Leah Copeland Ladies Kata
Sarah Morgan Ladies Veteran Kata
Leah Copeland Ladies Kumite
Silver medals
Jared Butcher U14 Special & Para Kata
Elle-Mai Lee U8 Girls Kata
Alexandre Piguet U10 Novice Kata
Gregory James U10 Advanced Kata
Ella Forsyth U14 Girls Kumite
Josh Davies U16 Boys Kumite
Rhydian, Kimi, Edward U12 Team Kumite
Bronze medals
Connor Ashill U14 Special & Para Kata
Lucas Widdrington 14+ Special & Para Kata
Mark & Ella Parent & Child Kata
Danica, Ella & Ellie-Jayne Junior team Kata
Amelie Fisher U8 Girls Kumite
Lloyd Beer U8 Boys Kata
Emillie Thompson U10 Girls Kumite
Nathan Shepherd U10 Boys Kumite
Gracie Sheldon U12 Girls Novice Kata
Amy Curry U14 Girls Novice Kata
Chiara Baker U14 Girls Advanced Kata
Lauren Moran U14 Girls Kumite
Greg, Annie, Nathan Vale Vultures U10 Team Kumite
VALE KARATE FINAL RESULTS:
CHAMPIONS OF CHAMPIONS
Vale Karate Champion Club
Leah Copeland Overall Individual Champion of Champions
Bradley James U14 Special & Para kata
Nathan Shepherd U10 Novice Kata
Gregory James U10 Advanced Kata
Griff Hughes U12 Boys Advanced Kata
Chiara Baker U14 Girls Advanced Kata
Alysha Lee U14 Girls Kumite
Josh Davies U16 Bys Kumite
Leah Copeland Ladies Kata
Leah Copeland Ladies Kumite
2nd & 3rd place Trophy winners
Connor Ashill U14 Special Needs
Vale Warriors Junior Team kata
Chiara Baker Junior Shotokan Kata
Amelie Fisher U8 Girls Kata
Angel Manayani U8 Girls Kata
Amelie Fisher U8 Girls Kumite
Elle-Mai Lee U8 Girls Kumite
Jack Eustace U8 Boys Kata
Daisy Vann U10 Novice Kata
Talia Efstathiou U10 Novice Kata
Nathan Shepherd U10 Boys Kumite
Ellie-Jayne Farrugia U12 Advanced Kata
Danica Apologista U14 Girls Advanced Kata
Ella Forsyth U14 Girls Kumite
Sarah Morgan Ladies Veteran Kata
Vale Vultures U10 Team Kumite
Vale U12 Team Kumite
Vale Adult team kumite
CLICK IMAGE BELOW FOR CAROUSEL
The Winter grading was the first to take place at our new home dojo at Barry Leisure Centre. The grading took place over the weekend of 10th & 11th December and although over 80 took the grading, they did so in small groups, in order for Sensei's Rob and Leah to fully examine each and every student.
It was immediately apparent that the standard of our Children from Red Belt (8th Kyu) to Purple Belt (5th Kyu) has risen in the environment of our new dojo, the attention to detail that we can now devote to each class has delivered exactly what we were looking for!
Several student have now taken advantage of the private sessions we can now deliver and that too had a bearing on the overall standard.
Examining small groups has also given us a clear vision of what is needed overall in order to continue raising standards and identified individuals who need more attention.
Congratulations to all students who passed, in particular to our twelve new Brown Belts and six new Black Belts.
Also a special word of congratulation to Sensei Leah who passed her 3rd Dan with flying colours!
A Big Thank You to Doru and Kee who came along to oppose Leah in her ten minutes of continuous and vigorous Kumite which brought the grading to a successful close.
CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR SLIDESHOW
After introducing a new schedule at the beginning of November, we have tinkered with the timetable at our dojo at Barry Leisure Centre to increase the benefit to our members.
We believe these changes will benefit our club in our relentless pursuit of excellence!
WKL 5, was organised by Rob, Cathy and Leah and our competitors rose to the challenge attending in impressive numbers, in fact the biggest squad in Vale Karate's history! Eighty-four category entries.
As well as the booming children's squad, who, due to the new improved curriculum, are improving rapidly, it was great to see the return of some of Vale's 'more established' students shaking off the dust and rust to once again step on the tatami for Vale Karate!
Steve Copeland, Sarah Morgan, Heidi & Kloe Christoforato & Kee Wong all made a comeback and showed that quality doesn't diminish with time... With Steve and Kee meeting in the Male Veterans Kumite final (Steve taking the gold) and Sarah winning the ladies veteran Kata event. Heidi took bronze in the Female Vets Kata, and with Kloe took bronze in the Parent & Child Kata event. Kloe also took U16 Female kata bronze.
Ritchie Godchild made his debut in blazer & greys joining our own Doru Grad.
Our regular medallists didn't disappoint, with Leah again demonstrating why she's Wales' best all-rounder by taking the Kata/Kumite double.
Alysha Lee beat team-mate Ella Forsyth in the final of the U14 Girls Kumite (with Lauren Moran showing our strength in depth in this area with a fine bronze medal winning performance)
Nathan Shepherd extending his lead at the top of the U10 Novice kata category with another gold ahead of Talia Efstathiou and Daisy Vann and Amelie Fisher having a fantastic result in winning the U8 Girls Kumite.
We also had a presence in all Team Kumite categories with all winning silver medals with the exception of our adult team (Luke, Leah, Stephen) who took gold!
Vale are having a season-long battle Royal with Mandie Read's ASKA GB at the top of the club medal table.
ASKA started the season strongly and had a good lead over Vale after two events. They then missed WKL 3, which handed Vale the lead. They may have expected to take the lead back in Penarth, being just two gold medals behind, however a strong performance from our large squad meant Vale just edged victory (ten golds to nine) to extend their overall lead to three golds (41 to 38) it's going to be close at the end of the season in March! The first time in five season's Vale have been challenged! Bring on WKL 6, in Barry on January 29th!
Vale results:
Gold
Bradley James: Special & Para Kata
Amelie Fisher: Under 8 Girls Kumite
Nathan Shepherd: U10 Novice Kata
Alysha Lee: U14 Girls Kumite
Leah Copeland: Ladies Kata
Leah Copeland: Ladies Kumite
Sarah Morgan: Female Veteran Kata
Luke Howard: U75Kg Mens Kumite
Steve Copeland: Male Veteran Kumite
Luke, Leah, Steve: Adult Team Kumite
Silver
Jared Butcher: Special & Para Kata
Lucas Widdrington: Special & Para Kata
Amelie Fisher: U8 Girls Kata
Chiara Baker: U16 Shotokan Kata
Lloyd Beer: U8 Boys Kata
Jack Eustace: U8 Boys Kumite
Talia Efstathiou: U10 Novice Kata
Greg James: U10 Advanced Kata
Gracie Sheldon: U12 Novice Kata
Danica Apologista: U14 Advanced Kata
Ella Forsyth: U14 Girls Kumite
Josh Davies: U16 Boys Kumite
Kee Wong: Male Veteran Kumite
Greg, Nathan, Anne: U10 Team Kumite
Rhydian, Ellie-Jayne, Edward: U12 Team Kumite
Sam, Alysha, Elliot: U14 Team Kumite.
Bronze
Connor Ashill: Special & Para Kata
Heidi & Kloe Parent & Child Kata
Danica, Ella, Ellie-Jayne: Team Kata
Angel Manayani: U8 Girls Kata
Elle-Mai Lee: U8 Girls Kata
Elle-Mai Lee: U8 Girls Kumite
Max Riddick: U8 Boys Kata
Lloyd Beer: U8 Boys Kumite
Daisy Vann: U10 Novice Kata
Emillie Thompson: U10 Girls Kumite
Griff Hughes: U12 Boys Advanced Kata
Rhydian Pullin: U12 Boys Advanced Kumite
Chiara Baker: U14 Girls Advanced Kata
Alysha Lee: U14 Girls Advanced Kata
Lauren Moran: U14 Girls Kumite
Kloe Christoforato: U16 Girls Kata
Emma Squire: Ladies Kata
Heidi Christoforato: Female Veteran Kata
Vincent Piguet: Male Veteran Kata
