As many people strapped on skis and whooshed down powdered slopes last weekend, inside the Banff Community High School gymnasium a crowd cheered on back and forth karate action.
On Saturday (Jan. 17) the second annual Banff Kyokushin Karate Championships – a grassroots martial arts tournament – drew local and visiting participants into the mountain resort town to test their technique in full contact, non-contact and Kata (pre-formed movements).
Just under 100 participants from as far as Edmonton and Cranbrook, B.C. competed in the tournament.
Fourteen-year-old local Willy Hudson was a standout for the Banff dojo, placing second in his boys 13-14 bracket after some “heroic” full contact fights. He was honoured with the Spirit Award.
“I gave it all to the people I was fighting, but to be honest, I think I could have done better. All the people I fought, it was a great fight and I respect them a lot,” Hudson said.
It was an emotional end to the day for the young Kyokushin practitioner who narrowly missed top spot, but he plans on continuing to improve and will try to compete in as many future tournaments as possible, he said.
Daymon Miller, head instructor and black belt at Banff Kyokushin Karate, was one of the event’s organizers and said he was proud of his entire dojo.
“I always say just stepping out on the mats and having a fight or just competing is a real big challenge,” Miller said. “Not everybody in the world puts themselves under that kind of stress and that kind of pressure. You grow from it, you learn from it, and you become better because of that.”
Kyokushin karate style sets itself apart from more traditional karate where there is usually little or light contact in sparring.
The morning started with the 12 and under division where Kata and non-contact fighting were judged.
Banff’s Mya Firlotte and Tia Golovach placed first and third in the 8 and under white belt Kata.
“(In Kata), we’re looking for understanding of the forms, proficiency, focus, and crispness in the techniques,” Miller said.
Golovach also placed second in both the 12 and under 55 pounds non-contact and kids knockdown.
In the afternoon, the 13 and older divisions began with Kata and full contact.
In the 13+ yellow belt Kata, Banff’s Steve Boudreau and Katherine Hogan placed first and second.
In the boys 13-14 combined, Banff swept the podium, as Griffin Watson-Boehnisch placed first and Willy Hudson and Stephane Goulet were second and third.
Banff’s Josh Razon and Gabriel Kan each won third in the boys 17-19 combined and the men’s open combined.
Banff members look to compete at the Calgary Cup on March 7. Following that is the Alberta Open in Edmonton.
