BANFF – In the middle of punching and kicking each other, large grins grew across the faces of combatants Andrian Guilhon and Clay Milne.
For the teenage friends, and Banff Kyokushin Karate (BKK) teammates, their Knockdown fight was an opportunity to improve techniques and fighting movements, and maybe put a little extra on each punch.
“It got really tiring after about a minute, but we were both just laughing, so I really enjoyed it,” said Guilhon, 13.
Guilhon, a yellow belt, won boys 13-14 Knockdown at the sixth annual BKK Championships on Saturday (Dec. 1) at Banff Community High School.
The BKK tournament held contests in the choreographed fighting movements of Kata and Team Kata, and non-contact and full-contact Knockdown fights.
The two-minute fights are short, but an accelerated heart rate and deep breaths are normal by the end.
The Kyokushin style places emphasis on realistic movement and fighting.
BKK’s Nadia Scurfield fought in the girls’ 13-14 Knockdown bracket and thought she did well against Calgary’s Alyssa Bobye, but lost a judges’ decision.
Wearing protective gear on their head, body and hands, the 14-year-old blue belt threw punches and kicks at her opponent’s torso and legs, but ended up taking a barrage of punishment, too.
“When you’re kicked in the leg, you slow down and it’s a big shock,” Scurfield said. “One thing I noticed though is you always give people the advice, ‘circle,’ you always tell them the advice. Then when you’re in the ring you forget all your advice and you just panic sometimes.”
In the senior categories, aged 35 and over, BKK’s Francois Pace finished second after a vicious body shot dropped him in the men’s final from Ty Millington of Penticton.
BKK’s Katherine Hogan also won silver in the women’s, losing her final fight against Edmonton’s Amy Mikla.
The 2018 competition was the inaugural year Team Kata was performed, which was won by BKK’s Scurfield, Milne and Hogan.
Second place went to BKK’s Daiki Uda, John Williams and Mya Firlotte.
“(Practicing Team Kata) is added up to maybe four or five hours with lots of repetition and practicing each individual move,” said Scurfield.
In the choreographed fight, Scurfield and Hogan, playing the role of attackers, lunged at Milne with knees and fists, but Milne demonstrated punishing defensive counters in front of the judges and audience, sending his assailants to the mat.
Daymon Miller, BKK head instructor, said Team Kata is a longstanding experience at tournaments and wants it grow at next year’s BKK Championships.
Miller was encouraged to see a healthy mix of senior competitors and those in their early teens and under from Banff, Alberta and B.C. at the sixth annual event.
“I’m proud of everyone’s performance,” said Miller. “It’s very stressful to get on the mats and compete and put yourself out there for harm, especially the full contact divisions. I’m glad everyone who competed stepped up to do it.”
Also performing well from the BKK club was John Williams, placing second in 12 years and under (61-70 lbs.) Knockdown and third in non-contact.
Banff’s Jaxson Firlotte had third place finishes in 12 and under Knockdown and non-contact (91-100 lbs.), and Maya Firlotte finish second (100 lbs. and up).
In the 12 years and under non-contact (50 lbs. and under), Angie Xu finished second and Igor Smith and Emily Palmer tied for third.
