KUGB Kyu Grades Championships 2015

The KUGB Kyu Grades Championships is held each year in Wales and is open to kyu grades from all KUGB clubs.

Photos

View photos of the competition.

Competition Report

On Sunday 22nd March the 30th Annual Kyu Grades Championship took place in Prestatyn North Wales.

Competitors travelled from as far afield as Exmouth in Devon and Glasgow to participate.

Although CUKC fielded its smallest entry for 10 years our two representatives, Amy Oliver and Jaan Toots, performed magnificently.

Amy brought home two trophies and Jaan one.

In the Ladies Individual Kumite event Amy Oliver faced a Liverpool University competitor. Amy attacked continuously with jodan & chudan punches succeeding with one of each to win decisively before advancing to meet Lottie Lindsley from Manchester University. Despite a tough match it was the Manchester Uni. competitor who triumphed and went on to eventually win the event.

In the Ladies ippon kumite Amy triumphed over two competitors with her distinctive trade mark kiai echoing in the hall to win a trophy for joint 3rd place.

In the Ladies Individual kata Amy successfully negotiated three rounds of eliminations and in the final, performed an impressive Heian Yondan which had served her well at both Central regions and Varsity. On this occasion however she was up against performances of much more advanced katas and she did very well to win 3rd place.

Jaan on his first outing to the Kyu Grades Championship entered Kata, Kumite and Ippon Kumite.

Despite a spirited performance in the individual kumite Jaan clearly regretted his decision not to block a hard kizami zuki jodan which rattled a few fillings early in the match. Jaan scored with a strong giaka zuki chudan but once again succumbed to a jodan punch to lose the match.

In the individual kata Jaan was unlucky to draw a seasoned 1st Kyu whose kata was little sharper and who deservedly advanced.

In the Men's Ippon Kumite event Jaan advanced through three rounds using his superior height, reach and spirit to intimidate his opponents. His tactic of stating the attack loudly and then waiting before attacking served to unnerve his opponents and produced the intended result. Although Jaan lost a close match to the eventual winner of the category from Liverpool University, his performance earned him a well deserved 3rd place.

Amy Oliver
3rd Ippon Kumite
3rd Ladies Individual Kata

Jaan Toots
3rd Ippon Kumite

Congratulations on your well deserved successes.





Overall