KUGB Student National Championships 2021

The KUGB National Student Championships (often just "the Student Nationals") is the first major competition of the academic year and falls in the middle of Michaelmas Term. The competition is open to all KUGB members in full-time education and is held in Chesterfield. National Student Championships

Photos

View photos of the competition.

Competition Report

On Sunday 7th November, a team of 14 CUKC members, plus two spectators, made their way to Queen’s Park Leisure Centre in Chesterfield for the KUGB Student National Championships and the KUGB Youth Championships.

The day kicked off with Student Nationals kata. While Grégoire and Ewan did not progress to finals despite their amazing kata, Fei Yuan went ahead to finals for the Kyu grade event and Dao Qian proceeded to finals for the Dan grade event. This was followed by female kata, where Ellie, Fizz, Millie, Olivia, Maeve and Alex performed brilliant kata but were nevertheless unsuccessful in progressing to finals.

Student Nationals kumite then proceeded; Aidan, Callum, Ewan and Tom represented the men’s side well, but all went out in the first round by tiny margins. The women’s side showed great skill under pressure; Jasmin, Olivia, Fizz and Maeve were unable to progress to finals but showed fantastic spirit and control, while Millie managed to fight her way to finals (after a couple of nosebleeds).
Sunday not only saw the KUGB Student Nationals take place, but also the KUGB Youth Championships.

The first Youth Championships kata eliminations happened while the women fought. In the men’s division, Ewan and Grégoire gave stunning performances but were unable to progress to finals. Team kumite for student nationals then started; the men’s team (Tom, Callum and Aidan) gave a good show but lost 2-1 in eliminations, while the women’s team (Jasmin, Fizz and Millie) did not disappoint, winning 2-1 to progress to the final against Liverpool.

The final kata eliminations of the day saw Fizz and Millie go straight into kata alongside Ellie, Alex and Maeve. After a set of excellent kata, the round before finals saw Ellie and Millie compete against one another; a strong Heian godan was performed from both, but it was Millie who ended up progressing to finals.

In the final eliminations of the day, the men’s fighters again were up against some tough competition and showed grace in defeat. Jasmin, Fizz and Maeve lost narrowly in their eliminations, with Jasmin losing out to the eventual gold medallist in the final 10 seconds of her fight.

After eliminations, Fei, Dao, Millie, Fizz and Jasmin all prepared for finals.

Fei was first up for kata, and he was able to receive a bronze for his Heian Yondan, giving CUKC a great start to the finals.

Dao showed off his stances in Jion to cement himself in 3rd place against some tough competition.

Millie then proceeded to go through two finals in a row. In her kumite final she put up a good fight but eventually lost 2-0, and after a quick gi change she was right back on the mats for her kata final. She scored 31.9 for her Gojushiho-sho and so placed in 2nd again.

The day finished off on a high note, with Fizz, Jasmin and Millie facing Liverpool’s team kumite in the final. After Jasmin and Fizz won and lost a match each, Millie’s bout was the deciding fight. Or was it? Millie drew with her opponent, leaving Jasmin as the team’s final hope to win the gold. Jaz got the job done; with two amazing punches she got the CUKC women the team kumite gold for the second Student Nationals in a row.

For many competitors this was their first time competing at a KUGB competition, and we are all so proud of everyone who went over to compete. Special mentions go to Sensei Richard, Sam and Khai for all being around to coach and give support.



Top row (Left to right):
Olivia Lavigne, Callum Reid, Tom Xu (Men’s captain), Richard Poole (Chief Instructor), Ewan Chamberlain, Aidan Brzakalik, Grégoire Denjean, Alex Shepherd, Ellie Worth

Bottom row (left to right):
Fei Yuan (4th- Ind Kata), Maeve Brittle (Winner- Team Kumite), Millie Johal (Women’s captain; Winner- Team Kumite, 2nd- Ind Kumite, 2nd- Ind Kata), Fizz McNally (Winner- Team Kumite), Jasmin Knight (Winner- Team Kumite), Daoyuan Qian (3rd- Ind Kata)

Overall

Tom M Xu (Capt)
Millie Johal (Capt) ( Winner - Senior ladies team kumite 2nd - Senior ladies Individual kumite, 2nd Senior ladies Individual kata,)
Jasmin Knight (Winner Senior Ladies Team Kumite)
Maeve Brittle (Winner Senior Ladies Team Kumite)
Fei Yuan (4th - Kyu Grade Kata)
Aidan Brzakalik
Fizz McNally (Winner senior Ladies Team Kumite)
Ewan Chamberlain
Olivia Lavigne
Daoyuan Qian (3rd - Dan grade Kata)
Callum Reid
Gregoire Denjean
Alex Shepherd
Ellie Worth