On the 29th Feb 2008 Javea based Instructor Ray Sweeney and 14 Karate students and 5 team supporters left Valencia airport to compete in the 2008 British Traditional Karate Championships.
It was a worrying start with a third of the team suffering from bad flu but still wanting to travel to compete in England. Thankfully the team had two preparation days which enabled them all to be healthy and on good form on the day of the Championships. There were over 200 competitors from all over the country at the competition which was held at Carshalton sports centre in Surrey on Sunday 2nd March. Karate competition is divided into two parts, Kata and Kumite. Kata is an artistic presentation of moves demonstrating defence and counter attacks against imaginary opponents. Kumite is free fighting and the ultimate test of a karate student’s skills. Club Deportivo Washinkai Javea entered a team of 14 karate ka between the ages of 8 and 45, representing Washinkai Clubs from Xabia International College, Lady Elizabeth School and Colegio l’Árenal. With just a few hours sleep the whole team went on to produce some fantastic results in their categories. First to compete was Taylor Brown who was unfortunately just out of the medals by point one of a point achieving fifth place in Individual Kata. Nathan Tongue gained a Gold in Individual Kata with Lawrence Phillips taking Silver and Alex Oak-Rhind and Tom Winstanley winning Bronze. Washinkai Karate swept the board in the Under Sixteen Kata group with Jordan Quirk winning Gold for Bassai Kata, Hari Hook Silver for Tenshinsho and Christian Sweeney, at just 11 years old, Bronze for his version of Rohai Matsubayoshi. In adult Kata Geovanny Sanchez took Gold with a fantastic rendition of Useishi, whilst Joana Iñez also received Gold in the ladies event for Rohai. The junior synchronised Team Kata Under Blue Belt was won by Tom, Nathan, and Josh Merrick with Taylor, Lawrence and Jake Merrick scooping Silver. Natasha Lakin, Joana and Alex gained a respectable Bronze Medal in the Adult Team Kata. The event was won by Geovanny, Jordan and Hari for their spectacular performance of Saifa Kata (meaning “to smash and tear to pieces”). The team then demonstrated their interpretation of the meaning of the techniques hidden within the Kata, finishing to a standing ovation. Next onto the mats in Junior Kumite was Taylor who won Gold Medal in her first Kumite event. Lawrence, Nathan Hari and Jordan all took Bronze in their respective Kumite categories. In the Adult Individual Kumite despite receiving a fierce mawshigeri (roundhouse) kick to the head Joana went on to win Silver. Geovanny and Paul Merrick both won Bronze Medals in their respective groups. In the Team Kumite a bruised and battered Paul bravely faced a giant of an opponent against whom Paul was forced to retire injured (Kiken). Geovanny and Steven Wells fought well enabling the team to win the Bronze Medal. Ray Sweeney said “I am so pleased and proud of all the students and their amazing effort, with every student winning at least one medal. The three months of hard mental and physical training leading up to the competition really paid off and enabled the team to win the Incredible total of 31 Medals creating 15 National Champions at this prestigious event”. The students all from Javea, Benitachell, Benissa have been training with Ray for up to 6 years. Washinkai Karate currently has over 100 students and is the Municipal Karate School of both Javea and Benitachell with a further dojo in Jalon. After this resounding success Ray hopes that he can introduce many more students to the world of karate. For further information please contact Ray Sweeney on 637 56 44 16 or visit http://www.washinkai.org
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