The Kenpo karate team returned to Port Alberni on June 1 for the annual Coastal Martial Arts Open.
Sensei Don Roe (5th degree black belt) and Julia Bennett (3rd degree black belt) as well as Corey Nickerson (2nd degree black belt) were officials at the event, and they brought with them a very excited team composed of experienced students as well as a few students making their debut on the competition circuit.
The Kenpo team was as diverse in age as they were with talent in a variety of divisions that included traditional hand sets (kata), plus a multiple range of different weapons that included bo (staff), spear, Escrima sticks and even a cane.
The professional competitors incorporated Corey Nickerson winning gold in the creative division demonstrating a cane set and taking gold in the adult black belt traditional kata.
Branden Nickerson (brown belt) won silver in the under black belt weapons division using a spear and silver in the traditional hand kata.
Courtenay Pickford (green belt) won gold in the adult under black belt creative division demonstrating Panther Set, plus won silver with her traditional kata.
Gabriel Roe (brown belt) won gold in the adult under black belt weapons division demonstrating an Escrima stick kata as well as winning silver in the adult under black belt creative division demonstrating Tiger and Crane.
All gold medalists earned a spot to compete for Grand Champion and Gabriel Roe is this year's CMA Open 2013 Adult Under Black Belt Grand Champion.
Gabriel has competed in five different martial arts tournaments since 2009 and has won three gold medals, eight silver plus three bronze. In addition Gabriel holds a Ikkyu Deshi (1st Kyu) in Submission Arts Wrestling and won a silver medal in the 135 pounds and under advanced level at the Alberni Invitational Grappling Division.
Making their team Kenpo presentation was Robi Gareau (green belt) winning bronze in the adult under black belt traditional kata and a bronze in the adult under black weapons division demonstrating a bo kata.
Racheal Wright (purple belt) won bronze in the adult female under black belt with a traditional kata.
Team Kenpo swept the 14-17 under black belt weapons division with Vanessa Borowicz (purple belt) winning the gold medal while Julia Scott-Lenz (purple belt) took the silver medal and Nicole Borowicz (purple belt) won the bronze medal.
Sarah Nuez (purple belt) won the bronze medal in the 11-13 under black belt weapons division; all the girls demonstrated a bo kata.
Breanna (Angry Bird) Wallis (purple belt) won the gold medal in the 8-10 under black belt weapons division as well as winning a silver medal in the traditional kata.
"I could not be happier for my students," notes Sensei Roe. "To enter this tournament with this team and come away with 17 medals – five bronze and six silver plus six gold in addition to a Grand Champion trophy, I am so very proud of all of them, they are Team Kenpo."
For further information regarding personal instruction in Kenpo karate or Submission Arts Wrestling and kickboxing classes contact Roe at 250-339-5992 or visit www.houseofkenpokarate.com.
– House of Kenpo Karate