Blackpool Open Tournament 3rd June 2001

Blackpool proved to be a great success; nice environment, lovely large hall and the pleasure beach just down the road. As usual the participants travelled from England, Scotland and Wales.

 

The recent referee course run by BKA Chief referee Ron Church helped provide us with some enthusiastic and hard working officials. Some are still finding their feet in the thankless task of refereeing, but they all did extremely well and the BKA would like to thank them for their efforts.

The new category format seems to be working very well. The usual complaint of at least one miss- match didn't materialise, so we can only assume that the new categories are working. The absence of team events had the desired effect and with a combination of good organisation and hard working officials the tournament finished at 4.30pm - a very creditable time.

The standard was once again first class in the kata and kumite. Lowton Shotokan and Zan Shin Kai were the joint trophy kings each taking eleven trophies.Close behind were Chikara with ten and Blackpool Budokan with nine.In one category ( boys 10-11yrs 3rd kyu and above )Blackpool budokan did the treble winning first, second and third place.

The ladies kumite once more produced some feisty bouts and once more Alison Grundy took the spoils. Of the categories and bouts I managed to see, it was the senior male 3rd kyu above which really produced the goods. There were some fantastic contests, none more so than the final between chikara stable mates D. Ward and J. Netherton. Dave Ward became the victor but only after some spine tingling kumite.

 

Special Thanks to

We would like to thank BKA Chief referee Ron Church for doing a great job, Referee and Judges; Dougie Phillips, Mark D'Arcy, Dave Young, Bob Thomas, Lisa Kelly, Kathleen Byrne, Shirley Clarke, Rob Campbell, Billy Brogen, Lee Coffey, Robert Thomas, Andy Ward, Charlie Gidley, Cath Harrison, Fred Harrison, John Williams and John Horan.