Malta Images

Sensei’s Brian Bentham and Mike Crossley took a BKA squad to the Malta 4 Nations cup on Saturday 1st March at the Don Bosco Sports Collage.

Staying at the Qawra palace hotel in Qawra where there were facilities to train and rest on the run up to the tournament. There was time for some social activities and everyone had a great time sight seeing and enjoying the Malta sunshine– a nice change from the weather back home.

Team members
included Brian Holland, Lloyd Penny, Adam Barkes, Ben Easterbrook and Conor Easterbrook all from Rokakai K.C. Marc Clarke, Christina Tinsley, Megan Williams and Thomas Hindley all from Ryu Do Shotokan and Kerry Narramore and Jason Conway from Shintai Shukokai.

Squad coach
Brian Bentham entered the veterans Kata category and took 2nd place, having not competed for fourteen years and beating his good friend George Morrison from Kirkby Shotokan in the semi-finals made a good day great.

Next on the trophy trail was Kerry Narramore who did very well against good opposition to take 3rd place in the Ladies category.
Mike Crossley ( BKA kata coach ) gave a superb performance in the senior Kata category which was vast and filled with top class competitors, which was eventually won by England’s Jonathan Mottram.

Kumite
In the kumite categories Megan Williams battled her way through a very large group and took her place on the rostrum to take a well deserved 3rd place.
Adam Barkes in the junior boys section gave a very good account of himself and eventually took 1st place for his efforts—well done!
In the same category and from the same club ( Rokakai ) Ben Easterbrook took 3rd place.

The remaining squad members narrowly missed out on trophies but gave their all in the eliminations.
The BKA squad intend to go back to Malta next year where as many as 16 countries battle it out for top honours. The squad sessions are open to all BKA members where you will receive a warm welcome. If you feel you may have something to offer the squad in either a fund raising capacity or you have other organisational skills then please come along and have a chat with the squad coaches. We are hoping to build up the squad over the next year to represent the BKA in more top class tournaments.