Cumbria Open Karate Championships

A RECORD ATTENDANCE AT THE NORTH's TOP OPEN KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Over 600 competitors and spectators travelled from throughout Scotland and England, to attend the 30th Anniversary of the Cumbria Open Karate Championships held at Carlisle Sands Centre on Sunday 18th June.

The event was founded by Cumbria Chojinkai Karate's Chief Instructor, Doug James and was first held at the Market Hall in Carlisle in September of 1976, with around 100/150 competitors and spectators attending.

Many National squad members from England and Scotland are still supporting the event after 30 years, and now coaching there own Club teams, were former World Champions Abdu Shaher, Davie Coulter, Alister Mitchell and Hamish Adam.

Members from Chojinkai Karate Clubs did exceptionally well against top Karate competitors from throughout the UK, with Chojinkai competitors taking 6 Gold medals:

• Ryan Theole from the Penrith Club
• Ryan Simpson from the Penrith Club
• Lisa Kerr from the Carlisle Club
• Stuart Graham from the Egremont Club
• Lucy Wilson from the Egremont Club
• Maddison House from the Egremont Club

Well done to you for an impressive performance against difficult competition!

The Chojinkai clubs also won 3 Silver and 11 Bronze Medals, a very impressive tally indeed!

Chief Instructor Doug James, 7th Dan Black Belt and an International Referee himself for over 20 years, said:

"The Cumbria Open has been a major event on the UK's Event calender for well over the last 20 years and I am very proud of our students matching, and in some areas bettering, top athletes from around the country. This is a collective achievement by the Winning Clubs experienced Head Instructors, namely Gordon Harrison from Egremont, Mark Holding from Penrith, Colin Broatch from Workington, Ray Hind and Iain Abernethy from Carlisle and Cockermouth Clubs."