Organisers of last Saturday's karate championships in Grahamstown were pleasantly surprised by the wave of competitors who turned up to take part.
Organisers of last Saturday's karate championships in Grahamstown were pleasantly surprised by the wave of competitors who turned up to take part.
About 170 karateka competed in the inaugural All-Shotokan Karate Championships organised by East Cape Shotokan-Ryu (ECSR) association with assistance from the Rhodes University Shotokan Karate Club. Karateka coming from clubs in nearby areas included PE North, Kase-Ha in Port Elizabeth, King Karate Club in King William’s Town, Kowie in Port Alfred (ECSR), Kenton-on-Sea (ECSR), Fort Beaufort (ECSR), Yellowwoods Preparatory School (ECSR), Albany (ECSR), Joza, Makana, Fingo and Rhodes University.
The championship took place in the 1820 Settlers' Monument and it is believed that this is the only karate championship in South Africa to be held at a national monument. ECSR head instructor Gary Grapentin said the aim of the day was to “provide a professional and well-organised karate championship for Shotokan karateka of all ages and grades”.
Grapentin hoped the competition would also serve to showcase the principles, integrity and standards of Shotokan karate-do as a disciplined way of life. “A further purpose of the championship was to raise the profile of Shotokan karate in the Cacadu Municipal District and to further promote its practice amongst the local population,” he said.
Saturday's event produced some good quality karate in all age groups with the competitors enjoying excellent support from an enthusiastic and often vocal group of spectators. The men's open kata (forms) and kumite (fighting) categories were won by St Mary’s School Grade 11 pupil Nolan De Maar (ECSR).
Brittany Denton of the Rhodes University Club claimed both the women's open kata and kumite categories. The combined strength of the ECSR clubs saw them clinch an overall victory with a total of 78 medals against nearest rival King Karate Club that finished with 48 medals.
According to Grapentin there are at least 300 active Shotokan karateka in Grahamstown alone. He is optimistic that this number will increase as more and more children and adults are turning to karate as a method of self-defence and as a way to improve general physical and mental well-being. Grapentin can be contacted via e-mail at garyg@geenet.co.za.
