Edenbridge Judo Club

REPORT OF EDENBRIDGE JUDO CLUB ANNUAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

The 35 th annual Judo Championships of the Ohkan Judo Kwai (Edenbridge Judo Club) were held on Sunday 15 th May at the Clubs Dojo St Paulinus Church Centre, Marlpit Hill, Edenbridge, to end another successful year of Championships and Gradings.

With membership from Kent, Surrey and Sussex there was just a little inter-county rivalry.

Parents and Friends gave their full support when the junior’s members were on the contest mat with great enthusiasm and determination not to be beaten by their opponents. A high standard of Judo was shown throughout the afternoon meant there were some outstanding contests for the supporters and families to enjoy.

In the preliminary rounds the more experienced Judo players had some easy contests although they were very gently with the lower grades and there was a few surprise winners.

All the finals were fought with all the vigour of the event.

Novice lightweight group had their own category so they would not have contests without the more experienced judo players taking part.

Quote from Sensei Dave Mansi 3 rd Dan Club’s Senior Instructor: “It as been the most exciting championships for years. Usually I can predict the winners, but this years championships have been the most open for ages and the contestants have all been so keen it has been impossible to forecast the winners.

In the preliminary rounds the more experienced Judo players had some easy contests although they were very gently with the lower grades and there was a few surprise winners.

All the finals were fought with all the vigour of the event

I would like to thank all the kids and their parents for their interest and making the club such a success and keeping the good reputation of the Ohkan Judo Kwai (Edenbridge judo club).

“The Club just gets better and better and now we have got a good attendance each week the prospects for the club are looking very good for the future years to come’.

The judo club is appealing for teenagers to take up the sport, as there seem to have been a lack of interest in learning the sport.

The high standard of Edenbridge Judo Club is due to the commitment and enthusiasm of Sensei Dave Mansi and his son Sensei Paul Mansi who have been running the judo club for over 36 years.

Trophies were awarded by Special Guest Mr Richard Casella 5 th Dan who also was a Judge, Referee for the contests were the Clubs Sensei Dave Mansi with Sensei Paul Mansi as timekeeper & recorder.

Results

Under 25 kgs : Gold John Coates

Silver Will Rainbow

Bronze Shane Smith & Liam Batty

Under 35 kgs: Gold Liam Sutton

Silver Sophie Gander

Bronze John Coates & Shane Smith

Under 45 kgs: Gold Mathew Gander

Silver Abi Honour

Bronze Liam Sutton & Mark Coates

Over 45 kgs: Gold Abi Honour

Silver Mathew Gander

Bronze Adam Gillam & Liam Sutton

Girls under 35 kgs: Gold Sophie Gander

Silver Lucy Baxter

Light Weight Novices: Gold Will Rainbow

Silver Ryan Sutton

Special Award Medal: Harry Rainer

Player of the day: Ryan Sutton

Ryan surprised all the coaches with his performance to win Player of the day

Mark Sisley trophy: Will Rainbow

The Mark Sisley trophy is dedicated to a young Judo Player who died in a tragic accident in 1982 and was donated by his parents in his memory and several past winners have gone on to win many other Judo awards.

This year recipient is Will Rainbow who has only been doing Judo for a few months has showed real enthusiasm in learning the noble art of Judo and will be an asset to the Judo Club in a few years time.

The clubs Dojo is at the St Paulinus Church Centre, Marlpit Hill, Edenbridge and practices on Wednesday evenings throughout the year, are always willing to train young people from the age of 5 years old, especially teenage girls and boys.

Sensei Dave Mansi can be contacted on 01342-311011 / 07956-059581 for information of membership or just call in at the on any Wednesday evening. The noble art of Judo is a good sport for confidence, fun, fitness & discipline for all shapes, all sizes and all levels.

Edenbridge judo clubs visit to Mont-Saint-Aignan

Edenbridge Judo Club traveled to France in a twin town “‘Mont-Saint-Aignan” VE Day celebration event to actively participate in an intensive training session on Friday 6 th May 2005 involving also another twin town Judo Club Barsinghausen from Germany

(Nr Hanover). For reference, Mont-Saint-Aignan is located immediately north of the historic town of Rouen where Joan of Arc was tried and burnt at the stake.

Judo in France is a mainstream sport with huge sponsorship by both the Government and Industry. France has over 500,000 Judo Club members and today dominates the European medal rankings.

French Judo clubs are required to achieve and sustain high standards that are appraised through medals awarded by successes in competition events and club members that are internationally ranked players.

“Mont-Saint-Aignan” Judo Club run by Sensei Patrick Henry (5th Dan Black Belt, Ex-France International, with many medal honors.

Hosted an impressive training session attended by 15 judo from Edenbridge Judo Club, 17 from Barsinghausen Judo Club and 29 from the host club that included 3 internationally ranked French players. There were in total 28 juniors and 33 senior judo players that included 25 senior Black Belt grades.

The training session commenced with warm-up exercises, judo instruction and thereafter the time was equally divided with groundwork (holding and submission techniques) and standing work (throwing techniques).

Towards the end of the 2-hour training session; Mont-Saint-Aignan Judo Club performed a faultless and outstanding Juno Kata in honor of the twin town visitors from England and Germany. At the close of session - there was an exchange of gifts and group photographs taken.

It was a privilege to be invited to train with a top class French Judo Club and feedback received from our hosts said that each and every member of Edenbridge Judo Club gave a good account of themselves and were a credit to the club.

Sensei Dave Mansi can be contacted on 01342-311011 for information of membership or just call in at the on any Wednesday evening. The noble art of Judo is a good sport for confidence, fun, fitness & discipline for all shapes, all sizes and all levels.