2022 KARATE WALES OPEN

FANTASTIC FOUR AT THE OPEN

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FANTASTIC FOUR AT THE OPEN 〰️

With only four entered, the 2022 Karate Wales Open saw Vale Karate’s smallest squad in memory!

As Wales’ most successful club for two decades, consistently the most successful club in both the Welsh Karate League and the Open and Closed versions of the Karate Wales Championships, it certainly could be viewed as a low point, I prefer to see it as a reboot!

On many occasions in the recent past, our squad has numbered sixty or seventy! So it was a strange day!

The Championships, held at Neath Sports Centre attracted squads from all over Wales as well as very strong squads from England and even Ireland.

The day started with the Under 8s where we had two youngsters taking part, William Dowers and Ellis Gil.

Traditionally we have dominated this age group (and other age groups) in the past and William and Ellis flew the Vale Flag with pride, with William, who took a silver in his first ever event at the WKL in March, going one better, taking his first Gold, and what a gold, becoming Karate Wales Open Champion!

Ellis also took a medal with a great Bronze!

Both boys also entered the 7-8 Years Jukuren, with Ellis taking another medal, a silver this time!

Ellis’ final event, his third saw him in the Kumite, and to the Vale supporters delight, he went all the way to the final, taking another very well deserved Silver!

It was then time for Ellis’ older brother Lucas to take to the mat.

Lucas is an excellent all-rounder, but was just outside the medals in his Kata category, however he was on top form in the Kumite, beating a number of Kumite specialists to take the Welsh Open title!

Vale Karate’s final competitor was Mayzi Lee.

She took a bronze medal in her favourite event the Kumite, in which the semi-final could have gone either way, but her all-round ability shone as she ended the day as one of the most successful karate-ka, adding gold medals in both the Kata and Jukuren to become a double Karate Wales Open Champion, adding to her numerous Welsh and WKL titles!

Four golds, two silvers and two bronzes, from only four competitors is an awesome achievement!

Well done to Ellis, Lucas, William and Mayzi! Hopefully all four will feature in the Vale Squad over the coming years as we return to dominance, as I am very confident we will.

AT LAST...!

As the Welsh Government eases Covid restrictions, from Monday January 31st, Once again we can offer our members optimum training opportunities, with classes six days a week, offering our Tigers (4-6 years-olds) two classes a week, Junior Beginners three classes and everyone else at least four classes!!

Younger teenagers can again train in the Junior classes and Adults can train without pre-booking and with no cap on numbers!

AT LAST!!!

JANUARY 2022 CLASSES AND RESTRICTIONS.

Due to the new omicron variant of Covid-19, once again we are under restrictions as we start 2022.

Below are the measures being taken by us at Vale Karate, in compliance with Welsh Government and Karate Wales guidelines, to see us safely through these times.

As all classes will take place in the dojo, which as you know is small, we need to be very disciplined in our approach.

Adults; please take a lateral flow test before coming to classes. This is in compliance of Welsh Government advice; Flow-before-you-go.

No one, adult or Junior, should attend classes if they have symptoms of a cold or flu. 

Even if due to a mild cold, coughing or sneezing in the dojo would make everyone nervous! So if you/ your child is coughing or sneezing; Stay at home until symptoms ease.

There are no restrictions on children of Eleven Years and below, so all children’s classes will go ahead without restrictions 

However we can have No Spectators until social distancing eases.

All children of twelve years and above will need to train in the adult classes and all adults and children of twelve plus will need to book a slot in the classes in advance as I will be limiting ‘adult’ classes to six.

You will see from the new January timetable that I’ve added classes to cope with these restrictions.

Kumite will continue for children of Eleven years and below, but no Kumite for 12 years plus, and no sharing of equipment means our adult fighting fit classes will be suspended until further notice.

I will sanitise all equipment that children may share, between classes.

Everyone, of all ages will sanitise their hands before entering the dojo.

For the parents of our younger members; please ensure your child’s toileting needs are met before class!!

For the peace of mind of the parents of our younger members, I’m considering filming the Tigers and Beginner/Yellow Belt classes and posting via Facebook Live. 

If any parent of these children object, please let me know asap.

I’ll still be taking Beginners, in 1:1 sessions, I asked all members to share the promotional video I posted on Facebook and YouTube, I’ve had 32 shares on Facebook to date, which I really appreciate… but a few more ‘shares’ would be great!

As soon as these restrictions are eased, I’ll be contacting you (and maybe throw a party…!)

Winter Grading brings the curtain down on 2021

To say it’s been another strange year is an understatement!

However In recent months a sense of normality returned, as we returned to the dojo without restrictions, and even managed to conduct a full Dan Grading with Kumite included!

We combined the Advanced Grading in December with a late grading for those not ready in the Summer and congratulations go to Amie who graded to Shodan, Greg who after 12 years training, since was a very small boy, awarded his adult shodan, and also two junior Shodan’s Mayzi and Emerson.

With the prospect of restrictions once again looming, we decided against a presentation evening, as this would bring a large number of people into the Leisure Centre at the same time, so we presented the new belts at a staggered photoshoot in the dojo instead.

Fingers crossed that we can return to the dojo early in the New year…