On Sunday March 16th, a contingent from KIMAA’s Turramurra Dojo attended the Kempo Ryu All Australia Championships.
Shihan James Sidwell and Masumi Lipman representing KIMAA with 6 students entering kata competitions.
Due to the summer break and an early year trip to Japan, Shihan James was only able to run several extra Saturday classes for the small contingent of participants. The competitors were supported by the instructors during class time as well as training diligently during the available Saturday classes.
On the day, the students all competed exceptionally well. Their performances executed the posture, technique, timing and kime (focus) expected to demonstrate understanding of the kata.
Sempai Maia Brown, Peter Zhu, Sophie Shi, Chloe Le Bescont, Sophie Chan and Ken Quang competed with spirit and focus. Out of six competitors KIMAA, achieved First, Second and Third placements. Osu.
On Sunday November 10th, KIMAA attended the KIKO tournament held in Tempe, Sydney.
23 competitors competed with spirit and humility. Results are detailed at the end of this article. However I’d like to thank each and every competitor for the training and effort you have put in. You all fought very well and represented yourselves and KIMAA admirably. Of the KIMAA contingent, 19 competitors were kids of various ages and grades (many competing in their first kumite tournament), and 4 adults: Sensei Alireza Miri, Sensei Mark Long, Sempai Matt Wolnizer and Trent Lim.
Thank you also to the parents who have supported and encouraged their children to compete.
Thank you to Sensei Ben Ng, Sensei Alex Lloyd and Sensei Mark Long for coaching and running the mats, supporting the team, and helping organise the competitors. Further thanks to Sempai Matt Wolnizer and Trent Lim for backing up the coaches. And of course Laura Elia who interfaced with the mat coaches and supported the entire team.
Thank you to the senior instructors who worked to provide coaching and support for the team and supporting during training sessions as well as on the day. This includes Sensei Don Cheong, who has been a regular teacher at the kids classes but was unfortunately unable to attend on the day. (During the course of the tournament, Shihan Idir Bahamid, Shihan Mark Shelmerdine and Shihan James were on the Officials table.)
Additionally thank you to Kancho Doug Turnbull and the KIKO team for hosting the event and all the planning and organising on the day and behind the scenes.
Results from the 23 entrants include:
9 competed in Third Place showdowns, winning Third Place in 6 divisions
8 competed in Finals with 2 First Places and 6 Second Places
2 division clean sweeps winning First, Second and Third places
This included a clean sweep in the Veterans (40+) division, with Sensei Alireza taking 1st place, Sensei Mark Long taking 2nd place and Sempai Matt taking 3rd, after some battering rounds facing off each other!
Congratulations to all participants we support and share in each others success. Osu.
Students of Turramurra Dojo across a variety of ages and Kyu grades competed in the KIKO Kata Tournament at the Robyn Webster Sports Centre on Sunday June 2nd. The students were supervised on the day by Shihan James Sidwell and Sensei Alex Lloyd.
KIMAA students performed their Kyokushin Karate kata very well, winning a large number of placements in various categories. All students displayed strong technical competence in their kata, showing great kime (focus). Any student in a group comprising more than four participants, if they were selected as a finalist based on their initial score, had to perform their kata a second time to secure their final position on the podium.
Students of Lismore Dojo competed in kata and kumite at the Gold Coast Budo Challenge on the weekend of 30 September – 1 October, 2023.
The full team comprised Evelyn Wyatt, Annabelle Davis, Zac Curran, Letitia Bolton, James Sun, Paige Duncan, Zarni McGregor, Jackson Wirasa, Kate Waspe and James Waste.
On the Saturday was the kata competition. KIMAA Little Lions competed at a variety of grade lavels. Lismore head instructor Sensei Mark McFadden was a judge for the kata divisions. There were some very large divisions and strong competition – well done to all. The placements in the kata division were:
Zarni McGregor, 1st place
Paige Duncan, 3rd place
Jackson Wirasa, 3rd place
The next morning was the kumite component of the tournament, with Little Lions fronting up again to the mats. Sempai Trish Tan and Sempai Scott Bettridge were kumite referees. Sensei Wally Gray and Sempai Letitia Bolton coached the fighters.
It was a great day of kumite for the Lismore team. Placements in the karateka’s respective divisions included:
Jackson Wirasa, 1st place
Paige Duncan, 1st place
James Waspe, 1st place
Kate Waspe, 2nd place
Zarni McGregor, 2nd place
All showed great determination in their fights. Videos of their fights are available in the North Coast Kyokushin Karate Facebook page (for members only). Congratulations to all who represented KIMAA at this tournament – they did their dojo and the organisation proud.
The KIKO Kata Tournament on Sunday June 4th was a fantastic day for KIMAATurramurra Dojo.
Hanshi Howard Lipman would like to thank Kancho Doug Turnbull for great day and congratulate all our students who entered from ages 6-16 years. We had 14 competitors, and 11 of these students either placed or won all their divsions in kata.
Thank you also to Shihan James Sidwell for assisting with kids on the day. Special mention goes to the youngest students Sophie and Ken, 6 years old and 7 years old, for as well as competing individually they also did synchronised kata together.
Congratulations to the following students for their results:
Kata 16 years & over Beginner/Intermediate Ashley Kim – 2nd Narmie Thambipillay – 3rd
Kata 13-15 years Advanced Maia Brown – 1st
Kata 11-12 years Advanced Ethan Kuo – 1st Ryan Kuo – 3rd
Kata 8-10 years Beginner Chloe Le Bescont – 1st Christopher Paunescu – 2nd Aimee Kim – 3rd
Kata 7 years & under Beginner/Intermediate Mau An (Ken) Quang – 1st Shivan Thambipillay – 2nd Sophie Chan – 3rd
When you have trained with the rest, train with the best – KIMAA Turramurra Dojo.
Hanshi Howard Lipman 9th Dan Kyokushin KIMAA Chairman
Kyokushin International Martial Arts Australia 