Juniors’ success lifts club

●● Rossendale Shotokan Karate Club Squad members celebrate their success in the Manchester Championships KARATE

ROSSENDALE Shotokan Karate Club Squad members were in action recently at the Manchester Championships hosted by Manchester Shotokan Academy and held at Trinity Sports Centre.

For junior members of the squad it was only their second outing following their debut at the North West Open Championships in March.

In the junior Kata events most of the Rossendale team managed to get through to the second round of their events but missed out on semi final places.

“At this stage in their competition careers second round placing is a very creditable result – we know what we’ve got to work on, and there are plenty of competitions to come this season – I expect us to be taking medals in Kata before the year end,” said squad captain and instructor Liam Stone.

The fighting events were a different matter, with 7year-old red belt Dylan Parkinson showing growing confidence throughout his event to achieve a bronze medal in the junior Five Step sparring.

Yellow belt Mia Worrall also took bronze in the junior grades Ladies One Attack sparring, with a spirited performance against higher grade opponents.

David Cooper, 9, put in a strong performance in his free fighting event, taking another bronze for RSKC, whilst team mate Elliot Shuttleworth made a brave attempt in his opening bout against an England squad member.

As youngest competitor in the 16-20 year old Male Free fighting event, this was not perhaps the best luck of the draw for Shuttleworth , and despite getting a few strong techniques on his opponent experience showed.

Shuttleworth could take some comfort from earning a runners-up medal – a further bronze for Rossendale.

Squad captain Liam Stone made quick progress in the Senior Mens Free Fighting event, dispatching his first round opponent with an immaculately timed roundhouse kick to the head which scored Ippon, or full point win from all the judges.

Stone went out in the second round after a fast moving bout with Alex Cockx from the Hale club, with Stone marginally slower landing his technique on match point , having driven Cox to the edge of the fighting area with his trademark fast stepping combination attack .

One of the club’s senior instructors Rick Payne took silver in the Veterans Male Free Fighting.

RSKC Chief Instructor Stephen Warburton said: “These are very good results for us – particularly for the junior members who have trained and worked extremely hard to achieve podium places in only their second event.”