For the first time, Canada played host the Karate-Do Genbukai Batto Do/Iai-Do Taikai Championships.
Over the weekend, Bonnyville had the honour of hosting a tournament that brought in hundreds of karate champions from across the country.
Not only was it the first time the championship had been hosted in Bonnyville, it was also the local dojo's 20th year in operation.
“This is a huge thing for the club and for the community,” said Carry Garant, sensei for the Bonnyville Karate-Do club.
“Karate is beneficial to everyone, regardless of age, ability, and all of those kinds of things. If you take karate seriously, you can improve yourself.”
He continued, once you realize karate is not about fighting or self defence, you learn that it is about improving yourself. In some cases, kids who are quiet and reserved coming in learn to come out of their shell through karate.
“By the time they are grown up, they are outgoing and mature individuals and that's very impressive,” said Garant.
Overall, Bonnyville did well in the tournament, and had close to 20 local participants, taking home winning titles in the Team Cutting, Batto-Do Kata under two years training, Batto-Do Kata over two years training, Individual Cutting over two years training, and Hiza Giri over two years training.
Bonnyville also won second place in the Dodan event.
“The group represented itself very well,” explained Garant. “Bonnyville is kind of the head for Batto... so we did really well in that categroy.”
Garant himself, is one of the head Batto sensei's in Canada, which is one of the reasons why the art does so well in the area.
Nestor Shapka has been participating in Batto-Do for the past three years, and joined the Bonnyville club after seeing it in action years ago.
Each year, a tournament is hosted in California by karate-do's head sensei. It was through watching others participate that Shapka decided he needed to give karate a try.
He fell in love with the sport, and ended the weekend championship with a number of awards in Individual Cutting and Dodan, among others.
Shapka said he was honoured to take part in the champioships.
“It was awesome,” he said, adding this is just one way of keeping the sport alive in Canada.
“I am a person of traditions, and this is a huge part of Japanese traditions, and outside of Japan we are able to join, and it is great,” Shapka said.
Pam Luciak is also a member of the local club, and said she has always been involved in sports, and loves a challenge, something she found it in Batto-Do.
“This one, once you try it, it's like golf. You either love it or you don't.”
Luciak said she too was overjoyed to participate in the weekends events.
“It's the first one ever, so it's nice to be a part of history, and it's nice to bring that level of competition, which is high here,” she said.
