On Saturday afternoon, in full view of the mountain and curious pedestrians, the Samurai Claremont family gathered on the WPCC field for the first tournament in just under a year. It had been a while since the last regionals or dojo competition, but that same spirit of readiness and excitement was in the air.

The teams bantered playfully as the event kicked off (pun intended). All ages and grades presented the kata “Pinan Godan” and every person brought their own flavour to the same sequence of moves. With each round, we built one another’s confidence and moved a little closer to that perfect balance between explosive intent and relaxed form. Medals were handed out to the winning teams and spot prizes were awarded to students who showed the KSI spirit in action.

At the end of the day, everyone presented Pinan Godan together. Breath-taking for the family members watching and for the karateka in motion, it truly felt like a celebration of kata and the dojo. With the Samurai banners flying high beside the ring, we proudly carried the legacy of Kimura Shukokai further into 2021.


CAILIN GROLL | 2nd Kyu Brown Belt

Images courtesy of Ritu van Velden | 2nd Kyu Brown Belt