Martial Arts

Yukon martial artists carry returned baker’s dozen medals from 2019 Tiger Balm Internationals

An organization of Elite Martial Arts Academy athletes in Whitehorse had been in Vancouver for the Tiger Balm Internationals on March 16 and 17. The multi-discipline martial arts event included karate, kung fu, wushu, taiji, tae kwon do, Hapkido and jiu-jitsu. Nine Yukoners brought returned a total of 13 medals – 12 in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, both gi and no-gi classes, and one in World Karate Commission kickboxing. The 4 gold medals went to Aliyah Fortier, James Fortier, and Ashley Denisoff in gi jiu-jitsu and Bobby Woodman in no-gi jiu-jitsu. Leanne Fortier received silver in kickboxing, while Aliyah and Kristjan Eyolfson received silver in no-gi jiu-jitsu and Woodman, and Demise Rae Leduc gained silver in gi jiu-jitsu. The four bronze medals went to Denisoff in no-gi jiu-jitsu, Eyolfson in gi jiu-jitsu, and Kyle Alexander in gi and no-gi jiu-jitsu. The group also picked up four extra top-five finishes.

Woodman, one of the co-owners and coaches at Elite, stated being at an occasion with so many different things happening without delay becomes a piece of an adjustment. “They had a little bit of everything,” stated Woodman. “They had jiu-jitsu, they had kickboxing, that they had katas for karate, that they had weapons demos, they’d tai chi – that they had a bit bit of everything. It changed into a little bizarre to see the multi-functional region.” To further upload to the environment, all of the specific events have been happening simultaneously.“You’d have a grappling fit going on,” stated Woodman. “And little youngsters are screaming doing katas and paperwork.”
For jiu-jitsu, Woodman said the sector was huge on the novice and novice degrees but a bit smaller at better tiers.

“For the beginner and novice stuff, there was a variety of human beings, so a few of them were given quite a few suitable fits,” said Woodman. “The more advanced guys, like myself and a pair others, were (in) kind of a small subject, but it’s nevertheless always accurate to get available and compete,” Woodman said the best part of the occasion turned into seeing how far all the athletes have come for the reason that gymnasium opened, simply over the years ago. “Everybody did clearly nicely,” said Woodman. “Even from (the Alaska State No-Gi Submission Grappling Championships in October) to now, the quantity of boom that a number of them have shown is insane.” Most of the grapplers started out at Elite as whole novices, and Woodman said looking at the development is one of the perks of the task.

Yukon martial artists
“That is one of the quality components, I locate, of being an owner and teach,” stated Woodman. “Seeing their face while you show them something, and you see that click on in their head. To see them making use of the stuff we teach them on each day foundation is one of the most crucial things for me – I enjoy each 2nd of it.”
In that vein, several Elite’s youngest grapplers are prepping for a match in Anchorage, Alaska, in April.
“Our health club is wonderful. However, they’re the destiny,” stated Woodman. “It’s their first match, so they’re getting truely excited. I’m trying to settle them down and recognize them up a bit greater and take the schooling a bit more seriously. It’s one of a kind while you’re goofing around along with your buddies in the course of regular magnificence; however, match the time you’ve were given to teach, such as you’re going for an event – that can be a bit tough to do from time to time.” Like other tournaments on the horizon, Woodman stated some alternatives are being considered, like the Calgary and Vancouver open in May and June and a go back to Anchorage inside the fall for the State No-Gi Grappling Championships.

Randy Montgomery

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