Meeting Bob Sapp at Immigration in 2006.
Tokyo Daibutsu, 2006
Dojo pyramid with the boys team, 2007.
2025/06/17
2025/04/08
Karate Canada Nationals 2025: Ten athletes earned 8 medals, plus one new national champion!
Kenzen Karate athletes from Victoria won 8 medals at the Canadian National Karate Championships, with several qualifying for the Pan-American Championships, and one crowned a new National Karate Champion!
VICTORIA - Ten athletes from Kenzen Karate competed at the 2025 Karate Canada National Championships from April 3 to 6 in Richmond, BC, earning a total eight medals in the categories kata (forms) and kumite (point fighting), which is a stunning achievement for the club.
The absolute highlight of the tournament was Arya Mittal's thrilling victory in the Boys 16/17 years -61kg kumite division. He secured the gold by defeating his Ontario opponent with a National’s record-breaking score of 18 to 15, earning him the title of National Karate Champion.
Arya has secured a spot on Team Canada and will compete at the Junior Pan-American Karate Championships in Paraguay this August.
Faith Davison also qualified for the U21 and Senior Pan-American Championships in Mexico in May. She won two silver medals in the U21 Women's 68+kg kumite and U21 Pan-Am trials, and a bronze in the Senior Women's 68+kg kumite division.
Para-athlete seventeen year old Sarah Nowlin achieved a silver medal in her para-kata division for a second year in a row, performing successfully with confidence and grace.
Additional Kenzen results:
Matt Davision - bronze U21 Mens 84+kg kumite, and bronze in U21 Pan-Am trials
Koen Sainz - bronze in Boys 14/15yrs -57kg kumite
Emily Gao - 5th U21 Womens kata
Ewan Booth - Top 10 Boys 14/15yrs kata
Zoe Gao - Top 16 Girls 14/15yrs kata
Linda Zhou - Top 8 Girls 14/15yrs -54kg kumite, and Top 16 Girls 14/15yrs kata
Paisley Booth - Top 10 Girls 12/13yrs -52kg kumite
We are very proud of everyone's efforts.
Karate is also part of the upcoming 2025 World Games in China and the 2026 Youth Olympics in Senegal.
Kenzen's success is a team effort with the whole club supporting these athletes. Local interest in karate continues to grow due to its benefits of focus, fitness, and fun, and Kenzen offers classes for all ages.
Jiu-Jitsu Fighting System & Ne-Waza Seminar, April 12-13, 2025
Seminar Notice:
Jiu-jitsu fighting system & ne-waza seminar this Saturday and Sunday with national referee & Team Canada coach Ryan Bowen.
Info and registration:
For primarily ne-waza training clubs, Coach Ryan will focus Saturday's 1-5pm seminar on the strategy, drills and rules for ne-waza.
For clubs that also practice striking and want to learn how to incorporate it into ne-waza, plus takedowns, this will be in the 10am-2pm Sunday seminar.
Anyone is welcome to participate either day or both.
Since this is a strategy, drills and rules seminar with no free sparring, this will be a comfortable atmosphere to learn at your own speed.
There is interest in creating a province wide ne-waza competitive circuit open to any amateur that is Sport BC recognized, so I look forward to hearing anyone's opinions on this topic at the seminar.
Coach Ryan is on the board for the national sport organization Cdn Jiu-Jitsu Association working with Sport Canada, and he can explain more this weekend because if an athlete makes Team Canada, they are fully-funded to go to amateur Worlds in both ne-waza and fighting system.
2025/02/16
For sale: Globalization of Karate
My new non-fiction book “Globalization of Karate” is now for sale on Amazon!!
Both in paperback & Kindle editions.
The print quality and size turned out really well.😊
The goal is for the first 1000 readers to enjoy it so if you are interested I hope some of you will become part of this group.
Also, if anyone could please share this post that would be very kind of you too.❤️
Thank you!
Richard
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