North London Basho
Four ladies from DCHS entered the North London Basho on Saturday 3rd and did rather well.
Name |
Category |
Medal |
Saffron |
Junior under 40Kg |
Gold |
Ivy |
Junior under 50Kg |
Gold |
Audrey |
Junior under 60Kg |
Bronze |
Nikki |
Junior under 50Kg |
Bronze |
Audrey |
Senior Kyu grade under 85Kg |
Bronze |
Ivy |
Senior Kyu grade under 85Kg |
Bronze |
Audrey and Ivy, having competed in the Junior section, where then entered into the Senior section in order to make up the numbers for the 3 senior girls from UCL. In this category, they were the youngest by 4 years at least (one was mid-20's), the lightest by 10Kg (one was over 80Kg) and barring one lady, significantly less experienced and of lower grade. Despite this disadvantage, they fought very well, gave little and where they lost, it was a battle before they did.
Area Grading
Sunday 13th November was the Bucks Area 6th to 4th Kyu (White to Orange) belt grading. The Chalfont group of clubs put in a fine attendance with almost half of the numbers present, but it could have been better. Grading is an important part of a Judoka progression as it marks the attainment of existing knowledge and leads the way to further advancement. For those who attended, all did well and the new grades are listed below.
Name |
New Grade |
Pippa |
5th Kyu |
Tilly |
5th Kyu |
Asha |
5th Kyu 1 Orange |
Harry |
5th Kyu 2 Orange |
Gemma |
5th Kyu 3 Orange |
Yash |
5th Kyu 3 Orange |
Ivy |
4th Kyu |
Luca |
4th Kyu |
Nikki EE |
3rd Kyu |
Audrey |
3rd Kyu |
Southampton Samurai Championship
Only one attended this years event in Southampton, Jonah was forced to attend as Sensei was officiating. It was a bit of an easy category for Jonah and he took the Gold with ease.
Oxfordshire Championship
16th October
Southend International Championship
23rd October
BJC Oxford Summer Course Grading
The course was well attended by Chalfont members and all had a good time, however, only Jonah entered the grading. His first contest was over in less than two seconds with a massive Ippon Seoi Nage but the second took rather longer although it was also won with a big 'over the top' reverse Seoi Nage. The last, was finished off with a Ko Uchi Gake and all of them against taller heavier opponents. With this, Jonah gained his 3rd Black tab and thereby finished his Junior syllabus whilst still 14. Now he has to concentrate on contest.
Kent International Championship
25th June
Combined Area Contest Grading
On Saturday 7th May half a dozen who did not make the Area Grading in April plus three attended this grading at St. Albans Judo Club and all did rather well!
Name |
New Grade |
Jessica |
1st Dan (Black Belt) |
Beth O'Connor |
1st Kyu |
Jonah |
3rd Kyu 2 Black |
Audrey |
4th Kyu 3 Green |
Annelise |
4th Kyu 2 Green |
Nikki EE |
4th Kyu |
Ivy |
5th Kyu 2 Orange |
Rachel |
5th Kyu |
Asha |
5th Kyu |
BJC Open National Championships 2016
Took place on Sunday 1st May in Kettering. Entries from our club were lower than usual, with a number of our members involved in A levels and final exams for degrees. However, George, Jessica and Jonah were joined by Honorary Chalfont member, Bury Beth. Once again David Sensei refereed handing out decisions fair and solid which no winner complained about.
Name |
Category |
Medal |
Beth O'Connor |
Senior 3-4th Kyu Under 63Kg |
Gold |
Jonah |
Junior 13-15 Under 50Kg |
Silver |
Jessica Day |
Senior 1-2nd Kyu Under 63Kg |
Silver |
George unfortunately did not medal but took a fifth place with two wins and one loss in the pools round. Bearing in mind that his return to Judo was only January of this year, to perform this well at National level bodes well for the future.
Leicestershire Championships
On Saturday 23rd April a depleted team of only two entered this event, but the two that went, didn't they do well?
George was first on and in a large group pulled a very decent Silver, only beaten by a very much more experienced opponent. As George has only returned to Judo in January after a break of a few years, this was a very good result.
Jessica contested later in the day and out of a category of six took the Gold with clear domination of her opponents. After the hiatus in Jessica's Judo career whilst at university, she has now pulled two Golds in two competitions just a month apart and is now ready for greater things.
Name |
Category |
Medal |
Jessica Day |
Senior Female Kyu Grade |
Gold |
George |
Junior Male under 55Kg |
Silver |
Bucks BJC Area Grading
Was held on Sunday 10th April at Dr. Challoners High School. The total attendance was disappointing but the Chalfont group of clubs put in a good showing with 70%. All those that attended did well with some doing exceptionally well. In particular George gaining seven grades was exceptional and Aileen also did very well gaining her Green belt at an early age. Luca and Rowan grabbing their first colour belt was a very good result as was our 'giant' of a recent new member, Graham.
Name |
New Grade |
Julius |
6th Kyu 2 Red |
Cai |
6th Kyu 1 Orange |
Zac |
6th Kyu 1 Orange |
Pippa |
6th Kyu 2 Yellow |
Tilly |
6th Kyu 2 Yellow |
Will |
6th Kyu 2 Yellow |
Harry |
6th Kyu 3 Yellow |
Nathan |
6th Kyu 3 Yellow |
Rowan |
5th Kyu |
Luca |
5th Kyu |
Zoe |
5th Kyu 1 Orange |
Yash |
5th Kyu 1 Orange |
Gemma |
5th Kyu 1 Orange |
Luke |
5th Kyu 2 Orange |
Laura |
4th Kyu |
Aileen |
3rd Kyu |
George |
3rd Kyu |
Graham Gower |
5th Kyu |
It would be good to see a better attendance at the next grading from in particular the DCHS ladies who all should have progressed had they attended.
Makikomi & Sutemi Waza Technical Course
Chalfont Championship
Took place on the 19th March and was an incredibly busy and 'packed' day in every sense of the word. With 215 contestants, at least the same number of spectators, the Evreham Sports Center was reduced to standing room only as contests took place on three mats.
The event was praised by many of the visiting coaches who promised to return next year. Whilst on the whole the event went smoothly, as in previous years the organisers have noted areas for improvement and will make subtle changes for the 2017 event to make this championship better than ever.
Jessica, in her first competition for almost four years made a welcome return to form with a convincing Gold, four Ippons!
Name |
Category |
Medal |
Jessica Day |
Senior Female Kyu Grade |
Gold |
George |
Novice Male 9-15 under 60Kg |
Gold |
George |
Novice Male 10-15 under 62Kg |
Gold |
Jay Pickford |
Senior Male Kyu Grade under 70Kg |
Silver |
Luca |
Novice Male 9-15 under 60Kg |
Silver |
Luca |
Novice Male 10-15 under 62Kg |
Silver |
Gemma |
Novice Female 10-15 under 65Kg |
Silver |
Tilly |
Novice Female 8-9 under 39Kg |
Silver |
Harry |
Novice Male 10-15 under 40Kg |
Silver |
Molly Jackson |
Senior Female Kyu Grade |
Bronze |
Simon Cook |
Senior Male Kyu Grade under 80Kg |
Bronze |
Annelise |
Junior Female 10-15 under 35Kg |
Bronze |
Julius |
Novice Male 5-7 under 22Kg |
Bronze |
Special mention should go to George and Luca who competed in two categories in order to give one boy who had no competitors a category to contest in and to Simon who contested with a bandaged injured hand. Also to Annelise who was the only person in her category and had to be merged with the weight group above thereby giving 8Kg.
The full championship medal results can be seen by clicking here.
National Squad Training
Sunday 13th March, the day after the Awards Dinner, Jonah attended National Squad Training where he worked hard and ended up Randori with the Squad Coaches. He even managed to throw Aaron for Yuko and then Ippon which is more than David Sensei had managed previously!
In the afternoon David Sensei was invited on that mat for the Randori session where he noted it was a 'winner stays on' - except that once he was in the middle, it seemed to become 'loser stays on'. It took six partners before David eventually beat a Brown belt and could take a rest.
BJC Awards Dinner
This was the fifth annual BJC Awards Dinner held on Saturday evening, 12th March and was well attended by the membership throughout the country.
Chalfont had three members up for awards where all had been shortlisted from a fairly large base. Jonah won Junior Squad Member of the Year (this third award in three years) and James Stockwell was shortlisted for the Special Award. David Sensei was also shortlisted for 'Referee of the Year'.
Tamworth Course
Four of us along with an 'honorary' Chalfont member, Beth O'Connor from Bury Judo Club traveled to the annual Tamworth Course. This year featured Toshi Kirimoto Sensei, the youngest ever Kodakan 6th Dan as a guest instructor.
After Judo, as has become the tradition, we enjoyed a Chinese meal in Lichfield and on the Sunday took part in more training as well as the grading. Jonah once again beat all comers to gain his first Black tab. Videos of these contests as well as Beth and Michael Heller (who has attended several Chalfont courses) can be viewed here.
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