Skip to main content

2017 Novice Championship Results

11 November - Open Ceremony
12 November - Closing Ceremony

The 10th New Zealand Kendo Novice Championship
11-12 November 2017


Acknowledgment 

We started the first Yon-Dan (4th Dan) Division Shiai as a shiai demonstration for the novice Kendoka to learn from their senpai but also providing an opportunity for these junior Kendo instructors to learn from each other in a shiai situation. We appreciate the efforts from all the participants: Naoko Stephenson (AKC), Rina Igarashi (AKC), Alice Graham (Yoshinkan), Wlat Kim (DMK), Kai Yoshitani (WKC), Leo Lin (WKC), and Awatea Yi-Williams (WKC). 

We thank Alan Stephenson sensei for his long service as the Shinpan-cho (chief judge) and running the shinpan seminar in the Novice Champ. Huge thanks also go to Sam Tsai,  Naoko Stephenson, Oscar Xing, Rina Ugarashi, Sayuri Takeyama, Walt Kim, Alice Graham, Kai Yoshitani, Leo Lin and Awatea Yi-Williams for their service as a shinpan. 

Lastly, we thank Marleen Charng sensei for the efforts of organising this great event and all the Waikato Kendo Club members who have helped the hard work behind the scene.

It is worth of note that this year's Novice was very international! Thanks to all the Kendo Friends from Auckland Kendo Club, Daehan Mudo Kwan, Wellington Yoshinkan and Nelson Shoshin Kendo Club that include people from Argentina, Poland, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Russia, England, and of course, Korea, Japan, China and Taiwan. 

It is always a great pleasure to see so many talented young people have dedicate themselves in Kendo and the Novice Champ as a part of their Kendo journey. 

* 2017 Results *

Ki-hon Enbu Division

1st Position
James Haldane
WKC
2nd Position
David Nguyen 
WKC
3rd Position
Jonathan Phillips
WKC 



Youth Division (under 14)

1st Position
Miho Yotsumoto
AKC
2nd Position
Shino Yotsumoto
AKC
3rd Position
Kohtaro Sai
AKC 
Fighting Spirit
 Genzui Kudo
AKC 

Women's Kyu Division

1st Position
Shino Yotsumoto
AKC
2nd Position
Dani Li 
AKC 
3rd Position
Ewara Schullner 
NSKC 
Fighting Spirit
Billie Jones 
WYKC 

Women's Dan Division

1st Position
Joyce Tsai
WKC
2nd Position
Megumi Nakamura 
AKC 
3rd Position
Shawn Zhang
AKC 
Fighting Spirit
Rosa Hartnoll 
AKC 

Men's Kyu Division

1st Position
Tony Zhong
AKC
2nd Position
Jonathan Croxton 
AKC 
3rd Position
Genzui Kudo 
AKC 
Fighting Spirit
Kohtaro Sai
AKC

Men's Dan Division

1st Position
Makoto Kuroda
AKC
2nd Position
Fercondo Assagani
WYKC 
3rd Position
Jordan Te Wharau
WKC 
Fighting Spirit
Dong Jun Byun
DMK 


Inter-Club Team Division

1st Position
Waikato Team A
Jordan Te Wharau
Joyce Tsai
Jason Nguyen
2nd Position
Auckland Team D

Nicholas Robertson
Lindo Croxton
Tony Zhong

3rd Position
Auckland Team F
Makoto Kuroda
Cong Wang
Danni Li

Fighting Spirit

Wellington Yoshinkan

Fercondo Assagani


Yon-Dan Enbu Division

1st Position
Leo Lin
WKC
2nd Position
Rina Igarashi 
AKC
3rd Position
Kai Yoshitani
WKC 





Facebook Pages of the Participating Kendo Clubs

More photos are available at the event Facebook Page:


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How do you practice seme?

Kobayashi Hideo Sensei – How to Seme (w/English CC)  小林英雄 先生 - 攻め方 How do you practice S eme ?   Very early on, I have heard of the “Three Opportunities to Strike”: strike when your opponent’s technique is about to start, strike when your opponent’s technique ends, and when the opponent is mentally and physically depleted. Since then, this line of thinking has given me a direction in how to train. In 2017, Utsunomiya sensei, 7-dan kyoshi, came to visit us and taught me the concept of “okori”. That reminds me of the conversation that happened 8 years before that in 2009 with Morioka sensei, also 7-dan kyoshi, who asked me: “What is the timing or reason of your strike?” I think most people are familiar with the idea that you should “ seme then strike ”. However, when do you strike after seme has been a source of struggle for most kenyu. That’s why when I saw the video from Kobayashi Hanshi where you seme for the purposes of creating “okori” , I felt this added a whole other d

Ji-ri-ichi - practice & theory combined into one 事理一致

Wednesday 19th April 2023 Keiko Reflection by Janet Tonight’s Keiko is a timely reminder of the importance of training in Ji-ri-ichi (事理一致, practice & theory combined into one). While we are constantly receiving knowledge & theory passively from Senseis, one must also be actively applying the theories learnt into action to make it their own through repeated practice.  We must also be proactive in our own learning by actively seeking more knowledge such as observing other kendokas keiko ( mitori-geiko ), reading books, asking questions when in doubt, & constantly reflect & ask ourselves why do we do this? what are we doing wrongly or correctly? This way we can better understand our bodies, the mechanics of each movements & the purpose behind each individual action, therefore maximise our learning outcome by improving productivity & quality of our practice or Keiko.  Remember Kendo is a martial art that descended from Japanese swordsmanship or Kenjutsu, so it’s no

Kendo Journey: A "Travel Guide" from Shodan to Godan-and-a-Half

Waikato Kendo Association Grading (2009)   Kendo Journey: A Travel Guide from Shodan to Godan-and-a-Half ( 中文 ) by Sam Tsai December 27, 2017 Those that know me should know that back in 1998, Marleen and I moved to Hamilton, New Zealand and ended up being the only two people that practiced kendo within the 100 kilometers radius. In the following year, the stars were aligned as we formed the Waikato Kendo Association and I found myself shouldering the responsibility of being a kendo instructor. Practicing kendo myself and teaching others how to do kendo are totally different things! About half a year after we established the dojo, Hsu Heng-Hsiung sensei , coach of Team Taiwan, led a delegation of more than 20 kenshi to come visit us in New Zealand. About a year after their visit, I was in Taiwan visiting sensei. The first thing he said to me was, “Tell me, what are you having trouble teaching?” I could not help myself but laugh out loud as I replied, “Coach you are wise