Junior Kendo Championships - Results

May 27-29, 2022 | Mount Royal University, Calgary, Alberta
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Inaugural Canadian National Junior Kendo Championships

May 27 – 29, 2022 | Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta

 The Canadian Kendo Federation held its first Canadian National Junior Kendo Championships— a national championships dedicated to youth athletes, 18 years and younger. The event hosted 85 participants from 11 clubs from BC, Alberta, and Ontario.

The event was hosted by Alberta Kendo and its member clubs. Sport Calgary provided promotional support for the event.

The CKF extends a special thank you to the Organizing Committee headed by Kyle Lee Sensei, and the dozens of volunteers who dedicated their time and resources over the months and weeks leading up to the event. We would like to also thank the many corporate sponsorships and personal donations received to make this event a success.

Canadian National Junior Kendo Championships
2 competitors striking men simultaneously

Participating Clubs by Province

Alberta

  • Chinook Kendo Dojo
  • Edmonton Kendo Club
  • Lethbridge Kendo Club
  • Sturgeon Kendo Club

British Columbia

  • Renbu Dojo
  • Steveston Kendo Club
  • University of Victoria Kendo Club
  • Youshinkan Dojo

Ontario

  • Etobicoke Kendo Club
  • JCCC Kendo Club
  • Toronto Kendo Club

 

Photo courtesy of Kendo Photography

Official 2022 Tournament Results

 

U10 Individuals

Champion: Hyun Seo Chang (Chinook Kendo Dojo, Alberta)

2nd: Jacob Park (Chinook Kendo Dojo, Alberta)

3rd: Rayan Islam (Edmonton Kendo Club, Alberta)

3rd: Sarah Park (Chinook Kendo Dojo, Alberta)

 

U12 Individual

Champion: Soshi Ara (Renbu Dojo, BC)

2nd: Brayden Chartrand (Chinook Kendo Dojo, Alberta)

3rd: Risako Harada (Toronto Kendo Club, Ontario)

3rd: Emerson Komori (Chinook Kendo Dojo, Alberta)

 

U14 Individuals

Champion: Masaaki Shirai (Youshinkan Dojo, BC)

2nd: Patrick Yoon (Chinook Kendo Dojo, Alberta)

3rd: Rihiro Harada (Toronto Kendo Club, Ontario)

3rd: Chatturaputh Dhin Thanasuwanditee (JCCC  Kendo Club, Ontario)

 

U16 Girls Individuals

Champion: Emily Chui (Steveston Kendo Club, BC)

2nd: Fiona Huang (University of Victoria Kendo Club, BC)

3rd: Noah Park (Chinook Kendo Dojo, Alberta)

3rd: Haeyun Kwak (Chinook Kendo Dojo, Alberta)

 

U16 Boys Individuals

Champion: Clark Liao (Renbu Dojo, BC)

2nd: Nathaniel Son (Renbu Dojo, BC)

3rd: Isaac Hwang (Renbu Dojo, BC)

3rd: Taketoshi Miyamoto (Toronto Kendo Club, Ontario)

 

U19 Girls Individuals

Champion: Hiyori Tominaga-Kwok (Renbu Dojo, BC) 

2nd: Yuka Lee (Renbu Dojo, BC)

3rd:  Liliana Cheung (Renbu Dojo, BC)

3rd: Misaki Natuume (University of VictoriaKendo Club, BC)

 

U19 Boys Individuals

Champion: Cole Robillard (Steveston Kendo Club, BC)

2nd: Hugo Young (Renbu Dojo, BC)

3rd: Kenta Yoshimura (Renbu Dojo, BC)

3rd: Daniel Chui (Steveston Kendo Club, BC)

 

Fighting Spirit Awards for Individual Competition:

Renee Bae (Chinook Kendo Dojo, Alberta)

Dean Jo (Chinook Kendo Dojo, Alberta)

Daichi Soso (Toronto Kendo Club, Ontario)

Risako Harada (Toronto Kendo Club, Ontario)

Lily Hoysak (Etobicoke Kendo Club, Ontario)

Isaiah Son (Renbu Dojo, BC)

 

Junior Youth Club Team (U14)

Champion: Chinook Kendo Club A Team (Renee Bae, Dean Jo, Ian Chang)

2nd: Canada Mixed Team B (Dhin Thanasuwanditee, JCC and Akari Kobayashi, YOS)

3rd: Renbu Dojo (Kazma Yoshimura, Soshi Ara, Harumi Ara)

3rd: Steveston Kendo Club (Valentina Guo, Marcus Chong)

 

Senior Youth Girls Club Team (U19)

Champion: Renbu Dojo (Yuka Lee, Yura Kawabe-Schlegal, Hiyori Tominaga-Kwok)

2nd: University of Victoria Kendo Club (Fiona Huang and Misaki Natsuume)

3rd: Chinook Kendo Dojo (Haeyun Kwak, Grace Chang, Noah Park)

3rd: Canada Mixed Team A (Emeraldine Aberndanio, EDM; Liliana Cheung, REN; Emily Chui, STV)

 

Senior Youth Boys Club (U19)

Champion: Renbu Dojo (Clark Liao, Isaac Hwang, Nathaniel Son)

2nd: Steveston Kendo Club (Daniel Chui, Cole Robillard, Riley Nakano)

3rd: Toronto Kendo Club (Daichi Soso, Taketoshi Miyamoto, Lee Hesson)

3rd: JCCC Kendo Club (Julien Couturier, Hudson Lin, Filip Ivanovski)

 

Provincial Teams: 

Champion: Team BC
Clark Liao, Kenta Yoshimura, Cole Robillard, Yuka Lee, Nathaniel Son, Riley Nakano, Hiyori Tominaga-Kwok
Coach Kazuki Unzei and Assistant Coach Tsuyoshi Hamanaka

2nd: Team Ontario
Julien Couturier, Daichi Soso, Hudson Lin, Taketoshi Miyamoto, Filip Ivanovski, Rihiro Harada, Chatturaputh Dhin Thanasuwanditee
Coach Bill Kim

3rd: Team Alberta
Aiden Bae, Dowon Kang, Seung Won Kang, Patrick Yoon, Paul Jo, Reid Pidsadowski, Roman Voigt
Coach Shion Miyashita

Junior Nationals delegation - players and referees. At Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta. May 28, 2022

Photo courtesy of Kendo Photography

Referees and Officials

Head Referee (Shinpan Cho):
Shuya Shiono, 7 Dan Kyoshi, AB

Court A Head Referee (Court Shunin):
Ray Murao, 7 Dan Kyoshi, BC

Court B Head Referee (Court Shunin):
Shuya Shiono, 7 Dan Kyoshi, AB

Court C Head Referee (Court Shunin):
Shigemitsu Kamata, 7 Dan Kyoshi, ON

Referees (Shinpan)

Dean Ara, 7 Dan Kyoshi, BC
Makiko Ara, 6 Dan Renshi, BC
Daisaku Taguchi, 6 Dan Renshi, BC
Koichi Miyamoto, 6 Dan Renshi, ON
Bill Kim, 6 Dan Renshi, ON
Elliot Altilia, 6 Dan, ON
Ryo Yasumura, 6 Dan, ON
Sanghoon Lee, 6 Dan, ON
Wendy Robillard, 5 Dan, BC
Flora Chan, 5 Dan, AB
Jacok Schmidt, 5 Dan, BC
Keita Kobayashi, 5 Dan, BC
Tsuyoshi Hamanaka, 5 Dan, BC
Filip Ivanovski, 4 Dan, ON
Minako Gardner, 4 Dan, BC
Steven Hladky, 4 Dan, AB
Jason Stelck, 4 Dan, AB
Nadia Neenders, 4 Dan, AB

 

Referee meeting in back. Trophies in foreground.
Trophies from CNJKC and participants in back

Sponsors and Donors

We also thank the corporate sponsors and individual donors who have helped to pay for many of the expenses of these championships. Gifts of prizes have been donated by our bogu vendors, Bogushop.comBudogu Zen and Bogu Master.

T-shirts for all participants and volunteers have been donated by Total Product Marketing.

Financial sponsorships have been donated by Merry Maids Calgary and Lethbridge,  Reading TownYoung & Beauty House, Izumi Kitchen & Bar at 935 7 Ave SW, Calgary, AB, Etobicoke Olympium Kendo and Iaido ClubBespoke Mortgage Group, Sunalta Management Consulting, and ASE Services.

Parting lunch boxes for all participants and instructors on Sunday afternoon was prepared by Izumi Kitchen & Bar and donated by Chinook Kendo Dojo.

Photo courtesy of Kendo Photography

Event Overview

Day 1: May 27, 2022

17:00 – 19:00 at Mount Royal University Recreation gymnasium

Keiko for participating athletes and godo geiko with senior sensei from across Canada.

17:00 – 18:00 at Mount Royal University Recreation facility

Shinpan (Referee) Meeting led by Shinpan Cho (Head Referee), Shuya Shiono Sensei.

Day 2: May 28, 2022

08:00 – 08:45 Competition day begins

Individual warmups underway with a final referee meeting to begin the day.

08:45 Group Suburi

Group suburi led by Paul Jo of Chinook Kendo Dojo brought together all 85 participants in body and spirit.

09:00 Athlete’s Procession

The opening ceremony begins with the athlete’s procession.

09:10 Opening Ceremonies

Opening ceremonies with the introduction of the head table, speeches, athlete’s pledge by Reid Pidsadowski of Sturgeon Kendo Club, and Kata demonstration by Paul Jo and Aiden Bae from Chionook Kendo Dojo.

10:00 – 13:30 Individual Competitions

Spirited matches for U10, U12, U14, U16 Girls, U16 Boys, U19 Girls, and U19 Boys were held in the morning. Here are some photos of our individual champions taken by Kendo Photograhy’s Tero Patana. Find more photos from the event on the Kendo Photography Facebook Page

Our Referees

We send our gratitude to our officials and referees who helped to make this day possible. Without your fair judgement, this tournament would not have been possible. Officials: Shinpan Cho (Head Referee) and Court B Shunin (Court B Head Referee) Shuya Shiono Sensei, Court A Shunin (Court A Head Referee) Ray Murao Sensei, Court B Shunin (Court C Head Referee) Shigemitsu Kamata Sensei.

Our Supporters

From teammates, coaches, parents, and supporters, your clapping and cheering are part of the sounds of a tournament. Thank you to all the supporters who cheered on our athletes throughout the day. 

14:00 – 17:00 Team Competitions

The afternoon Team competion for U16 Club Team, U19 Girls Club Team, U19 Boys Club Team. Some photos of the competition here. Find more photos from the event on the Kendo Photography Facebook Page.

Junior Youth Club Team Competition

Club team competions consisted of 3-person teams for 13 years and under (Elementary school age). 7 club teams and 2 mixed teams competed for the championships with Chinook Team A (Taisho Renee Bae, Chuken Dean Jo, and Senpo Ian Chang) taking home the championship.

Senior Youth Girls Club Team Competition

Senior Youth Girls Club Team competions consisted of 3-person teams for 18 years and under (Highschool age). 4 club teams and 1 mixed team competed for the championships with Renbu Team (Taisho Yuka Lee, Chuken Yura Kawabe, and Senpo Hiyori Tominaga) taking home the championship.

Senior Youth Boys Club Team Competition

Senior Youth Boys Club Team competions consisted of 3-person teams for 18 years and under (Highschool age). 13 club teams competed for the championships with Renbu Team A (Taisho Clark Liao, Chuken Isaac Hwang, and Senpo Nathaniel Son) taking home the championship.

Provincial Team Competiton

Provincial Team competions consisted of 5-person teams made up of select provincial players. Three provincial teams competed for the championships with Team BC taking home the championship.

Award Ceremonies

Junior Nationals  Social Hosted by CKF

The CKF hosted all junior competitors to attend a fun social event at the end of the competition day. We didn’t take too many pictures, as we were busy having fun. Thank you to Anita Espiritu and Katie Ip for organizing the social and working with the team of volunteers. We all enjoyed meeting new friends, dancing, snapping photos at the photo booth, games, and some delicious food!

Day 3: May 29, 2022

08:00 – 12:00 Junior Seminar Led by Kyle Lee Sensei

The final event of the Championships was the Junior Seminar led by Kyle Lee Sensei of Chinook Kendo Dojo. Assisting Lee Sensei on the day were, Makiko Ara Sensei, Ryo Yasumura Sensei, Elliot Altilia Sensei, Tsuyoshi Hamanaka Sensei, and Bill Kim Sensei. Lee Sensei began the session with a dance-off, followed by a massive game of Octopus, then dazzled the participants with an insipring session on everything from the multiverse to Driver’s Ed 101. Surely a day we won’t soon forget! We are still wondering what happens in Level 15…

Organizing Committee

It is with great gratitude that we give recognition to the Organizing Committee of the Inaugural Canadian Natioanl Junior Kendo Championships.

Makiko Ara, CKF Executive Sponsor

Kyle Lee, Tournament Chair

Flora Chan, Logistics Coordniator

Eric Keskin and Alexander Katelnikoff, Documents Coordinator

Kiho Yoon, Registration Coordinator

Sophie Han, Awards and Ceremony Coordinator

Minjoo Kim, Facility Coordinator

Janet Leahy, PR Coordinator

Anita Espiritu and Katie Ip, Social Event Coordinator

Press and Public Relations

CBC Calgary NEWS – March 28, 2022

CTV Calgary NEWS – March 28, 2022

Calgary SUN News – May 27, 2022

Read the full article…  

MAILING ADDRESS

General Inquiries: [email protected]

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President: Hyun-June Choi
Vice President: Makiko Ara
Secretary: Patrick Suen
Treasurer: Alexander Monteil
Director: Matthew Raymond
Director: James Cogill

 

MAILING ADDRESS

General Inquiries: [email protected]

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President: Hyun-June Choi
Vice President: Makiko Ara
Secretary: Patrick Suen
Treasurer: Alexander Monteil
Director: Matthew Raymond
Director: James Cogill