Williams Lake’s Shogun Martial Academy students will compete at a world championships this November in Spain.
Nine of the academy’s students qualified over the May long weekend to compete at the World Karate and Kickboxing Council’s (WKC) World Championships at the WKC National Karate and Kickboxing Championships in Ottawa.
Sixteen local Shogun students attended the WKC Nationals as part of Team B.C. competing in various martial arts disciplines including kata, continuous fighting and point fighting.
Competing in kata were: Daniel Rutherford, Macy Lainchbury, Brianna Fisch, Abrie Kiliam, Tanna Lauriente, Bradley Clearwater and Teagan Lauriente.
Competing in continuous fighting were: Raiden Lainchbury, Kat Koppe, Glen Rogers, Laura-Lee Lauriente, Kilian, Tanna, Brittany Denny, Myles Verigin and Dylan Landon.
In point fighting were: Kilian, Raiden, Bradley, Josh Rutherford, Fisch, Tanna, Brittany and Carl Lam.
“In total, we have nine qualified for a total of 12 spots on the [national] team as some qualified for more than one discipline,” said Williams Lake Shogun Martial Arts Academy Sensei Lee-Ann Lainchbury. “Plus, one of our students is a first alternate in continuous fighting.”
The following Shogun Martial Arts Academy students qualified to compete at the world championships after their performances at nationals — Verigin (gold in continuous fighting); Landon (gold in continuous fighting); Raiden (silver in point fighting and continuous fighting); Koppe (silver in continuous fighting); Lam (silver in point fighting); Kilian (silver in continuous fighting and fourth in point fighting); Laura-Lee (silver in continuous fighting); Rogers (bronze in continuous fighting); Denny (bronze in continuous fighting and fourth in point fighting).
The Williams Lake Shogun Martial Arts Academy said a special thank you is in order to Red Tomato Pies, Save-On Foods, The Famous Bakery, the Lioness Club and all of the other organizations that helped support their fundraisers to attend nationals.