Eight Williams Lake martial artists will be competing for national titles this weekend in Montreal at the World Karate and Kickboxing Council’s National Championships.
Abrie Kilian (men’s point fighting and continuous fighting), Glen Rogers (men’s continuous fighting), Katharina Koppe (women’s continuous fighting), Wes Nustad (men’s point fighting and continuous fighting), Tanna Lauriente (13-15 girls point fighting and continuous fighting), Carl Lam (16-17 boys point fighting), Adanna Nustad (12 and under girls kata, team kata and point fighting) and Macy Lainchbury (12 and under girls kata, team kata and point fighting), all from Williams Lake’s Shogun Martial Arts Academy, will represent the lakecity and Team B.C. at the event.
The WKC National Championships start Friday and wrap up Sunday where competitors hope to land berths at the upcoming WKC World Championships, also being held this year in Montreal from Oct 2-7.
In preparation for nationals two Shogun Martial Arts Academy students — Macy and Kilian — recently competed at tournaments. Another student, Raiden Lainchbury, 7, also brought home medals but because he’s not old enough isn’t allowed to attend nationals.
In April Kilian travelled to Vancouver for the B.C. Open finishing with a silver medal in continuous fighting and a silver medal in point fighting. Kilian said the tournament was great preparation for nationals.
“It was a wonderful tournament and very well set up,” Kilian said. “I got silver in both continuous fighting (75 to 85 kilograms) and silver in point fighting (70 to 95 kilograms). They had to combine weight classes in point fighting. The guy I fought in the final was a giant.”
Kilian, originally from a small town in South Africa, said he’s looking forward to the opportunity to represent Williams Lake at nationals.
“For me it’s very nice to give my support for Williams Lake in such a manner,” he said. “Coming from South Africa I’ve got such respect for people from small towns who go kick butt against the bigger cities. I’ve always said a neighbour’s success is my success and the other way around and I think that’s something that’s shared in Williams Lake.
“I would like to have Williams Lake show that, and I hope everybody that goes and represents B.C. all do well.”
More recently on May 12 Macy and Raiden joined close to 80 other martial artists in Smithers to compete at the Battle of Shoguns — an invitational put on by B.C. Shogun Martial Arts Academies.
Raiden won a gold medal in the 7-8 boy’s point fighting and a silver medal in 7-8 boy’s kata. Raiden said his last match was his favourite.
“I had three matches in point fighting and won them all,” he said. “But my last one was the toughest because I was against a really good guy and only won by one point.”
Raiden’s sister Macy, 10, finished with a gold medal in 9-10 girls kata, plus competed in a point fighting match losing by just one point in overtime.
Also at the tournament athletes had the opportunity to watch demonstrations from Team B.C. members.
Additionally at nationals, Williams Lake Shogun Martial Arts Academy Sensei Sheldon Lainchbury will travel with the team as a coach.