NEW BLACK BELTS!!              At the end of the recent Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Academy Summer Course held this year in Lymington, Hampshire two members of our group, 47 year old mother of two Gillian MacKenzie and 17 year old Jake Bevan were both succesful in being promoted to Black belt 1st Dan by Sensei M.Shiomitsu 9th Dan Hanshi Shihan and the Dan grading panel of the Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Academy which included Sensei K.Ohtsuka (the son of the Grandmaster). Both Gillian and Jake are members of our Crediton and Okehampton dojo. Jake as trained reguarally with Sensei M.Shiomitsu 9th Dan Hanshi and Sensei Peter Hill 6th Dan for over ten years and Gillian as done the same for nearly nine years. Many congratulations go out to them both from everyone here at the Devon Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Kai.  

SUCCESS AT THE 2010 WADO-RYU KARATE-DO ACADEMY CHAMPIONSHIPS

2010 Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Academy Championships.          Senior Individual Kata.               Top three places go to Devon Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Kai!         1st Place: Craig Hill                    2nd Place: Paul Hedden              3rd Place: Christopher Heard Chief instructor for the Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Academy           Sensei M.Shiomitsu 9th Dan Hanshi Shihan presenting the prizes. 

A selected squad of twenty members represented Devon Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Kai at this championship on Sunday 20th June at the Yate Leisure Centre in Bristol.                                                                                                  Peter Hill 6th Dan and Matthew Soanes 4th Dan represented our group as officials together with the following competitors: Paul Hedden 2nd Dan, Craig Hill 1st Dan, Christopher Heard 1st Dan, Edward Siviter 1st Dan, James Bolton 1st Kyu, James McCann 2nd Kyu, Charley Prole 2nd Kyu, Aaron Tubbs 4th Kyu, Amber Sheen 4th Kyu, Tyler Olding 4th Kyu, Kieryn Gayson 5th Kyu, Bethany Gayson 5th Kyu, Amy Barker 6th Kyu, Dillon Chalmers 6th Kyu, Sam Helliar 6th Kyu, Rebecca McCulloch 8th Kyu, Joshua McCulloch 8th Kyu and James McCulloch 8th Kyu.                                                                                                                                  The results for Devon Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Kai were as follows:                                                                               Mixed Childrens KATA 9th - 7th Kyu 8 - 14yrs: 1st Place: Rebecca McCulloch.                                                       Mixed Childrens KATA 6th - 4th Kyu 8 - 14yrs: 1st Place: Tyler Olding, 3rd Place: Dillon Chalmers.                    Boys Individual KUMITE Any Grade 10 - 11yrs: 3rd Place: Charley Prole.                                                             Boys Individual KUMITE Any Grade 14 - 15yrs: 2nd Place: James McCann, 3rd Place: Kieryn Gayson.               Mixed Childrens KATA 3rd Kyu & above 8 - 14yrs: 1st Place: Charley Prole.                                                            Mixed Cadet KATA 3rd Kyu & above 15 - 17yrs: 1st Place: Edward Siviter.                                                              Male Cadet Individual Kumite Any Grade 16 - 17yrs: 1st Place: Edward Siviter.                                                        Mens Individual KUMITE 3rd Kyu & above: 2nd Place: Paul Hedden.                                                                       Mens Individual KATA 3rd Kyu & above:                                                                                                                       1st Place: Craig Hill, 2nd Place: Paul Hedden, 3rd Place: Christopher Heard.                                                              Mens Senior Team Kumite: 2nd Place (Paul Hedden, Craig Hill and Edward Siviter).                                                Many congratulations to the whole squad who went on the day and a big thank you to all the parents, family and friends who attended and supported the squad.

Five members of the Devon Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Kai took part in the grading examination at the end of the 2010 Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Academy Winter Course in Guildford, Surrey. The grading panel was headed by the Grandmaster H.Ohtsuka II 10th Dan Saiko Shihan, together with Sensei M.Shiomitsu 9th Dan Hanshi Shihan, Sensei K.Ohtsuka (grandson of the founder), Sensei G.Grimes 7th Dan Kyoshi and Sensei A.Meek 6th Dan Renshi. The results for our group were as follows:                                                                                           Promoted to 4th Dan: MATTHEW SOANES                                                                                                                   Promoted to 3rd Dan: ANDREW KILBY & WAYNE HANDFORD                                                                             Promoted to 2nd Dan: PAUL HEDDEN & GARY MOORE                                                                                            These are tremendous results and many congratulations to all five members from everyone at the Devon Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Kai and from our many friends around the world.