The day got off to a great start competitors arriving from all over South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales. 8.30am all competitors lined up for the official bow in. There where around 17 different martial art schools attending round 1 anticipating a great day of competition.

Junior divisions set the pace for the day; the competition was hard and fast with Ryan Warriner Nerang PCYC Gold Coast M/A taking out first place in the 7 year old and under sparring with Leon Vargas KenshinKan Karate second. In the 10 to 11 yr 10 th – 6 th Kyu sparring Gabrielle Rice came up against team mate James Molini; Seishin Zen Ryoku Karate, Gabrielle kept the pressure on right from the beginning and scored some excellent kicking combinations towards the end of the match taking out first place. In the 10 to 11 yrs 5 th Kyu to black belt point sparring finals Megan Walton GKR was too strong on the day defeating Zac Kobe, Nerang PCYC Gold Coast M/A.

The pace continued in other rings with Junior and senior weaponry, there where excellent performances during these divisions. Junior division was taken out by Rhiannan Beardow runner up Jye Beardow, in the senior division James Guilar The Aust Institute of M/A taking first place to Lisa Eddy of Nerang PCYC Gold Coast M/A. Other stand-outs in the junior divisions Ronald Paganin, Samantha Baericke, Nina Razaai

Later in the day saw the male and female divisions commence in all four rings. Great competition in the female black belt forms, with Nicki Kennedy KenshinKan getting the nod from all the judges for an excellent form. Point sparring saw Karen Stone still a force to recon with out-pointing her opponent to take first place, runner up Nicki Kennedy. Male’s black belt division was a real heated affair with competitors being warned for excessive contact; in the final of the point sparring Jason Parker Institute of Modern TDK was just too classy on the day out-scoring his opponents with excellent high and spinning kicks to take out first place. Other stand-outs of the afternoon Sarah George, Shannon Watkins and Ross Arandale

Congratulations must go to all our officials for an outstanding day of officiating and to Mr William Rogers, Queensland Technical Director, congratulations to you & your team of official. We look forward to seeing every body at Round 2 on the Gold Coast 20 th April at the Carrara Sports Stadium. Special thanks to Caroline Soner for photographs of the day of competition.

Club/Organisation – Profile

INSTRUCTOR NAME: Richard Marlin

STYLE: Richard Marlin’s Success Martial Arts Black Belt Academy. I teach a “karate blend’ but my base style is Arjuken Karate.

Richard how long have you trained?
30+ years.

Location of your club & nights you train?
Lismore, Fulltime location, training 6 days per week.

How did you find out about the NAS competition?
Through one of my students, Andrew McWilliam.

Can you tell us what you like about the NAS competition?
It provides a healthily competitive venue for students to test themselves in a comparatively safe, fair, inclusive, friendly, and non-elitist environment.

Your comments on the refereeing, do you find the NAS to be fair and none biased?
The referees appeared competent and professional, and they applied the rules in a fair and non-biased way.

Name some of your up-coming champions from your club and how they are placing in the NAS competition…..
Andrew McWilliam, Danielle Smith and Mitchell McFarland went to the nationals last year and the following students got first places at NAS 1 last weekend. Hope Towers (sparring), Jye Beardow (sparring and forms), Rhiannan Beardow (weapons), Jake Crimmins (forms), Jake Noble (forms), Danielle Smith (sparring).

What are your future goals for your organisation?
To be leaders at helping our students realise their worth and potential as human beings. Competition can be a part of this as long as the students understand that competition is an opportunity and a privilege, and that there are responsibilities involved.
 

Competitor – Profile

NAME: Steven Taylor

STYLE: Seishin Zenryoku Karate

Steven how long have you trained?
I have been training for 11 years, and I started training when I was only six years old. I have been with the same club ever since I stared.

Where do you train?
I train at the Thornlands State Primary School hall.

Can you tell us what you like about the NAS competition?
I enjoy the good competition given by other, fantastic martial artists, and I enjoy the constant opportunity of being able to compete against many varied styles

Best moment/memory in competition with the NAS?
Becoming National Champion for my continuous sparring division, in 2006.

Have you a favourite technique in competition?
Not necessarily a favourite technique, but I favour things such as back fists, and fast jab-reverse punches, although front kicks are generally extremely effective.

Favourite martial artist...
My favourite martial artist is Sensei Shane Degney, the head instructor of Seishin Zenyroku Karate. He has been my instructor for 11 years, has always pushed me to do, and to perform my best, and has most importantly taught me everything that I know.

What are your future goals in the NAS?
To better my achievement of holding a national title, by going on to taking a world title in (hopefully), my continuous sparring division.

NAS Official Profile

NAME: ROSS WALTERS

STYLE: SHAOLIN KEMPO KUNG FU & YANG STYLE TAI CHI

Ross how long have you trained?
I started training in Shaolin Kempo Kung Fu in 1984 when I was 19 years old. Attained my Si Fu (5 th Level Red Sash) status in 1997.

Where do you train?
The main school is in Toowoomba Qld but I also have a 2 nd school in St. Lucia, Brisbane.

How long have you been involved with the NAS?
I have had students competing in NAS for over 10 years as well as competing myself.

What made you become an NAS Official?
I have judged and refereed at many different styles of tournament circuits. After deciding to retire from competition it was only natural for me to want to get involved with the referring side of NAS. I feel that to be truly an ALL STYLES event there needs to be a balance of judges from Karate, Kung Fu, Tai Kwon Do and other styles.

What level are you with the NAS?
Level 2

What are your future goals in the NAS?
I intend to progress through the judging Levels and try to set high standards for myself and other judges to follow.

Click to Download Tournament Results Queensland Rd 1 -
24th February 2008