We would like to extend a big thank you to Matthew Raymond sensei and Mami Ito-sensei who returned to instruct at our 35th annual kendo seminar. I know last year I said it was the 36th annual but we started in 1990 and skipped two years during covid, so the math says 35.
Raymond-sensei focused on efficiency of movement and creative play backed by strong basics. He had a few specific waza to teach including men-suriagi-men and catching the oppponent on the turn. Those of us who were around for the Sunday afternoon session drilled tsuki. Ito-sensei showed some of the creative side with a setup for doh and then showed beautiful movement with some drills transitioning from forward to backward movement.
We had a successful tournament capped off by a Regina Kendo Club win in teams, and strong showings in individual categories from Sturgeon, Tesshin YYC and Regina. Congratulations to the Saskatoon team who fought well for third, and Saskatoon member Kyler Schafer who took third among kyu after only four practices wearing men.
Congratulations to our Saskatoon Kendo Club members who passed their exams Sunday morning. Aaron Li passed ikkyu. Rauphel Kenept passed shodan. Evelyn Hill, Donovan Lavoie and Yi Qin passed nidan.
We were very pleased this time to introduce a new trophy for the women’s division, named in honour of a long time friend of the club and of prairie kendo. The Ray Murao Cup replaces the old women’s trophy which has now been retired. Past women’s division winner names have been kept on the new trophy. Nadia Stelck of Sturgeon traded in the old trophy and got the new one.
Tournament results
Kids 12 and under
- Garrett Ou, Edmonton Kendo Club
- Betty Turnbull, Sturgeon Kendo
- Sarah Feiner, Sturgeon Kendo
- Ari Stelck, Sturgeon Kendo
Youth
- Dean Jo, Tesshin Dojo YYC
- Jack Dallinger, Edmonton Kendo Club
- Frank Dallinger, Edmonton Kendo Club
- Trent Passmore, Manitoba Kendo Club
Kyu
- Sun Jo, Tesshin Dojo YYC
- Kirby Chan, Sturgeon Kendo
- Kyler Schafer, Saskatoon Kendo Club
- Chun Wang Cheun, Edmonton Kendo Club
Shodan
- Rayden Sun, Sturgeon Kendo
- Ryan Li, Sturgeon Kendo
- Scott Anthony, Sturgeon Kendo
- Quentin Eldridge, Regina Kendo Club
Nidan/Sandan
- Paul Jo, Tesshin Dojo YYC
- David Sun, Sturgeon Kendo
- Steve Chubaty, Winnipeg Kendo
- Evan Salcedo, Sturgeon Kendo
Women
- Nadia Stelck, Sturgeon Kendo
- Hailey Michaelchuk, Sturgeon Kendo
- Jamie Podolsky, Manitoba Kendo Club
- Maki Ito, Regina Kendo Club
Open (Yondan and up)
- Jason Stelck, Sturgeon Kendo
- Stephen Hladky, Strathcona Kendo Club
- Yusuke Yanai, Regina Kendo Club
- Yuan Fang Cui, Regina Kendo Club
Team
- Regina Kendo Club
- Tesshin Dojo YYC
- Saskatoon Kendo Club
- Sturgeon Kendo
Fighting Spirit
Casey Fillion Maruyama, Edmonton Kendo Club