NEWS PHOTO RYAN MCCRACKEN - Eight-year-old Preston Doud (right) blocks an attack from seven-year-old Dorrion Harris (left) during Spar Wars Karate-Do Academy Tournament on Saturday at Eagle Butte High School.
With more than 160 competitors and five types of karate competition going on, Saturday’s annual martial arts tournament at Eagle Butte High School really was aptly named: Spar Wars.
Organizer Ally DeWolfe of Karate-Do Academy said in an email to the News that athletes ranged in age from three to 65, coming from Alberta and Saskatchewan, and once ages and belt ranks were sorted there were more than 100 competitions that took place on the day.
Grand champions were announced by age division. Shawn Harris of White Dragon Karate (Redcliff) was the 34-plus black belt winner. Nicholas Ehrmann of Karate-Do (Medicine Hat) won the 18-34 black belt class. In under-18 black belt it was Duc Lee of Blue Dragon Martial Arts (Medicine Hat) who emerged in first place.
In the 16 – and 17-year-old division, Rylan Hoffart from Spirit of the Dragon Martial Arts (Regina) took top spot. Karate-Do’s Connor Keith won the 14 – and 15-year-old group, while teammate Madelyn Selwood was the 12 – and 13-year-old champion. Blue Dragon’s Alexander Curle topped the 10 – and 11-year-old division. Karate-Do athletes swept the final three age groups, with Brinlee Wenzel (8-9), Daniel Sehn (6-7) and Aiden Friesen (5-under) rounding out the winners.
