Local Karate team compete at Porirua

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 5, 3 July 1984, Page 16

Local Karate team compete at Porirua

The eighth Annual Open Iiivitation Karate Championships held at Porirua Stadium on Sunday 3 J'une 1984 saw as many as 172 competitors competing for honours in 16 events throughout the day. The areas and systems represented were: Whanake Rangataua Karate, Porirua, Ohakune, Petone, Newlands, Invercargill, Stokes Valley, National Park, Wellington, Rotorua and Lower Hutt; Kyokushinkai Karate Victoria University; Goju Karate Petone and Wellington; Nam Wah Pai Tauranga and Ohakune; Ta Chuan Wellington and Porirua; United Tae Kwon Do Trentham; Tang Soo Doo Petone and Lower Hutt. The tournament began with the mini pee wee grades (boys up to 9.years) and steadily worked through to the black belt sections. After an action-packed day the enthusiastic crowd were treated to awesome demonstrations staged by several instructors and their students. The finals were held immediately after these demonstrations with the black belt sections held last. Winners and runners-up were: Richard Mareikura Ohakune, W/R Karate; Valanique Wilson, Ohakune, W/R Karate; Mario Mareikura, Ohakune, W/R Karate; Thomas Chung, Ohakune, W/R Karate; Corban Tumaturoa, Ohakune, W/R Karate; Lee Akapita, Ohakune W/R Karate; Desmond Chung, Ohakune, W/R Karate; Noel Akapita (Judge), Ohakune, W/R Karate; Charles Mareikura, Ohakune, W/R Karate; Peter Murcott, National Park, W/R Karate; Frances Taituma, National Park, W/R Karate; Vivienne

Bidwell, Ohakune, Nam Wah Pai; Jerry Bidwell, Ohakune, Nam Wah Pai. Such a tournament with so many other systems competing, enabled the competitors to pit themselves against opponents whose fighting techniques would be somewhat alien to the

techniques used by other styles or systems. Over all the tournament was well run and the standard exceptional. That night a packed house 'raged' to the disco of Charles Mareikura which judging by comments given, was well received.