On Saturday, Feb. 11 Holly Raczynski, head instructor of the Community Karate and Kickboxing Schools in Sicamous and Salmon Arm, travelled with four of her students to Calgary for an Open Martial Arts Tournament hosted by the Provincial Martial Arts Association.
The tournament hosted more than 250 competitors from all over western Canada. Austin Nelson and Gracie Nelson from the Salmon Arm Community Karate Club, and Thomas Tune and Kevin Redman from the Sicamous Community Karate Club, all made the trip to participate in their first martial arts competition.
In their divisions; Gracie Nelson placed second in sparring and fifth in kata, Austin Nelson placed fifth in sparring and kata; Thomas Tune placed fifth in sparring and fourth in kata; and Kevin Redman placed fourth in sparring and kata.
Raczynski said she was extremely happy with the performance of her students.
“It is one thing to show up and participate, and it is another to pull off such high rankings for their first competition,” she said.
This event was the first of a four-tournament series recognized by the Western Canadian Karate & Kickboxing League. The Community Karate and Kickboxing Schools are an ongoing program that can be joined at any time. Call Raczynski at 250-253-2406 for information on classes.