Return to News

Gold Coast Chito-Ryu Karate sent it biggest ever team to the Sunshine Coast Championships with 16 members performing at their best winning 4 gold, 7 silver and 4 bronze medals.

Gold Coast Karate Team for the Sunshine Coast Championships
Back Row: Sensei Adam Higgins, Bina Schiffers, Kathleen Smith, Tasi Schiffers
Front Row: Dakota Smith, Dylan Pike, Georgia Donnelly, Jayden Donnelly
Absent: Anthony Horgan, Phil Heath, Hayden McSwan, Conor Emery, Jared Van Deventer, Roarke Van Deventer, Laine Van Deventer

The beginners kata was the first division up with so many entrants the first round was spread over 2 rings! A number of Gold Coast students made it through to the final 8 with Laine Van Deventer performing strongly to take out 3rd place in her first Chito-Ryu tournament. In the Adults White to 5th Kyu division Phil Heath took out second place performing Shi Ho Hai. This was also Phil's first tournament and he ownly narrowly missed out on taking the gold in what was a strong division. In the 4th-1st kyu division Anthony Horgan performed Basai coming in third, Anthony continues to show improvement with Basai and will definately be a force going forward. Sensei Adam came second in the Open kata division with Rohai Dai, but the highlight of the division was the return to competition of Sandra Phillips Sensei from the Sunshine Coast who performed an excellant Chinto taking out the gold and raising the bar to a new level for everyone to strive for. In the Team Kata the Gold Coast team of Sensei Adam Higgins, Tasi Schiffers and Anthony Horgan took out gold in the 3rd kyu+ division, with Jared, Roarke and Laine Van Deventer showing a strong team performance to come third in the white-4th kyu division.

Adam Higgins, Tasi Schiffers & Anthony Horgan winning gold in team kata performing Seisan.

The lunch time break featured a strong kata demonstration by Sensei Martin Phillips with the speed and power bringing gasps from the crowd. All the girls of Queensland Chito-Ryu Karate performed a number of kata together showing the excellant standard of the girls in this state. Noonan Honbucho then performed a demonstration of the wrist escapes of Chito-Ryu randomly selecting his opponents and dispatching them with relaxed grace and power.

The kumite action started with a demonstration bout from the youngest members with Dylan Pike and Ken Noonan from Sydney showing everyone how it is done! The first kumite medal for the Gold Coast came in the 10-11yrs boys were Jayden Donnelly used his mawashi geri to great effect taking out the silver medal. Roarke Van Deventer followed up with another silver medal in the 12-13 yrs boys division in what was a hard fought match that left both players exhausted. In the final boys division Jared Van Deventer fought hard taking 3rd place in what is a very strong division. Jared learnt a lot from the experience and is sure to give the division a shake-up next time he competes.

Jayden Donnelly mawashi geri. Jayden won silver in his kumite division.

Roarke Van Deventer mae geri. Roarke won silver in his kumite division.

In the girls kumite Laine Van Deventer took out gold with Kathleen Smith taking silver in the 10-11yr girls. The 12-14yrs division featured one of the best matches of the tournament were Bina Schiffers took on her good friend Emma Woodhouse from the Sunshine Coast in a hard fought match with lots of energy, power and skill. Both girls went very hard with Bina taking the win and going on to take the silver medal.

In the masters division Phil Heath took and gave a lot of knocks to win the Gold medal. The Open Mens division was taken out by Sensei Adam Higgins. In the Opens Womens division Tasi Schiffers took the silver medal. Tasi gained a lot of experience in her fight against Sensei Sandra from the Sunshine Coast and is sure to put it to good use in her next tournament.

Overall it was a great event with a terrific spirit shown by all participants.

Congratulations to:-

Gold Coast Teams
1st - 3rd Kyu + Team Kata (Adam Higgins, Anthony Horgan, Tasi Schiffers)
3rd - 10-4th Kyu Team Kata (Jared Van Deventer, Roarke Van Deventer, Laine Van Deventer)

Adam Higgins
1st - Mens Open Kumite
2nd - Black Belt Kata

Anthony Horgan
3rd – 3rd-1st Kyu Kata

Tasi Schiffers
2nd - Womens Open Kumite

Phil Heath
1st - Kumite Mens Masters 40yrs+
2nd - Adult Kata White-5th Kyu

Zabrina Schiffers
2nd - Kumite Girls 12-14yrs

Kathleen Smith
2nd - Kumite Girls 10-11yrs

Jayden Donnelly
2nd - Kumite Boys 10-11yrs

Jared Van Deventer
3rd - Kumite Boys 16-17yrs

Roarke Van Deventer
2nd - Kumite Boys 12-13yrs

Laine Van Deventer
1st - Kumite Girls 10-11yrs
3rd - Jr Kata White-8th Kyu

Related Links
For more photos visit the 2008 Tournament Photo Gallery.
Competition Results Honour Board