Local karate club wins Champion Dojo Trophy
On Saturday 12 June, Wairarapa’s Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate (OGKWI) club competed against karate clubs from across the lower North Island to win the overall Kāpiti Karate Academy Championships. Thirteen karate students from South Wairarapa travelled to Kāpiti to compete against students from 12 other karate clubs in kata (technique), kobudo (weapons) and kumite (sparring). An overall Champion Dojo Trophy was up for grabs for the club with the most points per member at the end of the event. OGKWI students received the most points per member, as well as winning a whopping 17 medals (four gold, seven silver and six bronze). This meant the club took out the overall competition trophy. Darius Franklyn, Arya Franklyn and Ayla Ballantyne from the Featherston Dojo won the gold medal for team kata. Mum and son Arya and Darius have been training together for four years.
