QUICK SUMMARY: The Power is unleashed at Daypuck’s tourney!
Article by Andrew Cabilan (Canada Sport Karate Media Services)
LONDON, ONTARIO, CANADA – On a sunny and hot Saturday, July 23, 2011, many of Southern Ontario’s top competitors brought the heat and unveiled their power at Pete Daypuck’s annual Power Nationals.
Held in the spacious Carling Community Centre (which is slowly becoming a common tournament place in London), hundreds of Southern Ontario’s best gathered to support NBL World Champion, Pete Daypuck. Known for his unduly support of various organizations in Southern Ontario, it was no surprise that the competition floor was filled with faces from organizations such as NMAC and SKIL Ontario. The tournament was also sanctioned by both leagues and many competitors were vying for the points and the trophies that the tournament had to offer. This unique melange of competitors which normally would not meet under the same roof provided for an interesting mix of competitors.
What makes this tournament unique is that it is one of the few tournaments in Southern Ontario which makes a good “entry level” for competitors just trying to get their feet wet on the competition floor. This was evident based on the number of schools that were in attendance at this event, yet, are rarely seen in competition. After a lengthy absence, Bruce Shaver’s Martial Arts Canada represented in high numbers with many them making Top 4 finishes in their respective divisions. However, making a strong appearance with over 40 members strong was Driftwood Martial Arts from Kitchener. Under the direction of Renshi Adette Rice, competitors from this dojo are skilled traditional technicians who could easily give clinics on how to do proper traditional kata. Keep your eyes open for this up and coming group of competitors who will be frequenting various NMAC events in Southern Ontario.
The Junior Black Belt divisions fielded a talented group of youngsters who dazzled the audience with their thrilling performances. Defending Junior Kata Champion Emma Levy wielded her bo with speed and finesse but was no match to the power and intensity with the maturing talents of Tressa Young. In the Forms divisions it was Young vs. Young as Tressa faced NBL World Champion Ryan Young. After two exciting tie breakers in both Traditional and Musical Forms, it was Tressa who walked away with both victories. Dominating each Forms and Weapons division that day, Tressa eliminated all of her competition and was automatically awarded the Forms Grand Championship. Tressa also walked away with a divisional Fighting win.
On to the Adults. Another maturing competitor appeared from the shadows. Silvio Scarcella, who has not been seen in over a year, returned with a vengeance with newly refined traditional technique which impressed all of the onlookers that day. Taking a brief hiatus to focus on his schooling at the University of Toronto, Silvio, now 20 years old, returned to support an old coach and friend and showed everybody that he still has it. Bringing real traditional proficiency to the table, Silvio’s skills which he refined through training at a JKA (Japan Karate Association) Shotokan dojo definitely paid off as he claimed victories in both of his Traditional Weapons and Forms divisions and defeated a skilful and talent-laden group of men and women. However, he was put to a test in the Musical Weapons division when veteran competitor, Mike Toms made a rare appearance. Doing his renowned “Can Can” bo routine, his showmanship enthralled the crowd and had members of the audience clapping to the beat of the song. When the dust settled, it was Toms who walked away with the victory. Also making a rare appearance in the 35+ Weapons division was Mark Yates. Yates, known for his realistic self-defence routines, took top honours in the 35+ Weapons division. The Adult Forms competition fielded a fine group of skilled veterans with ages ranging from 20 to 50. With Scarcella being the youngest and Yates being the oldest (but equally skilled as the rest), Mike Toms and Andrew Cabilan were caught in the middle (age wise – at 35 years a piece) and the group brought a diverse array of skill sets. Toms’ and Yates’ Weapons performances were strong and steady but were narrowly edged by the Traditional stylings of Scarcella and Cabilan. With a well-executed Suparinpei, Cabilan edged Scarcella by a mere one one-hundredths of point, earning Cabilan his first Grand Championship at this event.
Last on deck was the Men’s Fighting. The Men’s line up definitely fielded a fine group of gentlemen vying for the glory of the Grand Championship and cash prize. Making the trek to this tournament were names like Jason Brown, Scotty Bowman and WKC World Champion Cody Diesbourg (just to name a few). However, stepping up into the Adults to hang with the “big boys” was newly turned Adult Nathan Skoufis. Skoufis, returning from several victories on the NBL stage and an Adult Grand win at the Ontario Provincials in February, blitzed and kicked his way to victory to earn himself another Fighting Grand Championship as an Adult. The future looks bright for Skoufis who displays consistency and possesses the tenacity to become a World Champion. Another competitor for everyone to keep their eyes on.
Pete Daypuck continues to show that support for various promoters and organizations always has a motion to “pay it forward”. A very visible fixture within our small Sport Karate community and an obvious team player, expect this event to have consistent high attendance and support for years to come. It is anticipated that familiar faces and newcomers alike will attend this tournament and walk away with contentment. With summer being bleak for Sport Karate tournaments in Southern Ontario, the Power Nationals serves as a good tune-up for the busy Fall season. For those just entering the arena for competition, the Power Nationals is one of few tournaments that newcomers can go to without the intimidation factor that most big local tournaments might have. In addition, the day ran like clockwork and ended promptly at 4 p.m. giving everyone lots of time for rest and relaxation. Definitely mark this one on your calendar next year!
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