On Saturday, January 25 over one hundred judo competitors from ages seven to over 50 competed in the annual Fernie Judo Club Invitational Judo Tournament. The Fernie club had 19 members compete against clubs from Southern Alberta as well as the Kootenays and another 14 members participating in judged demonstrations.
Winning medals in the judged demonstrations were Niki Bell and Jordon Korn, Cayley Blackburn and Rosie Kloepzig, Avery Dyer and Hannah Gage, Dylan Hutchinson and Ethan McRae, Jeff McRae and Olivia Roberts, Taylor Robinson and Tyya Robinson, Sam Rybar and Dylan Hutchinson and Marlie White with partner Alisha Temple.
In the under 10 competition Matthew Allen won gold. The under 12 division had Jeremy Dyer winning gold and teammates Gianna Campisi and Ethan McRae winning Bronze. Jordon Korn won silver in the under 14.
Gold medal winners in the Junior and Juvenille divisions were Daniel McRae, Cole Goodman and brothers Noah and Liam Teetzel. Silver medals were won by Rachel Bullock, Curtis Eldridge, Kara Goodman, and sisters Sydney and Anna Koevoet. Team mate Ben Gilmet was fighting for a bronze medal when he became injured and had to withdraw from the competition.
Senior competitors were Scott Goodman winning silver, Alberto Gareca Mendez winning bronze. Fernie coach Mike Teetzel and novice senior women Marlie White both placed in fourth position.
This year the Team Competition Trophy went to the Lethbridge, Alberta team after narrowly beating out the Fernie squad in the finals with a score of three wins to Fernie’s two.
The Fernie club has a number of competitors vying for the provincial team this year in an effort to participate at the national competitions to be held in Sherbrook, Quebec in May. The Fernie Club also has nine members named to the Kootenay Team for the B.C. Winter Games in Mission, B.C. this February.