Judo Ontario Newsletter Spring 2017
Kelita Zupancic Wins Gold in Chile
The Santiago del Chile Pan American Open 2017 was held on March 18 and 19th. Canadians had great results including an especially impressive gold medal from Whitby resident,Kelita Zupancic.In her final combat, Zupancic scored a waza ari and an ippon in just over a minute, beating out American, Nicole Stout. Zupancic is a member of the Formokan Judo Clubin Oshawa and currently trains at the National Training Centre inMontreal.Antoine Bouchard,a 22-year-old from Saguenay, QC also made news by winning the gold medal in the U66 kg category. Ontario judoka,Bradley Langlois (U73) and Patrick Cantin, faced off in the bronze medal match with Langlois relegating his fellow countryman to fifth place. For more details on the eventvisit Judo Canada (
GOLD / SILVER / BRONZEKelita Zupancic.(-70)
Antoine Bouchard (-66) / Mina Coulombe (-78)
Olivier Gobeil-St-Amand
(-81)
Louis Krieber-Gagnon(-90)
Marc Deschênes(-100) / Jean-François Ouellet(-100)
Bradley Langlois (-73)
Silver Medals in Japan for Canadian Visually Impaired and Blind Judoka
CanadiansPriscillaGagné(under 52kg) andJustinKarn(under 60kg) won silver medals at the 2016 Japan Open for Visually Impaired and Blind Judoka. The competition took place November 28-30th, 2016 at the Kodokan Judo Institute in Tokyo.
Gagné, who was born in Granby, Quebec, won her first three bouts of the qualifying round. She defeated two Japanese competitors and a South Korean competitor. It wasn’t until the gold medal final that she was overpowered, when Ayumi Ishii scored a yuko with a well-executed shoulder throw.
Justin Karn of Guelph, Ontario took out all four of his competitors in the qualifying round. In his semifinal bout, Karn defeated Takaaki Hirai of Japan, the silver medalist at the 2015 IBSA World Games in Seoul, by a penalty. In the final, Justin lost by yuko to Alex Bologa of Romania.
International MastersBremen2017 Tournament
Congratulations to gold medal winners, 19 year old Shady El Nahas (U100) and 19-year old Gabriel Juteau (U66),at this year’s Bremen Masters judo tournament in Germany. Shady was also named Outstanding Athlete and has had impressive results this year. Ajax Budokan was very proud of 15-year-old Keagan Young for taking a bronze medal with 92 world class judokas in his division (U66)! Quebec’sAlexandreArancibia won Gold in Cadet -81kg, Ontario’s Luka Khatelishvili won Bronze in Cadet -81kg, and Ben Kendrick won Bronze in Cadet -90kg.
Edmonton International Judo Championship
New friendships, memories and a record turnout of participants from all over Canada and the world made the Edmonton International Judo Championship 2017 tournament on March 10 –12, a great one! The Edmonton Yudanshakai Judo Society expressed feeling particularly honoured to have had 47 athletes and three coaches from Tokyo. Check out their Twitter feed at @EdmIntJudo
Ontario Judoka in EdmontonGOLD / SILVER / BRONZE
Grace Petsnick - U16 -63kg
Sava Antic U18 -73kg
Keyano Young U21 -60kg
Natalie Rygielski U21 -63kg
Danil Neyolov U21 -81kg
Mathieu Lemay Veteran -90kg
David Teper - Senior -55kg / Candice DriscollU16 -48kg
Ethan Vandersanden
Kerwin KlywakU16 -42kg
James Lonsdale U16 -66kg / David Teper U18 -55kg
Sean Long U21 -66kg
Daniel Marjerrison U21 -81kg
Carolina Kawasaki Senior -48kg
Danil Neyolov Senior -81kg
Elite Invitational National Championships in Montreal
By Carol Lin
On January 7 and 8, Judo Canada welcomed judoka to the 2017 Elite Invitational National Championships in Montreal, Québec at the Centre Gadbois. A strong Ontario team qualified for the event bringing home
several medals. Following the competition, a training camp was heldfromJanuary 9–12in Montrealat the National Training Centre.
TRIVIA: Originally this competition was called the Elite 8 because only the top eight people in each division were invited to participate. Invitations to athletes are now extended more broadly.
The full results for the Elite Invitational can be found in this link to the Judo Canada site:
Ontario Judoka in MontrealGOLD / SILVER / BRONZE
7 / 4 / 7
The Ontario Open
By Carol Lin
The Ontario Open took place on the weekend of November 12 and 13, 2016 at the Toronto PanAm Sports Centre (TPASC) in Scarborough. Judo Teams from Germany,Netherlands,Brazil, the United States and Canada participated in the event. Dojos from across Ontario took home 97 medals in both Kata and Open events. Special thanks go to the Referees and volunteers that helped make the 2017 Ontario Open a success.
The Ontario Open – Ontario Medal Count –for full details visit the Judo Ontario Events page atGOLD / SILVER / BRONZE
32 / 25 / 40
The Quebec Open
By Carol Lin
This year, the Quebec Open was heldon November 5 and 6thin Montreal at the Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard. For the first time, the Quebec Open was live streamed. Thanks totvgo.cafor helping Judo Quebec get this event to parents and clubs across Canada. New this year was the introduction of a U14 age class. Ontario U14 had great results and we are proud of you!
Ontario Judoka’s Medals in QuebecFull details atJudo Ontario Events page at
GOLD / SILVER / BRONZE
11 / 16 / 21
Diary of the World Veteran Championships
By Val McIntyre
The Veteran World Judo Championships were held in Fort Lauderdale in November of 2016 with a great showing from Canada and a lot of familiar faces. The competition is an International Judo Federation (IJF) organized event in fullcooperation with USA Judo which was the host organization.Viewall three press releasesin full in the Judo Ontario Media Centre at The highlights were as follows:
Day One:
- Herman Vermeiren from Kawasaki Rendokan in Hamilton won a special gold medal competing in the 80+ year old division.
- Ronald Angus from Full Circle JudoClub in Burlington placed silver in the -100kg M7 division.
- Daniel Bird from Kawasaki Rendokan competing in the M6 division -90kg over powered competitors from Venezuela and the USA before losing in the bronze medal match to Finland.
- Steve Starnes from Newmarket Budokan and Sho Jin Judo Club competing in the M9 -90kg division dominated the USA in his first match of the day before losing a close match in the semifinals.
- The fifth competitor from Canada, Ralph Ibanez from Saskatchewan, won the gold medal in the -66kg M8 division.
Day Two:
- In the M3 +100kg division Mark Wilson from Tora Judo Club in Brampton took to the mat.
- Jeff Allen from Huntsville Judo Club won the only medal for Canada with a Bronze medal competing in the M1 +100kg division.
- Kevin Ban from Newmarket Budokan Judo Club competing in the M3 -66kg division lost his opening match of the day to a competitor from Japan
.
Day Three:
- Sue Sokol from Oshawa’s Formokan Judo Club and Fraser Bridgman from Full Circle Judo Club won silver medals. Carline Young of Ajax Budokan Judo Clubwon a bronze medal on the last day of competition.
Referee’s Corner by Gerald Okimura
New 2017 Rules
No doubt by now you have heard or read that new rule changes are coming, tested over the next years at various international shiai and incorporated during this next Olympic cycle. These rule changes are made through consultation and agreement with the referees, coaches and athletes not just unilaterally by the IJF Referee Commission. Some rules were altered to promote more ippon type decisions rather than a collection of scores. Others were made to make matches more equitable. Others were changed for punitive reasons. Here are some main changes.
Contest duration equality: Both men’s and women’s matches are four minutes.
Scores: Only scores will determine the winner during the normal time of a contest. Ippon and waza ari will be the only scores. Yuko waza will be scored as waza ari. Unlimited waza ari can be scored. Waza ari awasete ippon will no longer exist. If my Japanese is accurate, “waza ari” means “technique exists” and not “two half points.” This is a return to “old school” judo where only ippon (control, speed, force and directly on the back) was a direct winning score. Subject to further interpretation, rolling techniques previously scored ippon may be scored as waza ari. In osaekomi, ippon will remain at 20 seconds; waza ari will now be 10 seconds.
Golden Score: Shido will no longer decide the winner in the case of no or tied scores when regular contest time elapses. Scores and shido are carried over into GS. However, shido(s) or the first score during GS will determine the winner.
Penalties: A maximum of three shido per contestant during a contest. The third shido will be hansoku make. Changes to kumikata (gripping) will be defined in future clinics.First instance of grabbing/blocking below the belt will be shido; second instance will be hansoku make.
Safety: To dissuade bridging and reinforce the dangers of head, neck and spine injuries, hansoku make will be assessed. The contestant will lose the match but will be able to continue in the competition.
Judogi: Contestants will be required to arrange their judogi between matte and hajime.
World ranking points: To be defined in the future by IJF.
Many of these new rules seem confusing and ambiguous. An IJF clinic was held January 5-8, 2017 (Review at to explain these new rule changes and was attended by Judo Canada. They will provide information and interpretation to the provincial referee bodies. If there are any questions, please feel free to contact me at . Referee’s Corner continued on next page.
Junior Development Coach Bids a Fond Farewell
It seems like the mountains, not to mention family and friends, are drawing our Laurie Wiltshire back to Alberta. Laurie came to Ontario as the Junior Development Coach in 2015. Prior to this position, Laurie was the High Performance Coach for Alberta from 2014 to 2015. She is valued and will be very much missed! Here are some excerpts of her good-bye letter. For the full text of the letter, contact Aartje Sheffield.
Dear Judo Ontario Members, Volunteers, Family and Friends:
As some of you may have heard I have decided to leave the Judo Ontario Team as Junior Development Coach and head back to my home in Alberta. This was a very tough decision for me, as it was an extremely tough decision for me to leave my home and family last year to pursue a dream job. Iwant to thank Judo Ontario for this opportunity. I have enjoyed every moment of my time here in Toronto, but
unfortunately my family and friends are in Calgary and I very dearly miss being out west. Please do not get me wrong I have met new friends in Toronto, mostly in the Judo community! I have learned and gained an immense amount of knowledge from my time out in Ontario, and truly am sad togo. …continued on next page
…
I got to spend many hours with the High Performance athletes of Judo Ontario. The hours of dedication and work these young athletes put towards the sport they love really show in the training
sessions at the TPASC and I do believe that one day many of these athletes can and will attend World and Olympic events for Team Canada. Those athletes that decide to take a different pathway from Judo will take the work ethic and dedication they learned from the HP program on to become very successful human beings in school, work and family as adults.
…
As I start my new journey back in Alberta, I really wanted to express my gratitude for being part of the Judo Ontario team, as it was a short experience it was definitely an experience I will never forget. I am going to miss all my new judo friends and I look forward to seeing everyone around Judo Canada events in the near future.
Thank you for everything Judo Ontario.
Your friend in Judo.
Laurie Wiltshire(lso find me on Facebook to keep in touch )
JUDO IS FUN!
April Events
/Date
/Location
/Contact
Judo Ontario Youth Academy
/April 29, 2017
Cancelled
/Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre North Room Toronto
/info@judoontario
Tora Annual Shiai
/April 29, 2017 noon
/Brampton Soccer Centre, Building D,1495 Sandalwood Parkway E
/1.705.632.9428
Provincial Team Training
/April 30, 2017
9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. /Tora Judo Club1295 Williams Parkway, Brampton
/416.827.5836 (JUDO)
May Events
/Date and Time
/Location
/Contact
Judo Ontario Youth Development Camp
/May 6-7
(Sat) 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.(Sun) 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. /
Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre North Room Toronto
/info@judoontario
Ajax Budokan Monthly Shiai
/May 14
9:30 a.m. registration**contact Karl Doherty about pre-registration. /
Ajax Budokan Judo Club
75 Centennial Road Ajax /905-665-4524
.
Judo Ontario Youth Academy
/May 20
May 27
Cancelled / Toronto Pan Am Sports CentreNorth Room Toronto /
info@judoontario
Judo Ontario Youth League Shiai
/May 28
Cancelled /Tora Judo Club
1295 Williams Parkway Brampton
/info@judoontario
A note about Upcoming Events: Judo Ontario has a robust calendar of events of all types and for all ages. We have abridged the information around youth events to help parents plan their spring family schedule. For the full calendar, visit. This is also the place to find forms and documents.
June Events
/Date
/Location
/Contact
Judo Ontario Youth Academy
/June 3
June 10
June 17
June 24
4:00 – 6:00 p.m. /Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre North Room Toronto
/info@judoontario
All Community Games
(
/June 17
4:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.(May 29th submission deadline) /
Bill Crothers Secondary School
44 Main StreetUnionville /
1.855.449.5836 (JUDO)
General re games: 905.803.0803
Ajax Budokan Monthly Shiai
/June 11
9:30 a.m. registration**contact Karl Doherty about pre-registration. /
Ajax Budokan Judo Club
75 Centennial Road, Ajax
/ 905-665-4524Judo Ontario Youth League Shiai
/June 25
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. /Ajax Budokan Judo Club
75 Centennial Road, Ajax
/ 905-665-4524More Important Dates Coming Up!
- Canadian Open Judo Championships – May 25 to 28. Visit for more information.
- Camp Budokan July 23 to 29 (Early Registration ends April 30)
Contact: .
/Editors and Contributors:
Carol Lin -Val McIntyre -
Gerald Okimura -
Aartje Sheffield -
1