The talent and discipline of local and area martial artists was on display as a Local Dojo, hosts the first Northern Ontario WKC tournament of the 2024/25 season.
The Gateway Martial Arts Championship was held at the West Ferris Arena on Saturday.
The one-day event was an open-style martial arts tournament.
“So, we get to see all kinds of different styles. We have Korean Martial Arts, some Japanese Martial Arts, and we usually have some kung fu practitioners as well.
"It is just a nice way to get a bunch of people together,” stated Adam Arbiter, tournament coordinator and head Sensi at Gateway Martial Arts in North Bay.
“It is mostly Northern Ontario athletes coming together and seeing what other people are doing.”
Arbiter says the nicest thing about the competition is that it is a community-based event.
“So, all the schools are Northern Ontario schools and all of their head Sensi’s (teachers) play a massive role in the tournament. So, they’re either judging or performing themselves,” explained Arbiter.
“It is really nice for our students to see what they can achieve one day, and we have some really amazing top-level athletes here who have made it to team Canada and have made it beyond that. So, it is really cool for us to have them on the floor.”
This tournament is part of a circuit that runs on an annual basis.
The tournament series is called Mid-Canada Cup
“It is five tournaments. We’re lucky enough to host the first one this year, there is another one in a month and there are three that happen in April and May,” explained Arbiter.
Competitors range in age from three years old to some in their 50’s.
“We invite everyone to come and participate. We have quite a few parents who have joined in and are doing the competition next to their children.“
Anyone placing in the top eight in their category is invited to participate at Nationals, where they will represent their club.
“In May or June, they usually hold Nationals in Ottawa, and try to get on to Team Canada from there,” said Arbiter.
“We do a ranking over all five of the tournaments. It is just a nice way to continue to progress as the tournament series goes on.”
One competitor who attended the Nationals last year is Jo-zef Mathieu; a first-degree black belt.
“It was wonderful. It was two days long and it was just incredible. There was so much talent there. I had 30 people in my category, the16 to 18 men’s black belt division. I got seventh overall.”
His overall goal is to make to the World’s and the Olympics.
Mathieu’s advice to anyone thinking about trying martial arts is simple.
“I say go for it! It is a great way to get a workout and learn at the same time,” stated Mathieu.
“Personally, what I get out of it is sportsmanship, and an amazing workout. I get to test my memory skills. It has helped me with my anxiety. I would worry about everything and anything and I find practicing karate you have to be focused, you can’t be thinking about anything else. It has helped me outside of competition as well.”
One of the youngest competitors made the drive from Sudbury.
Yuna Amyotte just turned three.
“She’s been training since she’s been two and a half, she’s in beginner in Tiny Tigers,” stated mom Aimee Beaudette who is a double black stripe.
“She’ll be doing her self defence and Kata. I think it is good for your self-esteem, and to know that you are strong no matter what you do, and I wanted her to grow up like that. I want her to grow up strong.”
For the younger competitors it is a matter of having fun.
“They’re not expecting to go to Nationals. It is an introduction to what it feels like to compete and to be in a large space with 100’s of spectators watching, which can be really intimidating, so our goal for those students is just to have fun,” shared Arbiter.
“Our older students, our higher-ranking belts, it is really about getting to Nationals for them.”
Arbiter has noticed an uptick in the number of people interested in learning more about martial arts since the Olympics.
“Seeing karate in the Olympics was huge for our students. It really changed a lot of the perspectives of why they were doing it as well,” said Arbiter.
“It gave those students who have those ambitions of doing something bigger and achieving something so amazing as going to the Olympics that kind of drive to do so. Of course, we’re always going to have our athletes who are just recreational and enjoy just coming and learning. But we’ve really seen an uptick in the students who want to compete, and karate is coming back into the Olympics in a few years so we’re really excited that some of our athletes who are competing in this series, might end up on that kind of stage.”
Some students need to look no further than their own Sensi’s (teachers) for inspiration.
“The nicest thing about this tournament is it is a community-based event, so all the schools are Northern Ontario schools and all of their head Sensi’s play a massive role in the tournament. They’re either judging or performing themselves,” explained Arbiter.
“So, it is really nice for our students to see what they can achieve one day, and we have some really amazing top-level athletes here who have made it to team Canada. So, it is really cool for us to have them on the floor.”
