ESKA European Championships November 2009

The annual ESKA European Karate Championships was held over the weekend of 27th-29th November 2009 in the town of Wels in Austria.  Four LKA competitors were members of the KUGB England Team that made the journey over to take on Europe's top Shotokan competitors.

Leading the way was Ryan Tucker who ended the weekend with two European Gold medals.  On the Saturday he was part of the Male Junior Team that defeated the home nation, Austria in the final.  LKA Team-mate David Wright was also part of this team and David rounded of a successful weekend by taking a Bronze medal in the Junior Team Kata, finishing behind Hungary and Austria.

Ryan was then drafted into the Senior Male Team after an injury to JJ Bruce forced him to pull out.  Ryan's first match as a Senior International came in the match against Russia.  Fighting at number 4, with the Team already 2-0 down, Ryan came out and caught his much bigger opponent with a terrific back kick.  He went on to win his match and help England take their place in the semi-final against Austria.  The Austrians were beaten and that set up the final against the strong German team.  Again, Ryan led the way, defeating his opponent by Ippon with a sweep/punch combination that helped England retain their European title.  A superb achievement by Ryan, who at 20 years of age looks to have a very promising future ahead of him.

Ashley Scott, following her success in Mexico, had a very unfortunate draw in the individual kumite with the current world champion, Emma Topolovic, ex-world Champion Anna Fajkowska and former Junior World Champion Anjela Tazidinova all on her square.  After getting through the first two rounds, Ashley was beaten by the very experienced Anna Fajkowska of Poland who went on to claim Bronze medal.

Ashley fought in the Senior Female Team Kumite alongside Holly Sterling and Zoe Campbell and after beating Sweden, Portugal and Spain, they narrowly lost to Germany in the final to claim Silver medal.

Mel Finlay, fighting in her second Europeans, beat a Belgian girl in the first round of the Junior Female Kumite and then lost to Kamila Warda of Poland in the second round.  Mel was also part of the England Junior Female Team that lost in the quarter-final to the impressive Austrian Team that went on to take the title. 

All in all, an excellent showing by all 4 LKA competitors.  We hope that come next year, we will have more competitors still in the England Team when the Europeans take place in Germany.