Just a quick update post on the weekend just past. I'm still feeling the effects of a long and involved weekend of providing support to the AUG Kendo competition, and am looking forward to getting a little more rest in the coming week.
This year was the first time that the three martial art competitions were held in the one venue. The newly built Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre was a fantastic venue to hold the event in, and we might be down there again in December for the QKR seminar if Tamura sensei gets his preference.
I wanted to thank all the folk who came down and did the Club proud with the assistance they provided on the weekend — Jack, Kateena, Matt G, Sian, and Tracy. These weekend away are always a great opportunity to spend time with wonderful folk, and I do very much look forward to them as opportunities.
I also wanted to thank David Fitzgibbon, the event manager, for his excellent organizing of the weekend. Many hours and late nights went into ensuring that the competition ran as well as it did, and it was an absolute pleasure to contribute to.
It was wonderful to be able to spend some down time with friends from Kenshinkai, including Isaacs sensei, Shigeoka sensei, who is visiting from Japan, and it was really good to catch up with Randy Le-Bherz and Ryo Atsumi (we miss your presence at Toowoomba training sessions!)
Congratulations to Jack who fought well in the Judo. Making weight was a significant task successfully accomplished by an intense cardio session after spending a day on his feet helping with the Kendo. Congrats to friend of the Club John Taylor who took home Bronze in the Judo for USQ, to Anna Opertowski-Marshall from the Kenshinkai for her Bronze in the Women's Kendo Dan competition, and to all the competitors in the martial arts competitions held on he weekend. Whether achieving a place or not, there was an enormous amount of good will, respect and learning had by all!
And so we will start planning for next year's event, which will again be held on the Gold Coast. With 12 months of preparation, I'm sure that we can build o this year's achievements and field more USQ athletes, as well as provide support for the events.