Karate
Time: Saturday 13.00
Location: Dance Studio
Points: 4
At 1 p.m. in the Dance Studio, a handful of supporters for both sides, a Sensei, two judges and four teams are ready to show Roses what this ancient sport has to offer. York and Lancaster have a male and female team each, and we begin with the Kata, where two contestants face the referee, who calls out a series of commands in Japanese which relate to an order of movements which must then be followed to the exact degree. The most points will be gained from form, with speed and strength also important factors. It’s ladies first, and Lancaster’s slight superiority in attention to detail leaves them 2-1 up to start. The York men manage to outdo their Lancaster counterparts by an equally slim margin, finishing up 3-2, with one vital overall point for each university.
Next up is the Kumite, or sparring, and then the action truly begins. Girls first again, and during the first match the Lancaster contestant is hit in the throat, leading to unheeded calls for medical help, and the penalty of a point for York. The second match sees Kelly Robinson, who was competing for the first time, score a decisive blow to her counterpart, and score York the lone point for the women. Lancaster win 2-1.
The men’s sparring is full of shrieks of Japanese; the language must come as a package when learning the moves, but again the spectre of injury crops up in the 2nd game as the Lancaster contestant begins to bleed from the mouth following a wayward punch, and medical assistance is nowhere to be seen. The final straw comes when another Lancaster contestant is knocked to the floor and an ambulance is called due to the risk of shock. The five games are intensely fought, and despite the mishaps are full of agile kicks and punches which delight the audience.
After the match the two captains of the York team emphasised the quality on both sides, with Jeremy Mitchell saying: “we fought well, they fought better”. Alex Imrie said she was “very proud” of her team, especially Kelly, who did, after all, beat a black belt. She also commented on the medical concerns raised, saying the club had been “complaining for 4 years” over the lack of resources at competitions, as it was obvious that “these things will happen”.
A combination of penalties and good play on both sides leaves the result as 3-1 to Lancaster, and a get well note to the poor Lancaster player stuck in A&E at York Hospital.
