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THE HERALD Wednnday J it First Karate tournament a big success The Canadian Karate held at the Georgetown Memorial Arena Saturday were a huge sue cess from both a competitive and spectator point of view Tournament director Bill said that ately competitors from throughout Canada and the United States competed and about the same number of spectators were there to watch thenction the competitors were from the United States For a first time held tour it was a big success Plckelis said Ills unusual to have such a big turnout at a tournament being held Tor the first time The biggest action of course was in the black belt Kumitc sparring division Some of North America best fighters were on hand to try and claim the free week trip to Florida which went to Ihe winner or the division The winner is also ally seeded in the United states Open in SI Petersburg Florida Many of the Tans were anticipating a final featuring Hill and Keith Valali Both of the competitors have won major events NUMBER ONE At present VI tall Is the number one rated fighter in the United States Hill is the reigning allJapan champion and captain of the United States Karate team The two have never met in combat before although both have been travelling to tour nnments throughout the world A clash between the two top notch competitors would have been a classic However the match was not to be as both Hill and Vital 1 were eliminated in the first round of the nineman final Hill was the first to fight his foe was Don James James built up a twopoint lead early in the threeminu te match In the final minute Hill desperaleloscorc mov in and opened up James took advantage of the open logs and scored a couple of more points went up against Ca nadian champion Robert and he too fell behind early in the match Vital is much taller than When Vitali threw his high kicks stepped under and scored to the body Neither or United Slat stars was happy with the officiating after the matches They felt that they had scor points Chat were not awarded them Meanwhile the fighting continued Eventually James Harry Villeneuvc the Quebec champion Luc Neuvc the Ontario champions Efomungs who had won the lightweight division of the day and John the middle weight champion were all eliminated That left Loyer and Alfonso to battle it out for the championship was heavyweight champ- lon in the day and his to the final was a surprise CAUTIOUS In the final and were both very cautious In the three minut of fighting there were no points scored They had to go into extra time and with the first man scoring a point winning Early in extra time avoiding a flurry by his opponents fell off the plat form and sprained his ankle They were ready to award the match as Loyer ankle appeared in no shape to finish the match However the gritty Quebec limped back on plat form to up was basically fighting on one leg and It did not lake long to find an opening and score the match first and with a kick So the man who hud travel led least of ihe nine finalists is from Toronto claimed the top spot in the premier division In all there were black belts in the tournament competing din ing the day portion of the program In women black belt figh ting Grant who went Into competition the heavy favorite survived a couple of tough matches to take he diamond pendent Along the way she defeated Bouchard who is the Canadian and Ontario worn en s grand champion Grant one of the United Stales top competitors pro ved to be too much for Bouchard to handle in their match Grant the shortest women in final utilized her quick hands and to score points in her wo matches The easiest winner of the night came in the black belt kata division There Sonny Onowo of Iowa performed a form program to tike the diamond ring over four other competitors Onowo is scheduled to fight far the world full contact kariti championship and he is in tiptop slnpe The 125pound competitor crowd with his speed and grace during his It was not a great day for local competitors in the championships as only little Troy of the hern Karate Club could manage to finish third or better Debbie Danard was busy helping out in the ion of the tournament The lack of training time hurt in the Internationals as she did not place in itata or fighting She had been on a hot streak heading into the competition The with most participants was Master Moore of Ohio They also claimed the most trophies SIX Six foot trophies went out to all the first place finishers in each of the divisions Second place finishers also received trophies and a pi a que went to third place finis The participation by the Americans is what made the tournament success and an internalional event said I really appreciate so many of them coming up to tske Ted Kresglt who runs the U S Championships was up to help in the and also to officiate a on page The ini toss in in third place He II dirndl ami It ich unit their maldies I and Norm lien took while Hod Prcssunod dropped a dose The lost malches to ir Milton Doug and each won Graham Smith lost 1 3 and Dave and Paul val were ftj shown criming Ihr finish line finished second In the junior division at Star Trek held at the Metropolitan Toronto Zoo Sunday who has never run more than 10 kilometres wild his goal was finish the even In minutes He made It by IN Herald photo