Celbridge Karate Kids Strike Gold in USA-March 2015

A talented team of 3 young Kenpo Karate exponents from Celbridge have

achieved some remarkable results while representing Ireland at the California
Youth Karate Championships in Huntington Beach, California, USA. This was
the 10th Annual Youth Karate Championships hosted by world renowned
Martial Artists Bob White, 9th Degree Black Belt and Barbra White, 5 th Degree
Black Belt.
The Competition, now in its 10th year, is an annual event attended by young
Martial Artists from all over the US and further afield, as the finale of a series
of fund raising events to highlight child abuse & support the Royal Family
Kids Organization, with the proceeds going towards helping children who
suffer abuse and neglect throughout the world.
The Celbridge Kenpo Karate Team, consisting of Robbie Cuffe (17), Amy Kerr
(15) and Scott Gorevan (11), won a remarkable 8 Gold Medals and 2 Silver
Medals. All three competitors achieved first place in both individual forms
(katas) and also in individual sparring, against very tough competition.
Robbie & Amy, along with Jordan Lamas (from California) came first in team
sparring in the 16-17 year old division, and Scott, along with his 2 American
team mates, secured second place in 11-13 team sparring in a very tough
division. Amy also secured second place in team sparring in the 13-15 year
old divisions.
Team coach Eddie Downey was delighted the results of his 3 young students
which has been built upon previous successes in the International Karate
Championships 2014 in Long Beach, California and in 2013 in Boston. The
Celbridge Kenpo Karate Academy team has been competing internationally
for the past 27 years and are highly regarded around the world for the
calibre of its competitors. The Celbridge Clubs youth policy and high
standards is now well proven at international competitions. We have some
wonderful talent in Celbridge and our team is already planning to compete at
next years International Karate Championships in Dublin, 2015.
As team coach I would like to express my sincere appreciation to everyone
who supported our team.
A special thanks to my assistant coaches and
black belts who were outstanding in their support of the team. These include
Richie Burgess, John Burgess & Julian McDermott. The success of our 3
fighters was due to the world class coaching that they received from Mark
McDermott, Mark is one of Europe's best fighters and coaches. Eddie
Downey

As part of the event, Celbridge Karate Academy also donated a cheque for
2,000.00 to the Royal Family Kids Organisation, which was presented to
Master Bob White by Eddie Downey, Robbie Cuffe, Amy Kerr & Scott
Gorevan.

Additional Information:
About us
Celbridge Karate Academy was established in 1988 by Ed & Martina Downey
as a community based club. In 2013 the club celebrated its 25th anniversary.
The club caters for all ages, starting with the childrens curriculum which
focuses on Confidence, Discipline and Respect, developing to a
teenage/cadet programme where students can focus on competing or
grading for black belt and finally through to adult classes which can for many
focus on getting in shape, reducing stress, improving their confidence or
learning to protect themselves. This is all done in a friendly, encouraging,
team environment.
Professor Ed Downey, the clubs senior instructor, was recently awarded his
8th Degree Black Belt. He has been a respected teacher of Kenpo for the
past forty years and is renowned internationally for his teaching ability and
Kenpo skills. He is the National Coach of the Irish Team and is Director of the
European Kenpo Karate Association (EKKA).
What is Kenpo?
Essentially its one of the worlds most popular self-defence systems. Kenpo
has an extensive history and traces its roots as far back as 520 BC, when a
Buddhist Monk travelled to China from India and introduced a series of 18
exercises designed to improve the physical condition. It found its way to
Japan on the 13th century. In 1921 James Mitose was sent to Japan to study
his ancestors' art of self-defense, Kosho-Ryu Kenpo. Mitose studied this art
for 15 years from his grandfather. He returned to his birthplace in Hawaii
began teaching Kenpo. Professor William Chow was James Mitoses most
prominent student and teacher to the acknowledged founder of the modern
Kenpo System Grand Master Ed Parker. Ed Parker established his first school
in 1954 and his Kenpo system is now one of the Worlds most popular martial
arts systems.
Kenpo was introduced into Ireland in 1963 by Irish-American John
McSweeney while he was studying at Trinity College, Dublin. He opened
Europes first Kenpo School in Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin, which Ed Downey
joined in 1973, under the instruction Professor John Conway.
For further information contact:
Eddie Downey
President, European Kenpo Karate Association
Celbridge Karate Academy
The Mill, Celbridge, Co. Kildare
+353 (1) 627 0232

For
further
details
of
http://www.kenpokarate.ie

the

Celbridge

Karate

Academy

see