Kenpo exponents striking success
BY MURRAY HILLS
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When it comes to kenpo, Taranaki has some of New Zealand's best exponents of the martial art.
New Plymouth's Shane Wallacehoskin and 11-year-old Sophie Mancer were judged grand champions at last weekend's Oceania championships in Auckland.
Wallacehoskin, a second dan brown belt, took the open men's grade, winning the forms, sets, self-defence, weapons and sparring classes, and was then named Oceania champion in sets.
Yellow belt Mancer won the forms and self-defence classes and finished third in the sets before being named Oceania champion in forms.
The forms section involves different types of kata with competitors using fighting movements against imaginary opponents, while the sets comprise blocking, kicking, weapons and striking.
The Taranaki contingent of the New Zealand team at the championships comprised four adults and 11 children, who returned home with 26 medals.
"It was a great weekend. Twenty-six medals was awesome," said Wallacehoskin, who has been competing in the sport for nearly five years and is an instructor.
"Sophie has only been doing the sport for six to eight months and to win an overall award was great."
Blue belt Hepa Paraone finished third in the forms, with purple belt Kyle Seed first in the sparring in the open men's grade. Hayden Seed, purple belt, won the open men's self-defence and finished second in both the forms and the sparring. He also finished third in the sets.
In the open women's grade, purple belt Megan Hardcastle finished second in the sparring.
Jacinta Seed, 11, won the forms and sets in her division and finished third in the self-defence. Ethan Seed, 8, was second in the sets and third in forms.
Ten-year-old Nikaylah Hoskin won the sets and finished second in both the forms and self-defence in her grade, while Mathew Standen, 13, was second in the sets and sparring as well as finishing third in the forms.
Vanshay Bindra, 11, won the sets and Karere Huhu-Paraone, 8, won the forms and was second in the sets.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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