EJU Cadets, Kiev / Welsh Junior Open / Eastern Bloc Seniors

The Pinewood Judo Club, unusually, had no tournaments last weekend but many of the members had National Squad training at various locations around the Country, so there is little to report this weekend.

On the weekend of the 12^th of January, so far unreported, Coach Don Werner was in Kiev with two of Pinewood’s cadet squad who were fighting with the British team. They were Sarah Pang and Ben Fletcher, both fought well and Ben only lost the semi final by a minor penalty; for stepping out of the contest area. The event mostly attended by Eastern European Countries so the experience gained was invaluable.

On the home front at the Welsh Junior Open the Pinewood entry was refused due, apparently, to an over subscribed entry.               

Only one Pinewood fighter fought, Dominic Russell, his entry went in separately to the club’s and was accepted. Dominic fought well to win gold in the under 66 kgs weight group.

The other event Pinewood members fought in was the Eastern Bloc senior tournament at Thetford in Norfolk. Graham Trinder won gold in the under 66 kgs weight group and he also won a prize for the quickest win in his weight.

Jonathan Purssey was also fighting and he won silver at under 90 kgs. Jonathan is rather light for the weight group at the moment but has had some very successful tournaments in the last year. There is no doubt that when his weight gets closer to the top he will be a formidable opponent in the group.