Chéticamp Martial Arts youth competitors who took part in the first Cabot Trail Classic jiu jitsu tournament included: Riley Forsyth, Ash MacDonald, Noah Doherty, Landyn Fortune, Riley Forsyth, Gunnar Roache, Jack MacKinnon, Grayson Doherty, Ivy MacDonald. Missing from the photo: Connor Larade and Henry Halley.
-by Bill Dunphy
Sixty-five jiu jitsu competitors from across Nova Scotia descended on the Cabot Trail Arena in Chéticamp this past Saturday to take part in the first Cabot Trail Classic.
Hosted by Chéticamp Martial Arts, organizers Crystal and Joe Doherty said the event went off without a hitch and they will do it again next year.
“It went really well and our students did great,” said Joe on Monday. “It’s a family-friendly event and we had 12 kids and 6-8 adults from our club competing.”
The event drew competitors from Halifax, Sydney, Truro and Port Hawkesbury, with more than 200 people attending the event.
Along with the various weight classes and belt colours, the participants competed in both ‘gi’ (loose-fitting uniforms) and ‘no-gi’ (tighter fightwear).
Joe said Brazilian jiu jitsu is one of the more effective forms of martial arts. It is based on grappling, ground fighting, and submission holds. It is primarily a ground-based fighting style and involves taking one’s opponent down to the ground, gaining a dominant position, and then using a number of techniques to force them into submission such as joint locks, chokeholds, or compression locks.
Judges will also assign points to determine a winner.
“Unlike muay thai (which is also taught at Chéticamp Martial Arts) which is primarily kicking and striking, once you are on the ground you eliminate those attacks.”
Crystal is from Chéticamp, and Joe arrived in the community two years ago from Ottawa.
Rather than travel with their two sons to Sydney to train, they decided to form their own club. That first year they had 40 people sign up from Chéticamp and area, the Margarees, as well as Inverness, Lake Ainslie, and Mabou.
Because of its growth, the club had to move from its original space in Chéticamp to the former credit union building in Lemoine.
“We have members who range from age three to 70,” said Joe. “Training is based on the age and skill level of the athlete.”
You can arrange a free trial by going to the website and filling out the application form. The website is at: cheticampmartialarts.com.
The following are the results of Saturday’s tournament:
Kids Gi/Boys/U8/-53 lbs.:1. Jack Gilbert, Halifax; 2. Connor Larade, Chéticamp Martial Arts (CMA).
Kids Gi/Boys/U10/-60 lbs.: 1. Grayson Doherty, CMA; 2. Laughlin Bourgeois-Best, Integrity Martial Arts (IMA).
Kids Gi/Boys/U10/-80 lbs.: 1. Rhett Blaauwendraat, Marmac Athletics; 2. Noah Doherty, CMA.
Kids Gi/Boys/U14/+93 lbs.: 1. Clark White (IMA); 2. Landyn Fortune, CMA; 3. Henry Halley.
Kids Gi/Boys/U16/-144 lbs.: 1. Liam Hiltz, Marmac; 2. Ash MacDonald, CMA.
Kids Gi/U8/+78 lbs.: 1. Ivy MacDonald, CMA; 2. Gunnar Roache, CMA; 3. Jack MacKinnon, CMA.
Kids Gi/U10/-67 lbs.: 1. Presley Myers, Marmac; 2. Mia King, Marmac; 3. Quinn Forsyth, CMA.
Kids Gi/Girls/U12/-96 lbs.: 1. Riley Forsyth, CMA; 2. Peyton Burton, Marmac.
Kids Gi/Girls/U16/-144 lbs.: 1. Maci Rodler, Marmac; 2. Isla MacNeil, Grant’s Martial Arts Academy (GMAA); 3. Kyla Hiltz, Marmac.
Kids No-Gi/ Boys/ U10/ +93 lbs.: 1. Simon Bennett, (WHMA); 2. Henry Halley.
Kids No-Gi/ Boys/ U10/ -80 lbs.: 1. Rhett Blaauwendraat, Marmac; 2. Noah Doherty, CMA.
Kids No-Gi/ Boys/ U12/ -113 lbs.: 1. Landyn Fortune, CMA; 2. Shepherd Bennett, WHMA.
Kids No-Gi/ Boys/ U14/ -97 lbs.: 1. Clark White, IMA; 2. Landyn Fortune, CMA.
Kids No-Gi/ Boys/ U16/ -144 lbs.: 1. Liam Hiltz, Marmac; 2. Ash MacDonald, CMA.
Kids No-Gi U8/-93 lbs. 1. Ivy MacDonald, CMA; 2. Gunnar Roache, CMA; 3. Jack MacKinnon, CMA.
Kids No-Gi/U10/ -67 lbs.: 1. Grayson Doherty, CMA; 2. Mia King, Marmac; 3. Presley Myers, Marmac .
Kids No-Gi/ Girls/ U12/ -96 lbs. : 1. Riley Forsyth, CMA; 2. Peyton Burton, Marmac.
Kids No-Gi/ Girls/ U16/ -144 lbs.: 1. Isla MacNeil, GMAA; 2. Maci Rodler, Marmac; 3. Kyla Hiltz, Marmac.
Male NoGi/ Beginner/ Adult/ -149 lbs: 1. Carlin MacVicar, WHMA; 2. Jeremy Pentecost, IMA.
Male NoGi/ Beginner/ Adult/ -176 lbs.: 1. Isaiah Cole, Halifax.
Male NoGi/ Beginner/ Adult/ -202 lbs.: 1. John MacDougall, CMA; 2. Joseph Dixon, CMA; 3. Gordon Jewers, WHMA.
Male NoGi/ Intermediate (2-4 years)/ Adult/ -176 lbs.: 1. Morey King, Halifax; 2. Adam MacDonald, CMA.
Female NoGi/ Beginner/ Master (30+)/ -147 lbs.: 1. Robyn Estabrooks, WHMA; 2. Emery Ferraro, CMA.
Male Gi/ Adult/ -176 lbs.: 1. Morey King, Halifax; 2. Adam MacDonald, CMA.