A whopping 18 competitors headed out to the Brandon Open last weekend. That many Portage fighters at such a small tournament meant there were a few divisions where we were fighting each other, but the tournament experience is always invaluable and very different than randori in class.
Gold Medal winners included Ashley “No Mercy” Jackson and Natasha “Disasta” Burton
Silver Medalists were Pinto “Old Man” Town (who, for reasons of shame, might be demoted to a yellow belt), Andrew “A Christmas Story” Spangle, Carley “Hair Bun” Doherty, Carter “Magic Man” Friesen, and Krista “Starbuck” Walker.
Bronze medals went to “Lanky” Troy Doherty, Owen “Not the Face!” Friesen, and “Straight Up Robbed” Wade Campbell.
Participation medals were given to Autumn Jackson, Maggie Oleyniuk, and Hannah “Tinkerbell” Friesen (who all had to fight each other). They also went to Erik Olson, Kiernan Olson, and Dylan “the Bear” Tully. Nicknames on some competitors are pending.
Matt Strand also attended but had no one to fight in his weight division, but as I understand it, did quite well at boxing afterwards.
James “Big Man” McBurney/Cormier didn’t medal, but soundly beat Ryan Walker and Pinto Town in the follow up pizza eating contest.
Brian was proud of everyone who attended (except Pinto).
The next tournament is St. Boniface on Saturday, November 15th.
Portage Judo Club 