FIVE competitors from East Coast Martial Arts, based in Mablethorpe, recently travelled to Worcester for the 2009 WUMA (World United Martial arts Association) National Championships (as reported in the Louth Leader)

All five competitors are members of Team Ippon, live and train in Mablethorpe.

Roy Whitbread, a 1st Dan Black belt in Shotokan Karate, started off the medal haul by taking a bronze medal in the Advanced Japanese Kata division. This was Roy's first ever competition, and was up against stiff competition but took a well deserved 3rd place.

In the Advanced Korean Patterns section team captain and senior instructor Adam Beniston, a 3rd Dan Black belt in Tae Kwon Do, showed everyone why he's the current World champion, cruising to victory and the first National title of the day.

Chantelle Goodwin, a 1st Dan Black belt in Kickboxing fought in the Advanced Ladies +62kg Points fighting. She stormed her way through to the final, where she won convincingly, with a strong show of the Kickboxing skills. Chantelle added her gold medal to a national title to her ever growing list of achievements.

Lee Swift, a Yellow belt in Kickboxing, stepped up from the Novice category to the Intermediate category, Men's -75kg Points fighting, and took 4th place.

Adam Beniston, a 4th Dan Black belt in Kickboxing, was narrowly beaten in the final of the Advanced Men's -70kg Points fighting, to take a silver medal in this section.

Finally we had one fighter making his debut in the Men's Heavy-weight Strike and Grapple division. Stephen Rayiru, a Blue belt in Combat Ju Jitsu, had several tough fights, before reaching the final against a larger and more experienced 4th Dan Black belt opponent. Unfazed, Stephen slammed his opponent to the mats repeatedly, and managed to take the fight by a majority decision, to make him 2009 WUMA National Champion!

So the team returned back to Mablethorpe after a long and arduous day with three new National champions, one silver medallist and one bronze medallist. Not bad for a team that was only formed in June 2009!