The largest contingent of RN judo players to take part in international tournaments helped the British Forces to a prestigious title and returned from across the Atlantic with a string of personal medals.

The Royal Navy squad combined with the RAF and British Army under the title ‘British Forces’ to attend the AMCAN Tournament, held at Buffalo in the USA, and the Canadian Open across the border in Burlington.

This is the first year the Royal Navy has attended with such numbers.

The team, consisted of senior coach PO Pete Powell, coach CPO Ian Clark, LWEA’s Clive McGing and David Kelley, AEM James Clement, Cpl John Manual, Mnes Chris Sherrington and Richard Hill and DSA Vicky Parsons, came away with the Best Team and Best International Team trophies.

The tour party set up camp in the Niagara Falls area for pre-AMCAN tournament training, where the standard of competition was impressive – many players from a host of countries who will be attending the Athens Olympics took part.

Performance of the day was undoubtedly that of AEM Clement, of HMS Sultan, who fought valiantly, one fight lasting an impressive ten minutes!

His progress to the gold medal was halted by two Olympians, representing Uzbekistan, but James completed the tournament winning a bronze medal.

After the American tournament, a day’s recovery was needed before the team moved base camp to a new location in Canada.

Here several judo clubs in the region attended ‘fight nights’ with the British players, and good experience was gained by the squad prior to the Burlington tournament.

Building on the success gained from the first tournament, the teams again fought to a high standard.

More details on RN Judo from PO Pete Powell 93825 2522 or CPO Ian Clark 9380 22563.

AMCAN: Under 73kg – Bronze: AEM Clement (HMS Sultan); Under 90kg Masters – Bronze: CPO Clark (MCTA Portsmouth); Over 100kg Novice – Gold: Mne Sherrington (Cdo Log Regt); Best Team and Best International Team Trophies: British Forces.

Canadian Open: Lightweight Novice – Silver: LWEA Kelley (HMS Collingwood), Bronze: LWEA McGing (Collingwood); Lightweight Masters – Gold: LWEA Kelley (Collingwood), Silver: PO Powell (Collingwood); Middleweight Masters – Gold: Cpl Manual (DST Leconfield); Light Heavyweight – Gold: CPO Clark; Light Heavyweight Masters – Gold: CPO Clark; Middleweight – Silver: AEM Clement; Heavyweight – Gold: Mne Sherrington; Open Championship – Gold: Mne Sherrington; Heavyweight (Female) – Silver: DSA Parsons (Dryad); Canadian National Select Team British Forces Team (including Clark, Powell and McGing) vs Canadian National Select Team: 4-4.