THE VALE of Glamorgan Karate Organisation, which has gone from strength to strength since it was founded only 18 months ago, now stands at the summit of Welsh Karate after dominating the official Welsh Karate Championships last weekend.

The Welsh Karate Federation is the only Sports Council recognised body for karate in Wales and staged its national championships in Cardiff on Saturday.

Vale Chief Instructor Rob Copeland, a week after being appointed Assistant Welsh National Coach, led by example, and no less than 17 years after his first Welsh title in 1985 and eight years since his third win, was once again crowned Welsh Champion in Heavyweight Kumite division.

That was the ultimate event of a hugely successful Championship for the Vale, which saw Rob coach his squad to no fewer than eight Welsh titles as well as six silvers and nine bronzes.

Rob's win also clinched the elusive Men's Kata and Kumite double, as Vale Kata Coach Bo Channon, unbeaten in Wales since his competition comeback last year, had earlier won the Men's Kata title.

Two other Vale instructors, who like Bo are also Welsh internationals, Nathan Bridges and Gavin Keedwell also made the rostrum. earning joint third places.

The Vale domination of the men's events was completed when Gareth Reynolds was victorious in the Open-weight Kumite.

At the other end of the age spectrum nine-year-old Nick Hooper won two Welsh titles. Nick, who was Welsh Champion for the first time when just six, led the 18-strong Vale Under-12 years Kata squad from the front, winning his fourth Welsh title.

A few hours later he won his fifth, as alongside Rhys Davies and Elliott Evans, he was a member of the triumphant Under-10 Vale team. Rhys was also a double trophy winner since he was third in the Kata event.

Eighteen-year-old Claire Cooper has been training for only a year but has already achieved phenomenal success. Only last month she was a double title winner in Bath at the prestigious Legend Open and repeated that feat on home turf winning Kata and Kumite events for ladies below brown belt.

Andrew Jones, another relative newcomer, has been extremely successful and as well as winning the Kata event for men below brown belt, also took third place in his Kumite section.

The Vale had three junior teams in action and as well as the victorious Under-10 team there was a silver for the Under-12 Girls team of Zara Pope, Tina Jensen and Natasha Paton, and a bronze for the Under-12 Boys team consisting of Josh Carmichael, Daniel Sweeney and James Dixon. James went one better in his individual event by winning a silver.

Rob Copeland said: "It has been an ambition of mine for many years to have the most successful karate organisation in Wales, and to finally achieve it is incredible. Now the hard work continues to maintain our standards and improve further."