AFTER heading the medal table at the Welsh National Karate Championships in Cardiff recently, the majority of the Vale Karate Squad are having a well-earned rest.

However, it has been business as usual for a few members of the Vale's highly successful junior squad.

Last Sunday two tournaments took place 150 miles apart, and so Chief Instructor Rob Copeland sent a junior kata squad to each, with both squads returning with first place trophies.

The WKA Traditional Open took place in Port Talbot and the Vale managed a 1-2-3 in their speciality, the Under-12 event.

Ten-year-old Natasha Paton has been training for only a year but has shown an exceptional aptitude for both aspects of karate and this was evident as she secured a third place in the Kumite (fighting) as well as her first Open title, which she won in the Kata (form). Second place went to Rhys Griffiths and third to James Dixon.

Meanwhile in Dudley in the West Midlands, the United Styles Association was hosting its British Championships.

Nick Hooper, recently a winner of his fifth Welsh title, was one of three Vale youngsters, along with Elliot Evans and Leah Copeland, to take part in the Nine Years and Under Kata event.

This is not a category that is usually used in Wales with Nick sometimes having to give away up to six years when competing in Under 16 events. One of the older competitors for the first time in his four year career, Nick was an easy winner.

Elliott just missed out on a medal, coming fourth of the 50-plus contestants, with Leah, although only seven years old, still earning extremely good marks.

The next major events for the Vale squad are trips to the North Wales Open and Northern Ireland Championships at the end of June, and the SKDUN World Shotokan Championships in Rome in October.

There is also the Official Welsh Open Championships in September, when the Vale will be aiming to top the medal table once again.