Hidy Ochiai Karate Dojo in NOVA Returns Triumphant from Washin-ryu Martial Arts Tournament in New York

The Hidy Ochiai Karate School of Northern Virginia returned home from New York with much more than smiles from the 50th Annual Washin-ryu National Invitational Tournament. The school’s chief instructor, Sensei William Max Winkler, along with his students won an impressive haul of five gold, seven silver and eight bronze medals from the event, which was held from September 16-18, 2016, in Endwell, New York. Sensei Winkler, a fifth-degree black belt, took home the Championship Title in Men’s Black Belt “Open Kumite” (open-hand sparring) alongside two silver medals: one in Men’s Black Belt “Open Kata” (open-hand forms) and one in Men’s Black Belt “Ten No Kata” (a specific form). See below for the names of Sensei Winkler’s students that won medals.

The Annual Washin-ryu National Invitational began in 1966, and it is one of the oldest and longest-running traditional Japanese karate competitions in the United States. This year the tournament was held at Maine-Endwell Senior High School in Endwell, NY, and had 150+ competitors ranging from ages 6 to 65, all practitioners from Washin-ryu Karate schools across the country. The weekend-long event began with an opening ceremony held at the Washin-ryu National Headquarters in Vestal, NY, with Master Hidy Ochiai attending alongside 250 karate students, competitors, and families.

Master Hidehiko “Hidy” Ochiai is the founder of the Washin-ryu style of karate-do (the -do­ representing an entire “way of life,” rather than -jitsu or -jutsu, which is only based around the techniques of self-defense), as well as one of the main contributors for the style’s popularity in North America and around the world. Students of Washin-ryu focus on the principles of Budo, which is the martial way of respect, honor, and self-development, and focus their training on increasing their mental strength as well as their physical skill. Because of this, Washin-ryu is respectfully associated with traditional Japanese martial arts at its highest level. The annual tournament this year made no exception to its disciplined practice, but also reveled in a welcoming environment full of joy and humility, yet with an abundance of competitive spirit.

As stated by Sensei Winkler, “It is always incredible to not only see so many Washin-ryu students, from veteran martial artists to Little Pandas, gather together to compete, but also to witness the heart of this yearly event. It is a celebration of the principles we dedicate ourselves to live by each day: respect, honor, and self-development. As a result, there is a harmony that pervades from start to finish. I am grateful that my students and I have been given the opportunity to experience such strong competition in such an uplifting atmosphere.”

If you are interested in learning more about Washin-ryu Karate, visit Hidy Ochiai Karate of Northern Virginia and start your path to becoming a martial artist today. Please contact dojo@karatenova.com to get started, or call 571-420-6758.

Student medalists:

Sophie Ochiai

- Gold (Junior Brown Belt Kata)

- Silver (Junior Brown Belt Kumite)

Whitman Ochiai

- Bronze (Junior Black Belt Kata)

- Bronze (Junior Black Belt Kumite)

Sahana Shankar

- Gold (Junior Novice Kata)

Prannav Shankar

- Bronze (Junior Brown Belt Kata)

- Bronze (Junior Brown Belt Kumite)

Michelle Backhausen

- Bronze (Junior Advanced Weapons Kata)

Kim Fow

- Gold (Women’s Intermediate Kata)

- Gold (Women’s Intermediate Weapons)

- Bronze (Women’s Intermediate Kumite)

Greg Berson

- Silver (Men’s Brown Belt Open Kumite)

- Silver (Men’s Executive Elite Team Kumite)

- Bronze (Men’s Brown Belt Ten no Kata)

Roger Albano

- Silver (Men’s Executive Elite Team Kumite)

Mark Myelle

- Silver (Men’s Executive Elite Team Kumite)

- Bronze (Men’s Executive Elite Weapons Kata)

- Bronze (Men’s Executive Elite Kumite)