Tuesday, 10 February 2004

The hills are alive to the sound of…fighting?

Strange sights may be seen later this month in the hills around Paraparaumu as Wellington ’s Seido Karate Club stages its summer camp on the Kapiti Coast.

The event is an annual one which attracts karate students from as far a field as Auckland and Christchurch .

This year Club Senior Instructor Ben Otang says around fifty students are expected to take part in the camp from the 20^th – 22^nd February.

“It’s a gruelling but fun weekend,” Ben said.

“Students are up at odd hours during the night and early in the morning to practice kicking and punching techniques.

“We can be seen en masse out for our runs and then it’s back to the Palm Grove Christian Holiday Camp where full days of karate instruction take place.

“One of our running routes heads past the local golf course and we do get some odd looks from the early morning golfers as we hurtle past in full karate uniform and running shoes!

“The result of the weekend is that Wellington students get to bond with their fellow Seido Karate students from around New Zealand and with each other.

“Everyone leaves pretty shattered but also having learnt a lot and having had a fun weekend,” Ben Otang said.