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

ASHBURN, Va. - Oct. 12, 2016 - PRLog -- Hidy Ochiai Karate of Northern Virginia's chief instructor, Sensei William Max Winkler, and students brought home five gold, seven silver and eight bronze medals from the 50^th Annual Washin-ryu National Invitational Tournament 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, the founder of "Washin-ryu Karate-do", attending alongside 250 karate students, competitors, and families.

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 at http://www.hidyochiaikaratenova.com and start your path to becoming a martial artist today. Contact Elysa Leonard of Splash Communications for additional information at 571-426-5145 or email: elysa@splashmarcom.com.

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)