KENDAL Judo Cub members have been enjoying significant international success in the last few weeks.

It started in Emmen, Holland with over 600 competitors. Kendal’s youngest and lightest member, 13 year old Alex Nutta at under 30 kilos was first on the mat, beating two members of a top Swedish club in the early rounds.

He then came up against Christopher Bonnevier from yet another Swedish club in the final. A throw and a hold down ensured the Gold medal came to Kendal.

Poppy Howe, in the U48 kilo weight group, was the next player to get on the rostrum. Her day started with a quick hold down win against a player from Northumberland.

One of the local favourites was next to come up against Poppy. A sweeping ankle throw for a half point score followed swiftly by another hold down put the Kendal player into the final against the local favourite.

Sadly a slight loss of concentration allowed her Dutch opponent to pin her down for the 20 seconds and she had to be satisfied with the Silver medal.

An overnight bus journey to Alkmar on the Holland / Germany border saw them meet up with another 600 plus competitors Bronze medals going to Nathan O’Sullivan and Brandon Stewart.

Having lost out in the fight for Bronze in Holland Nye Greasley was determined to make up for this the following weekend in Sweden.

His route to a silver medal was hard. His first contest against Oscar Gustavson from Swden went into Golden Score with the Kendal player coming out the winner.

His next fight against another Swede, John Johannson did not last very long with Nye’s favourite throw, shoulder throw, gave him the winning score. In the final Nye’s opponent, Mitrovic, caught the Kendal player with a half point throw and spent the rest of the contest defending from Nye’s constant attacks.

At the bell the Swedish player was very close to being disqualified for not attacking but survived to give Nye a silver medal.

The next competition was the Flanders International Tournament in Lommel, Belgium.

Harvey Burns along with Edward Burnie were part of an official England Cadet Team, both in the Under 50 kilo weight group.

Harvey started well with two wins against Israeli and Belgian opponents to put him top of his pool and a place in the Quarter Final, where he fought and beat a Belgian competitor, Rens Valy with an excellent throw for ippon (full point).

Another Belgian players was easily seen off in the semi-final to give the Kendal Cub member a place in the final against Daniel Kapelushnik from Israel. Sadly an armlock, which Harvey is not used to in British judo, meant that he had to be content with Silver.

Like Harvey, Edward came through top of his pool, beating two Belgians and a Dutchman into the quarter-final on the opposite side of the knockout to Harvey. It looked as though it might have been an all Kendal final. Sadly a hold down by Kapelushnik put an end to that. T

hat didn’t deter Edward coming back with an excellent hold down win over Merljn Te Winkel from Holland from a Bronze medal.

Unfortunately Lauren Fox, in the Under 48 kilo Pre-Cadet category, although she fought hard including one contest which went long into Golden Score, didn’t get out of her first round pool.