THE ATMOSPHERE was electric at Kendal Leisure Centre last weekend as Kendal Judo Club hosted the International Lakeland Open (Age-Banded) Championships for the fourth year running.

Attracting 650 competitors from over 80 clubs nationwide, including British junior men's and cadet squad team fighters, and also national teams

from Belgium, Holland and Moldovia, this tournament is the largest and most important in the North of England and has a truly cosmopolitan feel.

The standard of judo escalates at the event as clubs enter their best fighters and 30 Kendal club members were rewarded with 12 medals - one gold, two silvers, nine bronzes and four fifth places, improving on last year's nine-medal haul.

Kendal's Peter Holme, author and national/ international judo official, was master of ceremonies on Saturday as Kendal's older fighters gave a skilful display.

In the 1986-87 age-band at - 73kilos Mark Wilson came up against stiff opposition but stayed focussed to secure a place in a nail-biting final where he earned a silver.

Jamie Millar fought at the same weight category for this age-band and produced the throw of the day to claim bronze, with Bethany Hoggarth the other bronze medallist at -70kilos.

The junior fighters in the 1982-5 age band won another two bronzes - through Phil Rogan at -60kilos and Anthony Parkinson at -66kilos, while fifth places were awarded to Michelle Raven (-63kilos) and Steven Rogan (-55kilos).

Deputy Kendal mayor, Coun Avril Dawson, presented the medals on Saturday.

Kendal's player of the day on Sunday was Danny Harper in the +55kilos category where he had to fight boys often much heavier than himself.

Undeterred, he put in a spirited effort to reach the final and a silver medal.

Calum Hartley took the bronze at -50 kilos at this age band, coming up against strong opposition, as did Chris Miller at -46 kilos who claimed a fifth place.

Laura Hogg outclassed her opponents to take the gold medal in the 1990-1 age band at -44 kilos.

Younger competitors in the 1992-93 age-band were not overawed by the opposition with bronzes going to Graham Baker and Leigh Dickinson (both at -30 kilos), Steven Carradus (-34kilos) and Ross Kilshaw (+38 kilos).

Narrowly beaten by a clubmate, Nathan Hogg came fifth.