TEN medals from ten competitors made a travel- fraught trip by junior members of Kendal Judo Club to the North West of Northern Ireland Open Champion-ships all worthwhile.

Starting from Kendal at 5am on Friday, they arrived at Stranraer to find that all ferry sailings had been cancelled and had to wait 24 hours before setting sail.

A dash to Longtower Community Centre in Derry then had some Kendal players competing as soon as they stepped through the door..

The rush must have inspired them with Robert and James Pendleton leading the way.

In the semi-finals of the blue and brown belt category Robert met a competitor twice his weight at 125 kilos. Pendleton's speed kept him out of trouble until he saw an opening and threw the Irishman with a shoulder throw. Sadly he used up most of his energy in this fight and lost in the final.

He soon recovered and he and brother James were in the Under-18 years, Under-66 kilo category where a seeding error led to them meeting in the quarter-finals. Neither were prepared to show brotherly love as they both attacked, but older brother James gained the upper hand with a half-point throw and followed with a strangle for a submission. He went on to take gold with Robert taking bronze.

In the Under-60k category Kane Brown went through his opponents in scintillating style. Four contests, four ippons (full point) from three throws and a hold-down gave him gold despite a bruised toe gained while waiting for the ferry.

Under 50k group club-mates Daniel Asplin and Blake Robinson met in the final. Robinson did all the attacking, but it left him open for a quick counter throw and the gold went to Asplin with Blake taking a well-deserved silver.

At Under-46k Nathan Hogg and Aaron Asplin were kept apart by the seeding and ended the day with a bronze medal each.

In the Novice Mini-Mon competition Tom Butcher tore the opposition apart with his favourite throws and Katherine Lenney, the only girl in the party, also struck gold.