Ilkley Karate Club students were outstanding at the SKU National Karate Championships at the weekend. Successful students from the club, based at Ben Rhydding Methodist Church, won an overwhelming number of trophies at the National Karate Championships held at Stalybridge near Manchester.

The club run by instructors Mark Outterside (4th dan) and Simon Holden (1st dan) came away with an amazing 17 trophies, three first, six second and eight third place trophies.

Only 22 Ilkley students took part in the competition, which makes the results even more pleasing for the instructors especially when over 350 competitors were taking part.

In the girls' junior grade kumite event (free fighting) Amey Spink came away with second place trophy after narrowly losing out in the final, while fellow club members Dione Craven and Tashina Earle won joint third trophies.

Edward Brown took second place in the boys junior grade under 4ft 6 category after storming through the elimination rounds while Andrew Johnston had to make do with third due to injury and was unable to continue to the finals. Andrew has now won seven trophies out of seven competitions entered this year.

Laurie Picken took a well-deserved third place trophy in the boy's junior grade under 5ft category in the kumite event. In the boys over 5ft free fighting category brothers Joe and Sam Finister came away with second and third place trophies. Joe also came third in the boy's junior grade kata event.

In the senior event ten year-old Tyrone Abraham stole the show taking first place in the boys brown belt category. He remained totally focused through the elimination round right through to the final.

Simon Gray was on form taking second place in the boys under 5ft 6 brown belt category. Ashley Woodhouse also took second in the boys over 5ft 6 brown belt.

In the ladies' junior grade kumite Sally Murrell won making a promising debut while Hazel Craven took third place. In the ladies kata Hazel Craven took a well-deserved first place with fellow club member Sally Murrell second. Assistant Instructor Simon Holden did exceptionally well in the men's senior heavy weight category. Simon took third place after beating some of England' s top fighters. Simon lost out to the eventual winner of the event.The Ilkley club overall was ranked in the top three in the league table.