Karate BC Brings High-Level Training to Fernie Athletes

November, 2025

Karate students from across the Columbia-Kootenays gathered in Fernie on October 26 for a full day of competition training hosted by Karate BC’s Grassroots Committee. With the Kootenays set to host the BC Winter Games in Trail–Rossland in February 2026, the event also offered local athletes an important opportunity to sharpen their skills ahead of the Games.

The one-day program featured three accomplished coaches: kumite coach Samaneh Khoshgadham, former Iranian National Coach; kata coach Héloïse Thiboutot, a multi-time National and Premier League competitor; and rules coach Julie Zilber, a National Referee. Together, they led participants through kata, kumite, and rules sessions, finishing the day with friendly mini-competitions that let athletes put their new skills into practice.

Twenty-four athletes and instructors took part, ranging in age from 7 to 73 and in rank from yellow belt to black belt. Participants strengthened their technical and tactical abilities, built confidence in a competition setting, and enjoyed connecting with karateka from other dojos in the region.

“The Grassroots Committee gave our students a wonderful opportunity to learn from high-level coaches — something we do not normally have access to, but that karate players from bigger centres may take for granted,” said Wynne Cairns, Chief Instructor at the Fernie Karate Club. “It was a great chance to gather students from other rural communities to learn and practice together. Fernie Karate would like to thank everyone involved — from planning and logistics, to coaching, to helping spread the word. It was a great day; our students are already wondering when we can do it again.”

The Committee hopes to bring similar training opportunities to other regions of BC, supporting the growth of grassroots karate across the province. 

To learn more about the Trail-Rossland 2026 BC Winter Games, go to https://bcgames.org/games/bc-winter-games/, and for more information about karate in Fernie, go to https://ferniekarate.com.