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PričaPacific judo meet brings international field to Richmond Oval, rooted in Steveston tradition
Richmond Olympic Oval’s recent Pacific judo competition drew an international field — including athletes traveling from as far as Tahiti — for a showcase on the riverfront floor [1]. The meet has deep roots in Steveston Judo Club’s long‑running tournament tradition [1].Looking ahead, Judo BC lists the Matsuru Pacific International at the Oval for March 12–14, 2027, keeping Richmond on the provincial and international judo map [2].That stage is built on nearly a century of tatami in Steveston: a club was started in 1926 by Tomoaki “Tom” Doi and Takeshi Yamamoto; after World War II, the dojo was re‑established with support including an interest‑free loan from the Japanese Fishermen’s Benevolent Society, run by volunteer instructors and counting roughly 80 members at restart [3].
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PričaSteveston Judo Club keeps kata central: Okamura clinic, Monday series, dan gradings
Steveston Judo Club put kata front and center this past year, starting with a dedicated clinic led by Gord Okamura on April 27, 2024 at the club in Richmond [1].That momentum carried into the fall as the dojo ran a Monday Night Kata series through the Sept. 9–Dec. 9 block, opening registration to athletes focused on sharpening form and pairing work [2].The calendar culminated with provincial black‑belt and higher‑dan gradings hosted at Steveston on the weekend of June 7–8, 2025, underscoring the dojo’s role as a go‑to venue for advancement in the province [3].