Competing for Australia in a world cup in England will be a family affair for six Blue Mountains Go-Kan-Ryu (GKR) Karate athletes.
With a focus on self-discipline, technical expertise and precision, this non-combat form of martial arts is one of the fastest growing styles of karate, designed to enable people of all ages and fitness levels to participate.
In other words it's perfect for families - and the Driscolls and Simpsons from Hazelbrook will be in the thick of the action at the highest level at the three-day GKR World Cup starting this Friday at Echo Arena in Liverpool, England.
Martyn Driscoll, 41, is the only one with world cup experience, having won two gold medals at the last world cup in Sydney in the veterans orange belt division in kumite (sparring) and kata (choreographed exchange) formats.
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He will be joined by his wife Linda (41) and sons David (14) and Luke (7), who qualified by winning medals at regional and state GKR karate tournaments earlier this year.
"We're pretty excited because there were about 1300 competitors last time from England, Australia, New Zealand and America and they are expecting as many as 1500 this time in Liverpool," Martyn Driscoll said.
"England always enter the most number and they are hosts this time, so we expect the level of competition to be very high.
"GKR karate has more than 50,000 participants and is growing fast here in the Blue Mountains.
"We have dojos [training locations] at school halls in Katoomba North, Hazelbrook and Winmalee, we train three to four times per week with an average of 20-plus people turning up, compared to five or 10 a couple of years ago.
"The higher each athlete's belt [demonstrated standard], the higher the level of technical precision and skill they need to show."
Linda, David and Luke said their aim for their first world cup is to learn as much as they can from the experience.
"It will be interesting because our style of GKR karate here in Australia is slightly different to styles in England and other countries," Linda said.
"We'll also get the opportunity to attend workshops by some of England's top instructors and be able to bring that knowledge back with us and use it at training."
Instructor at the Hazelbrook dojo, Kevin Simpson (61) said being able to train and compete as a family and advance at your own pace was one of the big drawcards of GKR karate, which he began learning in 2006.
"You need a lot of agility, discipline and control in this form of karate and you must be prepared to put in a lot of practice, but you can participate at any age and fitness level," he said.
Springwood High School student Eibhlis Simpson (14) started the sport at age five and has risen up 15 levels since then, but said this world cup will be her first as a competitor.
"I'll be competing in kata and kumite in the 14-17 age group, so it will a big challenge," she said.
"But I've put in a lot of training and feel, with all those hours spent barefoot on the cold wooden floor, that I'm ready."
