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When the dust settled, the Shiroumakai Judo Club emerged victorious as Yukon champions.

The Whitehorse-based club, which also boasts the largest judoka membership in the territory, swept the trophy sweepstakes this season, taking back the League Cup from the 2012 champions, the Northern Lights Judo Club, and also winning the Best Performance Club Trophy, which Carcross' Hiroshikai Club took home last year.

"What we're trying to stage is a tournament like the big tournaments Outside,鈥� said tournament director and Shiroumakai coach Aaron Jensen. "The biggest thing is when we take our kids out is the wow factor 鈥� the big crowds, the noise, the announcers. So we intentionally do it at the Games Centre to get that big centre type feeling.

"That is the best thing about our tournament. The kids walk out there, and they feel like they're at the Olympics. There's people in the stands 鈥� and wow.鈥�

Proper weigh-ins were conducted the night before the championship to add to the professional setting.

Sixty-seven athletes, including 16 from two Alaskan judo clubs, participated in the 2013 Yukon

Judo Championships, held at the Canada Games Centre on Saturday.

Jensen acknowledged that his club had an advantage in the League Cup standings due to its high membership rate, but said winning the Best Performance Club "is recognition they worked hard.鈥�

The Shiroumakai club practices twice a week at Vanier Catholic Secondary School, while other clubs practice just once.

"It's the same as anything,鈥� Jensen told the Star. "The more you put into it, the better results you're going to get. For the kids in my club, it shows.鈥�

Each club trains their athletes to the same national guidelines, Jensen said.

Alongside the battles on the mat this weekend, a number of clinics were held over the weekend featuring guest instructors Bianca Ockedahl and Bruce Kamstra.

Montreal native Ockedahl was a Canadian national team member from 2002 to 2011, and is a three-time national champ.

Kamstra, of Prince George, B.C., also holds multiple medals from national championships.

"Bruce is really good in engaging with everybody,鈥� Jensen said. "But it was a real surprise that Bianca could come.

She turned out to be a major draw for the little kids and the girls. We've got about eight girls that are under 13 years old, and to see a women that can and has done it is great for any kid to have a role model.鈥�

Jensen said much thanks was due to the volunteers who gave of their time setting up mats, researching knowledge-based questions, and organizing the tournament schedule.

"It was a bit of a whirlwind weekend,鈥� he said.

Judo Yukon will send a team to Anchorage on the May long weekend to compete in the Alaska State Open.

Clubs participating in the Yukon Judo Championships included Shiroumakai Whitehorse (SHK), Northern Lights Whitehorse (NLJ), Golden Horn Whitehorse (GHJ), Hiroshikai Carcross (HRK), Capitol City Juneau (CCJ), and Mountain View Anchorage (MVJ).

Tournament awards

Toughest Competitor: Female 鈥� Paige Siegfried (MVJ); Male 鈥� Scottie James-Shephard (HRK).

Best Technique: Female 鈥� Mackenzie Harvey (MVJ); Male 鈥� Kenneth Neville (CCJ).

Sportmanship: Female 鈥� Rory Hamilton (CCJ); Male 鈥� Jesse Collins (SHK).

Gold medal winners

Boys U-7, -23 kg: Kenai Bryden (GHJ); Boys and Girls U-9, -26 kg: Olijah Armstrong (MVJ); Boys and Girls U-9, -29 kg: Aodahn Nowell (SHK); Boys U-9, -33 kg: Devon Rollins (SHK); Girls U-9, -44 kg: Kate Muller (SHK).

Boys U-11, -29 kg: Eban Basnett (SHK); Boys U-11, -33 kg: Alan Johnson (SHK); Boys U-11, -36 kg: Kenneth Neville (CCJ); Boys U-11, +45 kg: Scottie James-Shephard (HRK).

Boys U-13, -36 kg: Carl Malagodi (MVJ); Girls U-13, -36 kg: Cassi Jensen (SHK); Girls U-13, -44 kg: Emiko Teramura (SHK); Girls U-13, -57 kg: Rory Hamilton (CCJ); Boys U-13, -60 kg: Connor Lane (MVJ); Boys U-13, +60 kg: Dorrian Mellon (MVJ).

Girls U-15, -52 kg: Paige Siegfried (MVJ); Boys U-15, -50 kg: Tristan Walker-Andrews (CCJ);

Boys U-15, -60 kg: Jock Shepherd-James (HRK); Boys U-15, +66 kg: Chris Coulson (CCJ); Girls

U-15, Open: Mackenzie Harvey (MVJ).

Men U-18, Open: Dominic Waters (MVJ); Senior Women, Open: Bianca Ockedahl Shidokan (Montreal); Senior Men,

Open: Jay Watts (CCJ); Judo Knowledge, Novice: Jade McLeod (HRK); Judo Knowledge, Intermediate: Emiko Teramura (SHK).