Scott Klinger, seventh-degree black belt and chief instructor at East West Karate Academy in Sparta, recently brought 20 students to the 2008 National Amateur Athletic Union Karate Championships last weekend in Albany,N.Y. During four days of intense competition among more than 2,500 students from dojos across the United States, East West Karate brought home 21 medals from 47 events. The medals numbered six gold, nine silver and six bronze in empty-hand kata, weapons kata and kumute (sparring). Each East West student earned the opportunity to compete at the Nationals by qualifying at the Region 1 AAU Championship in Albany in mid-April. Region 1 encompasses all of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and the New England area. Participants were: Brian Eckenrode, Fredon, silver, short weapons and certified coach Nicholas Klinger, Fredon, kata and weapons competitor Gabrielle Smith, Sparta, gold, kumite, weapons; silver, kata Conrad Wehner, Branchville, silver, kumite Ryan Beebe, Sparta, bronze, kumite Ashley Jackson, Sparta, kata and kumite competitor Frank Cutrone, Andover, gold, kumite and weapons Brooke Klinger, Fredon, silver, kumite; bronze, kata Christian Lyons, Sparta, kata and kumite competitor John Lyons, Sparta, gold, kumite; bronze, kata John Zoetjes, Sparta, gold, kumite Kyle Allen, Branchville, bronze, kumite RJ Reisen, Byram, Kata, weapons and kumite competitor Jesse Huselton, Jefferson, bronze, kumite Nina Sayapour, Sparta, silver, kumite Julia Lyons, Sparta, silver, kata and kumite Henry Sayapour, Sparta, silve, kata and kumite Cassandra Zoetjes, Sparta, silver, kumite Nicholas Eliades, Sparta, kata, weapons, kumite competitor and AAU judge David Arlington, Andover, AAU judge