Yuki Judo is a Dojo (club), member of the Australian Kodokan Judo Association (AKJA) which is member of the World Judo Federation and part of the Victorian Amateur Judo Union (VAJU).
The name Yuki comes from the Japanese word for Courage, which is one of the core values of Judo established by Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo.
The Dojo has two main objectives: to promote the practice of Judo among our community and to be the doorway for every blind and vision impaired person that wants to practice Judo.
Yuki Judo has been founded by Claudio Insaurralde, 2nd Dan Judo instructor under Jakub Sawczuk 4th Dan, from Tori Judo Club in St Kilda. We have the support of Senseis Ivan Zavetchanos, 9th Dan and Cilie Zavetchanos, 6th Dan who run the Shudokan Judo Academy in Brunswick.
The Dojo started its activity in 2019, initially opening classes for kids between 5 and 7 years old, kids between 8 and 13 years old (open also to Blind and Vision Impaired Kids) and a dedicated class for 15+ year old Blind and Vision Impaired people. Later, this last class became the current adults class.
About the Instructor/Founder: Claudio Insaurralde, 2nd Dan
Claudio has almost 15 years of Judo experience. He started training in South America at the Argentinian Air Force Officers Academy at the age of 18 and after a break, continued his training later at Kumazawa Judo Institute, a traditional 60 year-old Dojo under Senseis Carlos Paz, 6th Dan and Juan Carlos Leguizamon, 5th Dan.
In 2014, Claudio moved to Australia and started training at Tori Judo Club in St Kilda under Jakub Sawczuk, 4th Dan, and he achieved the 2nd Dan in 2019.
At the end of 2017, he started teaching at Tori Judo and then in 2019 he founded Yuki Judo Dojo in Strathmore Heights.
He has participated in many VAJU tournaments, as well as in 2018 & 2019 Australian Kodokan Judo Championships both in Shiai (fights) and Kata competitions.