Nearly 100 judokas from across the Arctic gathered in the Yukon capital Saturday to challenge each other's strategies on the mat.

A total of 62 male and 24 female athletes from Alaska, Nunavut and the Yukon took part in this year's Yukon Judo

Championships, held at the Canada Games Centre.

A total of eight clubs were represented, said Aaron Jensen, head instructor of Shiroumakai Judo.

The Shiroumakai club – one of two in Whitehorse – continued its dominance of the territorial judo standings, with 23 competitors gathering 37 points Saturday.

Shiroumakai, which practises out of Vanier Catholic Secondary School, is the defending Judo Yukon Champions League Cup and Best Performance Club champions.

However, despite a much smaller contingent of athletes, Golden Horn earned 29 points with just 13 judokas competing.

Meanwhile, Hiroshikai, a club based out of Carcross, earned nine points with six judokas attending, while the Whitehorse-based club, Northern Lights, earned seven points with seven competitors.

While Yukoners shone in the younger divisions, it was 14-year-old Anchorage judoka John Faletagoai who bagged the senior men's open title.

"This was a good adventure,” Faletagoai told the Star Saturday.

"Getting new opponents in and seeing what you can do to improve from previous tournaments ... It's been really fun learning new techniques, learning when to attack and how to control my anger.”

He admitted his involvement in the sport over the past three years has helped him overcome some childhood anger issues.

"You can't beat everyone every time,” Faletagoai said of his strategy. "There's always someone who's better. And that usually rises me up more to that level.”

While the championships marked the conclusion of the season for most judokas, 16-year-old Amy Roberts is one of four Yukoners heading to nationals in Saguenay, Que., later this month.

Roberts said she hopes to use the Canadian championship to qualify for the Canada Winter Games set to happen in Prince George, B.C., next year.

"That's the goal,” Roberts said. "That's why we're going to nationals. You don't have to medal or anything. You just have to participate.”

Roberts has been working on her craft for the past four years and is eager to test her skills on the big stage.

She said having clubs from across the North compete in the Yukon championships also helped.

"It's always really exciting, especially because here I have no other girls to go against,” she explained. "I never really get to go against people my own weight so it's always a surprise.”

Top results from the Yukon Judo Championships are as follows:

U8 Mixed -23kg

1. Kenai Bryden CAR

2. Covelle Patterson GHJ

3. Owen Bugg GHJ

U8 Mixed -25kg

1. Marlin Cox CCJ

2. Dylan Watts CCJ

3. Emery Ohlin SHI

U8 Mixed +30kg

1. Benjamin Clutton GHJ

2. Katelynn Hyatt SHI

3. Jazzen Patterson GHJ

U10 Boys -26kg

1. Olija Armstrong ANC

2. Luke Roberts GHJ

3. Jaxon Champagne GHJ

U10 Mixed -29kg

1. Nathan Mostyn SHI

2. Elanor Setterington GHJ

3. Kaleb Parry NLJ

U10 Mixed -32kg

1. Rogan Parry NLJ

2. Glade Roberts GHJ

3. Anya Bellon GHJ

U10 Mixed -35kg

1. Dylan Anderson GHJ

2. Devon Rollins SHI

3. Mackenzie Keefer SHI

U10 Mixed +44kg

1. Kate Muller SHI

2. Ronan Clutton GHJ

3. Luna Velasquez SHI

U12 Boys -30kg

1. Eban Basnett SHI

2.Brennen Little GHJ

1. Jayden Iskra SHI

U12 Girls -33kg

1. Cassandra Jensen SHI

2. Emersyne Sias SHI

3. Marina Loyd CCJ

U12 Boys -34kg

1. Gavin Mellon ANC

2. Daniel Toner GHJ

3. Jerome Hoeden GHJ

U12 Boys -39kg

1. Mattias Sebsmoen GHJ

2. Azreal Dickson CAR

3. Ben Machtans GHJ

U12 Boys +45kg

1. Kaajineek Neuman NLJ

2. Scottie James Shepherd CAR

U14 Boys -38kg

1. Rastus Maxfield SHI

2. Kenneth Nevelle CCJ

3. Carl Malgodi ANC

U14 Boys -46kg

1. Kenny Hyatt SHI

2. Zack Lennie CAR

U14 Girls -48kg

1. Emiko Teramura SHI

2. Judith Russell SHI

3. Talula Maxfield SHI

U16 Women -57kg

1. Tiana Valdez ANC

2. Mackenzie Harvey ANC

3. Amy Roberts SHI

4. Sadie Pinksen NVT

U16 Men -56kg

1. Dorian Mellon ANC

2. Liam Rollins SHI

3. Daniel Peters CCJ

U16 Men -60kg

1. Alexie Biag NVT

2. Johnathon Nowdlak NVT

3. Alexc Brillion NVT

U16 Open -60kg

1. Alec Brillion NVT

2. Dorian Mellon ANC

3. Alexie Biag NVT

Senior Men Open

1. John Faletagoai ANC

2. Sean Stark SHI

3. Peter Ottokie NVT