Justin Thompson knows roads. At just 19 years of age, the senior at Mount View High School of Thorndike can jump in a car and take you wherever you’d like to go in New England without a road map.

Thompson is a virtual road warrior. Each weekend he and his father Gordon hop in the family car and make their way to places such as Quebec City, Marlborough, Mass., and Providence, R.I., so that Justin can compete in the Krane Karate League. Thompson is the top-ranked competitor in several forms of karate on the national tour and highly ranked on the world tour.

“I compete in the Intermediate Division. I have a blue belt. People with green and purple belts can also compete in the division,” Thompson explained.

Thompson said there are 20-30 competitors in his division with 10 who are regulars.

They compete in a variety of karate forms and fighting. The national tour differs only in the location of the events. National tour events take place at New England venues. World tour events are held in cities such as Quebec City and Guatamala City, in addition to sites around New England.

“I’m first in weapons, first in Kata [a traditional form of karate], and fourth in fighting on the national tour,” Thompson said.

He ranks second in musical and weapons forms, third in Kata, and fifth in fighting on the world tour.

Thompson trains under Javier Diaz at Club Naha at the Alfond Youth Center in Waterville. Diaz holds two world titles in the National Black Belt League. Diaz teaches the Shu-de-kan style of karate.

“He’s probably the best instructor I’ve ever had,” Thompson said.

Thompson said he took up karate when he was 8 after seeing a karate movie that he thought was “cool.”

“My father signed me up for lessons as a Christmas present,” Thompson said.

After four years of training, he lost interest and quit.

“This is my first year back. I quit when I was 12. I ran into one of my old friends who used to do it and he told me he had his black belt. I asked him if our old school was open and he said I should check it out,” Thompson said.

Thompson said he trains every night – four nights each week with Diaz and the other three on his own at home. While many people enter martial arts to work toward a black belt, Thompson said he is more focused on the competitive aspects of the sport.

“I haven’t really thought about a black belt. I’ll get it when I’m ready. I’m not really worried about it. It will come,” Thompson said.

Spector ready to defend titles

Abby Spector is less than a month away from returning home from the University of North Carolina for the summer where she will, more than likely do what she has done for the past six consecutive years – win the Women’s Maine State Golf Association championship.

That given aside, Spector will have a tougher time defending the New England Women’s Golf Association title she won last year.

Spector became the first Maine golfer to win the NEWGA last year in Connecticut. This year, the tournament moves to the Portsmouth (N.H.) Country Club, July 9-11.

“It’s going to be difficult,” Spector said. “There are a lot of good players.”

The Waterville native is just completing her junior year at Chapel Hill where she was the team’s No. 2 player.

She finished tied for eighth in her last tournament, in which her team placed sixth in the 18-team field. Her best individual finish was sixth in the Atlantic Coast Conference championships during her freshman year.

“I’m going to come home and work at Natanis [in Vassalboro] for the summer,” Spector said.

Spector said that in addition to playing both the state and regional women’s championship tournaments, she also intends to attempt to qualify for the U.S. Open.

“It’s in New York, so we’ll see how it goes,” Spector said.

Don Perryman can be reached at 990-8045, 1-800-310-8600 or dperryman@bangordailynews.net