Index
*	Foreword from Grandmaster Loke
*	Championship Report: Article by Tina Matania, 2nd Duan
*	The Preparation, The Day, The Aftermath: Article by Master Chris Cook
*	Results & Awards: - Thau / Forms competition - Tooi Ta / Free Sparring Competition - Special Awards
	PHOTOGRAPHS
*	Group Photographs
*	Morning, Thau / Form events
*	Afternoon, Tooi Ta / Free Sparring events
*	Demonstrations
*	Family & Friends
*	Presentation of Awards
	MOVIE CLIPS (for broadband users - standard modem users may take considerable time to download)
*	One Step Sparring Demonstration - Master Siew Ying Loke (527KB)
*	Breaking Demonstration (Anti-Smoking campaign), Roundhouse and Spin Back Kick - Master Adam Blakemore (531KB)
*	Championship Circular (including map) (Microsoft Word File)

 

Foreword from Grandmaster Loke

I am indeed very happy to proclaim our twelfth National Championships held on the 19th June as a resounding success.

Many participants, instructors and their families came forward to thank me for such an enjoyable and exciting event. However, this huge success has been for the most part a result of your great effort, dedication and hard training throughout the year.

Technical standards keep improving and I am very proud to see that the judges and officials worked very hard with dedication, duty and care in keeping with our Wu Kwan's founding principles "Ren" (human heartedness) and "Yi" (Righteousness). Well Done!

Many parents have commented that their children were looked after very well within a friendly atmosphere. Overall participants, both junior and adult exercised good self control in the tooi-ta (free- fighting) events. I am glad to report that the First Aid station was relatively quiet throughout the day!! We have indeed kept up our tradition to use this annual Championship as a martial arts family get-together, a fun day to make new friends and to applaud each other's progress and technical excellence. So, in reality, everyone wins.

Each year it is also very heartening to see new instructors from our Duan ranks opening new branches and bringing their students to the Championships. The Championships is a testament to our weekly teaching and guidance that we inculcate into our own students in line with our seven principles. This is our "Dao" (Way) - the Dao of our martial art family.

We have a pool of devoted and loyal Duan students; I hope you can take a step further into our instructors ranks to spread our Wu Kwan in your spare hours after your work and family duties. Hopefully we will have more full time professional instructors to ensure our continuation long into the future. Details of Coaching Courses and other requirements are available from your senior instructor or at HQ.

Our martial arts family continues to grow and I welcome Miss Amy Yip, 1st Duan, who has shown much confidence and enthusiasm as our new instructor in Auckland, New Zealand. This is especially laudable given the fact she is only nineteen years of age. I also want to extend our good wishes to her instructors Mr Peter and Mrs Michelle Fahey 2nd Duan, and son Reagan on starting a new home, job and a new Wu Kwan in Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand. I congratulate both of them on the impending birth of their next baby expected in August.

I would also like to single out our Reading branch under the Instructors Mr Nazim and Mr Korel Gokcezade 3rd Duan for a special commendation. Year after year a very high percentage of their students participate in our Championships with exemplary behaviour and good spirits.

The Bill Edwards Memorial Award for the Most Outstanding Under-16 Student goes to a special 8 year old, 4th Ji Michael Smith, a student of Master Chris Cook in Chelmsford. Congratulations from everybody.

Our National Championships is no doubt a daunting task. I want to thank the many committed instructors and students, in particular Mr Steve Merrell, 3rd Duan, our Championships Controller, who assisted on the day and behind the scenes to ensure that this one-day event ran smoothly. I also welcome your suggestions, articles, reports and photos for our website and towards future progress.

Lastly but not least of all, I am very pleased to announce the recent promotion of four instructors to "Shi Fu" Master's rank, namely Master Colin Underwood (HQ), Master Angie Thomas (Rochford), Master Adam Blakemore (Strood) and Master Siew Ying Loke (HQ). They have been training and teaching for the better part of two decades and their skill and dedication will be known to many of our members.

Tang Sou!!!
Grandmaster Loke

 

 

Championship Report: Article by Tina Matania, 2nd Duan, Website Manager

The day began very early for many of the competitors and their families. Some set their alarm clocks as early as 4:30am in order to make sure they were on their way to the hall in good time. A small congregation arrived outside the hall at 7:45am - doors officially opened at 8:00am. Grandmaster Loke, family and helpers were already inside the hall - tables had been set out, trophies on display, competitors badges ready to be given out.

As the fresh morning air disappeared the majority of people arrived. Competitors queued to collect their numbers, spectators found their seats, families ensured that those competing knew where they had to be from the event sheet handout and by looking at the list of events and competitors posted on the back wall of the hall.

As we walked into the hall it was astounding to see the number of people there. The Championships are the only time within the Ren Yi Wu Kwan family when all clubs and their members meet together in one place. Duan grades were carrying out their required tasks in order to be ready for the start of the day and it was good to see so many red belts and other grades also offering their help and assistance.

It is times like these when we realise the importance of family. No matter where or how often you train we are all part of an extended family with a direct lineage in our training and commitment to Grandmaster Loke - this is one of the factors that makes Tang Sou Dao unique.

As for the new members attending their first Championships, they were full of excitement and anticipation. They looked to their Masters and friends with whom they train for guidance and support, and enjoyed a day where they could make new friends, discuss their training and observe the martial skill of those who have been training for many years.

Although we compete at Championships, scoring points is not at the heart of our style. The Championships is the opportunity to give our every effort to display the best level of martial art we can attain as we progress with our training - not just in technical ability, but in spirit and in our own personal development. We want to set a good example for others to follow. It is the chance to see other club members and how they have improved and progressed and to share the enjoyment of the art of Tang Sou Dao. This enjoyment can be felt when you walk into the hall full of people with positive martial art spirit!

To develop the art takes time …. things of great value are never quickly obtained. As each year goes by and time passes we see students who have become instructors, club members arriving with their new babies, children growing up into young adults, members getting married, duan grades becoming masters, and may even reflect on our own progression in life!

The group photograph was taken slightly after 9 am! After some careful manoeuvring we all managed to fit into the photograph and SMILE, and the photographer managed not to fall off his ladder.

The forms competitions were as always a pleasure to watch. One young orange belt had an instance of 'temporary amnesia' which happens to us all! She was quickly comforted and advised by Nicola Mayatt (Instructor Davis Estate) who soon got her back on track with her form. It is good to see the young students as well as the more experienced ones putting in maximum effort.

When we put ourselves into a potentially stressful situation (Will I forget my form? Will my footwork be good enough? Can I shout loud enough?) we learn about ourselves. How patient are we? Are we really confident? How focused can we be? How good is our concentration? How much empathy do we have with others? Can we think strategically? How quick is our thinking and our response? How fit are we really?!

Half way through the day the Mayor of Thurrock arrived. He enjoyed watching the events from the control table. Along with Grandmaster Loke, the Mayor presented some trophies to form event winners before the commencement of the tooi ta competitions.

The afternoon's tooi ta competitions went well. The 5-7 year olds kept good martial spirit and shouted as loud as they could. The boys and girls duan grades showed good technique - it is encouraging to see the instructors of tomorrow reaching such a high standard at an early age. The veterans Duan grades fought bravely and gave it their all! (Tang Sou Mr Thomas!).

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the demonstrations at the end of the day's events. Duan grades, William Grove, Danielle Young and Sahin Ayanoglu demonstrated jump front kick, inside drop kick and jump roundhouse kick respectively, onto blocks and roof tiles.

Instructors demonstrated hand (breaking) techniques. Mr Nick Evagorou performed 'farn sou' backfist on two blocks, Ms Tina Preston 'tau sou' knife hand on roof tiles and Master Colin Calvin a superb 'chang kern' palm heel short range strike on a free standing block. Accuracy of high kicking techniques 'chuan ti' and 'hou chuan ti' were delivered by Master Adam Blakemore (onto Ms Laura Askell) close to the face and overhead.

Application of Pinan Ser Duan was demonstrated by Master Angie Thomas with the assistance of four Duan grades who kindly bore the brunt of her counter attacks.

Master Siew Ying Loke "savaged" Mr Steve Ronketti during a series of one-step advance kicking techniques and ladies self-defence.

Then came the trophy presentations. Each Master in turn presented trophies to the day's winners, first the forms competitions and then the free-fighting competitions - well done to everyone!

At the end of the day, Grandmaster Loke spoke to the seated competitors before the crowd hailed "Tang Sou" and returned to the car park …. some carrying shields, some carrying trophies, everyone carrying a priceless memory and experience.

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