The stage was set for a fantastic weekend of competition. Big numbers of competitors flying in from all over Australia, Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia & Canberra meant that the quality of competition was always going to be high – and in anticipation of the show they would put on, Saturday morning spectators flowed into Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre as competitors arrived for the start of two days of nonstop action of Martial artists from styles as diverse as Karate, Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, Free Style Karate, Tai Chi and many more came to do battle for the right to be called NAS 2016 Australian Champion
8.30am sharp all Officials, coaches & competitors marched into the venue to the applause of spectators who had come to spend the weekend, many very proud as they saw their child march in with their team members or helping to carry their State flag high
The official bow in took place with the President Mr James Casey welcomed all attending, he then welcomed the CEO of NAS Mr. Silvio Morelli and Assistant National Director, Mr. Gary Palmer. During these speeches special thanks was extended to all the Officials, staff and helpers who had travelled from near and far to ensure the weekends competition would be a great success also introduced 2016 event sponsor Mr Simon Hall
Mr Luke Campbell who has been a competitor with the NAS competition since he was a young boy was asked to read the competitors oath on behalf of all attending competitors. Mr Lucky Pandelidis a Victorian referee was asked to read the Officials’ oath on behalf of all Officials attending from around Australia. All attending stood for the National Anthem after which the official bow took place, shortly after day one of competition began!
1. SATURDAY Day One – Forms, Demos, Continuous Sparring & State v’s State:
To begin, fiercely competitor kata (Forms) were performed simultaneously across 6 rings. As always, the event attracted great interest from spectators, as deciding a winner at this level is never an easy task, as judges try to rate one set of crisp and lightning fast moves against each other.
The pee wee’s division was one of the biggest events of the day with a stunning array of talent and standouts performances among the tiny titans (Pee Wee’s division) Finals of this division saw Christopher Piccini: JMAMA taking out 1st place in 2nd place Larissa Govender: Double Dragon & 3rd place Spencer Barrot: Loong Fu Pai
In the 8 to 9 yrs (10th to 6th Kyu) division saw Declan Uppington: Southern Shaolin taking out 1st place over a strong field of competitors, 2nd place Oliver Lowery: RMAA 3rd place Alsen Wong: Inter Wushu Academy
In ring 3 finals of 8 to 9 yrs (5th Kyu to Blackbelt) saw Connor Hall: Gisbourne Mixed M/A take out 1st place with a polished performance in 2nd place Jakeb Gibbins: JMAMA, 3rd place Mia Heran: Northern Lakes M/A.
10 to 11 yrs (5th Kyu to Black belt) was a nail biter with big numbers of competitors. Taking out 1st place Jaicob Barrot: Loong Fu Pai, 2nd place Wilheim Heiber: Black Belt M/A, 3rd place Vanderlei Kemp: Kimi Kai
14 to 15 years (5 Kyu to black belt) division was hotly contested and tension was as high as many of the judges’ score’s, making it difficult to select the eventual winner. Frankie Ferraro: Bubishi M/A was near floorless in his performance and accordingly received the highest score from all judges and the trophy, 2nd place Harrison Hewgill: Black Belt M/A, 3rd place Connor Beaumont: Loong Fu Pai.
In another division the female novice division was in it’s final stages with record number in attendance; Connie Duff: Northern Goju Karate proved too strong on the day taking 1st place, 2nd place going to Michelle Piccini: JMAMA and 3rd place went to Kathryn Milroy: Funakoshi Karate
Finals of the male advanced division saw Josh Wiltshire: RMAA took out 1st place, in 2nd place Bevan Bell: Seishin Ryu and 3rd place going to Scott Hampson: Seishin Ryu
Veterans over 40’s forms division was also well represented with excellent displays of strength and intensity from all attending. Female division 1st place Jilian Cole: Funakoshi Karate in 2nd place Tamara Thompson: TeShin Kai 3rd place Linda DeMilford: Success M/A. Male division 1st place going to Nick Spanu: GKR, 2nd place Ed Bateman: One M/A, 3rd place Kevin Brady: SKIA NSW
Male and female open black belt form finals were underway early, the tension palpably as coaches fired last-minute instructions to competitors as they lined up for their divisions. Friends and fans watched nervously as competitors performed, knowing that any slip or loss of concentration could cost them a place in the final. Referees panel called all competitors to the centre of the ring and announced the top eight female and male finalists were they would have to perform a second kata/form. Final results beginning with the females division went to Shannon French: RMAA who exhibited grace, balance and strength, 2nd place with a polished performance was Cynthia Weggelaar: Shiryodo Karate and in 3rd place Tayla Ireland: The Winged Dragon. Male finals had the referee’s panel deciding the victor with 1st place going to Luke Campbell: Loong Fu Pai, in 2nd place Tony Gillespie: Imugi TKD, 3rd place saw Kevin Brady: The Winged Dragon. Congratulations each and everyone one of you who represented their State & martial art codes, well done!
2. Saturday Junior & Senior Demonstrations;
Taking a break from the fast – pace fighting, the crowd then enjoyed some spectacular demonstrations from junior and senior competitors.
Spectators were treated to some truly inspirational talent in the demonstrations, traditional weaponry & extreme weaponry divisions, all judges had a tough time deciding the winners but in the end these talented competitors went home with the trophies;
Junior synchronised team forms 0-12yrs saw Team Northern Lakes M/A take out 1st place in 2nd place team Double Dragon Shotokan 13-17yrs Team Kimi Kai take home 1st place with 2nd place going to team Hoshin Jutsu 3rd place to team KenshinKan. Senior synchronised team forms had team Seishin Ryu Karate in 1st place & team Funakoshi in 2nd place. Extreme Creative Weaponry 0-12yrs, 1st place Frank DeCata: Proactive M/A, 2nd place Levi Vereyken: MD Mixed M/A, 3rd place Jakeb Gibbins: JMAMA. Extreme Creative Weaponry 13-17yrs, in 1st place was Samuel Newton: The Winged Dragon, 2nd place Jason Anastasi: Shindo Karate Baccus Marsh and 3rd place went to Joseph Blackler: JMAMA. Extreme Creative Weaponry Senior, In 1st place was Ai Wei Lew: FX Fitness, 2nd place Craig Walker: JMAMA & 3rd place Mohamed Desoky: HYIC Jeet Kune Do, Traditional Weaponry 0-12yrs, was a trifecta for team RMAA in 1st place Racheal Taylor , 2nd place Michaela Soner and 3rd place Jackson Wiltshire, Traditional Weaponry 13-17yrs, in 1st place Martyn Allwood: Border Karate Sch, 2nd place Damien Prins: RMAA and 3rd place Tiana Sing: Gold Coast Martial Arts, Traditional Weaponry Senior, 1st place Matthew Hill: Jee Shin Wing Chun, 2nd place Shannon French: RMAA, 3rd place Carl Arganda: Black Eagle Arnis. Traditional or Extreme 0-12yrs, 1st place was taken home by Robert Bridge: JMAMA, Traditional or Extreme 13-17yrs, in 1st place Frankie Ferraro, 2nd place Paes Kemp: KimiKai and 3rd place Carmen Lia: Hoshin jutsu, Traditional Extreme Senior, 1st place Louise Raper: FX Fitness
3. Saturday – Continuous Sparring;
The pace picked up with the continuous sparring, always an exciting division to watch. The continuous sparring is very similar to kick boxing but without the unrestrained contact. The competitors use all kinds of techniques including leg kicking and it surely made for some very explosive fighting and some nail-biting rounds which kept coaches and spectators on their feet
7 to 9 years M/F finals, 1st place Aleisha Munafo: Pro Active M/A in 2nd place Connor Hall: Gidbourne Mixed M/A and in 3rd place Oliver Lowery: RMAA
Finals 10 to 11 yrs Male division saw Vanderlei Kemp: Kimi Kai taking out 1st place in 2nd place was Keagan Prins: RMAA, 3rd place going to Maxwell Parton: Kenshinkan. Female finals saw Rachael Taylor: RMAA taking out 1st place, 2nd place Harriet Kniff: RMAA and in 3rd place Tujana Rancic: Evolution M/A
Finals 15 to 17 yrs Male division saw Damien Prins: RMAA taking out 1st place in 2nd place was Nat Young: RMAA, 3rd place going Connor Beaumont: Loong Fu Pai. Female finals saw Hope Kemp: Kimi Kai taking out 1st place, 2nd place Clare Ham: One Martial Arts and in 3rd place Jakirra Graham: Success M/A
The male advanced open continuous sparring was one of the biggest and fieriest competition in years featuring a diverse mixed of sizes, weights and styles. The crowd was riveted watching the whip of spinning back-kicks and fast punches that sometimes made excessive contact, there where several disqualification due to uncontrolled strikes to face and bad sportsmanship. Eventual winners 1st place going to Josh Wiltshire: RMAA, in 2nd place Nick Noordink: Bonsai Karate, 3rd place saw Ed Bateman: One Martial Art. Eventual winners of the female final had Nicki Hodkinson: KenshinKan taking out 1st place, 2nd place going to Shannon French: RMAA and in 3rd place Cynthia Weggelaar: Shiryodo Karate
4. Saturdays afternoon, State V’s State Shield Challenge
Day one of the championships was nearing the end and as usual the ever popular State v’s State teams were underway. Qld was out to make it a clean sweep for the second year in a row
12 to14yrs junior female’s teams, the eventual winning state was QLD with NSW in 2nd place and 3rd place going to VIC while in ring 2 we had the12 to14yrs junior male’s teams with the eventual winning state being VIC with NSW in 2nd place and 3rd place going to QLD
15 to17yrs junior female’s teams, the eventual winning state was VIC with QLD in 2nd place and 3rd place going to NSW and in ring 4 we had the15 to17yrs junior male’s teams with the eventual winning state being NSW, in 2nd place QLD and 3rd place going to VIC
The female and male advanced teams were the last divisions to be allocated a ring, amongst these teams all were getting into the competitive spirit which would spur them onto win and then their supporters within the crowd was making these last events supper charged and exciting to watch and cheer on. The eventual results for the female’s teams were QLD 1st place, VIC in 2nd place and 3rd place going to NSW the male teams saw QLD take out 1st place with NSW in 2nd place and in 3rd place VIC