RAF MARTIAL ARTS CHAMPIONSHIPS – RAF CRANWELL – 16 JUN 07

RAF Cranwell was again host to the annual RAF Martial Arts championships on 16 Jun 2007, being held in the spacious Sheikh Hamad Hall. The majority of competitors had already warmed up by participating in the monthly RAF Competitive Selection session on the day before the Competition. Competitive Selection is usually held on the middle Wed of every month to identify potential RAF Martial Arts Squad members; details are posted on the RAF Martial Arts Association website. The Website is accessed through the RAF Intranet: top right drop down menu, Royal Air Force/Sports and Pastimes/Team Sports/RAF Martial Arts Association. At these sessions, the teams for forthcoming competitions are chosen. The RAF Martial Arts Championships are open to all RAF martial artists, however, to mirror the competitive disciplines at the Inter-Service competitions, the RAF championships centre upon the 2 main streams of Continuous and Point-Stop fighting to ITF Taekwondo and EKGB Karate rules; Pattern competitions (open to all styles) and a weapons competition (new event). The events cater for both junior and senior grades (coloured and black belts), male and female.

The RAF MAA is a broad-based organisation with practitioners from a multitude of styles. In order to cater for all, participants fight within the previously described disciplines, with the Continuous stream attracting the likes of both ITF and WTF Taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, Kick Boxing, Lau Gar Kung Fu and the Point-Stop, styles like Karate. Patterns competitions can be entered by anyone, as indeed can the new weapons competition. This ensures that all have a good chance to compete and show their martial skills and style to best effect. The multiplicity of disciplines undoubtedly enriches the competition.

In addition to the traditional events held, a demonstration of practical self-defence techniques was given by the Great Britain Self Defence Squad, many members of which are members of the Armed Forces, led by Master Clive Greenhaugh, a 7th Dan black belt Atemi Jitsu, Chief Instructor Euro Budo, based in York. All the techniques demonstrated were shown in slow time and explained before the attacks; subsequent defences were carried out in real time. The purpose of this demonstration was to recruit members of RAFMAA into the team and to demonstrate a potential new ‘Self-Defence’ category for future championships.

Given the present pace of operations, the turn out of competitors was very reasonable. All competitors got the opportunity to compete in either Continuous of Point-Stop or indeed, do both, increasing the numbers of competitors in each category. Once again, the RAF Championships brought to the fore some high quality martial arts practitioners and the standard of competition was high. So much so, that the teams entering the forthcoming Inter-Services Championships at RAF Cranwell on 21 July were able to look forward to an exciting event.

Results of the RAF Martial Arts Championships -16 June 2007

FEMALE

Patterns/Kata

Tae Kwon-do Dan Grades:

1st – OC Laura Morfee (RAFC Cranwell),

2nd – Flt Lt Di Carbutt (AFCO Liverpool)

Karate Dan Grades:

1st – Sgt Sara Ball (DPPHC),

Kyu/Kup Grades:

1st – SAC Jenna Parkhill (RAF Waddington)

Sparring

Continuous:

1st – SAC Sunita Kaul,

2nd – Fg Off Laura Morfee (RAF Benson)

3rd – SAC Liz Green & Sgt Sara Ball (DPPHC)

Point Stop:

1st – Sgt Sara Ball (DPPHC)

2nd – SAC Liz Green

MALE

Patterns/Kata

Tae Kwon-do Dan Grades:

1st – Flt Lt Mark Fitton (RAF Wittering)

2nd – AC Connor Spence (RAF Cosford)

3rd – Cpl Clin Richardson (RAF Lossiemouth)

Karate Dan Grades:

SAC Danny (RAF Waddington)

Tae Kwon-do Kup Grades:

Karate Kyu Grades:

Sparring

Continuous:

1st – Flt Lt Mark Fitton (RAF Wittering)

2nd – Fg Off Siam Kidd (RAF Shawbury)

3rd – AC Connor Spence (RAF Cosford)

Point Stop:

1st – SAC Phil Taylor (RAF Cottesmore)

2nd – Cpl Kev Noble (RAF Aldergrove)

3rd – SAC Mark Elliott (RAF Marham) & Cpl Craig Murray (RAF Waddington)