Highlights from a wonderful day of competition. This year, it just happened that many more photos were taken of the senior competitors; although this has forced a slightly unnatural balance to this album it also coincided with a particularly fine senior competition. Those who stayed to watch the brown and black belt competitions saw some outstanding and inspiring performances, hopefully reflected in this selection. Back to UEKF site
UEKF Kata and Kumite 2008 Highlights
Senior students take care of registration.
They also take care of the younger competitors.
Children practice in the warm up area.
Never too much practice.
Eyeing up the competition?
Posture...
Stance...
Teamwork...
All this while someone is staring straight at you.
Safety is everything.
Younger competitors copy each other.
Competitors are judged on technique...
...timing and distance.
Senior competitors are allowed contact...
...under control.
The paradox of kata...
...a performance...
...but not a dance.
This year, several performances...
...were of kata from the Ryuei Ryu style.
These kata...
...are aggressive...
...yet graceful.
Black belt grading kata...
were performed by several competitors...
...this is Matsukaze- the ‘Wind in the Pines’.
Bassai Dai- ‘Storming the Fortress’
Seienchun- ‘The Calm Within the Storm’.
Seienchun is characterised by...
...a testing length of time spent in Shiko-dachi...
...the Sumo, or horse-riding stance.
Senior team kata...
...this year was also of a remarkable standard.
In addition to the normal standards of kata...
...synchronisation is also marked.
Video evidence isn’t used, of course...
...but it is remarkable how few...
...of the available photographs...
...show any team...
...out of synchrony.
Happy days...
...and to meet again next year.
