Canadians punch their way to victory at Amerikick

--Andrew Cabilan

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – On the weekend of March 26 and 27, Bob and Jill Leiker, together with Mark Russo presented the Amerikick Internationals. The NASKA 3A event also had an NMAC sanctioning and it came to no surprise that the Canadian turnout was larger than usual at a NASKA World Tour event. Although usually held in November, the event moved to an earlier March date to make it the last tournament before the 2010 rankings are posted. This was the final opportunity for competitors to earn points towards their 2010 seeds (which will be used at the next event – The Ocean State Grand Nationals in Providence, Rhode Island). The Pennsylvania Convention Centre was the venue for the event and was immaculate in presence. Its spacious lobby and well-maintained halls were a sight to see. What also made it convenient was the fact that the tournament hotel – the Courtyard Marriott – was only steps away from the establishment, making it convenient to all who attended. Also adjacent to the facility were various restaurants and bars which made finding food not a painstaking task.

Making a pleasant surprise showing to the tournament was NMAC regular Tressa Young. Rarely competing at NASKA World Tour events, she ‘wild carded’ her way to smoke the competition as an unseeded competitor! Tressa managed to garner herself two 2nd Place victories in her respective Traditional Forms and Weapons divisions, losing to a well-seasoned NASKA veteran Dayna Huor. Congratulations Tressa!

Remaining virtually undefeated last year as a Junior, Lawrence Collymore returned to the NASKA World Tour for his first event for 2010. Locally, Lawrence made the transition from Junior to Adult early in the year and this year, Lawrence had to make the official jump to the Adult divisions. In addition, it was the debut of Lawrence as a member of Team Straight Up. This transition was not without its obstacles as Lawrence entered the talent-laden Traditional Weapons and Japanese/Okinawan divisions, going up against seasoned veterans such as Scott Wu, Will Cornell and Jarrett Leiker. As an unseeded player, Lawrence managed to blast past most of the seeds to gain himself a 3rd Place victory in Japanese/Okinawan forms, succumbing to the talents of perennial favourites Scott Wu and Will Cornell. Lawrence also managed to pull in a 5th Place finish in Traditional (Unbladed) Weapons, losing to the likes of Jarrett Leiker, Ross Levine and Scott Wu. Fellow NTKS dojo mate, Jamie Kerr, in his sophomore effort in a NASKA World event, managed to place Top 8 in the same divisions! Congratulations to Lawrence and Jamie!

Another surprise appearance was by multi-time WKA World Champion, Eric Tremblay from Montreal. Rarely making an appearance at NASKA World events, Eric Tremblay made his debut as a NASKA ‘Senior’ by competing in the 30 – 39 division. His trek from Quebec was definitely worth the trip as he managed to pull his first set of NASKA victories in Musical Weapons and Forms and Creative Weapons and Forms. Furthermore, Eric sliced and diced his way to victory to claim the 30+ Weapons Grand Champion defeating NASKA favourite, Drew Derrick-Bisbee, winner of all of the 40-49 divisions. In the 30+ Traditional Weapons and Forms divisions, Tremblay’s clean sweep was halted by Andrew Cabilan. Trailing behind Cabilan was NMAC President Mike Palitti, losing to Cabilan by a mere one one-hundredths of a point. Cabilan also claimed Runner-Up for the 30+ Men’s Forms Grand and 2nd Runner-Up in the 18+ Traditional Weapons Grands.

In a surprising turn of events, the Amerikick Women’s Fighting Grand Champion featured two Canadians – Michelle Antolic from Stoney Creek (and representing Team Next Level) and Karate Sunfuki’s Marie-Eve DiCaire. Michelle Antolic’s tenacity could not overcome DiCaire athletic prowess as DiCaire blitzed her way to victory.

Overall, merely the presence of Canadians from Ontario and Quebec shows their on-going support for the NASKA World Tour. With this type of consistency of Canadian attendance, it should come to no surprise that NASKA Canada will host not only Canada’s premier events, but the World’s premier events as well. With that said, it is anticipated that this Canadian presence will invoke reciprocity to our American friends as they will be welcomed with open arms to such events as Mike Bernardo’s Ontario Grand Nationals on October 2nd and Mike Palitti’s Toronto Tournament of Champions on November 27. Hope to see you there!