TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

It Was Only A Friendly Fight

ADVERTISEMENT

By PAUL CATALA

Tribune correspondent

Published: May 24, 2008

TEMPLE TERRACE - There were form moves made, spars won and lost, weapons demonstrated and boards broken.

The important points were scored, though, through techniques and skills that were shared and cross-state and cross-cultural friendships that were made.

About 200 tae kwon do students competed May 17 in the Florida Cup II tournament at the Temple Terrace Family Recreation Complex. Hosted by the Traditional TaeKwon-Do Center, the event included martial artists from Florida, New York, New Jersey and a team of nine from Germany.

Grandmaster Gerhard Brunner, a seventh-degree black belt originally from Munich, Germany, said the focus was on family involvement, style and technique. The sparring was limited to "half contact" kicks and punches.

"This gives everyone a good view of the martial arts experience," he said, as he walked around the competition floor mat in the recreation center gymnasium. "Here, they get to see the difference between traditional martial arts and competitive martial arts, like cage matches and full contact. This is the true form."

On one mat, black belts went through their forms, precisely moving their bodies into exact fighting stances.

Following their two-minute routines, German team members Rudolf Winterstein and Robin Basu waited for their scores. A few minutes later, Winterstein, a fourth-degree black belt learned that he had placed first and Basu fourth.

"This is just a great exchange program," said Winterstein, 36, from Donauworth, Germany, an hour north of Munich. "Sure, we compete, have fights, try to do well, but it's really all about friendships."

Chase Chavez, 10, of Melbourne, who attends four tournaments per year, said the Temple Terrace event was one of the most motivational and educational.

"You get to meet some really good students here and learn what others are doing," he said before his forms competition. "You see how others are doing things, and I can see what I need to prepare for in the next tournament. But it's mostly meeting and talking with the others that's fun."

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT