ITF World Championships and ITF World Kup Championships, Birmingham 2007

Wow what a week. Actually, what a year so far, it has been not an easy task working up to these world champs, with training for selections, itf umpires courses, squad training, fundraising and general organising, administration, and training, training and more training. i myself arrived on the tuesday, to find that i was indeed officiating at the champs, with my colleague Mr Kevin Mccabe 4th degree from cardiff. The only two PUMA officials to be officiating all week at the Worlds, and again not an easy task. Working from 9am till aprox 8.30pm on the 4 world championship days, with a packet of sandwiches to see us through each day, we were challenged, tired, and yet it was such great fun. Meeting other officials from around the world, usa, korea, netherlands, argentina, ireland etc was interesting. To be a part of the new computerised scoring system was also interesting, and challenging when coaches did not understand what they were seeing on the screen and fascinating to watch how fighters changed their fight because of it. Anyway it was an experience that i will never forget, and i have the itch to go out and look for more international events to officiate in.

But on to the most important part, our South Hams students. They also had an extremely tiring week, starting with the registering on the Tuesday that took nearly all day, followed by long bouts of waiting between events,over the next 5 days and then followed by bouts of exhaustive cheering for thier Team UK colleagues and Team France. All the students did us proud, not one embarressed themselves in any way. 5 students from our clubs were chosen to represent Team UK, and one for France. The students in the first 3 days of exhausting heats reached as far as the quarter finals, at our very first international event. Some were caught out by the luck of the draw early on, but all performed well, with results being only within a few points of each other. The full results should be available soon at www.puma-uk.com

On the World Kup Championship day, our students got second wind and came away with 10 medals. Wow

Rachel Thorpe,Dartmouth - Gold - Ladies Yellow Belt Patterns Medea Creed, Kingsbridge - Bronze - Ladies Red Belt Patterns Corinne Sri Widada, Kingsbridge - Silver, Ladies 2nd deg Sparring, Gold, Ladies 2nd Deg Patterns Roxanne Winzer, Kingsbridge - Bronze, Boys/Girls 2nd Degree Patterns, Bronze, Girls 2nd Degree Sparring Darren Luker, Totnes - Silver, Boys/Girls 2nd Deg Patterns Martin Luker, Totnes - Gold, Boys/Girls 2nd Deg Patterns, Bronze Boys 2nd degree Sparring Steve Luker, Totnes - Silver, Mens 2nd Degree Patterns

Brilliant results everyone, and my sympathies lie with Sophie and Sam Barnett who did not make the event due to the youngest Barnett being hospitalised, with a very serious illness. Luckily she is now making a good recovery.

Well done all, and with this our first major event, we look forward to many more. Argentina, Sardinia, Uraguay.....here we come.