I don’t want to put up a massive after-tournament post, but I have to touch on several things.
Sean Franklin & company put together a very well-run event, and our fighters are grateful for the effort he & his crew put forth to make it happen. The rule set was a bit experimental and unfamiliar, but the strategies we were forced to employ made us think differently about how to fight.
Congratulations go out to all those who were on campaign with us. PEMAC tore up the place and showed well at all times. We left a great deal of wreckage in our wake and were on the warpath throughout the competition.
In no particular order, these were the highlights that I saw:
Steve Cheney beats Tanner Martin in the Tier A finals in one of the best Longsword matches I’ve ever personally witnessed. The fight against Kyle Griswold was also a tense and dramatic affair just to watch…I can only imagine what it was like to actually participate in.
Cam Frazier takes Gold for the first time (not the last, I’m sure) in a HEMA tournament, proving their skill and acumen decisively, and putting others on notice.
Robert Sherry flips the switch and finds his groove in the team tournament, which we didn’t even plan to do in the first place, scoring a bunch of points with stabs, hard snipes, and even a nasty Schielhau or two.
Aidan, Rebecca, and Connor fencing brilliantly and medaling in the team tournament (2nd), with the Bucks taking 1st (Jeff/Stevi/Austin). Austin beat JW in one of the team matches in dramatic and sensational fashion. This is, without a doubt, one of the single most exciting things I’ve ever seen at a HEMA event, or any competition. If you didn’t see it, it’s a MUST watch.
John Tse was insanely good, REALLY fun to watch, and got better as the day went on. Expect good things and watch him if you get a chance. He’s yet another Bucks killer-in-training, along with Stevi & Alyssa, and now Nick, who also did his own share of damage. Watching them all round out as fighters is very exciting.
Jeff had some long & hard fights that were fought with insane speed and precision, as is his custom. Again, a real pleasure to watch and cheer him on. Supremely deadly.
Elanora also scored a bunch in the team event and fought impressively in pool matches, making adjustments in strategy and technique along the way.
Literally everyone did something (or many things) awesome, and if I haven’t mentioned you by name, that doesn’t mean you didn’t. I was blown away by how our family, extended and otherwise, competed throughout. We have an incredible and seemingly unique thing going for us. Let’s keep it going.