GRIFFITH is gearing up to again to be the epicentre of a martial arts spectacular when the 2008 Riverina Kyokushin Karate Championships kick off on October 5, in what is sure to be a dazzling display of the ancient sport.
Last year more than 130 of the country’s best fighters converged on Griffith and again entries have been flooding in.
Kyokushin Sentai Frank Cirillo said with 2008 being a World Cup year, many of the fighters heading to Japan in December were using the local titles as a tune-up for the biggest event in the Kyokushin calendar.
“Things are looking pretty good at the moment and we have already been told that many of the Australian team will be coming here before the World Cup,” Cirillo said.
“This is a precursor to the World Cup because many of them will want to rest up and make this their last fight before it begins on December 1.”
But Cirillo said locals will not only have a chance to see the best in the business in the flesh, but also cheer on some of the many local students that are set to battle it out in the non-contact and full-contact sections of the weekend.
“Most of the other dojos in the Riverina will be bringing students as well, and the kids will be more than willing to get into the non-contact section,” he said.
But all eyes will be on the men and women lining up in the full-contact section, with the ferocity of the attacks a sight to behold.
No part of the body is off-limits, with women only having a chest guard while men only have a groin protector to stop an incoming blow.
Adding to the star power on show is one of the highest-ranking Kyokushin officials in the world in Australia’s John Taylor.
Hanski Taylor, who is relatively unknown in his home country, is revered around the world according to Cirillo.
“It’s funny how well-known he (Taylor) is overseas and because we have so many sports that we are good at, we become a little blase,” he said.
Taylor will hold a master
class on the Saturday with every vantage point expected to be taken to hear from him
One of those expected to be hanging on his every word is local national champion Letticia Ferres, who said she is feeling confident of doing well at the upcoming tournament.
“Everything is going pretty good at the moment, I had the flu a couple of weeks ago and it took me about a week to get over it, but I’m back training again,” Ferres said.
Training six nights a week has whipped the 19-year-old Feress into shape ahead of another tournament where she expects to come up against competitors that will out rank and outweigh her.
“Hopefully I will do really well, my last fight was at the Australian championships, but fighting in front of friends and family is what I’m really looking forward to,” she said.
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