Filipino Martial Arts Open to feature new events
KAANAPALI — Ola’a-Nalo Escrima and ‘Ohana Martial Arts will present the fourth annual Filipino Martial Arts Open Tournament on Saturday, Oct. 30, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Westin Maui Resort & Spa.
According to event coordinator Randy Cabanilla of Ola’a-Nalo Escrima, this event is open to all martial arts styles and organizations.
Registration will begin at 8 a.m. There is a $30 entry fee and a $10 charge for each additional event.
There will be weight divisions for men, women and children. General admission is $5; children under ten will be admitted free.
The 2010 Filipino Martial Arts Maui Open Tournament is being held in honor of Shannon Ashika Rao Main, who passed away on Sept. 4, 2008; and Tyson K. Coloma-Nahooikaika, who died on May 25 of this year. They were both very young and talented Maui martial artists and strong supporters of these tournaments.
Master Main, Maestro Cabanilla, Maestro Krau and Sandy Dent, the organizers of the event, extend their special thanks to Del Mar School of Filipino Martial Arts, Hawaii Filipino Martial Arts School, Tobosa School of Kali Escrima, Ah Fooks Super Market, Central Pacific Bank, Kahului Ale House, KC Landscaping Inc., Judy’s Gang Inc., Attorney Glen M. Kosaka, Dr. Abdiel Angeles and Sunny Solutions, just to name a few of the supporters.
“This is the first year our event will be held at a big hotel, and we are very excited that our… tournament will be held at the fabulous Westin Maui Resort & Spa in Kaanapali. We are expecting martial artists from around the state and, hopefully, the Mainland as well to attend. and the reservations response so far at The Westin has been very encouraging,” Ola’a-Nalo Escrima and ‘Ohana Martial Arts noted in a statement.
“In recent years, Escrima (a Filipino martial art that primarily utilizes a stick or baston as a weapon) has grown in popularity in Hawaii and around the world. For our tournament purposes, a ‘Baston’ or ‘Padded Stick’ is used to emulate the live blade that was prevalent in combat during earlier history of the Philippines. Caranza and Sayaw competitions are forms performed with traditional Filipino weapons such as the baston, bolo, dagger or balisong. The caranza performed are similar to a ‘kata,’ while the sayaw is performed to music to better emphasize the performer’s flowing movements, like in a dance.”
Congratulations to Jarin Pasco-Cabanilla, who took first in his division at the “Samahan” Escrima Tournament on Oahu last month. Organizers expect top notch competitors to attend in all of the events.
“Although this event started off with only the Filipino martial arts, it has now grown into a celebration that includes the kata and kumite of the traditional arts, and this year we are adding ‘Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Controlled’ to the competitions. Some competitors will be as young as six years old, and it’s electrifying to watch them start off the day. You gotta come watch! The camaraderie and sportsmanship experienced is a testament to the spirit of brotherhood shared by all. We are proud to do our part in giving back to the community in this way and preserve the valuable cultures of the different martial arts,” the organizers concluded.
For more information, contact Master Ron England at worldwideaq@yahoo.com, Master Paul Main at 385-5425 or 877-5435, Maestro Randy Cabanilla at 871-6086, Maestro Frank Krau at 344-6231 or Sandy Dent at 264-4696.