ATA World Championships trip report

[Aodhan]

Well, the travel portions were absolutely horrible for the trip to Little Rock and back for our Worlds tournament last week. However, the tournament and the ceremonies absolutely rocked!!!

First, one of my school owners tested for his 7th degree BB, and I was part of his board holding team. He did his form and sparring rounds excellently, and missed one baord the first time through, broke it the second.

Our other school owner went through the induction ceremony for her Master's title, and it was a very excellent ceremony. It renewed my goal of becoming a master someday in the future.

The tournament was an absolute blast. Saturday night was my first event, top 10 weapons. The way it works is you take your best 5 regionals, your best nationals and your worlds score from the previous year, total them up. If you are ranked in the top 10 point totals, you compete for the World title. I did a good form, but not my best, and I ended up getting 4th or 5th out of 9 that showed up (There were 12 people including ties that qualified.) Since it was my first Worlds, I didn't feel too bad about it.

Sunday was the BB tournament, first points for the new tournament year. I REALLY messed up my weapons form, and did one entire section completely backwards. Impressed the judges that I did it, but still bad scores because of it. Scoring in the sparring was not the best, IMHO. We had a judge that decided 3 or 4 matches on very ticky tack penalties. I benefitted once, and got jobbed once. Forms, I went second and did one of the best forms I've done all year, scoring a 9.8, 9.8, 9.7. It was nervous watching the next 14 people in the ring take their shots, but I ended up taking first on the forms category for my age/rank. WAHOO!!!

Got to tour our international HQ, meet our Grandmaster and some of the very senior ranks at the high rank testing, and I spent about 45 minutes talking with Mike Chat (XMA creator), about how to teach it, etc. and also listening to him talk about different aspects of marketing, etc. to another instructor. Very cool time.

All in all, the trip was a success, but I must say that I have severe irritation with Delta Airlines over cancelled tickets, broken planes, 15 hours wait time, and various other travel woes.

BUT, I have a huge jump on the field towards next year's Worlds in forms, and I get my new 3rd degree form and weapon in September! (Hopefully!) It's going to be a rocking tournament season!!!

Aodhan

[niel0092]

Sounds like you had a great time. Congrats!

[bushido_man96]

Congrats, Aodhan! By the way, I hear you on the Delta Airlines stuff. My wife and I flew Delta to Jamaica for our wedding. The trip there was ok, but coming back.....oh, what a mess!

[Patrick]

Congrats.

[luckorskill007]

Congrats. Im sad i missed it this year. Ill see you there next year!

[Aodhan]

Congrats. Im sad i missed it this year. Ill see you there next year!

If you go, you gotta check out Shogun's on Sunday night. An absolute blast!! Drop me a PM sometime.

Aodhan

[aefibird]

Sounds like it was a great time! Congratulations on your sucess.

I hear ya on Delta Airlines - flew on them the last time I went to the USA. Never again, please! I had better service and was more on time flying with a little firm in Kenya, whose plane looked as though it wouldn't get out of the hanger in one piece, let alone hurtle through the skies.