It’s exciting to see that the National Titles and Top Ten Rating system is generating so much interest and enthusiasm on the circuit. This can be seen in the number of competitors who have traveled crosscountry to build their point standing and vie for national titles. 

In three events—Orlando, Las Vegas and Washington, D.C.—we had 1,565 competitors take part in the circuit. These numbers will dramatically increase in the 2010 competition season, becaue of the momentum that has been generated and the additional tournaments that will be a part of the ICMAC Worldwide Circuit.

Qualifying for National Champion Titles required that competitors participate in at least two of the three scheduled tournaments. This left out many top-seeded competitors who simply failed to fill this requirement, but who will still be featured in the Top Ten Rating.    

The Inside Kung-Fu and ICMAC Top Ten Rating will be published in the next issue of this magazine and at www.kungfuchampionship.com

National champion titles are only given to competitors in advanced divisions. Participation in at least two, five-star tournaments for 2009 was required. The National Champions for the 2009 ICMAC Worldwide Circuit are:

Traditional Hand Forms
Junior Boys: Garett Lubecki (Nick Scrima, Chinese Martial Arts Center, Dunedin, Fla.)
Junior Girls: Julie Drapkin (John Vanegas, Shaolin Academy, Pembroke Pines, Fla.)
Teen Boys: Justin Lee (Kam Lee, Kam Lee Martial Arts, Jacksonville, Fla.)
Teen Girls: Lauren Gohh (David Slaughter, Sifu Slaughter’s Chinese Martial Arts, Cranberry Township, Pa.)
Men, Northern Long Fist: David Thanphilom  (Shawn Miller, Golden Steel Athletic Association, Seattle, Wash.) & Matthew Martinez (Jamie Hooper, Flying Eagle Martial Arts, Moulton, Ala.)
Men, Northern Open: David Thanphilom (Shawn Miller, Golden Steel Athletic Association, Seattle, Wash.)
Men, Southern Long Hand: David Thanphilom (Shawn Miller, Golden Steel Athletic Association, Seattle, Wash.)
Men, Southern Short Hand: David Thanphilom (Shawn Miller, Golden Steel Athletic Association, Seattle, Wash.)
Men, Baji: Raz Levinson (Ma Long, Wu Tang Martial Arts, Flushing, N.Y.)
Men, Praying Mantis: Austin Chunn (Jamie Hooper, Flying Eagle Martial Arts, Moulton, Ala.)
Men, Eagle Claw: Matthew Martinez (Jamie Hooper, Flying Eagle Martial Arts, Moulton, Ala.)
Men, Mizong Luohan: Austin Chunn (Jamie Hooper, Flying Eagle Martial Arts, Moulton, Ala.)
Men over age 35: Julio Melo (Eduardo Marin, Divine Fist Kung Fu, Miami, Fla.
Women, Southern Long Hand: Tarah Bunton (John Wai, John Wai Kung Fu Academy, Plantation, Fla.)

Traditional Weapon Forms
Junior Boys Long Weapon: Garett Lubecki (Nick Scrima, Chinese Martial Arts Center, Dunedin, Fla.)
Junior Boys Short Weapon: Garett Lubecki (Nick Scrima, Chinese Martial Arts Center, Dunedin, Fla.)
Junior Girls Long Weapon: Julie Drapkin (John Vanegas, Shaolin Academy, Pembroke Pines, Fla.)
Junior Girls Short Weapon: Julie Drapkin (John Vanegas, Shaolin Academy, Pembroke Pines, Fla.)
Teen Boys Long Weapon: Justin Lee (Kam Lee, Kam Lee Martial Arts, Jacksonville, Fla.)
Teen Boys Short Weapon: Justin Lee (Kam Lee, Kam Lee Martial Arts, Jacksonville, Fla.)
Teen Boys Open Weapon: Justin Lee (Kam Lee, Kam Lee Martial Arts, Jacksonville, Fla.)
Teen Girls Long Weapon: Lauren Gohh (David Slaughter, Sifu Slaughter’s Chinese Martial Arts, Cranberry Township, Pa.)
Teen Girls Short Weapon: Lauren Gohh (David Slaughter, Sifu Slaughter’s Chinese Martial Arts, Cranberry Township, Pa.)
Teen Girls Open Weapon: Lauren Gohh (David Slaughter, Sifu Slaughter’s Chinese Martial Arts, Cranberry Township, Pa.)
Men, Long Weapon: Austin Chunn (Jamie Hooper, Flying Eagle Martial Arts, Moulton, Ala.)
Men, Short Weapon: Austin Chunn (Jamie Hooper, Flying Eagle Martial Arts, Moulton, Ala.)
Men, Open Weapon: Austin Chunn (Jamie Hooper, Flying Eagle Martial Arts, Moulton, Ala.)

Modern Wushu
Men, Short Weapon: Tyler Harris (Wang Tao, Kung Fu USA, Richardson, Texas)

Taiji Hand Forms
Men, Yang Style: Jonathan Wang (Jiang Hao Quan, Venice, Calif.)
Men, Chen Style: Jonathan Wang (Jiang Hao Quan, Venice, Calif.)
Men, Wu Style: Jonathan Wang (Jiang Hao Quan, Venice, Calif.)
Men, Other Style: Jonathan Wang (Jiang Hao Quan, Venice, Calif.)
Women, Yang Style: Julie Nieznay (Betsy Chapman, Open Door Tai Chi Academy, Douglassville, Pa.)

Taiji Weapon Forms
Men, Sword: Jonathan Wang (Jiang Hao Quan, Venice, Calif.)
Men, Other Weapon: Jonathan Wang (Jiang Hao Quan, Venice, Calif.)
Women, Sword: Julie Nieznay (Betsy Chapman, Open Door Tai Chi Academy, Douglassville, Pa.)

Xing Yi
Men: Jonathan Wang (Jiang Hao Quan, Venice, Calif.)

Bagua
Men: Jonathan Wang (Jiang Hao Quan, Venice, Calif.)

Liuhe Bafa
Men: Jonathan Wang (Jiang Hao Quan, Venice, Calif.)

Other Internal Weapons:
Men: Jonathan Wang (Jiang Hao Quan, Venice, Calif.)

Push Hands – Fixed Step
Men < 160 pounds: Ron Berle (Nick Scrima, Chinese Martial Arts Center, Dunedin, Fla.)
Men 160-180: Jonathan Wang (Jiang Hao Quan, Venice, Calif.)
Men 181-200: Anthony Spagnolo (Nick Scrima, Chinese Martial Arts Center, Dunedin, Fla.)
Men > 200: Jeff Justice (Herb Goldberg, Tai Chi Chuan, Atlanta, Ga.)
Women: C. J. Rhoads (Betsy Chapman, Open Door Tai Chi Academy, Douglassville, Pa.)

Push Hands – Restricted Step
Men 160-180: Jonathan Wang (Jiang Hao Quan, Venice, Calif.)
Men > 200: Jeff Justice (Herb Goldberg, Tai Chi Chuan, Atlanta, Ga.)

Continuous Sparring
Men < 160: Randy Grigsby (Jamie Hooper, Flying Eagle Martial Arts, Moulton, Ala.)
Men 181-200: Raz Levinson (Ma Long, Wu Tang Martial Arts, Flushing, N.Y.)
In addition, Grand Champion Awards for the Washington, D.C., tournament were given to:

Traditional Juniors – Boys
Garett Lubecki
Instructor: Nick Scrima
Chinese Martial Arts Center
Dunedin, Fla.

Traditional Juniors – Girls
Stephanie Miller
Instructor: Charles Middleton
Middleton’s Kung Fu
Richmond, Va.

Traditional Northern – Men
Austin Chunn
Instructor: Jamie Hooper
Flying Eagle Martial Arts
Moulton, Ala.

Traditional Southern – Men
David Thanphilom
Instructor: Shawn Miller
Golden Steel Athletic Association
Seattle, Wash.

Taiji – Men
Jonathan Wang
Instructor: Jiang Hao Quan
Venice, Calif.

Taiji – Women
Julie Nieznay
Instructor: Betsy Chapman
Open Door Tai Chi Academy
Douglassville, Pa.

Other Internal Styles – Men
Jonathan Wang
Instructor: Jiang Hao Quan
Venice, Calif.

Wushu Juniors – Boys
Liang Liang Cao
Instructor: Jicheng Sheng
Hefei, Anhui, China

Wushu Teens – Boys
Bin Bin Zhang
Instructor: Jicheng Sheng
Hefei, Anhui, China

Wushu Teens – Girls
Cheng Xian Dou
Instructor: Jicheng Sheng
Hefei, Anhui, China

Wushu – Men
Jinchao Hu
Instructor: Jicheng Sheng
Hefei, Anhui, China

Wushu – Women
Wei Liu
Instructor: Jicheng Sheng
Hefei, Anhui, China

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The Sportsmanship Award was given to Sheng Jicheng from Hefei, Anhui, China.

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The Washington, D.C., tournament division winners.

U.S. Martial Arts Hall
Honors Bustillo, Canete

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame 2009 National Training Camp and Induction Banquet was held here recently.

More than 300 practitioners from around the globe spent three days training with some of the top martial instructors in the world. USMAHOF Founder and President of the International Martial Arts Council, professor Marty Cale, welcomed the attendees and then challenged the participants to immerse themselves into the weekend’s training opportunities.

Sensei John Terry, IMAC vice president, served as the National Training Camp Director. Representing a diverse cross-section of the martial arts, special guests for the 2009 NTC included grandmaster Richard Bustillo and supreme grandmaster Cacoy Canete. Bustillo is an original student of the legendary Bruce Lee, JKD instructor, law enforcement defensive tactics instructor and Olympic boxing coach. Cacoy (12th dan) is the last surviving member of the original Doce Paca Eskrima Club and the founder of eskrido.

Both grandmasters thrilled instructors and students alike with their demonstrations and insightful training sessions. Master Irving Hoffman, a first-generation student of Chuck Norris, also made a special appearance and taught many of grandmaster Norris’ sparring techniques.

Other NTC instructors included grandmasters Ron Pierce (kajukenbo); Jerry Cook (kung-fu); Ted Molina (kung-fu); O.J. Guerra (tactical knife); Pete Mills (isshin ryu); Ashida Kim (ninjutsu); Doug Dwyer (shorin-ryu); Tony Bowles (kajukenbo); Hanshi Frank Dux (Dux-ryu); and professor Marty Cale (HOF Founder/Combative Ju-Jitsu).  Also featured were Dr. Gary Jamison (fitness), sensei Daniel Semararo (MMA), shihan Don Wilhelm (Lua), master Jim Wood (self-defense), master Jay Vera (kajukenbo), sifu Dan Frazier (kajukenbo), and master Armando Laguna (kajukenbo).

A special two and one-half day Combative Defense certification workshop was taught for law enforcement defensive tactics and martial arts instructors at the Hall of Fame venue.   Taught by master instructors Glenn Daniel, J.J. Smith and Stanley Mason, the law enforcement attendees were taught elements from PPCT and S.P.E.A.R., use of force guidelines, as well as pressure points, handcuffing, takedowns, baton, and control techniques.

On the opening night, the Grandmaster’s Council, with a distinguished panel of 8th-, 9th- and 10th-dan grandmasters, tested prospective candidates for black belt advancement. Pierce served as head of the 2009 Grandmaster’s Council. Instructors, students and guests were then treated to an incredible demonstration by many of the black belt masters present in the room.

Cacoy brought the character of Yoda to life as awestruck onlookers watched his eskrima sticks whirl at blurring speed, making short work of his sparring partners. Grandmaster Jerry Cook mixed humor and history into a demonstration of both open hand and weapons forms of the art of kung-fu. 

The next night, more than 200 black tie attendees witnessed the United States Hall of Fame induction banquet and ceremony.  Sifu Don Wilhelm, IMAC vice president, served as the emcee for the evening’s activities. Lifetime achievement awards were presented to Bustillo and Canete.

Also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award was Vic Moore, the first Black to break into the national karate sparring circuit and recipient of Bruce Lee’s 1-inch made famous on ABC’s “Wide World of Sports.” The 2010 Hall of Fame event will return to Nashville July 29-July 31. Check the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame Web site for more information at www.UnitedStatesMartialArtsHallofFame.com

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Grandmaster Richard Bustillo with professor Marty Cale (right) and sensei John Terry.

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Honored guests grandmaster Richard Bustillo (far right) and supreme grandmaster Cacoy Canete IMAC President Marty Cale (second from left) and Hall of Fame Banquet emcee sifu Don Wilhelm.

“Harmony T” Winners Selected

Inside Kung-Fu, in association with TIMA, is proud to announce the winners of the Harmony T-Shirt contest. The winners are: Mike Hampton, Hoffman Estates, Ill.; Evan Morelock, Bakersfield, Calif,; Esteban Seron, Longwood, Fla.; and Chris Whitsett, Joelton, Tenn.