2007 MWKF Championship Notes

October 6 was the 2007 MWKF Championship tournament. I lost in the first round of 3dan and up to Hotta sensei (yondan 四段) from Choyokan. The match lasted until enchyou (延長) but it actually wasn't that close. Hotta sensei had many men (面) strikes that might have scored. I think I am still too aggressive, attacking with insufficient seme (攻め), which allows experienced kendoka (剣道家) to perform ouji-waza (応じ技) and counter my attacks.

In team match we first faced Choyoukan E (朝陽館). I was taisho (大将). By the time it got to me we were up 3-1 in matches, so the result of my match wouldn't matter. After losing a kote (小手), I was able to score a dou (胴) going forward, then score a hiki gyaku dou (引き逆胴). I was pretty happy about being able to turn the match around. I found out later that my opponent is a nidan (二段).

In the 2nd round, we were up against Minnehaha from Minneapolis, MN. They had 2 mudansha (無段者), a nidan (二段), and two yondans (四段), who were Cochran and Narumoto (鳴本) sensei. Narumoto sensei had won the 3dan and up division for the second year in a row. I was going to enjoy the opportunity to spar against him.

By the time it got to me, both teams had won 2 matches but Minnehaha was up by one point. Therefore, I had to win my match for us to advance. I lost on 2 men (面). :-p I find it difficult to identify what happened or how I lost. The only thing I can come up with is I need to be even better at controlling the match against quick fighters.

And now, my Dennis Green impression... "They were who we thought they were!" But we didn't exactly let them off the hook. More like we couldn't capitalize and then got nuked. ^_^;;