On Sunday 20th July 119 teams from 14 clubs participated in the much awaited ITF England Team Championships at the Angel Leisure Centre in Tonbridge. 255 competitors from all across England took part with instructors sending their best students in an attempt to win the coveted title of English Team champions and thus being the best in their category within ITF England. Vision Taekwon-Do Association fielded competitors from Tonbridge, Hastings, Guildford, Uckfield, Crowborough and Redhill.
President of ITF England Master Ellis 8th Degree attended with Master Nardizzi 8th Degree and newly promoted Master Anderson 7th Degree.
The day started with the adult and 13-17yrs red and black belt categories with Crowborough (Luke Thompson, Matt Gibb, Steven Arroyo) winning Gold and Bronze (Stuart Arroyo, Jim Bull, James Emblin) in the adult category and Tonbridge winning Silver (Elliot Neale, Michael Piper, Esme Wood) and Bronze (Sam Wood, Ben Anscombe, Fred Groom) in the 13-17yrs category.
In the adult male red and black belt sparring, the category was won by New Barnet with Docklands runners up. In the female sparring, Beckenham won with Docklands runners up again. Then in the 13-17yrs Red and black belt sparring Crowborough (James Emblin, Toby Dawkins, Ryan Begue) came second to the Docklands team with Tonbridge (Sam Wood, Ben Ansombe, Fred Groom) winning Bronze.
Steven Arroyo against Zak Espi
Two Crowborough patterns teams with gold and bronze
After the morning session the Association Team Challenge took place with only two of the five associations able to prepare teams for the event that went all the way down to the wire. The event between Ellis TKD and Vision TKD came down to the very last fight with Vision winning the team pattern and getting two draws and two losses in the sparring. A highlight was seeing an incredible draw from Vision’s Steven Arroyo (60kgs) against 2005 European +80Kgs champion Zak Espi. In the final fight Nick Symonds won the round, clinching the impressive challenge trophy for the Ellis TKD Association.
In the afternoon the rest of the events took place with Crowborough (Tommy Davies, Bethany Mellett, Michael Davison) winning the under 13’s category 1 team pattern and Guildford (Zoe Milner, Samuel Milner, Charlie Berry) taking Bronze. In the category 2 event Tonbridge (Gabriel Swallow, Todd Gillespie, Elliot Lester) came second with Redhill (Matthew Campion, Isabelle Begue, Calvin Kong) taking Bronze.
Vision TKD then really dominated the under 13’s sparring categories with Crowborough winning Gold (Tommy Davies, Nadine Williams, Oliver Devlin) and Silver (Harry Chittenden, Michael Davison, aaron Gilchrist) and Hastings (Zak Judah, Aaron Judah, Bright Temba) and Tonbridge (Tom Mardell, Todd Gillespie, Elliot Lester) taking bronze in the yellow and green sparring. Then in the red, blue and black belt event Redhill won Gold (Aaron Walker, Timothy Lobley, Nathanial Rowan) and Silver (Calvin Kong, Josh Wadey, Daniel Lobley) in a very exciting final that went down to the last fight and Guildford (Alex Booth, Poppy Boyce-Davies, Danny Booth) won Bronze after some very gutsy performances.
In the 13-17yrs yellow, green and blue belt patterns it was a straight final between Tonbridge and Uckfield with Tonbridge (Jessica Swallow, Hazel Clark, Georgia Swallow) winning Gold and Uckfield (Camilla Simpson, Charlie Simpson, Lyndsey Williams) taking Silver. Tonbridge (Oliver Swallow, James Gurney, Jon Passmore) then won Silver in the male yellow, green and blue belt sparring with Crowborough (Lara Caiulo, Leah Caiulo, Marcella Capaja) winning Gold in the 13-17yrs female sparring. Tonbridge (Jessica Swallow, Hazel Clark, Georgia Swallow) came second with Uckfield (Camilla Simpson, Lyndsey Williams) taking Bronze.
Vision also put two veteran teams together with the patterns team (Claire James, Stefan Orban, Andrew Woods) taking Silver and then in the sparring team (Stefan Orban, Andrew Woods and A. Rowan) winning Silver.
Mr Lear Sparring Mr Symonds
Steph Bourne sparring Holly Bagshaw
Another clean sweep came for Vision in the adult yellow, green and blue belt pattern event with Crowborough (John Ince, Holly Ware, Katinka Blauw) winning gold, Guildford (Charlotte Turns, Allan Hunt Kwad Applianing) winning Silver and Tonbridge (Ann Swallow, Becky Russell, Sandy Hawke-Homewood) and Hastings (Denny Temba, Martin Judah, Jamie Singers) taking both Bronzes.
In the adult female yellow, green and blue belt sparring, Tonbridge (Ann Swallow, Sandy Hawke-Homewood, S.Stevens) won Silver with Crowborough (Katinka Blauw, Holly Ware, Charlotte Turns) Taking one of the bronzes.
Then in the final event of the day the male yellow, green and blue belt sparring saw a very exciting final between Guildford and Crowborough go all the way to an extra bout with Guildford (James Antill, Kwad Applianing, David Rapsey) winning Gold and Crowborough (John Ince, Paul Williams, Jamie Singers) winning Silver.
Vision patterns team
Vision patterns team
On the leader board Crowborough came top with 5 Gold's, 3 Silver's and 2 Bronzes, then Beckenham and Docklands respectively, with Tonbridge coming fourth. An exciting day was had for everyone, which resulted in Vision TKD Association winning a total of 8 Gold's, 13 Silver's and 14 Bronze's, a very impressive haul indeed, with Ellis TKD coming second with 7 Gold's, 4 Silver's and 7 Bronze's and TKD Impact third with 2 Gold's and 8 Bronze's.
Well done to all that competed whether you won trophies or not and many thanks for your support throughout the day and keeping Vision at the top of the leader board.
VTA would like to thank Coca Cola for supplying all of the day's refreshments to the referees.
Click the links below to see the results.
Association team challenge results.
The photo gallery will be available soon!
