16th British Open Tai Chi Championships

Tuesday 28 September 2004 at 6:46 pm from Dan Docherty

The oldest Tai Chi tournament in Europe continues to draw competitors from far and wide. William Nelson brought a very capable team over from France where they don't seem to get enough action while Ian Cameron brought a few students down from Edinburgh who did well in what I understand was their first tournament.

The contingent from Ireland this time also included a couple of Bagua full contact fighters both of whom won their matches against Shaolin and Tiger Crane opponents. In many respects the former match, featuring Patrice Poujol, was one of the most entertaining with both men trying some very ambitious techniques - much to the amusement of the crowd.



Another paradox was Tai Chi's Paul Silverstraale from Sweden against Wu Chi (No Ultimate) Boxing's Peter Davis. Paul was always in control of this one. Niall Adams set himself the ambitious task of competing in both pushing hands and full contact and did well in both, while the veteran Sami Berik only had to go through the motions in an easy win .



The Tai Chi lads who lost both gave their all and in Christer Kilstrom's case he didn't lose by much.



It was in some respects a day for the new centurions with Gary Wragg's son Toby winning his weight division in both fixed and moving step, as did the formidable Vicki Marsh in the ladies events.



The old soldiers were not to be out done and the indomitable Marnix Wells proved he can still mix it with the youngsters with third place in both fixed and moving step.





Beginner internal hand form

1st Leigh Tsang

2nd Andrew Beeming

3rd Rosamund Bird





Intermediate internal hand form

1st Stuart Thomas

2nd Ehsanullah Shafiq

3rd Lai Marsh





Intermediate internal weapon forms

1st Keith Morrison

2nd Lai Marsh

3rd Charlotte Galloway





Junior hand form

1st Ryan Devitt

2nd Troy Kenchington

3rd Ethan Simmonds





Junior weapon forms

1st Ryan Devitt

2ns Troy Kenchington

3rd Ethan Simmonds





Veterans hand forms

1st Fran Bennet

2nd Ray Mansell



Open ladies internal hand form

1st Vicky Armstrong

2nd Kiyoko Hay

3rd Christine Hall



Open ladies internal weapon

1st Dounia Ahmed

2nd Lynne Wood

3rd Fran Bennet





Open men internal hand form

1st Stuart Thomas

2nd Barry Phelan

3rd Rhodri Jones





Open ladies tai chi hand form

1st Vicky Armstrong

2nd Theresa Draper

3rd Katy Bowen





Open men tai chi hand form

1st Matt Hammond

2nd Barry Phelan

3rd Hassan Hassan





Open tai chi sabre forms

1st Hassan Hassan

2nd Kevin Kilminster

3rd Zorica Rajic





Open tai chi spear

1st Christopher Thornton

2nd Kevin Kilminster

3rd Des Mc Dermot





Open tai chi sword form

1st Matt Hammond

2nd Barry Phelan

3rd Stuart Thomas







Pushing hands



Fixed Step Ladies

Light - 1st E. Ogole; 2nd L. Tsang; 3rd T. Draper

Medium - 1st V. Marsh; 2nd F. Meherali; 3rd S. Collins

Heavy - 1st C. Galloway; 2nd E. Docherty



Fixed Step Men

Under 67k 1st T. Wragg; 2nd R. Lambert; 3rd. A. Barinov

Over 67k 1st N. Maury; 2nd K, Morrison; 3rd M. Hammond

Under 77k 1st M. Abosch; 2nd N. Tomlinson; 3rd S.Henson

Under 83k 1st S.Logan; 2nd P. Sandison; 3rd C. Willberg

Under 89k 1st B. Cointrel; 2nd D. Scorey; 3. M. Wells

Over 89k 1st I. Joseph; 2nd A. Bhatti; 3. N. Rozier



Moving Step Ladies

Light - 1st Juliana Wilson; 2nd E.Ogole

Heavy - 1st V. Marsh; 2nd F. Meherali



Moving Step Men

Under 67k 1st T. Wraff; 2nd J. Grondin; 3rd P.Allen

Under 72k 1st H. Murgg; 2nd S. Henson; 3rd N. Maury

Under 78k 1st N. Tomlinson; 2nd N. Adams; 3rd N. Schooler

Under 83k 1st C. Russell; 2nd S.Logan; 3rd C. Willberg

Under 89k 1st B. Cointrel; 2nd M. Grant; 3rd M. Wells

Over 89k 1st Ian Joseph; 2nd A. Bhatti; 3rd P. White