World’s best in Cebu

ESKRIMADOS worldwide will converge in Cebu City to compete in a one-day invitational sparring tournament on July 23 in the 4th Doce Pares World Congress and Invitational Tournament at the SM City Trade Hall.

Organizers are expecting around 150 eskrimadors from the US, Indonesia, England, Ireland, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, Norway, Italy, Greece, South Korea, Belgium, Holland, Australia, Reunion Island, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Philippines in the event.

“We must watch out for the US because they have a huge contingent. Most of our instructors here are teaching there. It’s a transfer of technology,” said newly-elected World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation president Grandmaster Gerald Cañete at the Scoop forum at the Baseline Restaurant yesterday.

Despite the vast improvement of foreign eskrimadors, Grandmaster Michael Cañete is still confident of the locals’ chances of dominating the tournament.

“We are always ready,” he said.

The international delegation is set to arrive on July 21 for a welcome dinner and registration for the Congress and the competitions at the Doce Pares Mountain Training Park.

The Congress will be held the following morning at the SM Trade Hall along with the Forms Competition and Festival of Eskrimadors. The festival will feature the grandmasters of different clubs, organizations and schools that will showcase the eskrima, kali and arnis. It will be followed by the sparring tournament the next day
at the same venue.

Aside from the forms and sparring competitions, there will also be the inauguration of the Eskrima Temple in Busay on July 26.

“This is the second martial arts temple all over the world. The only other temple is the kung-fu temple. We spent money so that we have something to show to the world,” said Supreme Grandmaster Dionisio Cañete.