Story by Boice Lydell
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SUPER GRANDS WORLD GAMES 19
Sacramento, California, USA
photos by Boice Lydell

SELF DEFENSE TITLES
Junior Choreographed Fight (N-57)
No one can deny that he state of Utah isn’t the choreographed fight self-defense king, with 10 of the last 14 adult and junior titles won by Utahns. That state has a monopoly. Not only was the winner this year a Utahan but the runner-up as well. Two different competitive schools fielded the players; Pinnacle Martial Arts with star competitor, 8 year old Karina Hipolito and All-star Karate with 12 year old Corum Jensen. With performances names “Live and Let Die” and “Terminator” the themes demonstrated good over evil. In the end Hipolito scored an incredible five 10’s for a whopping total of 49.99 to Jensen’s 49.93 to take one more title back to Utah. Jasmine Magallanes of California was third.

Adult Choreographed Fight (N-58)
With four previous would titles, it would be hard picturing Darren Cox without taking the win. With his patented “We Will Rock You” to Queens’ “Bohemian Rhapsody” beating the crap out of Roark Hodson and Corum Jensen, he took his fifth title to the delight of an amused and entertained audience. Joanne Coady under Mags Heffernan in Kilkenny, Ireland was runner-up. Gary O’Farrell of the Black Dragon, also under Mags Heffernan was third.

Junior Traditional Self Defense (N-59)
In the traditional aspect of self defense you’d be hard put to find better players than those from the New York, USA; Ontario, Canada border area. This area has produced eight world title junior winners from various schools, but until this year was never won twice in a row by a single player. When he isn’t giving you one of his devilish smiles, Nick Cain of Batavia, New York can be of serious action taking out an opponent with various disenabling techniques. He topped opponent Zack Elliott also of the region in Niagara Falls, Ontario in both the eliminations and the Grand Finale. Both players train under their fathers, Ron Cain and Jeremy Elliott, Jeremy of whom has won the adult counterpart as well in the past. Were waiting for Ron to do the same? Amanda Armendariz of Guatemala was third.

Adult Traditional Self Defense (N-60)
Cody Hackman let on that he had something up his sleeve as he promised a revelation entering traditional self defense rather than his usual traditional forms divisions. His secret would be a self defense routine demonstrating the bunkai to the Japanese traditional kata “Unsu”. Attacks were performed by his partners as Hackman performed “bunkai” or the display of defense as is dictated by the moves in the kata. With overwhelming appeal the outcome left the judges awarding him both the eliminations and title win over Joanne Elliott also from the pairs home province of Ontario, Canada. Hackman is from Daypuck Karate. Jerry Ryan of Team Ocean’s Eleven was third.

BREAKING TITLES
Junior Breaking (N-61)
Breaking only goes to the Grand Finale as a demonstration, so all of the pressure is on a one time performance during the eliminations competition. Breakers are a special breed of people who traditionally in the past have many times branched out to be champions in other divisions as well. Three consecutive time champion Adam Longoria won a total of five other titles in 1998 at the height of his competition career. Likewise four time champion of this year, Mike Spizzuco won titles in two other divisions. Starting out like Longoria with only a breaking win his first year. Spizzuco showed his versatility with a variety of breaks in both wood and concrete with both feet and hands. John Helmes of Doug Armstrong’s famous breaking team MVKC, was runner-up edging Skyler Bright of Utah, who took third.

Adult Breaking (N-62)
There's is nothing more satisfying than to see an excited winner, but to watch Jeff Blake after winning breaking was like watching an entire extra stage performance. He carried on in disbelief as an encore that practically lasted as long as the division itself. He was still in disbelief for days after the event was long ever. Hailing from Doug Armstrong’s Team MVKC, Blake handily topping his competition with a variety of unusual and fanciful breaks in a variety of materials. He has his own school, Firm Foundation, he runs in Mooresville, North Carolina. Runner-up was 2005 world champion David Cantrell of Tennesse and third was Lonnie Walker of Las Vegas.