Iaidō Moscow Open Championship is the second Iaidō event, which was organized this year by T. Avakimyanec together with St.-Petersburg Kendo Federation on the European part of Russia.
The first this year Iaidō event (Iaidō demonstration “Embu”) was conducted 19 February 2008: there everybody could show their Iaidō skills.
Iaidō is less developed in the European part of Russia compare to Kendo. That is a very favorable activity for the Iaidō advancement in our region.
Sportsmen from Moscow, St.-Petersburg, Petrozavodsk gathered on the meeting Taikai 2 February 2008. St-Petersburg clubs were represented by:
- Lidiya Sheptikita,
- Irina Yen,
- Mikhail Volodin,
- Alexander …
- Andrew Leonovich
Iaidō Moscow Open Championship participants were divided in two groups: mudanshya (4-2 kyu) and yudanshya (1kyu – 2 dan).
Mudansya had to show one after another the ritual and 3 kata in 4 minutes. Yudanshya competed up to the thirst fail. Up to the semi-final sportsmen showed ritual and 3 kata, in the final – ritual and 5 kata in 6 minutes.
RESULTS:
Among mudansya:
1st place – Andrew Leonovich (St.-Petersburg, “Gekken”)
2nd place – Evgeniy Prosvetov (Moscow, “Shyobukai”)
3rd place – Maxim Stolbov (Petrozavodsk, KFKI)
Amoung yudansya:
1st place – Vadim Afanasiev (Moscow, “Shyobukai”)
2nd place – Lidiya Sheptikita (St.-Petersburg, “Shyobukai”)
3rd place – Nikolay Metkalyov (Petrozavodsk, KFKI)
Maxim Zaharov (Moscow, “Shyobukai”)
  
Kyu attestation was carried out after the Commendation Ceremony. Everyone had passed. Irina Yen received the 3rd kyu, I received the 1st.
I consider such Iaidō events to be a very positive appearance in our region and expect the continuation of this splendid tradition: I mean the Moscow Championship in April 2008, the seminar in Petrozavodsk in May.
Report: Andrew Leonovich.
Photo: Natalya Mistyukova and Ivan Donchenko
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