1st World Hung Gar Kung Fu Championship
May 26th 2000, Karlsruhe/Germany
by : Evelyn Garski of German Hung Gar Association
The first step in a common future was taken. A new millenium has began and also a new part in the history of the traditional Hung Gar Kung Fu. Since many centuries the Hung Gar style is one of the most popular Kung Fu systems in the world. Nowin the age of computer technology and Internet the popularity grows more and more. And this is the reason why many different Hung Gar Grandmasters, Masters and Associations from all over the world get easier contact between each other. So they have the chance to exchange their Hung Gar knowledge, techniques, legends, history ... very quickly without travelling. And the mistakes (no exchanging, to many secrets, knowledge died with the death of the masters) from the past generations would be not repeated in the future, because all Masters and Associations have the same goal - to secure all about the traditional Hung Gar kung fu system for the coming generation of students. But what would be better as exchanging by e-mail than a realy big Hung Gar meeting with practitioner from all over the world on one place.
This idea was born by the organizer of the 1st. World Hung Gar Kung Fu Championships, Andreas and Evelyn Garski from the German Hung Gar Kung Fu Association. After many contacting during other tournaments, events and internet talking they could inspire other Hung Gar pracitioner for their idea. With the support of the World Hung Gar Organization and the European Hung Gar Association they carried out an event which was uniquely on the world and in the history of Hung Gar.
'The 1st. World Hung Gar Kung Fu Championships occured on Sunday, 16th. of May 2000 in Karlsruhe/Germany. Numerous schools came in spite of initial objections on the part of the organizer from Europe and America in order to participate. Students under the management of their sifus as schools:
San Francisco/USA (Sifu Y.C. Wong student of Sigung Lam Cho - Y.C. Wong Kung Fu School)
• Los Angeles/USA (Sifu Vernon Rieta student of Sigung Bucksam Kong and president of the World Hung Gar Kung Fu Organisation - Asian Arts Hung Gar & Choy Lay Fut Kung Fu Association)
• New Jersey/USA (Sifu Pedro Cepero student of Grandmaster Frank Ye - Yees Hung Ga Kung Fu Academy) • Regina/Canada (Sifu Curtis Kautzman student of Grandmaster Kwon Wing Lam - Canadian Hung Kuen Association)
• Czech Republic (Ales Kocian and Pavel Macek students of Grandmaster Y.C.Wong - branch of the Y.C.Wong Kung Fu school)
• Netherlands (Sifu Klaas Padberg Evenboer student of Grandmaster Lai Ng Sam and Co-founder EHGA - Netherlands Wushu Federation)
• Italy (Sifus Luigi & Sergio Martone (students of Grandmaster Chiu Chi Ling ) and Co-founders EHGA - EHGA-Italy)
• Poland (Sifu Piotr Osuch student of Master Lam Chuen Ping and Co-founder EHGA)
• Swiss (Sifu Martin Sewer student of Grandmaster Chiu Chi Ling)
• Sweden (Sifu Roger Engmalm student of Sifu Curtis Kautzman)
• Germany (Sifu Andreas Garski student of Grandmaster Chiu Kau and Grandmaster Chiu Chi Ling and Co-founder EHGA - president of the German Hung Gar Kung Fu Association. Sifus from other parts of the world as for example Australia, Singapore, Norway, Great Britain were very interested to come with their students, but they were too busy to come on this date to Germany. So they promised to come on the 2st. World Hung Gar Kung Fu Championships.
The idea of the 1st. World Hung Gar Kung Fu Championships found outstanding reminiscene in the case of two exceptional personalities of the Hung Gar Kung Fu scene. With special pride kept up the organizers for Grandmaster Lam Chun Fai (large nephew of the legendary Grandmaster Lam Sai Wing and oldest son of Grandmaster Lam Cho) from Hong Kong as soon as Grandmaster Yew Ching Wong from San Francisco in Karlsruhe. Both guests of honour had the special task to open this World Championships of memory to the late founders and ancestors
After the official welcome and introduction all Grandmasters, Masters, Sifus and participants bowed before that on the frame altar which showed the portraits of the most famous Hung Gar Kung Fu representatives, the legendary Wong Fei Hung, the famous Lam Sai Wing and the welknown Tang Fung.
After this the event started with traditional lion dance. The lion dance team came from the Canadian Hung Kuen Association and demonstrated their performance together with students from Sifu Pedro Cepero. More than 100 participants of the different Hung Gar lineages took part during 12 disciplines as weaponforms, two men sets and handforms.
The disciplines were subdivided in years of experience and especially the handforms were subdivided in the traditional forms as Gung Gee Fook Fu Kuen, Fu Hok Sheong Yin Kuen, Sup Yin Kuen and the basic forms for beginners as Mui Fah Kuen or Lau Gar Kuen. High personalities as Grandmaster Lam Chun Fai (Hong Kong), Grandmaster Y.C.Wong (San Francisco), Master Calvin Chin (Newton/Massachusetts), Master Vernon Rieta (Los Angeles), Sifu Kostas Tsoligas (Greece) (President - founder of European Siu Lum Pai Hung Kar Federation, disciple of Grandmaster Lam Chun Fai the eldest student of Lam family in Europe), Sifu Pedro Cepero (New Jersey), Sifu Klaas Padberg Evenboer (Netherlands), Sifu Piotr Osuch (Poland), Sifu Curtis Kautzman (Canada) and Sifu Andreas Garski (Germany) set themselves up as qualified available referees. This was a special honor both for the organizer as well as the participants.
During the championships each visitor and referee saw that all participants had trained very hard. Especially the level in the advanced disciplines was very high and thrilling. Here the participants had to sign out in nearly all advanced disciplines a twinge in order to find the first and second place. It showed that the knowledge and level of Hung Gar practising from the German Hung Gar Association was nearly the same as in America. This was a great success because normally the kung fu scene (also other styles) in Germany was not so high than in America or Asia because of not so many kung fu schools, tournaments and the special traditional kung fu circle there. The discipline traditional handforms was very interested. There the participants demonstrated the forms from different Hung Gar lineages. Here showed itself particularly versatility this system. On the one hand was strong differences partial in the execution shown how much strong or too very tender forms. On the other hand, one could find many common characteristics also. This showed that many techniques were almost handed down as before up to now.
The 1st. World Hung Gar Kung Fu Championships 2000 were certainly the event for all participants and persons present in the year of the dragon. Because her had each (for many ones probably for the first time) the occasion different lines to become with differences and common characteristics acquainted. Tolerance, respect, tradition and open spirit were located here in the foreground.
The organizer would like to thank quite cordially all present Grandmasters, Masters, Sifus, participants and visitors here again. They all added for this great success with their personal efforts. The first great step in a common future is done. We expect that even further steps will follow. The date and place of the 2nd. World Hung Gar Kung Fu Championships are already planned. A regular country alternation, similar to the Olympiad, would be certainly attractive for all interested Hung Gar practitioners. Propositions and ideas are gladly received by us. To see the results of the 1st World Hung Gar Kung Fu Championship please click here .
Report by,
Evelyn Garski of German Hung Gar Association -- http://www.hung-gar.de |
