Untitled Document

USAWKF News

Date: August 25, 2005

2005 US National Sanshou Team Trial Results
by James I. Wong

On a sweltering day in the midst of a lengthy heat wave, additional heat came to the front as the USAWKF Sanshou Team Trials took place in San Jose, California on Saturday, July 23, 2005. It occurred with the backdrop of the Born-To-Fight Sanshou Tournament V held by World Champion Cung Le. While a couple of hundred vied in the Born-To-Fight Sanshou Tournament, they and the spectators were still riveted to the competition for the USA Team. The smaller group, and perhaps more selected, of competitors was contending for a coveted spot on the American team to compete this December 2005 in Hanoi, Vietnam at the 8th World Wushu Championships. Congratulations are extended to the winners, alternates, and the entire USA Sanshou Team!

The results are the following:

USA SANSHOU MEN’S TEAM

56kg - Andrew Valladarez of San Jose, California 60kg - Duncan Duffin of Hayward, California 65kg - Jose Palacios of Fremont, California Jeff Chow of Pacifica, California (Alternate) 75kg - Max Chen of New York, New York 80kg - Russell Middleton of San Leandro, California James Fanshier of El Dorado Hills, California (Alternate) 85kg - Brian Madigan of Oakland, California Sam Spengler of San Jose, California (Alternate)

USA SANSHOU WOMEN’S TEAM

48kg - Van Milnes of Fremont, California 56kg - Sarah Ponce of Sugarland, Texas Norma Avalos of Paramos, New Jersey (Alternate) 65kg - Tiffany Chen of New York, New York 70kg - Elaina Maxwell of Campbell, California 75kg - Jennifer Fowler of Sunnyvale, California (Alternate)

Though there are eleven (11) different weight categories from 48kg to 90kg+ in the men’s division, new rules for the 8th World Wushu Championships allow for six (6) men competitors instead of five (5) as had been the case before. Although there are seven (7) different weight categories from 48kg to 75kg in the women’s division, rules permit only four (4) women competitors. Hence, each national team is compelled to send only their very best fighters.

There are four repeating team members, two men and two women, from the USAWKF 2003 Sanshou Team. The men include Max Chen and Russell Middleton, and the women are Van Milnes and World Champion Elaina Maxwell. Ms. Maxwell made history by being the first American to win the sanshou gold medal at an officially-sanctioned world championship by conquering her opponents at the 2003 International Wushu Championships in Macau, China.

The USA Team Trials operated with as a close approximation to the actual 8th World Wushu Championships as possible. The weights were in kilograms, and bouts were scheduled for three (3) rounds with each round two (2) minutes in duration with a one-minute rest period. As per the IWUF, the competitor winning the first two (2) rounds in a bout was declared the winner of the bout.

The center referee in all the bouts was the experienced and steady Josh Bartholomew from Boston who conducted the matches with a sure and fair hand. Five (5) side judges scored the bouts, and all the judges had scrutinized and discussed extensively the new scoring format posted by the International Wushu Federation. All the judges brought so much expertise in sanshou and shuai chiao in fairly determining the winners in the bouts.

The sanshou rules for the 8th World Wushu Championships have been somewhat simplified in scoring to award one (1) or two (2) points for designated techniques. This modification is better than the erstwhile and cumbersome scoring system with a range of three (3), two (2), and one (1) points for designated maneuvers. The international sanshou bouts will be held on a raised platform (leitai) rather than a boxing ring, and points will be awarded for forcing the opponent off the platform.

From the action and techniques demonstrated in the tryouts, the USA has fielded a competitive team. With the leadership assured by Tat-mau Wong, who had served in the same capacity in the 2003 International Wushu Championships in Macau, China, and the excellent coaching by Cung Le and Brent Hamby, the United States will hopefully do well in a fair and balanced competition at the 8th World Wushu Championships in Hanoi, Vietnam this December 9-15, 2005.

« Go Back