The road trip to the 2004 Junior World Champs kicked into high gear in February this year with the selection of the team.
Twenty-four competitors made it the largest ITFNZ World Champs team ever.
The young men and women (and their parents) would put in much effort over the next few months, multiple training sessions per week, travelling several times to training weekends in Taupo and Auckland.
The coaching team, Messrs Andrew Niven and Gray Patterson poured countless hours into their tasks. They had weighty precedent to maintain. Since the sharp turn in New Zealand's World Champs success at the Puerto Rico Juniors in 2002 (3rd placed country, under the McQuillan/Eccles/Trotter team), followed by the maintenance of that placing by the senior team (under Niven/Mantjika/Skinner) last year in Poland, there were, hmm, high hopes, if not expectations for this team.
Mr Niven has had a good history with teams, going back several years those Auckland North Regional teams he coached were consistently successful, so the omens were positive…
And having the current Senior World Champ on board – the "Grand Poobah" himself Mr Gray Patterson – that wasn't going to hurt at all!
The team manager, Mr Greg Skinner, as well as handling the "normal" functions of setting up training camps, arranging travel and accommodation, and co-ordinating supporters, organised an itinerary that made the most of the team's visit to an historic part of the world, and further pulled off several coups for sponsorship of members, and team equipment, clothing etc. Not the least achievement was securing the coaching skills of Mr Willy van de Mortel, well-established world-class coach, who came out to New Zealand in April to work with the team. This connection was to have far-reaching results as the tournament progressed.
(A much longer-term benefit to our juniors' success that started with Mr Greg Skinner cannot be ignored. Five years ago he asked, "What can be done to help our Junior Students?" With Mr Skinner's Epson sponsorship, Andrew Niven and Sue Breen were able to set up the Epson Under 18's tournament series. Sue has run most, and co-ordinated the rest, of 5 tournaments a year, which have continued to grow in popularity, and provide focus and experience for our upcoming junior champions.)
All of this came together for 2004 when the team gathered at Auckland Airport on Thursday 1st July.
A happy excited gaggle of 24 juniors, along with a bunch of a dozen odd adults and 3 siblings, enplaned with Singapore Airlines for the 10-hour hop to Singapore, and then another 12 hours to Rome. Due to the marvels of modern technology, boredom is reduced somewhat with individual TV displays, selectable movies, TV shows, games, and seat-to-seat telephones. (AN: "I was next to Megan who had a 40 odd minute talk to Elly who was only one row back.")
We were to spend two days at the Hotel Porta Maggiore, close to the centre of Rome – maybe 30 minutes stroll from the Coliseum. It is just inside the ancient city wall – on the other side of the road are these 2000-year-old ruins. Instant atmosphere!
The team arrived in Rome early Friday, and we all headed out into the hot Italian sunshine for the first of the touristy bits. Churches, fountains and obelisks, Vaticans and Colissea – "You can smell the history."
Fighting the instinct to crash and sleep, and toughing out the jetlag is the recommended means to synchronise to the local clock. We all slept well that night.
Next day, Saturday – on to the bus and off to Pompeii, via Monte Casino. Military cemetery with many New Zealanders. Very moving place; "spiritually overwhelming, it's such a pretty place for such an awful event."
Pompeii is intriguing – thousands of years old, frozen in time – so many familiar places – an amphitheatre (where Pink Floyd played!), bakeries, gymnasiums, sports bars, bordellos (well – maybe not that familiar!).
On Sunday, after a trek to the Trevi fountain (of "3 coins in a fountain" fame), we have a 5-hour bus trip to Riccione, crossing the width of Italy to the Adriatic coast. (Highlight – thirty red Ferraris in a restaurant car park in the middle of the countryside – nothing outside the tournament got such a concerted reaction from the team!)
The Hotel Concord is reasonably modern, in the centre of Riccione, 100m from the beach.
We had time for two days of bedding-in before competition started on Wednesday; training each day – getting accustomed to exertion in the heat.
The venue was 25 minutes' walk away from the hotel. This alone makes for quite a "warm-up".
On visiting the venue on Monday morning, Master Bos came out to greet the team. Whenever in Master Bos's company, a haka seems appropriate. The lads stripped off – Master Bos jokingly started to pull off his own shirt. After watching, he walked through the team, shook the hand of each of the team members. Was it another good omen?
Afternoons had some free time – swimming in the hotel pool or at the beach 100 metres away, or shopping, or people watching. (The streets round our hotel were mostly pedestrian-only – so traffic watching was nowhere near as much fun as in Rome!)
Wednesday dawned – the first day of competition, due to start at 8.30 sharp.
The team trekked out at 7.40am.
The supporters had put together a "packed breakfast" for the team after a late night supermarket trip – the hotel wasn't being overly co-operative, refusing to contemplate a 7am breakfast, and not opening up the dining room till after 8. (Later Sue bearded the dragon-lady hotel owner in her den, and extracted a compromise – the next day, they would provide packed breakfasts at 7.30.)
Wednesday was all patterns and special technique. Competition started bang on 8.30.
There were regular call-ups over the PA two bouts ahead – I think many of us have burned into the memory the call "Noo Seeland, Ring 3, prepare!"
About 20% more competitors than our Nationals – I paced the floor at 23 by 50m. I think about the size of Dio in Auckland – tiny compared with the venue of last year's senior World Champs in Poland.
Our first competitor up was Megan Matsuoka, in 1st dan patterns.
There were 42 competitors; luck of the draw, Megan got Canada, who won (and eventually took the gold in that division).
Nikki Galpin, 2nd dan vs. Australia; there was a prolonged discussion amongst the officials before Australia was declared the winner.
Things started looking up when 1st dans Chantie Thach and Lipi Shukla beat Argentina and Poland respectively.
They continued their success through to the semis, where Canada and Hungary held them to a bronze apiece.
These first medals for New Zealand were a breakthrough point – there had been a sort of tension that was then relieved, and we could all look forward to more of the same (or better).
Of the individual guys – Chris Broughton eradicated Poland and Honduras… then once again Canada loomed up and stopped Chris in the quarters. The other four individual males didn't make it past their first round.
The haka was performed several times today. One was between Lipi and Chantie's semi qualifiers – then again 5 minutes later. I thought, hmm, that one's a bit close to the last. Apparently Master Bos had announced "New Zealand, do haka please" – so the lads jumped to comply! (Got to get used to jumping when Masters call; it'll be happening lots in New Zealand before long!)
In special technique, Shannon Ryan gained 4 points, putting him in 4th-equal place.
Nikki Galpin ended up in a 4-way play-off. In the second round with 3 players left, a controversial call on Nikki's foot angle for a turning kick left her with a bronze medal.
Rose TeHau injured her ankle during special technique – ominous, as she was a key part of the female team.
Team events were to be run in the evening session. Everything in Italy slows to a crawl between 1 and 4pm. Siesta time! Makes sense, given the consistent heat.
New Zealand drew Argentina for both male and female team patterns. End of story. "Military precision" was a common term used by people re the Argentinean team. Our guyrls ran competent technical patterns. It is evident the teams that ended up top had spent a lot (repeat lot) of time perfecting complex synchronised choreography.
During the female team final I recall discussing with Gray P whether Razzle-Dazzle or clean technique was the winner at the Worlds. The Argentineans were exceedingly crisp and accurate, while the Germans had more complex routines. We were both surprised when the German team took it – as were most others I talked to. (Don't get me wrong, the German team was excellent – but we all felt the Argentineans had an edge in technique). Question answered! Choreographer required.
In the male team specials, Sam Skinner's reverse turning kick gave the team two points. This was good enough to put them in a playoff with England (coached by a certain Mr Hong Looi) for the silver/bronze. Sam missed out with a repeat of the reverse turning kick as a tiebreaker; New Zealand had its fourth bronze.
For the female team specials, Elly Sekikawa's high kick and Nikki Galpin's overhead provided New Zealand with 4 points, putting us into a 6-way play-off with Australia, Canada, Hungary, Poland and Romania.
Nikki Galpin was appointed the tiebreaker – her turning kick then overhead kick took it to a two-way battle with Carlie Dann of Australia.
Sue B got the kiwis going on a chant of O-C-a-ni-a… rapidly taken up as a duet by the Aussies.
Nikki prevailed – after six tiebreakers; her turning-kick gave New Zealand its first gold (and the female team their first gold).
That was it for the first day's competition, at about 7pm.
Thursday – second day of competition: individual sparring and power test.
We had 22 competitors sparring that day, almost the entire team. It was the most full-on day of the tournament. At times we had 3 competitors on at once, with another queued up at the fourth ring.
Even Rose C was drafted into seconding at one point, dragged away from her Very Important Post as communications controller. She did a sterling job interpreting the draws and directing the coaches and competitors to the right rings via a set of little two-way radios.
A good start to the day with three bout wins in a row.
Nick Eley won against Puerto Rico after a third round tiebreaker.
Rebecca Walthall demolished Germany – it wasn't over-heavy (Microweight!) but the poor girl threw up in the ring in spectacular fashion (the German, not Bex). Later Bex beat Slovenia in the semis, reserving a place in Saturday's finals.
Then Lipi Shukla was up against Slovenia.
Mr van de Mortel wanted to second this one – the Slovenian coach was Tomaz Barada, his famous pupil. Lipi made him smile with our third consecutive win.
Lipi subsequently went via Canada into the semis, where Argentina held her to a bronze medal.
Three of the other girls made it through the first round: Renee Richardson, win vs. Germany; Chantie Thach, win vs. Honduras; Roseanne TeHau, win vs. Australia
A few recollections:
• In a loss to Germany, Rose was hampered by her injured foot, but even so it was pretty hard to pick.
• The medic vigorously attacking Chantie's blood nose with cotton wool – and Chantie coming back against Germany (who took this one too…)
Nick Eley took his second bout to a draw vs. USA, then won round three. Argentina stopped him making it to the semis.
Of the remaining guys, six had wins in their first round: Kane Baigent, win vs. Ireland; Jamie Smith, win vs. Ireland; Chris Broughton, win vs. England; Regan Diggelmann, win vs. Spain; Campbell Gold, win vs. USA; Robbie Buddle, win vs. Chile.
A few recollections:
• Kane B bouncing, bouncing (in that heat!), and being all over his Irish opponent.
• David B coming off with a big grin after a potentially disheartening (and debatable) sudden death tiebreaker loss.
• Chris B and the jumping punches – this just looked cool against a much taller opponent.
• Chris C and the long series of sudden death calls steadfastly ignored by two of the judges until the first call in favour of his Croatian opponent.
• Sam S chasing his Irish opponent across the ring, with the ref sprinting out of the way (yet another sudden death – we didn't have much luck with those).
In power test, disallowed points for technicalities were very common. There are umpteen ways to do a measure-up that were rejected, like touching the board during positioning. The most frustrating I heard was Robbie Buddle showing the officials how high to place the board for the punch; his fist was clenched. As soon as he went into his measure up, they called "two measures"! Good showing on the remaining four techniques, though – 18 points, and a bronze medal.
The story goes that Nick Eley asked "Do I have time for power before my sparring? I'll just do it quick and get it over with".
Bang bang bang bang bang.
Near perfect score (three out of four on the knifehand). 23 points, gold medal, World Champion.
Roseanne TeHau, with 10 points, was running second equal with Ireland. After the tiebreaker (knifehand) and a touch with the forearm, Rose had the bronze medal.
Friday – third day of competition: team sparring and team power test.
Our male team sparring started with Australia. The Aussies had a very light team – all kudos for spirit, but one draw and three wins was it, to New Zealand.
Next round Germany – with a draw and a loss in the first two bouts, this was a challenge.
Robbie Buddle's long legged sidekicks and jumping punches put us back in the game.
Then chess master van de Mortel played the strategy, putting Chris Broughton in. Those that know these things told me he was going for a draw, leaving the last bout for hyperweight Sam Skinner. Apparently Chris B wasn't listening; he won the bout instead. This allowed us either a draw or a win in the last bout to take the match.
Lots of those flying punches from Sam made us anticipate… a win!
Into the semis – and up against Romania.
Regan Diggelmann opened against a guy who liked flying spinning kicks. Regan won.
Chris B did his thing again next – two for two.
Robbie's bout was fairly full on, neither wasting any time going on the attack. This brought on one of our tournament dramas. Robbie tripped backwards and the Romanian clipped him in the face on the way down, whacking his head back onto the concrete off the mat. After several minutes with the medics, the tourney doctor said "OK". (As Andrew told the team later: if anyone was going to rise up from the floor from a hit like that, and fight on, it would be Robbie B.)
He did – he cleaned up the Romanian. Win to New Zealand, match to New Zealand, putting the male team through to the finals on Saturday.
The girls drew Canada.
Nikki Galpin won her bout, long-legged sidekicks being decisive.
Rose TeHau showed little sign at this stage of her injured ankle, and won.
Alicia Yates fought her way to a draw, leaving the match tied after five bouts.
The Canadians would put up their biggest player; Mr van de Mortel put Rose in as the tiebreaker.
The injured ankle now became a critical factor – after half the bout, it was clearly causing Rose major problems. Canada took the bout and the match. End game for us.
Female team power test: the first round was fairly light. One board knifehand, two boards for the kicks. Most teams went right through, like us: Alicia knifehand, Rose sidekick, Nikki turning kick. 10 points, putting us through to the second round.
First round of the tiebreaker, Rose two board knifehand, cut it down to New Zealand, Australia, USA and Poland.
Next round: three board turning kick.
Australia did not break all 3.
Rose went right through – 6 points. USA and Poland to go.
USA didn't make it – the tension rose as Poland lined up.
Three cracked boards – gold to New Zealand!
Male team power test: after the first round, our lads had 14 pts. Ahead were Romania 20, Hungary 18 and Croatia 16. So with 14 we were out of the competition.
Or so we thought!
We were gathered out under the trees about to leave the venue. Then Roseanne called out from the steps: "They're calling New Zealand back to power!"
The boys frantically grabbed for their doboks and stumbled back into the venue, changing on the run.
Italy, Croatia, NZ and Poland are being called.
It turns out that the official score recorded for Croatia was 14, not 16 – thus a playoff.
Italy had already left – they missed out.
Our own World Champ Nick Eley took five points out of four boards with a turning kick, giving us a surprise extra bronze medal.
That evening the "Opening Ceremony" was held in the tournament venue. The colourful cavalcade of teams was lead in by the local police band (no dancing girls this year).
ITF President Master Tran and the President of ITF Italy gave nice short speeches; then after some demos of pre-arranged sparring, Moon Moo, and fitness (by a very fit 69 year old 9th dan), the assorted Masters meet-and-greet with the teams.
Saturday – finals day.
We had two appearances in the ring.
Rebecca Walthall was up against Croatia in microweight sparring.
The Croatian girl rapidly went on the attack – the classic formula of sidekicks with follow-up punches jumping in. Bex never quite got her momentum going. Win to Croatia, silver medal for New Zealand.
The male team has Poland in sparring.
Poland combines evident experience with being big and inexorably tough. Campbell G, Regan D, and Sam S succumbed, three in a row. Match to Poland, silver to New Zealand.
The medals presentation started shortly after the last event.
Three times, the New Zealand anthem was played – once for Nick Eley's power test gold, and then two of them right after one another, for the female team's two destruction golds (both accompanied by Australia for the silver – more O-C-a-ni-a's).
Various Masters presented medals: Master McCallum, President Tran… Master Daher appropriately was on duty when the girls' destruction medals came up.
After the last medals – Best Female Team.
Master Bos hammed it up: "Can you guess who it is, people? It is… it is… New Zealand!"
Then it was country placings time. We had deliberately refrained from working this out ourselves. So it was out of the box when Master Bos called – "Third place: New Zealand!"
That evening at the team meeting, various people were thanked by the coach Mr Niven, and then by the team. Mr Gray Patterson, Mr Willie van de Mortel, Mrs Sue Breen, Mrs Karen Skinner, Mrs Rose Cherrington, Mr Neil Breen, Mr John Matsuoka, Mr Doug Northey (whose car was a lifesaver, carrying bags and invalids in the heat).
Two recollections stand out relating to Mr van de Mortel that evening. He had really become part of the Kiwi team. He went to say his bit, and just choked up. A little later, Chris Clencie went up, and presented Mr van de Mortel with his greenstone pendant.
The team captains Sam Skinner and Roseanne TeHau deserve special mention – for being leaders and competitors, regularly riding herd on their respective sub-teams.
Rose in particular showed true grit, limping into the team events after her ankle injury, and giving the girls' team their power gold.
I would have to say that the entire team was an exceptional group of young men and women.
They got together across the board as a team, and those that may not have come away with a medal can feel proud that they were part of the support network that they all formed for the 2004 ITFNZ Junior World Champs team: Third Placed Country In The World.
