"2001" OCEAN STATE GRAND NATIONAL KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Providence RI By R.J. Bishop

The 21st Annual OCEAN STATE GRAND NATIONAL KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS were held at both the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick, RI and the RI Convention Center in Providence, RI. The OCEAN STATE GRAND NATIONALS were Promoted by Don & Christine Rodrigues. The event was KRANE "AAAAA " World Rated, and was also rated by SKIL, WCMAO, and WAKO. Over $10,000.00 in Black Belt Cash Prizes were handed out along with gorgeous Trophies and Plaques.

The festivities started at 5:00 PM on Friday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, with the WAKO-USA Team Trials. Synchronized and Demo Team Forms and Black Belt Adult, Junior, Tag Team Fighting followed. I particularly enjoyed the Tag Team Fighting, as it was very unique, entertaining, and something that I had never seen before. Black Belt Adult & Youth Open Musical Weapons followed featuring some of the best competitors in World.

The OCEAN STATE GRAND NATIONALS attracted many of the World’s top Competition Teams such as, TEAM JPM, TEAM CJB, TEAM HUGO, TEAM VICTORY, TEAM STRAIGHT UP, and TEAM SIDEKICK. The OCEAN STATE GRAND NATIONALS brought in over 1,400 top competitors from all over the World, including South Africa, Guatemala, Pakistan and Austria.

The Saturday eliminations were held at the RI Convention Center in the heart of Providence. The tournament started promptly at 9:00 AM, and ran as quickly and smoothly as any tournament I have ever attended. I truly enjoyed moving from ring to ring to see the young competitors give it their all, they were all great despite the levels of talent. The eliminations finished around 3:30 PM thanks to the fine group of coordinators that Don and Christine Rodrigues put in place. So congratulations to Tony Cogliandro, Rich Baptista, Tom Festa, Larry Carnahan, and Christopher Rodrigues on a job well done.

Following the eliminations, "Special Guest", CHUCK NORRIS, stopped by the convention center for a photo shoot with selected schools. MR. NORRIS, the Guest of Honor at the OCEAN STATE GRAND NATIONAL was also inducted later that evening into the OCEAN STATE GRAND NATIONALS "Hall of Fame".

The Night time show started around 7:30 PM, and the atmosphere at the sold out Convention Center was electrifying. Two Large screen closed circuit televisions were set up for better viewing, particularly, for those spectators at the rear of the convention hall.



OCEAN STATE GRAND NATIONAL Promoters Don & Christine Rodrigues started things out by bringing MR. CHUCK NORRIS out on stage to present MR. NORRIS a check for his "KICK DRUGS OUT OF AMERICA" program. Over $101,000 was raised by the DON RODRIGUES KARATE ACADEMIES and other various martial arts schools. After receiving the check, MR. NORRIS consented to have some photographs taken with many of the schools that helped to raise those funds.

Next came the first of several demonstrations. PERSONAL BEST KARATE ACADEMY provided the audience with a very nice weapons demonstration, featuring various routines with Escrima Sticks, Bo’s, Nunchuku’s and Breaking.

In the BOY’S YOUTH BB FORMS GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP, STEVE TERADA of TEAM JPM edged out high flying Will Valentin of TEAM DS 49.90 - 49.89.

The second demonstration of the evening came from Tom Festa’s LONG ISLAND TKD. It was a real nice little routine and got a nice reaction from the audience.

The GIRL’S YOUTH BB GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP featured local talent Callie Rothermel of the PITBULL NATIONAL KARATE TEAM and TEAM SIDEKICK’S Al Szafranski. Both put on a great performance, but Ms. Szafranski managed to win the Grands by the score of 49.90 - 49.86. It was also Al’s birthday.

My favorite demonstration of the evening came from TEAM RODRIGUE’S Marc Nadeau and Robbie Andreozzi . They performed an awesome musical kata/weapon routine featuring the song "The Devil Went Down to Georgia". The crowd went absolutely nuts over it.

Up next came the BOY’S YOUTH BB WEAPONS GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP, featuring two of the country’s hottest Jr. BB’s, TEAM RODRIGUES Robbie Andreozzi and TEAN JPM’S Wayne Daglish. Daglish was the heavy favorite coming into the event but, unfortunately, he dropped his Bo. Robbie performed his double Nunchuku Kata to perfection and won the beautiful Trophy.

Demonstration #3 featured on really neat weapons routine from TEAM KENPO MARTIAL ARTS of N.Y. They used a large variety of weapons to keep the audience entertained and it really was a nicely organized routine.

In the GIRLS YOUTH BB WEAPONS GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP, TEAM STRAIGHT UP’S Jessica Greenhaulgh defeated TEAM CERIO’S Nicole LeBlanc by the score of 49.91 - 49.89.

The next demonstration of the evening was a very good Self Defense skit featuring the NEW ENGLAND KARATE ACADEMY.

One of the highlights of the evening was the OCEAN STATE GRAND NATIONALS "Hall of Fame" inductions. VIP’s inducted this year were: Chuck Norris, Tom Letuli, Julie Solwold, John Ready, Ed Lamontagne.

Following the inductions Shihan Rodrigues gave a special life time achievement award to the "TEAM OF THE CENTURY," the CHUCK NORRIS fighting team. Accepting the award were the original members of the CHUCK NORRIS fighting team: Chuck Norris, Pat Johnson, Howard Jackson, and Bob Wall.

In the WOMEN’S BB FIGHTING GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP, TEAM HUGO’S Katy Richardson defeated TOTAL IMPACT’S Cindy White.

The most exciting competition of the evening was next. The MEN’S/WOMEN WEAPONS GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP featuring three of the best weapons competitors in the world: Daniel Sterling, Li Pei Yun, and TEAM JPM"S Casey Marks. All three were outstanding but there could only be one winner, and that was the amazing Li Pei Yun.

The KRANE -PRO WORLD LIGHTWEIGHT Title fight was next pitting European Champion Christian Merseriek against the legendary Pedro Xavier. Pedro came out of retirement for this fight and really "laid the smack down" on Merseriek by the score of 12-2.

The last three GRAND CHAMPIONSHIPS were won by members of TEAM JPM.. Casey Marks defeated TEAM CJB’S Karyn Belanger in the WOMEN’S BB FORMS GRAND CHAMPIONSHIPS by the score of 49.95 - 49.91. Jadi Tension defeated his TEAM JPM buddy Reggie Perry by the score of 7-1, for the MEN’S BB FIGHTING GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP. Finally, in the MEN’S BB FORMS GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP’S, Anthony DeMarco defeated Daniel Sterling by the score of 49.96 - 49.91.

This was one of the best run tournaments that a competitor could attend. Congratulations to Don & Christine Rodrigue on a job well done. We look forward to returning next year.