UIKA wins big at The Battle of Cumberland Gap

Mark Fritts with trophies from the Battle of Cumberland Gap

Lewis School trophies from the Battle of Cumberland Gap 2010

Grandmaster Harold Mitchum and a group of Tennessee UIKA members attended the second annual Battle of Cumberland Gap in Middlesboro, Kentucky, October 1^st and 2^nd.

Sensei Mitchum gave a brief clinic and question and answer session during the event that was well received by all in attendance.  Other friends of the UIKA in attendance were Mr. Tommy True, Jerry Smith, Kelly Marcum, Ridge Richardson and tournament host, Mike Taylor. All are members of the IIKA Board of directors.

The UIKA was represented by a group of eight competitors from two of our Tennessee dojo locations, Seiber’s School of Isshin-ryu Karate and The Lewis School of Isshinryu Karate. It was a great day for everyone in our group.

The leader of our Tennessee group, Sensei Doyle Seiber, took 1^st place for empty hand kata (Sunsu), 1^st place in weapons kata (Shi shi no kun no dai) and 1^st in kumite.

Sensei Seiber’s top black belt students excelled in their divisions, with Sensei Jerry Lewis taking 1^st in kata (Sunsu), 2^nd in weapons (Hamahiga no tuifa) and 1^st in his kumite division. The only person to keep him from taking 1^st in all three of his divisions was his sensei, Mr. Seiber, who was in the same division for weapons. However Mr. Lewis came back to win the overall forms grand championship with an excellent demonstration of Hamahiga no tuifa and Sunsu kata.

Sensei Brandon Baird took 1^st place in his light heavyweight kumite division, as he has in all the tournaments he has entered since this tournament season started in January 2010.  Sensei Baird’s fourth grand championship this year came the same as last year as he defeated Sensei Jerry Lewis to take the Kumite Grand Championship.  So both Kata and Kumite Grand Championships went to the UIKA black belts!

Sensei Jerry Lewis’ kyu-ranked students had a good day as well. Mark Fritts took 1^st in kata and kumite. Taylor Thomas took 3^rd in kata and 2^nd in kumite. Evan Hughes won 1^st in kata, 2^nd in weapons, and 2^nd in kumite. Cole Cowen won 2^nd in kata, 1^st in weapons, and 1^st in kumite. Justin Cowen won 1^st in kata and 2^nd in kumite.

In all, eight UIKA competitors took 21 trophies in 19 divisions, including the two Grand Champion trophies.

Congratulations to the UIKA team from Tennessee and many thanks to Sensei Mitchum for his guidance and support. And a special thank you to Sensei John Ingram and the board of directors of the UIKA for their support and direction.  The Tennessee group is looking forward to seeing everyone at the UIKA Symposium in Florida this year on November 19^th and 20^th at Ingram's Karate Center in Tampa, Florida.