Zen Airurando Tomiki Aikido Renmei

Video Highlights from the 3rd European Championships

In Spring 2014, there will be the 4th “Open European Club Championship Tomiki Aikido” in Antwerp. This is an ETAN event (European Tomiki Aikido Network). It happened 2 times in Budejovice (Budweis -Czech Republic) and 1 time in Moscow. I would love to form an All-Ireland Squad to take part in the event. The categories for competition are as follows;

•Randori -no-Kata (open to all Kyu grades , empty hand kata)
•Randori-no-Kata (open to all Dan grades, with tanto kata)
•Koryu-dai-San/Goshin-no-kata (1-16) open to all grades
•Open Kata (unarmed) maximum of 3 minutes, open to all grades
•Ninin Dori (Three person team) open to all grades
•Men’s Individual Tanto Randori, 3 Kyu and above
•Women’s Individual Tanto Randori, 3 Kyu and above
•Men’s Team Tanto Randori (Five person), 3 Kyu and above, maximum of two teams per club.
•Women’s Team Tanto Randori (Three person) 3 Kyu and above, maximum of two teams per club

This would be a great opportunity to put Irish Tomiki Aikido clubs on the map and for the students involved to compete and test their skills on an international level.

The Tallaght Tomiki Aikido Ryu will be hosting the Rising Dawn Seminar
2013 in Belgard Community Centre on the 20th & 21st of April.

Guest instructors are Bob Jones 7th Dan, Shaun Hoddy 6th Dan and Mick
Pratt 4th Dan.

Topics being covered are the Koryu Dai Ni, Goshin Ho, Randori Variations &
much much more.

The cost of the seminar is €20 a day or €30 for the weekend.

Accomodation can be booked in the Maldron Hotel, Tallaght, Dublin.
€140 for two nights B & B or for €70 for one nights B & B  (Double Occupancy).

or €120 for two nights B & B or for €60 for one nights B & B  (Single Occupancy).

For more information please contact

k_mc_clean@hotmail.com

aikidopatrick@gmail.com

Or you can contact us via our website at tallaghttomikiaikidoryu.webs.com

I hope as many members as possible from  ZATAR/ BAA will attend. The
last Rising Dawn Seminar was held in 2010 and was a great success. We hope this
years one will be bigger and better. See you all soon.

Current Chairman of the British Aikido Association, and has been practicing martial arts since 1966 with a rank of 7th Dan Tomiki Aikido, 3rd Dan Traditional Aikido and 1st Dan Judo.

As a competitor won several honours at regional, national and international level, including Gold at the European Team Championship in 1983. His Aikido competition career spanning from 1973 to 1993 totalling 38 medals of all types.

As the Senior Coach for Leeds Central Aikido Bob has led the club to over twenty junior national titles and eight senior national titles. He is also Coach Tutor and has held several responsibilities including BAB Coaching Development Officer and BAA National Team Manager. Bob has trained in Japan and taught Aikido in the USA, Australia as well as several European countries.

Shaun Hoddy started Aikido in 1975 after eight years of Judo. Shaun was sportsperson of the year, kata gold medalist and Tanto Randori Silver

medalist at the European Aikido Championships in 1988, and medalist at the 1990, and 1991 Championships. In November 1997, Shaun received his 5th Dan at Yawara Centre London (Examiners Dr Lee Ah Loi,Ken Broome, Fritz Van Gullik, Eddy Wolput). Shaun established Zen Eikoku Tomiki Aikido Renmei and this association grew to over 300 members. He ran this organisation from his club in Essex. Shaun and all of his 300 plus ZETAR members became affiliated to the British Aikido Association in 2012 and now they both work in partnership to promote and maintain high technical standards in Tomiki clubs across Britain and Ireland. As well as regularly teaching aikido to adults and children, Shaun’s focus is on ensuring that the Tomiki Aikido Koryu no kata are preserved.

Shaun Hoddy 6th Dan – Performing the Koryu Dai Ni

Shaun Hoddy performing sections A & B from the Koryu Dai San

Mick began Aikido in 1994 at Bradford Aikido Club under Garrett Baxter, and became the assistant instructor there in 1997. He has also participated

and instructed at Leeds Central Aikido club, under Bob Jones since 1995. In 1999 Mick became a member of the British National Squad and competed in the International tournament in Brisbane, Australia. Since then he has competed at every International, including the USA tournament in 2007, and three times in Japan in 2001, 2005 and 2009. Mick’s biggest competition successes have been gaining a silver medal in the men’s individual randori competition in Leeds in 2003, becoming men’s team world champions in 2007 and winning a bronze medal in the Open Embu event in Japan in 2009. Since 2006, Mick has co-managed and coached the British National team. Mick won gold medals in Open kata and Dai San events at the August 2011 World Championships in London.

Mick Pratt & Paul Carr – Shodokan Tomiki Aikido Open Kata – Kyoto 2009

Mick & Shaun teaching at South of the River 2012

Members of  ZATAR/ BAA successfully graded over the weekend up in Queens University. Congratulations to all as they performed their katas to a very high standard and their grades were well deserved. Perseverance and patience do pay off. The grading panel was made up of Bob Jones 7th Dan BAA Chairman, Jack Voss 4th Dan, Karl Higgins 4th Dan and Keith Mc Clean 3rd Dan.

The weekend was very successful for Tomiki Aikido in Ireland as there were a total of five first Dans, a second Dan, a third Dan & a 4th Dan graded over the weekend. The standard of Tomiki Aikido in Ireland is improving at a constant rate and the relationship and communication between all clubs is getting stronger with time. We learn faster if we all learn together.

Sensei Bob Jones demonstrated and taught the Koryu Dai Ni over the weekend. His knowledge and application of these techniques was second to none. All participants would like to sincerly thank Bob for being so generous in sharing his knowledge and expertise with us over the course of the weekend.

At the recent international grading held by ZETAR at Basildon Sporting Village, Essex,.Keith McClean from Tallaght Tomiki Aikido Ryu was awarded the grade of Sandan (3rd Dan) and Steve Fitzpatrick from Queens University Club was awarded his Shodan (1st Dan). Conratulations to all who graded on the day.

Keith Mc Clean performing complete Koryu Dai San for his 3rd Dan Grading

Steve Fitzpatrick performing the Koryu Dai San for his 1st Dan grading

There will be a ZETAR Grading held at the Basildon Sporting Village, Cranes Farm Road, Basildon, Essex, SS14 3GR on the 14th July 2012 .The grading begins at 2:15 p.m and ends at 5:30 p.m. For those attending the ZETAR grading the syllabus required is as follows. http://www.zetar-aikido.co.uk/syllabus/.