Seminars

The weekend of November 18th-19th 2023 took place the biggest IIC with the ITF Technical Comittee ever in Europe, with over 500 participants from 33 countries. The place to be: Vienna, Austria.

Among the participants also some instructors and members ITF-Belgium. GrandMaster Frank Vanberghen was one of the many GrandMasters present, Masters Virginia Dionisi and Annick Van Driessche 2 of the many female participants. Master Virginia was special guest of the committee, Master Annick was there as vice-president of ITF.

Coaches Andreea Musca and Wim Vermeir, and instructors and members Serkan Hasan, Sophie Ardenoy and Juan Martinez also signed in.

During the 2 days all patterns were performed, with some moments for revision, and also stepsparring, hosinsul, free sparring were part of the classes.

Many thanks to ITF Austria for the organisation of this huge event.

Sunday October 29th ITF-Belgium organized a seminar with multiple World and European Champion Master Ana Ghadir. About 72 members participated at the seminar: the morning session, 10.00-13.00h, was open to all grades. In the afternoon, 13.30-15.30h, the seminar was reserved to black belt members.

It was a very enjoyable seminar, the participants learned a lot and had a lot of fun, and could enjoy the warmth and enthousiasm of Master Ana.

October 1st 2023

Master Annick, as chairperson of the AETF Women Committee, organized the event and is one of the instructors together with the members of the committee, Sally Gleaves-Monks and Satu Kokko. It’s a pleasure to have 2 multiple champions on board for the webinar: Master Lisa Pitman and Bo Rook. Master Virginia Dionisi, Vice-President AETF, will represent the AETF Board.

Inscriptions were noted from all around Europe, but also from Argentina and Australia, female and male practitioners.

Report by Benito Martinez:

QIUC 2023

On the weekend of the 12nd and 13th of August, Boosabum Koen Hoerée and Sabum Benito Martinez participated in the Qualifiying International Umpire Course organized by the ITF’s Umpire Commitee. The course – which took place by Zoom- was given by GrandMasters Abelardo Benzaquem and Gordon Wallace, resp. President and member of the commitee.

On the first day the variations and details on individual patterns and sparring competitions rules were reviewed and discussed by the instructors and participants as well as ring settings and protocols. The instructors insisted on the necessity for the umpires to develop the physical and mental skills that are so important to do a good job, being sharp, fair and caring about competitors.

On the second day after a questions and answers session on the precedent issues, were analyzed the rules on power breaking, special techniques, team tul and -sparring, procedures, and ring settings in each case. During the whole seminar the tasks of the different umpire’s positions were well defined and analyzed, as Jury President, Jury Member, Center and Corner Umpire.

It was a very instructive and useful Umpire Course in which participated more than a hundred GM, Masters, Instructors and assistants, many of them selected to officiate in the next World Championships in Tampere, Finland.