Young Martial Artist Brings Home Gold Medals

On Sept. 17 at the Airport Hyatt in San Francisco, Ten Thousand Victories Kung Fu School from Fairfax, San Anselmo and Berkeley competed in the Golden Gate Nationals Kung Fu Tournament in San Francisco winning a total of six medals, including two golds by Burak Yildiz of Novato.

According to Ten Thousand Victories head instructor Sifu Scott Jensen, Yildiz won the gold medal in the Intermediate Boys Long Weapons Division for his performance of Earth Dragon Staff.  Yildiz and Joseph Vigneri of Lagunitas won gold medals in the Adults Two Person Form Division for their performance of the Northern Shaolin Staff versus Staff Two Person Form, a unique form where staffs clash in a mock battle.

Forms are pre-choreographed routines containing many strikes, kicks, stances, leaps, sweeps, and other defensive and offensive techniques. Forms may be very ancient, with origins dating back several hundred years in some cases. In the past the forms performed and judged at these tournaments would have been closely guarded as secrets of the different schools.

Sifu Jensen performed the Plum Blossom Double Straight Swords Form in the Masters Exhibition where many of the Local Masters who had brought teams and officiated at the tournament performed their specialties. In this challenging form Sifu Jensen wields a sword in each hand through many intricate patterns and difficult balance moves.

“This tournament was very exciting and by far the best Masters Exhibition put on this year,” Sifu Jensen said.