Fairfax Students Know Their Kung-Fu

Lucas Tabachnick only came out to in San Anselmo because his friend AylaRose La'Akea brought him. This past weekend, in his first tournament competition ever, he won two gold medals. And La'Akea didn't do too badly either, bringing home a silver.

The two Fairfax residents have been studying traditional Northern Shaolin Kung-Fu with Sifu Scott Jensen at Thousand Victories, which includes hand forms and ancient Chinese weapons.

At the Golden Gate Nationals Kung-Fu tournament this past Saturday, Sept. 17, both Tabachnick and La'Akea performed pre-choreographed routines that included strikes, leaps, kicks and sweeps. Those routines, some of which date back hundreds of years, are then judged by Kung-Fu Masters.

La'Akea, 21, an aspiring actress, won silver for performing Northern Shaolin #6 Close Fighting in the Womenʼs Beginner Division. She began Kung-Fu as a way to study movement and excercise for movies, but "it's become a way of life," said Rachel Jensen of the school.

Tabachnick, 18, a College of Marin student, won two gold medals in the Adult Men’s Beginner Hand Form Division with his performance of the Small Circles Form and in the Beginner Mens Long Weapon Division for performing Earth Dragon Staff.

Burak Yildiz of Novato and Joseph Vigneri of Lagunitas also won gold medals in the Adults Two Person Form Division after performing a unique two-person form where they appear in a mock battle with staffs.