Grand Master Cacoy Canete's

2005 World Eskrima Championships



On June 11th, an Australian Team of Full Contact Stickfighters led
by their 8th Degree Black Belt Instructor and player/coach Master
Vince Palumbo, all went to Los Angeles so as to go compete in the
Cacoy Doce Pares World Federation's Full Contact Stickfighting
Championships held at the Taft High School Gymnasium complex, which
is located in Woodland Hills, California.



There were `ESKRIMA' delegates representing their countries from all
over the world, and they were there to compete in
this `International' full contact stickfighting event.



This tournament also attracted some very famous martial arts
personalities such as Bob Wall, Eric Lee,

Richard Norton, Pete `Sugarfoot' Cunningham, Cecil Peoples, Spice
Williams, and the special guest of honour, legendary stickfighter
from the Philippines, Supreme Grand Master Cacoy Canete 12th Dan.



The fight action was fast and furious, and the skill level of the
competitors was excellent in all of the weight divisions for male
and female `ESKRIMADORS'.(Stickfighters!)



Master Vince Palumbo had a very gruelling day of fighting, and he
went on to win 2 world titles for the stickfighting, he won the
middleweight and openweight world titles after 12 hard fights on the
day.



He also earned silver medals for open forms, self defence
demonstration, knife fighting division, and the 3 man team sparring
category. (Master Vince was named as best competitor of the
tournament!)



Master Vince's student of 9 years, Miss Nadia Blake, won a world
title in the women's lightweight full contact stickfighting
division, after 6 hard fights on the day. (Nadia works as a lawyer
by day!)



The Australian team consisted of Master Vince Palumbo, Nadia Blake,
Mario Pastro, Litza Pastro,

Mark Martini, Rochelle Martini, Andrea Wheatley, Vickie Simos and
Vlad Mihal.

(All the team earned placings in their respective men's and women's
divisions and categories!)



Master Vince Palumbo is one of the highest ranked Cacoy Doce Pares
Eskrima practicioners in the world, and he has been graded to the
level of 8th Degree black belt in this Filipino martial art, he is
a long time student of GM Cacoy Canete.



When the 86 year old Grandmaster gave the onlooking crowd, an
exciting demonstration of his style of Eskrima, he specifically
asked for Master Vince Palumbo to assist him with his demonstration
of his art, and the onlookers were all in awe of Master Vince's
amazing ability to fly through the air with the greatest of ease,
and do excellent breakfalls on the concrete surface.(No matting!)



So impressed by Master Vince's efforts on the days events, were some
people in the audience that are currently making a martial arts
movie called "PIT FIGHTER" in the old Los Angeles Jail, and it stars
Hector Echavarria and Armand Assante.



This group asked if Master Vince would like to appear in the movie,
and demonstrate some of his stickfighting skill for the camera, so
he spent 17 hours on location, and he played the part of a baton
wielding prison guard, and he had to rough up the lead actor Hector
Echavarria.



Just recently, Master Vince Palumbo was contacted by legendary
martial arts actor from the movie "Enter the Dragon" fame, Mr Bob
Wall, who played the part of the scar faced villain `O'Hara'!

And he wrote wrote a special congratulations email to Master Vince,
and he said, that he was very honoured to witness and meet a `REAL
DEAL' martial artist/fighter!