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... as well as the title of Top Breaker at The Mohegan Sun National Karate
Championships and ISKA North American Breaking Championships.
Team Bergamo competitors entered a wide array of divisions and Leif Becker made
a second attempt at the World Record for Board Breaking at this first ever
National Karate Tournament held at Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino, April 23 and
24, 2004 in Uncasville, CT. Master Ralph Bergamo was appointed the sanction to
run the ISKA North American Breaking Championships which brought competitors
from as far away as Australia.
The first ever Mohegan Sun National Karate Championships were held the weekend
of April 23rd at the beautiful Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in Uncasville, CT.
The tournament was held in the magnificent Grand Ballroom and featured
competitors from across the US as well as abroad.
Members of Team Bergamo competed in a variety of events from fighting, to
self-defense, to breaking. In the Self-Defense divisions, Team Bergamo
dominated the competition taking first place wins in the under black belt
divisions; 1st, 2nd and 4th place wins in the under 18 Black Belt division, and
a second place win by Instructor Colin Thompson in the Black Belt division.
Later that evening, Master Ralph Bergamo and Master Drew Serrano ran a
USBA creative division for under Black Belts. Most of the competitors
were members of Team Bergamo and they wowed audiences with very intense
breaking routines that were the highlight of the competition. Team Bergamo
members took first in all of over 12 divisions that were held.
Saturday was the main focus of the weekend with competition in Forms, Fighting,
and Grappling. Team Bergamo faired well against the competition. In the
Gracie's “King of the Hill” grappling competition, Mark Bauchnecht was named
the winner when no one else could beat him after multiple tries. His 6'4",
280lb frame proved too much, even for the most skilled grapplers.
The highlight was the ISKA North American Breaking Championships hosted by
Master Bergamo. BTSQ’s very own Leif Becker kicked off the Breaking
Championships with a second World Record attempt. With over 100 stations and
500 boards set up all around the breaking stage the crowd gathered. To the
cheers of well wishers Leif was off like a bolt down the line. Leif gave it his
all, but came up slightly short of the World Record 415 boards, breaking 385.
His hand was bruised and battered, but he was already talking about his next
attempt on The Late Show with David Letterman in less than a month.
After the excitement of Leif's attempt, it was time to start the actual Breaking
Championships. Run in the same fashion as the US Open World Breaking
Championships in FL, this breaking event brought competitors from across the US
as well as over seas making for a very exciting and diverse display of skill
and technique. This was the first North American Breaking event and the first
time such an event was held at the World-renowned Mohegan Sun. Spectators were
drawn to the sound of crushing cement and splintering wood, as well as music
from the creative division.
Team Bergamo members dominated the ISKA breaking event with
Raphael Velez winning the Lightweight Power Breaking division, Clinton Murphy
winning the Heavyweight Power Breaking and The Creative Breaking divisions, and
Colin Thompson winning the Power Wood Kick Heavyweight division. Clinton Murphy
was also awarded the Overall Top Breaker Award for his efforts.
The BMA demonstration team, along with members of
BTSQ, opened the nighttime finale show with the demonstration Mirabile
Visu III, captivating the hundreds of spectators in attendance. The
demonstration featured breaking, form, gymnastics, self-defense, and weapons.
Congratulations to all of the competitors from both studios who represented the
team so well.
Some of the footage from the event can be seen under the
Action Videos Link.
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