With the calibre of players so high it was tough for the UK team, for many of the players this was their first time competing for their country against the best of Europe, the pressure was high and the team performed at an extremely competitive standard with the hard work put in throughout the year paying off.

 

Stealing the show at this years championship’s was Grandmaster Shin, first up on his ring in the finals he gave a performance that was hard to follow.

There was great tension as the team watched the ring closely while the other competitor’s tried to make their mark with Master Shin eventually taking the bronze in 3rd position.

The 2nd team male also gave the crowd something to get stuck into as they delivered 2 highly competitive performances in the final only narrowly missing the bronze by 0.1 points.

With the Europeans over for 2009, Stephane Roth (2nd Senior Male), Sydney Craven (Junior Female), Guntur Dwairmien (Junior Male) and Tong Wan Shin (2nd Masters Male) are set for the 4th World Poomsae Championships in Cairo, Egypt. The national squad are in training for selections for next years selection process and future success across Europe, and the calendar is filling up with competitions.

UK Poomsae are still looking for the best talent from across the country to join the squad and 2010 is set to be a busy year. With the British Nationals in March, many of the club competitions becoming more established and with more nationally qualified judges then ever before, the title of national champion is the most competitive it has ever been.

Do you have what it takes to be the next national champion?

Click here to see some photos from the day.