Bak Shaolin Eagle Claw Sweeps Chicago Pro Am – Second Time in Two Months
The Midwest region's Bak Shaolin Eagle Claw Team returned to Chicago for Ralph Peluso's 2nd International Pro-Am Open Tournament on April 24th, only to repeat their victory from the first event of the Pro-Am series on February 7th. The nine-man team, composed of members from Bak Shaolin Eagle Claw's UW-Madison National Team and Chicago’s Bak Shaolin Eagle Claw Team, under Sifu Pete Himargios finished the day with a total of 12 medals. Although the tournament was open to all martial art styles, the Bak Shaolin Eagle Claw Team was one of the very few traditional Kung Fu teams amidst mostly Karate and Tae-Kwon Do stylists. The combined team was lead by Grandmaster Fu Leung, Sifu Dana G. Daniels (National Coach), visiting Sifu Gianni De Michele from Holland's National Wushu Team and European Union national instructor as well as Sifu Pete Himargios from Chicago who happens to be the national Bak Shaolin Eagle Claw instructor in charge of international Greek affairs.
In forms division, the team’s only female competitor, Jessi Lange (UW-Madison) took the silver at the beginner level. At the intermediate level, UW-Oshkosh’s Jericho Jansen also took silver, and Chicago’s Angelo Ladas, performing a powerful Eagle Claw form placed fifth.
In the Black Belt Open Division, Wisconsin Team Captain Nate Sonnenberg (UW-Oshkosh) performed a fast, furious and effective Eagle Claw Lo Han form and took silver just tenths of points behind the leader. Noam Reininger, Madison's national team captain drew applause from the audience with his powerful and expressive Tai Ming Jeung traditional Eagle Claw form and captured the bronze.
As usual, the Bak Shaolin Eagle Claw Team physically dominated the fighting rings. In the beginner women’s division, Jessi Lange won another silver with her direct, aggressive and pressing fighting style. Jessi, a student schoolteacher, after less than a year and a half training fought a much more experienced fighter and did extremely well in only her second showing in a tournament. In the Beginner Heavyweight Men's Division, Oshkosh’s hard-hitting Matt Kerno finished in third place after a disqualification for excessive contact while clearly leading and dominating his opponent in a 5-4 match. Madison’s Garry Cihak, competing for the first time, took fourth. Another first time competitor, Terry Gallagher (Chicago) showed his abilities as a natural fighter and landed silver in the 30-40 beginner lightweight division. Wisconsin teammates Matt Morin (Madison) and Jericho Jansen swept the intermediate lightweight division taking both gold and silver respectively. Both fighters, competing at the intermediate level for the first time, out-gunned and outsmarted their more experienced opponents, Morin in fighting an intelligent and strategic fight and Jansen solidly holding ground with his solid kicks and focused punches.
In the Black Belt divisions, Nate Sonnenberg and Noam Reininger, national level semi and full contact San-Shou champions, captivated the audience with the swift and powerful fighting style that Bak Shaolin Eagle Claw competitors are known for worldwide. Their opponents, highly seasoned Chicago-area point fighters, could not match the power that the two black belts delivered. Sonnenberg finished fifth in heavyweight after a close 4-5 match, and Reininger, chasing his opponents around the ring and delivering numerous traditional Eagle Claw swinging thunderbolt punches took fourth in lightweight.
At the end of the day, the tournament’s promoter, Ralph Peluso congratulated the team on its success, and thanked us for bringing our fine team of fighters and forms competitors to his event. Numerous Sensei, Sifus and Instructors complimented our team’s coaches on our victorious outing. The team would like to thank Grandmaster Fu Leung, Sifu Dana G. Daniels, Sifu Pete Himargios, and Sifu Gianni De Michele without whom such a success would not have been possible. In addition, the team would like to thank the Chicago Club members who came to offer their support as well as UW-Madison's Recreational Sports and Wisconsin Union staff for their support and invaluable training space.