Piombino: Summary of a memorable day.

The World Ju-Jitsu Federation PMA Italia masters at the “IV Franco Tarantino Memorial”

The IV Franco Tarantino Memorial was held in Piombini (Livorno) on Saturday and Sunday, February 2-3, 2008 at the UISP of the Perticale villa. Franco Tarantino was one of the first to spread the word about Martial Arts in the area. The event was dedicated to Ju-Jitsu and was organized by the UISP Martial Arts Coordination of Piombino in collaboration with the ADO UISP, the CSEN, the AJJ and the Public Assistance Association. It was the first official appearance for the World Ju-Jitsu Federation Professional Martial Arts Italia with masters and National Technical Directors Adriano Busà of Florence (President of the Federation), Andrea Colombini of Pisa and Enrico Vignali of Venturina, representative of the UISP Martial Arts Coordination for the Val di Cornia area. The two-day event included an inter-regional, inter-institution workshop on self-defense Saturday morning in which masters Vignali and Busà demonstrated their style and technique borrowed from the school of Soke Clark. In the afternoon the national ADO Ju-Jitsu section national workshop was held for close to 80 athletes. The three Technical Commissioners had, for about half an hour, as with the other masters present, the opportunity to illustrate various practical defense techniques based on what can be useful in moments of pressure and danger. The masters showed, concretely and pleasantly, what they know despite the short amount of time at their disposition, making use of this opportunity that the UISP has provided for the world of martial arts that is in constant growth both in members and fans. The group of masters in the blue kimono demonstrated a couple of head sequences during their allotted time, attempting to unite technique and execution time in a way that certainly enhances the impressiveness for spectators and enhances the quality for students.
Saturday evening, following the workshop, a three-team Duo System and Fighting System tournament was held and on Sunday morning there was an inter-institutional self-defense and Duo System competition with demonstrations. Standing out among the contestants, Master Vignali’s students took 3rd place as an institution at the end of the contest. An event like that of February 2-3 is quite an opportunity: an event that highlights Ju-Jitsu and martial arts in general (a society that includes about 450 members in the Val di Cornia –Isola d’Elba area) and, seeing the ever-growing number of students coordinated by Piombino, is focused on gauging and comparing the various schools with a spirit that is more participative than competitive. Beyond promoting this type of discipline, the purpose of this type of event is to leave more space on the calendar for the world of Martial Arts, organizing more meetings for positive confrontation between students and also between masters.

Here are the names of the Evi Performance athletes that participated in the event: SELF-DEFENSE - Anterminelli Lisa-Attinà Manuele, Giudici Gabriele-Cresci Samuele, Tesi Emilio-Batistini Irene, Scampolini Ivan-Bianchi Giovanni, Quinti Federico-Tesi Emilio, Berrighi Alberto-Vignali Nicolò, Anterminelli Andrea- Stipa Alessio, Grassi Davide-Baldoni Simone, Bartoli Lorenzo-Stipa Alessio, Montagnani Sara-Grassi Davide, Dani Samuele- Vignali Nicolò, Bimbi Francesco-Capperucci Stefano, Sgammato Luigi-Piacentini Alessi, Poggi Marco-Piacentini Andrea, Petrai Marco-Cassarri Gabriele, Gori Paolo-Sgammato Luigi, Ceccanti Marco-Benucci Valerio. DEMONSTRATIONS- Ceccanti Marco, Sgammato Luigi, Benucci Valerio, Bimbi Francesco.

WJJF PMA ITALIA
Giacomo Gualtierotti
(Chief Editor, Newsroom)