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| Past Press Releases04 Jan 2007 - Silverware brought to London in French kickboxing league 10 April 2006 - Raw food vegan wins British kickboxing competition 03 April 2006 - London Savate fighters dazzle in first national championships Silverware brought to London in French kickboxing leagueLondon 04 Jan 2007 --- Five London fighters were winners of national titles in the inaugural British Savate Assaut League, which pitched the country's best practitioners of the 200 year-old French martial art against each other for the first time. Savate - or Boxe-Francaise - is a kickboxing art that uses fists and feet in efficient, elegant strikes. It was a streetfighting system and also a gentleman's sport in France in the early 1800s, later formalised into a ring-fighting art with the addition of English pugilism. A modern Savate fighter must be skilled, aware, physically fit and flexible; the object is to out-manoeuvre and out-score one's opponent through invention and physical technique, including spinning kicks, jumps, boxing combinations and sweeps, only ever making contact with the boots or gloves. The Great Britain Savate Federation launched the first national competitive league in 2006, which culminated in December. Over 50 Savate fighters, men and women, young and old, from around the country came to battle it out for the right to a title. After a year of hard work and persistence in training, the London Savate club produced two British champions - Lizzy Hawkins and James Southwood - two Vice-Champions - Sophie Sabih and Dom Tsui - and one Veteran Champion - Mike Creighton. Instructor James Southwood was thrilled with the performance "Each fighter grew in skill and determination across the year; it was a pleasure to train with them all and to watch them in their fights." "We can now look forward to defending these titles in 2007. The sport of Savate is growing fast, it is an excellent art for fitness, excitement and competition, so we will see new clubs opening and more fighters coming to these kinds of tournaments over the coming year." ---------------------- Pictures, tournaments videos and fighter bios are available The Great Britain Savate Federation is the body that represents and promotes the sport of Savate in this country - www.savate.org Raw food vegan wins British kickboxing competitionLondon 10 April 2006 --- James Southwood of North London, a vegan of ten years and more recently of a
raw food diet, defeated all opposition at the British Savate kickboxing League
in March. London Savate fighters dazzle in first national championshipsLondon 03 April 2006 --- Fighters from the London Savate group - exponents of the 200-year old French kickboxing style - stormed to six gold medals at the first Great British League championship held in Cambridge on 19th March. Boxe-Francaise Savate is a form of kickboxing that uses feet and fists in quick, elegant strikes. It originated jointly in France and England and was formalised in the early nineteenth century. After nearly being extinguished in WWII, today it is practiced primarily as an exciting and disciplined ring sport. The year 2006 sees the advent of a four-meeting competition to determine British Champion in eight weight categories per gender. At the first meeting, the four women and six men from the London stable took away six gold medals, two silver and one bronze, beating opposition from all of the country's big clubs. Their coach James Southwood - a winning competitor himself - was praising of the team's accomplishments: "All that training paid off. I was delighted to see each student use his or her own abilities and strengths to show true character in the ring. We now need to think about staying ahead by working for the next event in June" Two London fighters were also awarded the accolade of 'Bout of the Day' for their exciting and technically superb match. A DVD of the competition is available from the hosts, the Cambridge Academy of Martial Arts. Savate training in London can be found in Holborn, Camden and Victoria. Information about classes can be found on www.londonsavate.co.uk James Southwood also accepts students for private tuition. See www.jamessouthwood.com 07950 456307 ---------- Information
about Boxe-Francaise Savate can be viewed at www.londonsavate.co.uk
along with photos and video clips. London Savate is affiliated to the Great Britain Savate Federation www.savate.org ----------- |
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"In French Boxing, a tireur in action is the image of Man in the fullness of his physical and intellectual abilities." |
