Nikolaj Malnač receiving an award from the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence.
Now that we’ve all acquired the blades, books and besegew’s that we wanted for Christmas, it’s time to learn new WMA/HEMA techniques – or polish up those we already know. Given the near-universal access to excellent reference material here-to-fore-seldom seen – its stands to reason that WMA/HEMA salles and their resident Master-at-Arms should be able to provide both the novice and experienced fighter truly authentic and ‘classic’ instruction in medieval and renaissance sword play. And once again we see that the very best WMA/HEMA events get national support … at least in eastern and Baltic Europe!
Capital Training
METRO OTTAWA (Ontario) 15 January 13
Swordfighting school takes martial arts medieval(Graham Lanktree)
Ottawa Swordplay's Craig Shackleton is starting another term of teaching 14th century Liechtenauer-style swordplay to an appreciative group of young and adult students.
Students are taught how to wield the long-sword popular from 1350 to 1550, the basic principles of fighting and after four or five lessons are ready to start sparring with a blunt-edged steel replica. Children are given weighted foam replicas that feel like the real thing. “It’s an ongoing program,” Shackleton said. “People can move up through the rank structure, but there is no beginning and no end to learning.”
http://metronews.ca/news/ottawa/509366/swordfighting-school-takes-martial-arts-medieval/
Youth Training Down Under
CITY NORTH MESSENGER (Adelaide, Australia) 07 January 13
Medieval focus on fitness for youngsters(Kara Adams)
Carnival Knight teaches students medieval skills such as sword fighting with fake swords and daggers, using shields and wrestling.
Founder Mark Holgate says: "Our society is all about sport, but this is something for kids who aren't necessarily into sport. This is for kids who like fantasy.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/medieval-focus-on-fitness-...
Training with a 'Ringer'
WORTHING HERALD (UK) 20 January 13
Mediaeval global battle beckons for Worthing-based champion(Neill Barston)
When Canadians think of the words ‘excellence, sport and Lithuanian’ together, we probably come up with Dainius Zubrus.
However, that tiny but WMA/HEMA-intense nation is losing one of their best fighters to the UK -- as Nikolaj Malnač attempts to assist the British Team into making themselves truly fearsome competitors for The Battle of the Nations 2013.
Nikolaj said: “There’s a lot of things that are really good about full contact mediaeval battle. It’s great fun and not quite as dangerous as it looks to spectators … It’s a professional sport, rather than a hobby … – it also looks at chivalry and discipline.”
For those of you for whom the name Malnač is a bit familiar, he’s a mainstay at European competitions … and has a nice pictorial on the Lithuanian Defence Ministry site illustrating him being awarded the Lithuanian Armed Forces Commander Sword for his 2009 ‘Traku Castle II’ WMA/HEMA win – presented by an army general no less.
“Mediaeval combat is also a great way to stay in shape and once the fighting is finished all the combat is forgotten about and you can go off and all have a beer together,” Nikolaj said.
http://www.worthingherald.co.uk/news/local/mediaeval-global-battle-beckons-fo...
Snippets
THE TIMES (London, UK) 19 January 13
An everyday sword? Certainly not.
An exotic follow-on to last weeks ‘My precious-s-s-s!’:
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article3662264.ece
ZIMBIO (San Carlos, California) 21 December 12
4 Lessons TV Has Taught Us About the End of the World – Revolution (Jill Slattery)
If popular culture teaches us anything of late, it’s that swords – not smart phones – are the inevitable wave of the near-future! Please prepare accordingly.
http://www.zimbio.com/The+Twelve+Days+of+Tube-Mas/articles/lnNZ3t6pvkP/4+Less...
~ Major Wes
