Sunday, January 27 2013

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The crowd offers encouragement as two stickfighters thrash it out at the National Stickfighting Preliminaries and Semi-Finals at the Arima Basketball...

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Stick fighting fans and followers were in for some heady excitement Friday night as bois swung and blood flowed at the National Stickfighting Preliminaries and Semi-finals at the Arima Basketball Court.

“Bois! Bois! The gayelle resounded with the shouts of fans and the sound of sticks as the fighters showed off their skills as they fought for a place in the final round of the competition on January 30 under the watchful eyes of a heavy police presence.

The stickfighers displayed some skilful techniques which entertained the massive crowd attending, but only a few would move on to the finals at Fun Splash Grounds in Debe.

The teams in the competition are Mark Quashie, Ryan Mc Leod, Kesniel Woods from Cushe, who came up against Sean Lange, Kareem Austin, and Peter Noel, representing Arouca, Londenville, Mafeking Valiant Bros, and Rio Claro. In the bout, Arouca emerged the winner.

In the second bout, it was Londenville versus Mafeking, with Anthony Byneil, Chaitram Boodoo, Nigel Jones representing the former area while Moses Ralph, son Evan Ralph and Narry Steple coming in for eastern village.

Mafeking won after Ralph struck Byneil, his opponent, with a superb undercut which Byneil did not even see coming.

In the thrid round, Valiant Bros — O’neil Odele, Ronald Lewis, and Donald Lewis — played against Rio Claro represented by Daniel Barclay, Selwyn John and Ancil John.

Valiant Brothers won this round.

Qualifiers for the finals are Mafeking, Arouca, Valiant Bro and St Mary’s Village — the defending champions.