EWTO

10 years of the EWTO in Bulgaria

This summer the EWTO in Bulgaria celebrates its tenth anniversary. 10 years is a comparatively short time, but enough to demonstrate that a professional approach and hard work can even spread WingTsun in a relatively difficult (i.e. impoverished) country like Bulgaria. The event was duly celebrated during the now traditional summer seminar in Kiten on the Black Sea.

WT students had come from all parts of the country to train in the warm September sunshine on the Black Sea. Sifu Bagalev, 3rd TG WT, took the morning session. In addition to the grading programmes he paid particular attention to various kick defences and appropriate counter-attacks.
In the afternoon the participants were able to welcome Dai-Sifu Giuseppe Schembri, 7th PG WT, Chief Instructor for Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and Dai-Sifu Oliver König, 6th PG WT, Chief Instructor for Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The two masters amazed the Bulgarian students with their remarkable Chi-Sao skills, which motivated them all to train even harder. Dai-Sifus Schembri and König jointly corrected each individual student, then taught the 2nd and 3rd Chi-Sao sections, as well as various BlitzDefence programmes, with Sifu Bagalev.

The final training session was held by Grandmaster K. R. Kernspecht in person. In excellent spirits the head of the EWTO gave theoretical and practical demonstrations that Chi-Sao training must not degenerate into an end in itself. The aim must be direct applicability in combat situations. The Grandmaster emphasised that a small number of basic reactions, and not the minor details of different sections, must be the basis for effective WingTsun. Being able to learn directly at the hands of the Grandmaster was a fitting highlight to this anniversary seminar.