2007 AUSKF Iaido Summer Camp

Congratulations to Jim Atkins (pictured left), one of the Memphis Iaido Club's ronin iaidoka, for successfully passing his sandan (3.dan) examination at the recent AUSKF Iaido Summer Camp .












John Aquadro (pictured right) is also to be commended for making a go of it, despite some rough treatment at the outset.

This year's Iaido Camp was hosted on July 26th - 29th by the Omaha Kendo & Iaido Kyokai in Omaha Nebraska.

The camp was visited by two sensei from the Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei (All Japan Kendo Federation):

Masahiro Yamazaki - 8.dan hanshi iaido, 7.dan kyoshi kendo
Tomoharu Ito - 8.dan kyoshi iaido, 8.dan kyoshi kendo

And was attended by the following instructors from the AUSKF:

Takeshi Yamaguchi - 7.dan renshi iaido, Camp Head Instructor
Shozo Kato - 7.dan kyoshi iaido
Tatsuhiko Konno - 7.dan renshi iaido
Thomas Hooper - 6.dan renshi iaido
Ichiro Murakami - 6.dan iaido
Dick Anderson - 6.dan iaido

And a visitor from the Budokan Academy of the Western Australia Kendo Renmei:

Ramon Lawrence - 6.dan renshi iaido

The results of the camp taikai are as follows:

Mudansha Division (1 kyu and below)

1st place: J. Willey (Doshikai, AEUSKF)
2nd place: M. Porter (Omaha, SWKIF)
3rd place: T. Petchel (Musokai, PNKF)
3rd place: C. Howell (Omaha, SWKIF)
Kanto-sho (Fighting Spirit): S. Toh (Meitokukan, AEUSKF)


Yamaguchi Hai (1 and 2 dan)

1st place: A. Kailian (Shidogakuin NY, GNEUSKF)
2nd place: F. Nieves (Iaido Miami, SEUSKF)
3rd place: R. Eitel (Baltimore-Annapolis, SEUSKF)
3rd place: M. Blanchard (Doshikai, AEUSKF)
Kanto-sho: M. Altuna (Washinkan, GNEUSKF)


Nakanishi Hai (3 dan and above)

1st place: D. Anderson (Everett, PNKF)
2nd place: M. Iwakabe (Rocky Mountain, RMKIF)
3rd place: D. Farmer (Shidogakuin NY, GNEUSKF)
3rd place: P. Shin (Shidogakuin, GNEUSKF)
Kanto-sho: P. Parker (KenZen, AEUSKF)


John Prough of the Japanese Swordsmanship Society and the EUSKF will be organizing the 2008 Iaido Camp, scheduled for June 5th - 8th at the campus of Bryn Mawr College near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Details will follow as they become available.

Pictures used above are the sole property of Dennis Ralutin.