GSBA regional championship set in Davao

More than 100 players from different schools and clubs are featured in the 2017 Global Stick Blade Alliance (GSBA) Regional Championships on Saturday at the Kadayawan Hall of NCCC Mall, Davao City. (Photo: Elie Agravante Gamboa/Facebook)

DAVAO CITY — More than 100 players from different schools and clubs are featured in the 2017 Global Stick Blade Alliance (GSBA) Regional Championships on Saturday at the Kadayawan Hall of NCCC Mall, Davao City.

The event is organized by the Amara Infinite Sports Inc., Amara Davao Escrimador, and GSBA, in cooperation with the City Sports Development Division.

Tournament director Elie Agravante Gamboa of GSBA said the event is aimed to select the best fighters in preparation for the upcoming national tournament next year in March in Davao City.

“Our goal is to promote the stick and martial arts or eskrima kali arnis from all over the world,” Gamboa said.

The categories are the Non-traditional Caranza Forms – Single Stick Individual for men and women, Double stick Individual for men and women, Full Contact Padded Stick first hit System and full contact Continuous Live Stick 10 pt. system rules – flyweight, pinweight, bantamweight, featherweight, extra light weight, half lightweight, lightweight and Senior Open weight.

Personalized medals and certificates will be awarded to the winners. It is sponsored by NCCC Mall Davao, Amara Infinite Sports, city government of Davao, I.Flex Fitness, GSBA Phils., Filipino Martial Arts Amara Davao Escrimadors, Pableo Escrima and Flightyard Gan Soo Do.

“Arnis is a Filipino sport and an art that is alive to the modern society and bearing a good culture and active surroundings for the younger generation,” said Gamboa.

Among the participating teams are the Ateneo de Davao Junior High School, Precious International School of Davao, Carmen National High School, Gensan BTAD Arnis, Sarangani BTAD Arnis, Talomo NHS, Don Enrique Bustamante NHS, Catalunan Pequeno Elementary School, Magallanes Elementary School, Tugbok Central Elementary, SPED Center and CPT. Eskrimador Arnis Club.