Greenblott wins Grand Championship in Boston
Black Bear instructor Ted Greenblott and son Frederic Greenblott pictured after a recent competition in Boston. (Courtesy photo)
SANDPOINT — Sandpoint’s Ted Greenblott won a prestigious Grand Championship, leading a strong showing of local martial artists recently at the 38th annual All Tang Soo Do Championships in Boston, Mass.
Eight Sandpoint Tang Soo Do competitors represented Black Bear Martial Arts Center by bringing home 22 medals, including Black Bear owner and instructor Ted Greenblott, a second degree black belt who won the Grand Championship Belt in sparring.
“I am very proud of and happy for our students,” said Greenblott. “They worked hard and were very prepared, and it showed in their skill during competition.”
More than 400 competitors representing 15 states and five countries competed at this year’s championships. There were also six grandmasters on hand for the event, as competitors competed for medals in four events: weapons, forms, board breaking and sparring.
Competition highlights included: Martin Tetachuk, 13, breaking three boards with a head strike for a gold medal, and winning the silver medal with a double knife form; Ben Curto winning gold in men’s orange belt sparring; Fredric Greenblott, 9, winning golds in forms and sparring in a large division; Alex Voight, 11, winning gold with a spectacular board break; Wrenee Wren, 12, winning gold with a power break; Darrin Tetachuk winning two golds against the next contingent of men’s black belts in a large and very tough division; and Eldon Renner performing a flying side kick that broke three boards.
Tang Soo Do, of Korean origin, shares similarities with Tae Kwon Do. Although not as sport-oriented as Tae Kwon Do, Tang Soo Do students often compete in such events to test skills in areas such as control, power, concentration and precision.
Greenblott also won silver in black belt forms and bronze in black belt board breaking. Darrin Tetachuk won gold in men’s advanced sparring and board breaking. Martin Tetachuk won gold in teen intermediate sparring and board breaking, and silver in forms and weapon forms. Alex Voight won gold in board breaking, silver in forms and bronze in sparring. Wrenee Wren won gold in board breaking, silver in forms and silver in sparring. Frederic Greenblott won gold in sparring and forms and silver in board breaking to round out the top placers.
For more information on Tang Soo Do, visit “www.blackbeartangsoodo.com.”