Songshan Shaolin Champion

[Shaolin Rasta]

I went up to Shi Yanxu, whose score was the one who put me over, and expressed my surprise and slight discomfort with the whole thing. But he said it was the traditional nature of the Damo cane that made the difference for him and not to be too uncomfortable with the decision. I honestly thought maybe he didn't realize he hadn't flipped the score card over correctly!

I guess you could say it was gimmickry that won it for me!

Chan is full of paradoxes, I have learned, so what's more paradoxical than a dreadlocked rasta in shaolin robes winning a shaolin special division like that? Man, at my age, I'm just happy to be able to lift my foot above my waist and move half way decent, know what I mean? It just goes to show what practicing martial arts most of your life can do for you. But I am humbled really, really, and that's about all I can say. I'm gonna leave it right there.