Several members of Maelstrom attended the Vancouver Martial Challenge over the weekend, both as observers and participants. Roughly forty students from at least three schools spread out over the Pacific Northwest took part in the challenges and open sparring offered at Academie Duello. Squaring off against weapons with which a maelstrom student is not versed was an immediate challenge, as were the terms of the contests: rapiers are long, and we are used to going for a set amount of time instead of calling when you are hit and resetting. It was a great exercise in tactics, adaptation, and control. Plus, it’s quite satisfying to swing a giant sword or a polearm.
At the end of each day, a vote was taken for three awards: Arte (skill), Ardore (passion), and Onore (honour). Each attendee cast their ballots, which were tallied by Academie Duello’s Master, Devon Boorman.
May I present to you Sunday’s winner of the Ardore medal, our very own Chloe Gantier!
She was the only non-Duello member to win a medal, and the competition was, shall we say, arduous. A hearty congratulations are in order to Chloe, and all the other winners.