Luton Higashi

Live Fight Night and Summer Ball – Saturday 24th May

Above - John and Karen

This exciting event took place at the Marriot Hotel in Windsor and what a beautiful hotel it was. Drinks before the evening started in the bar and then time to get dressed up in tux and ball gowns. Being Karen (Club Secretary)'s birthday it was a great excuse for her to get all dolled up!

Coming into the foyer waiting to be invited into the main event room everyone was all dressed up to the nine's. It was great to see some familiar faces and especially not to be seeing them in gis. Alcohol was flowing well as everyone was invited to take their seats. The room was beautifully set up with tables and a large area in the middle for the live fights to take place.

All the fighters were introduced from each federation (Higashi and Biko) and then the first fights began. Seeing some live top quality fighting was fantastic and so exciting, people were on the edge of their seats, cheering their respective sides. After the first session the starter was bought out and the crowd were talking about the fights and techniques that had been used before hand.

The second set of fights began and again it was so tense, the competitors were really going for it this round which, of course, everybody loved. Reverse punches, jab punches, round house kick, hook kicks to the head and take downs were some of the techniques used to gain the points. One disqualification took place when a back kick hit someone in the groin area (very nasty!) and it has to be said that the girls are just as bad as the boys if not worse! Main course time and onto the final round; the fighters raised their game again and were really going for it! The audience were so involved and the atmosphere was great.

In the end the final score was Higashi – 12, Biko – 8.

Higashi had won, how pleased were we and Peter Spanton certainly had a big smile on his face.

Above - Karen with Paul "Wookie" Smith

The evening continued with presentations and a raffle, then into the dancing. Karen got extremely embarrassed when the DJ announced it was her birthday and Happy Birthday was sung; it was intended to be kept quiet but with some of the Higashi lot there that wasn't going to happen! Photos, wine, beer excitement, catching up with old and new faces were just some of the things that made this evening so special.

Above birthday girl Karen with Sensei Peter Spanton