Plymouth Area’s Tai Chi Team Wins Awards in Taiwan

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The America’s Hometown Tai Chi Team exceeded all expectations in its first international competition, the prestigious World Cup Tournament hosted by the Tai Chi Chuan World Federation. Coach Fang-Chih Lee brought eleven of her students from the Plymouth area to participate in the contests held October 18 and 19 in Taipei, Taiwan.

In addition to the team’s multiple individual and synchronized group medals and certificates, the chairman of the World Federation, Huang Yu-sheng, presented Lee with a special plaque, “The Outstanding Prize,” for her team’s overall success and contributions to the tournament’s harmonious spirit.

The World Cup features competitions within the larger full tournament. Tai Chi practitioners from Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong, who are the most accomplished world-wide, usually win the major trophies. Contestants from the rest of the world are awarded prizes for high placements within the separate “International” category. There were teams from North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Over a thousand competitors participated. A panel of seven judges is needed to evaluate each contestant.

Two events, the 13-form and the 37-steps, are called “handsets.” Some other forms require the manipulation of a weapon, such as a fan or sword, as part of their prescribed choreography. America’s Hometown Team took fifth place overall in two group events, the 13-form and Tai Chi fan, which were counted as second places in the international category.

The team’s highest individual accolade went to Sherry Malone of Plymouth who took second place in double sword among all the international competitors and third place overall. There were also divisions within each event consisting of ten to fifteen competitors. Usually six divisional competitions were on the Taipei Arena’s floor at the same time. It was in these divisional competitions that the Plymouth team did exceptionally well in both men’s and women’s sections.

Nicole Duval of Duxbury received a gold medal in her division’s 13-form and silver in the 37-steps form.

Peter Trenouth of Plymouth won two divisional medals: gold in the 13-form and silver in the 37-steps form. He also received a fourth-place certificate in individual fan.

Reginald Macamaux of Kingston won a gold medal in his division’s 37-steps and a bronze in the 13-form.

Along with her tournament double sword success, Malone won a silver medal in her division’s 13-form and a bronze in the 37-steps.

Natalie Zammito of Plymouth earned a silver medal in her division’s 37-steps.

Jeanette Gould-Schmidt of Falmouth also took the silver in her divisional 13-form.

Kathy Powers of Plymouth won two divisional silver medals: the 13-form and 37-steps.

Trenouth, Zammito, Malone, Duval, and Powers comprised the team’s fan group that took second place in the full tournament’s international category.

Judges gave certificates of excellence to Zammito for her individual fan performance and to Donald Teare of Plymouth for his work in the men’s individual sword competition. Teare and Zammito were also members of the team’s 13-form group that placed second in the international category. The group’s other members included the team’s divisional medalists together with Virginia Wilcox, David Moore, and Betty Montanari of Plymouth.

America’s Hometown Team also won acclaim during the World Cup’s opening ceremonies for its unique demonstration form that Lee designed symbolizing the internal and external energies of Tai Chi.

Everyone on the team is a student at the Tai Chi and Qi Gong with Fang Association located at the Spire Center of the Performing Arts in Plymouth.

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