PHILIPSBURG – St. Maarten Martial Arts Federation (SMMAF) will hold its first annual spring competition on Saturday, May 20, from 12:00pm-4:00pm at the new Milton Peters College (MPC) gym.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai Kickboxing will be on display for the public, and entrance is free. Parking is available on the roadside, after the main entrance to MPC.
Competitors will hail from Marco London’s Sityodtong Foundation, SXM BJJ, French St. Martin’s Caribbean Shidokan and Dojo de Concordia and Saint Barths Jiu Jitsu. The specialized mats for the Jiu Jitsu competition area are provided by Aartwicht Bell, President of the Sports Federation and National Judo Association.
SMMAF president Marco London will coordinate the kickboxing matches and Melissa Bardfield will preside over the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu matches. Referees include Wesley Hendriks of Windward Roads, who completed an IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation) referee course at the Pan championships in California in March.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitors ages 5-9 from SXM BJJ will compete in friendly matches against teammates, since the other schools do not have any competitors under age 10. Competitors age 10 and up, including adults and teens will have the opportunity to test themselves against the other schools. Due to the highest number of students hailing from SXM BJJ, some students will have to compete against teammates.
Parents and children from St. Maarten/St. Martin and St. Barths martial arts schools are excited to have this opportunity to demonstrate and test their martial arts skills locally since St. Maarten’s geographical location makes traveling to international competitions very costly. The focus of the organizers is also to build closer bonds across the island region and build confidence in each student. For more information, registration form or sponsorship opportunities contact Bardfield at info@sxmbjj.com.
