Does this sound familiar? You get up at the crack of dawn or likely before. You load yourself, your uniform, your gear and your family into the car and off you go to parts unknown. Hours later you close in on your destination using the inadequate directions provided and realize your gonna just make it in time. Somehow you pull up to the high school of choice with 15 minutes left to spare and think, “I made it!”. Then as you try to find a parking space around the block and round the corner you see the line into the gym which seems endless. You realize your probably gonna miss the rules and maybe your first division. Welcome to your average karate tournament in your area.

I am sure those who love to compete have played out the previous scenario dozens of times and many have grown tired or given up on this merry go round activity. Don’t give up the “ship” quite yet though. Brent J. Crisci, promoter of the KICKSUSA NATIONALS, has a very nice alternative to offer. It’s called “BATTLE ON THE OPEN SEAS” . Imagine instead up waking up cold and tired to a long drive to your tourney, you wake up in an incredible suite, to the tropical sun peeking through the curtains. You enjoy a nice leisurely breakfast buffet and walk all of fifty feet to arrive at a huge performing arena, air conditioned and carpeted with nice chairs not bleachers to sit in. You check the chart on the wall and know exactly where and when your divisions will take place, as opposed to, playing the waiting game and the gymnasium shuffle. You compete and nail your performance, but instead of a judge passing you a thin plate or piece of scrap paper to go retrieve a plaque or trophy, you get bowed out and thanked for your effort and recognized by the crowd. Then you are awarded a custom made gold medal to commemorate your victory, along with a check to spend on souvenirs or perhaps in the on board casino. This is a recap of what it felt like to be a competitor at BRENT J. CRISCI’S “BATTLE ON THE OPEN SEAS” Carnival Cruise Tournament Cruise. The "Fun Ship" CELEBRATION sailed Sunday, August 1st, 1999 from New Orleans on a seven day cruise calling on Montego Bay, Jamaica; Georgetown, Grand Cayman; and Playa del Carmen (for Tulum Tour) and Cozumel, Mexico. The "Battle on the Open Seas" took place during the first two days of At Sea Fun! New Orleans is a happy, high spirited city that pulses with the beat of Dixieland jazz. Montego Bay, with its hotels and beaches, offers the best of the Caribbean Participants also enjoyed golf, tennis, snorkeling, scuba diving, sport fishing and the island's most magnificent stretch of oceanfront, Seven Mile Beach. The cruise ship also stopped in Playa del Carmen, a town of only 6,000 inhabitants located opposite Cozumel on the mainland. This port served as a starting point for excursions to the Mayan ruins of Tulum on the Yucatan peninsula. At the gateway to the Yucatan is Playa del Carmen/Cozumel. During this stop, some toured the ancient Mayan ruins of Tulum, visit the fashionable shops of Cozumel or stretch out on the area's most popular beach, Playa San Francisco All these places were just ports of call and were just part of the fun on the BATTLE ON THE OPEN SEAS.

The tournament competition had over 100 divisions offered to competitors in fighting, forms, weapons and self defense. It offered over $1,000 in cash prizes to the Blackbelt winners, as well as, custom medals for all 1st through 4th places finishers. All registered competitors, as part of their package, were allowed FREE access to seminars series to be held each night after the competition. Seminars included such topics as Philippine Stick Fighting, Vale Tudo Grappling, Judging Skills, Kosho Ryu Kempo Secrets, and much more! The tournament was designed to be a competition/vacation for martial arts families and schools to attend and enjoy. The whole concept of “BATTLE ON THE OPEN SEAS” is family and fun in a safe and fair atmosphere. This alternative to some of the cut throat and hostile tournaments environments which now exist in the states will be very refreshing. It really is much more similar to the attitude which martial arts training is famed to produce. The tournament is being sanctioned and rated by the World Karate Union, World Congress of Martial Arts and the United States Blackbelt Society and will act as a qualifier for the WORLD CUP 2000 to be held in Athens, Greece.

Tournament Promoter, Master Brent J. Crisci, is a well known competitor, instructor and promoter from the east coast. Master Crisci spent ten years traveling with US Teams to Russia, China, Korea and across Europe competing and demonstrating. He has coached TEAM KICKSUSA since 1992 and was looking for an alternative forum of competition for his students and friends. He brings his expertise in coaching and competing to the tournament and promises to provide a great time for all in attendance. Interested parties can contact Brent Crisci at (207) 621-0770 or email at KICKSUSA@aol.com or Jim at SIDEKICK TRAVEL at 1-800-639-1643 for further details and information on how to come aboard for “BATTLE ON THE OPEN SEAS 2000 AND MEET THE MASTERS SEMINARS.

For More Information Contact:
United Kosho Ryu Kempo Karate
Tel: 207-621-0770
Internet: email@unitedkosho.com

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