4 Europeans to take eskrima exams today

CEBU, Philippines - Englishman eskrima 5th Grade Blackbelt Ermar Alexander will lead the cast of Europeans who will take the Blackbelt Test at the Doce Pares World Headquarters in Sto. Niño Village, Brgy. Banilad, this city.

Alexander, a Cebuano by blood but raised in England, is set to take the 6th Grade Blackbelt exam of the Doce Pares multi-style system.

Supreme Grandmaster Dionisio Cañete, ODL (Order of Datu Lapu-Lapu) will be implementing a new process with the examinations of Higher Dan Blackbelts.

“This will be the first time that we will do a practical dissertation of higher blackbelts. We will have a special panel which will handle the whole procedure,” said SGM Diony.

Alexander, who has earned his 5th Grade Blackbelt in 2006, will have a dissertation of selected eskrima techniques and applications, and achievement reports concerning development, growth and promotion of FMA and Doce Pares in England and some parts of Europe.

Diana Fauner, who is also of England, hope to leapfrog from 1st grade to 3rd grade blackbelt.

Fauner, who hails from Davao, skipped 2nd grade exams last year but is now eager to earn two blackbelt grades in one examination that involves written and practical tests.

On the other hand, Austrian Ronald Froehle and Swiss national Eric Grosjean is also set to take the Academy of Eskrima Basic Course Final Examinations.

Froehle has been training eskrima at the Doce Pares HQ since 2006, while Grosjean, who is also of Filipino descent, has trained since last year to earn his first belt in this indigenous Filipino martial arts. (PR)(FREEMAN)