Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Western Crown

Apparently it was a great crown. The victor was Duke Alden of Wolverton, who beat Duke Connor Weizen in the finals. It has been suggested that Connor's defeat may be the "death blow" to the Bunny Round. I don't think so. I hope not, since I still think it is the most beautiful and, int he hands of Jade or Radnor, the most deadly style. But anything in the hands of Jade or Radnor would be the most deadly style. Yes, Connor's leg was toast, but that's always been the case with bunny round. Radnor won a lot of fights from his knees. Here's the video:



Note how Alden takes a slide step to his left and takes Connor's leg with a forehand blow. It's the same way Sigirfirth takes Rolf's leg in this video:



What I love is that Alden is using what is fast becoming my favorite shield to play around with, the center grip kite. That size, about 24 x 36, is smaller than the big kite he won with last time, and seems to be the new Western standard. Back in the day people used to hassle Rolf for fighting with a kite. Now the kingdom is catching up to him. :)

My next rig is going to be a kite of some kind.

Vlasta (who shot both these videos) has a LOT of March Crown footage up at his YouTube site. Check it out.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bugger - looks like there are fewer people remaining faithful to the church of the bunny round...keep the faith I say!

Cornelius

Unknown said...

first off - Jade fights with a square, which is not a bunny round. (not to say that he can't win crown with one... he could win fighting left-handed spork)

Geometrically - the longest point-to-point on a 24" square is 24xsqrt(2) = 34". On a "perfect" half round it's 29". On a 24x36 heater (assuming flat) its' ~38".

This line is (I believe) the critical measurement because it is what allows you to simultaneously block your head and leg. Total surface area is more important for left-right blocking than high-low.

I am not sure what the line is on the centergrip kites it's at least 36" (top to bottom) perhaps if the top is oblate rather than round there is an extra inch or two there. However, the centergripness of it makes the measurement non equivalent. I think most of us can say that - ignoring sword blocking - it's easier to block (high and low) with a c.g. kite than a square, although not as easy as a 36" strapped kite or heater. c.g shield has an advantage over left handers, two weapons and great weapons that more than makes up for the relative lack of head defense (assuming one big enough so that you don't have to punch block everything)


Second, sure those guys won fights from their knees. Heck, I can almost never beat Mattias after I leg him, let alone Jade or Uther. (Radnor I have never fought when he used a shield).

You didn't even mention Havoc, who beat a Western Duke in finals of crown using only a tortilla chip (and no thrusting tip)

But that doesn't mean fighting with a bunny round isn't a disadvantage - it just means that it's a handicap that can be overcome with greatness.

But skill wise - I think the the difference in Connor and Alden is not as apparent as it was in finals of this crown - I think it's a huge difference that one Duke has to actively block his leg, or keep his sword blocking, and the other doesn't.

Other possibilities:
* Alden is just better, or better trained up for this particular crown.
* Alden is just a particularly bad match for Connor; vs. 3rd parties they are more or less equal or Connor is superior.


- Sigifrith

M.A. Cramer/Valgard said...

Reply to Ben:

Say I'm old fashioned, say I'm over the hill.... When I think of Bunny rounds I think primarily of Jade and Radnor, because they both won most of their crowns using bunny rounds. With Radnor it was all but two, (which I think makes six of eight, counting the one he abdicated), and with Jade it is more than ten. So they are tied to the bunny round in my mind, even though neither of them fight with it any more (I'm well aware of the extra leg defense offered by the delf). I think the length will always be the longest distance on a kite, so it's 36" I don't know the surface area difference between a 36" heater and a 38" kite, but I don't think it's much different--probably a touch more on the heater. And I would never say that the bunny round offers an advantage over a longer shield like a heater or a kite. That is an old West Kingdom hound dog that just won't hunt no more. I do think that using a bunny round creates a better fighter, but that is not saying the same thing.

And if I didn't think there was value in a kite I wouldn't be planning to switch to one.

Hauoc is a mutant. He should not be discussed in these sorts of conversations. ;-)