St Andrews Kangeiko 2005

On the 3rd January - a cold and windy afternoon - kendoka from Edinburgh, St Andrews and Glasgow met on the beach for the first St Andrews kangeiko - a perfect way to start the New Year, test our spirit, and affirm our commitment for the year ahead. Steve Bishop led the practise, the main objective being to maintain good spirit and energy to fend off the cold.

As this kangeiko was only organised between Michael, Stewart and me over the past 3 weeks, it was really exciting to see so many people training on the beach (17 in total). I shouldn't have been surprised, though, that word of a kangeiko would bring the nutters out to play... Big thanks to Don and Nat, who made the trip over from Glasgow. Thanks also to our band of committed beginners in St Andrews, who turned up uncertain what they were in for, but were well wrapped up in long-johns (Harry), and ski-ing gear (Lewis)! Thanks Lewis, for the oranges, and thanks Ron for taking some photos and still firing out suburi in the sea with the rest of us.

Edinburgh club was well represented, and also well wrapped up. We weren't sure why Bruce was rustling until we realised he was wearing a scaffy sack under his keikogi! Kendo teaches us sense as well as spirit.... Hugh's kids were there because they wanted to be, and kept warm by digging sand-castles. Dave's family (we suspect) were there because Dave promised them a grand day out in St Andrews and mentioned nothing about kendo! Snap, Andy and Matt made up the ranks of Edinburgh nutters, and Michael and Stewart were there wearing their St Andrews zekken for the first time.

Is it possible to pick out highlights? Steve fighting with Michael and trying to force Michael backwards down the beach towards the sea; Nat and Don leading the charge - in jodan and with full kiai - towards the sea when they realised that kendo might be more fun when you're wet as well as cold; suburi in the waves for me and the St Andrews beginners with our feet sinking in the sand.

I'm delighted for the new St Andrews kendo club - this event was a blast. If you take a close look at the photos you'll see that the faces are blue (during) and pink (afterwards in the pub), but all of them are smiling. So Stewart was right - a new St Andrews tradition is born.

Lyndsey Bishop sensei