Versione italiana: EIC - Interviste
The months of October and November have been hot months for the European iaido for years now: in fact, it is between these months that the European Iaido Championships (EIC) take place, where in addition to taikai, both individual and team, also the seminar with the ZNKR delegation, the refereeing seminar with the aforementioned delegation and the exams from I to VII Dan take place as well. Whether you participate as a competitor, referee or examiner, the EICs represent an important event in the agendas of European iaidoka, for which we often prepare for several months ahead.
Personally, since I started practicing iaido, EIC has always played an important role for me: during the early days they were a way to finally find fresh material on YouTube 😛 then the goal of being selected to take part in the Italian team became a further stimulus to train more and better; finally, having been lucky enough to be selected twice, the desire not to disappoint the senseis and to express my iaido in the best possible way pushed me once again to commit myself a lot in the dojo.
Unlike how it normally should happen, when in these days many of us would be united by feelings of expectation for the upcoming event, today unfortunately we are united by the regret of not being able to practice together.
It is for this reason that we decided to do some mini-interviews with those who have experienced the EICs, and are experiencing them, as a protagonist! Divided into 3 groups, referees, historical champions and modern champions, they answered some questions making us retrace the history of the EIC through their experiences 🙂
Attending such an event arouses a whirlwind of emotions, but what I have felt most and constantly, especially on the way back from the EICs, is gratitude. I feel the same gratitude today towards the European senseis and friends who have found the time to answer some questions with the aim of making us feel, at least in part, a little less sadness for the cancellation of the EIC 2020 and at the same time remember us all how beautiful and important it is to practice together, hoping to be able to do it again as soon as possible 🙂
click below to read the interviews
