A Duncan company of 25 knights will lead team Canada into the International Medieval Combat Federation world championships held in Teotihuacan, Mexico from May 2 to 5.

Both men and women from Cowichan Valley with Medieval Combat Canada suit up in shining armour to compete.

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含羞草研究社淲e have one of the largest teams in Canada at 25 fully suited knights,含羞草研究社� said Duncan含羞草研究社檚 Company of the Blue Dragon team captain Lucas Mendes. 含羞草研究社淥ur fighters are all over the island from Victoria to Qualicum Beach, and we meet every Saturday for practice in Duncan. Thirteen of the 29 Canadian fighters who will be competing in Mexico are from the Blue Dragons, as well as four support staff and marshals who are from the island as well.含羞草研究社�

Historical Medieval Battles, or Buhurt, is a modern full-contact fighting sport with blunt steel weapons characteristic of the Middle Ages. Jose Amoedo brought Buhurt to Western Canada when he first moved to the Yukon from Spain. Medieval Combat Canada was then formed around 2014 by Land Pearson of the Company of the White Wolf based out of the Yukon Territory. This fuelled Mendes含羞草研究社檚 fire which led to him starting up Company of the Blue Dragon in 2017.

含羞草研究社淚 had been following the sport since 2014, and knew it was something I had to do, but there were no teams in B.C., so after a couple years of fighting at our local LARP [live action role play], I decided to finally start my own team,含羞草研究社� said Mendes. 含羞草研究社淚t took a long time to get off the ground but now seven years later we have one of, if not the largest team in Canada. We wanted to be part of a bigger community and it opened the door to competing at the world championships. We have been a part of Medieval Combat Canada since 2018.含羞草研究社�

This year will see the most fighters from Canada compete since the country first attended the world championships in 2014. The Company of the Blue Dragon sent 10 of their fighters to the world championships in Spain last year and for the first time will also be sending two ladies to compete in Mexico this year.

含羞草研究社淟ast year we competed at the world championships in Spain and had the largest team to date of 18 fighters and four support staff,含羞草研究社� said Mendes. 含羞草研究社淚 won the bronze medal in the Lightweight Professional Bouts. It is the only medal Canada has ever won at the IMCF World Championships. It was a huge morale boost for the team. That trip was tough, the airlines lost 23 bags of our armour flying into Spain, and we still didn含羞草研究社檛 have them all back when the tournament started. We fought without shields, and had to borrow what we could from other countries and share gear between fighters just to get them in the list. It was four days of 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and it was rough. So bringing back Canada含羞草研究社檚 first medal really made all that hard work, and stress worth it.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淭his year we have 29 fighters, and 10 support staff. It含羞草研究社檚 the first time in history that Canada will field a full 16 versus 16 team at the IMCF World Championships. My favourite part about being the captain is getting to be a part of everyone含羞草研究社檚 growth. Most people show up never having swung a sword before, and we turn them into warriors. It含羞草研究社檚 very gratifying seeing how far everyone含羞草研究社檚 come.含羞草研究社�

This unique sport comes with multiple categories that include duels, professional bouts and melees. Duels consist of sword and shield, long sword, sword and buckler, and polearms and is judged on a points based system where a clean unobstructed blow to one含羞草研究社檚 opponent with a weapon is granted a point. Matches are a minute in length, the one with the most points wins, and they are judged by best two out of three.

Professional bouts, which are also judged on point based system, go for two minutes per round and are more intense as punches, kicks, knees, and take-downs also count for points. Melees are group fights that range anywhere from three versus three, to 150 versus 150.

含羞草研究社淭he goal is to get your opponent on the ground in whatever way possible, through different martial arts throws and take-downs to pain compliance,含羞草研究社� said Mendes. 含羞草研究社淥nce a third point of contact has hit the ground that fighter is out, and it goes until the last man standing.含羞草研究社�

Mendes admits while there is a lot of excitement brewing, it含羞草研究社檚 also very stressful.

含羞草研究社淚 am the Captain for Team Canada again this year so there含羞草研究社檚 a lot of responsibilities on top of making sure I含羞草研究社檓 as ready as I can be to compete in my categories,含羞草研究社� said Mendes. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 really looking forward to another shot at the gold in the light-weight professional bouts. There含羞草研究社檚 going to be some tough competition but hopefully my training will be enough to take me to the top. Just getting to be a part of the tournament is such an incredible experience, and being around so many people who have the same passion for the sport as we do.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淲e learned a lot from the championships in Spain last year,含羞草研究社� said Mendes. 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e grateful to have another shot to expand on that down in Mexico. Our goal is to bring back at least five medals this year. The floodgates are open and Canada is ready. We have a phenomenal team this year and I have high hopes for everyone. I can含羞草研究社檛 wait to see how everyone does.含羞草研究社�