A big Congratulations to our team that traveled to Long Beach California for the 2008 World Championships. Special thanks to Michael Wilson who could not compete due to a broken hand the week before but still traveled to support the team. Congratulations to our medal winers:

Tom Kazcmarek - Gold

Mikhail Georgi - Silver

Coby de Been - Bronze

Well done to our whole team for once again proving to the Australian Jiu Jitsu community that we remainl the team to beat!

The 2008 Victorian Championship was the 14th Victorian State Title in a row for our great team.

With record registrations making our team the second largest entered, we romped home, more than doubling the points of the second placed teams in both the Junior and Male categories.

There were many very special individual performances. Michael Wilson, Dan Cherubin (welcome back to competition after a 7 year absence), Tom kaczmarek to name just three.

You all make me very proud to be the leader of such a very fine family.

Pete 

Anyone interested in competing in the 2008 World Championships in Los Angeles in Early June should contact Pete ASAP.

Join the de Been team in its first International competition for 2008.

Congratulations to Carlos Gracie Jr. on the birth of his healthy new son Kayan.

Well done Carlinhos.

It is with great sadness that we must farewell Ryan Gracie. Ryan was an early day training partner with Pete and brother to Renzo and Ralph.

We wish The families of Robson, Renzo (Christina) and Ralph our deepest sympathies at this time. 

Unbelievable effort guys!

Against the strongest competition in the Pacific region we came out on top again. There are too many names to mention but iit was a great team effort. Especially seeing we did not have a single competitor in the Black Belt division!

Fantastic guys - now we can rest a little before we take on 2008!

Congratulations to all our fighters who fought fantastic at the 2007 Champs Cup. There were too many names to list all but one great effort came from Matt Cookson who had 12 fights!

Very proud as usual guys!

Pete

The World Masters held in the first week of July in Tijuca Brasil provided more great results.

Rhys Dykes won Silver in the Master Blue Belt 73-79kg

Chris Derksen won Gold in the Senior 1 Brown Belt 55-61kg

Dave Nicholl won Gold in the Senior 3 Blue Belt 85-91kg

Marcus Encel won Bronze in the Senior 2 Blue Belt 67-73kg

Great effort guys, you are all great repesentatives our team. 

Three Fighters ventured to Brasil to fight in the Prestigious Rio Estadual Championship. The event was held in Olaria, an outer suburb in Rio de Janeiro. The neighbourhood was not unlike a "Mad Max " scene so big congratulations to those who ventured there.

Max de Been won Bronze in the 11 year old boys category

Dave Nicholl won Gold in the Blue Belt Senior 3 category

Michael Wilson won Bronze in the Brown Belt 97+kg and Silver in the Brown Belt Open Weight.

Well done guys! 

Over the next few months we have quite a few students traveling around the World for Competitions.

Max and Pete are going to tackle the Rio Estadual. Max is pretty keen to put it to a few Brasilian boys!

Michael Wilson will also be competing in the Rio Estadual along with Dave Nicholl. Dave will also compete in the World Masters along with Rhys Dykes, Marcus Encel and Chris Derksen.

Angus Friend and Matt Kerr will go in the other direction to the U.S. to compete in the Mundial.

Good luck to everyone and thanks for taking on the extra work to make our team even stronger!