PANEL OF JUDGES
Panel of Judges
The panel of judges at the World Open Martial Arts Championship is selected based upon the standard and criteria set forth by the World Fighting Martial Arts Federation (WFMAF). Factors considered in this selection process for joining our panel of judges include the skill level and reputation of the masters, their judging experience at national and international level competitions, and other relevant qualifications. To learn more about our panel of judges, click on their names to read about their credentials if it is available. For masters and instructors who are interested becoming a judge at the US Open Martial Arts Championship, please submit your credentials for consideration using our online Judge Application form. To show appreciation to our panel of judges and staff members for their active support and involvement to the US Open Martial Arts Championship, the organizing committee will host a meeting and banquet after the competition to celebrate and to thank everyone for their contribution.
| 2023 World Open Martial Arts Championship - Judges | |
| Chief Judge | |
 Master Narcyz Latecki | Narcyz Latecki (雷鐵客 Lei Tieke), voted as one of the Top One Hundred Extraordinary Martial Artists of the World and Prominent Wushu Coach, is also co-chairman of the International Wushu Sanshou Dao Association (IWSD), from which he holds eight level black belt (黑带八段 Ba Duan) and a Honorary Master Level. |
| Vice Chief Judges | |
 Professor John Hatfield | Professor John Hatfield bowed into his first dojo in 1973. He was a student of Sensei Fredericks for a short time before transferring to the "United Studios of Self Defense" in Brockton, MA. It was there that he met GM Gallagher and started a lifetime student/teacher relationship. Professor Hatfield has been a student of Chinese Kempo for over four decades, and has trained under GM Gallagher. In the past Professor Hatfield was an active boxing and kickboxing competitor. He is recognized as an 9th degree black belt in Chinese Kempo. |
 Sifu Mai Du | Sifu Mai Du is an 8th generation practitioner of Tam Tui Norther Praying Mantis Kungfu. She has been practicing kung fu and tai chi for 35 years and teaching for more than 25 years under the instruction and guidance of Sifu Bob Rosen, Chief Instructor of the Wah Lum New England Headquarters in Boston and Grandmaster Chan Pui, founder of the Wah Lum System in the United States. |
| Judges | |
 Master Chunling Li | Master Chunling Li is the proud heir of Baguazhang intangible cultural heritage of Master Zhijun Sun, the fifth generation disciple. She is 6th Dan Chinese martial arts practitioner and international referee. From 2012 to 2019, she was both the founder and head coach of the Singapore Baguazhang Academy. |
 Master Rick Wong | Sifu Rick Wong has studied traditional kung fu and contemporary wushu for more than 30 years in both the United States and China. He founded the Chinese Martial Arts Center in 1992, and has also taught at Boston University (1987– 1989) and was Harvard University’s first wushu instructor (2003-2010). He was a gold medalist at numerous national and international competitions, and coached multiple USAWKF and ICMAC tournaments champions. |
 Sensei Brian Becquart | Mr. Becquart started his martial journey at the age of eight until he went to college. He returned to Chinese Kempo as an adult and stated, "I have enjoyed every moment in the dojo." Sensei Brian studied under Fred Shane until his unfortunate departure and then started a relationship with Professor Hatfield. Sensei Brian is recognized as a 5th degree and is a marvelous teacher and leader. |
 Sensei Alexa Becquart | Ms. Becquart has been a student of Chinese Kempo for almost 15 years. She first started her studies in Stoughton under Sensei Fred Shane. Sensei Becquart has been promoted to 3rd degree Blackbelt and started as an instructor in Bridgewater Martial Arts in 2017. |
 Sifu Eric Caldeira | |
 Sifu Eric Cruz | Sifu Eric Cruz started training in 1969 in a variety of programs whatever was available in 1981 started Kungfu and never looked back. |
 Sifu Rob Elkind | Rob Elkind started studying under the late Grandmaster Kwong Tit Fu, and then with Master Calvin Chin when he opened CCMAA. Rob assists by helping teach Kung Fu and Tai Chi classes at CCMAA |
 Sifu Paul Ho | Sifu Paul Ho from has been training in Hung Gar for the past 20 years at Calvin Chin's Martial Arts Academy. |
 Lao Shi Joseph Laracuenta III | Lao Shi Joseph began studying Tai Chi in 1986 under Grandmaster David Lin, eventually becoming the head teacher of Grandmaster Lin’s school. To deepen his understanding of the health benefits of Qi Gong, he attended the World Medical Qi Gong Conference in Beijing, China. He is now an instructor emeritus of the New York Health and Racquet Club, where he taught for many years, and he is an adjunct faculty member of the NYU Graduate Center in Manhattan. |
 Sifu Timothy LaVallee | Sifu LaVallee started his martial arts training as a teen and has decades of experience. He has been a disciple of Grandmaster Woo for more than 10 years and is an inheritor of his 5 Elements Tai Chi System. |
 Lao Shi Mark Opalenik | Lao Shi Marcus Opalenik's school is Yi Zong New England. He has been studying Xing Yi Chuan, Bagua Zhang, and Tai Chi Chuan for 25 years and am competent to judge in these areas. 22 of those years have been under his Teacher of YI Zong Lineage Luo De Xiu. |
 Sifu Bob Rosen | Sifu Bob Rosen has been instructing in the Martial Arts since 1972 and is the Chief Instructor of the Wah Lum Kung Fu Athletic Association, established in 1984. He is the first non-Asian instructor to operate a school in Boston’s Chinatown, and he has been a 7th generation student of Grandmaster Chan since 1976. He has coached many students who have been successful in fighting, forms, and weapons at local, national and international events. In 2013 Sifu Rosen was inducted into the Kuo Shu Hall of Fame for his dedication to the Chinese Martial Arts. |
 Sifu Karim-Ben Saunders | Sifu Karim-Ben Saunders is a member of the International Wushu Sanshou Dao Association (IWSD), from which he holds a 3rd level black belt. He is Certified International Tai Chi Chuan Judge and currently training with Master Narcyz Latecki at Chinese Martial Arts, a division of Athletic Balance. |
 Sifu Lee Smith | Sifu Lee Smith has years of experience in Chinese martial arts include Nanquan and Shaolin Kung Fu. |
 Sifu James Sturnfield | Sifu James Sturnfield has studied martial arts for almost 40 years. He spent 12 years studying with Grandmaster Zhang Luping learning Yang Style Taiji Quan, Tan Tui, Sun Style Taiji Quan, and Chen Style Taiji Quan. He studied the Wú Style Taiji Quan system of Grandmaster Wang Peisheng from Master Zhang Yun for 20 years. Besides the Wú style forms and weapons, this training includes Bagua Zhang and Xingyi Quan. He also studied a combination of Jujitsu, Eskrima, and Jeet Kune Do with Graciela Casillas (in 1979, she held both Kickboxing and boxing world titles). He teaches with the Yin Cheng Gong Fa school of Pittsburgh. |
 Sifu Amy Tran | Sifu Tran is an 8th generation practitioner of the Wah Lum Tam Tui Norther Praying Mantis Kungfu. She has been practicing kung fu for more than 20 years, and teaching for over 15 years under the instruction and guidance of Sifu Bob Rosen, Chief Instructor of the Wah Lum New England Headquarters and Sifu Mai, Chief Instructor of the Wah Lum Kung Fu and Tai Chi Academy Malden-Quincy. She has competed in multiple national and international tournaments, and won the grand championship in Hong Kong 2010 and gold medals at the USKSF World Koushu Tournament in Argentina in 2015. |
 Sifu Nick Vancisin | Sifu Nick Vancisin started training at USA Kung Fu Academy in 1999. |
 Sifu Dana Wong | Sifu Dana Wong started training in USA Kung Fu Academy in 1994 also had a school in Falmouth Massachusetts. |
 Sifu Xueyuan Yangchen | Sifu Xueyan Yangchen holds a Bachelor of Education degree from the esteemed Beijing Sports University. She was a martial arts coach at the prestigious Wufang Singapore before deciding to further her learning and pursue a Masters in Sports Finance in the US. She has refereed various Wushu competitions such as the American Golden State International Wushu Championships and the American Los Angeles International Wushu Competition. |
 Laura Le | Laura Le started learning Northern Praying Mantis Kung fu at the Wah Lum School of Boston in 2003 under Sifu Bob Rosen. In 2009 she continued to learn and practice kung fu and Tai Chi under her older kung fu sister Sifu Mai Du at the Wah Lum and Tai Chi Academy. She has been practicing martial arts for 20 years and teaching youth and adult students for 13 years. |
 Andrea So | Andrea has studied martial arts for over 20 years. She is 9th generation of Wah Lum Tam Tui Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu Style, and studies under Sifu Mai Du, and has competed locally, nationally, and internationally. She has won numerous Competitor of the Year Awards as an External Arts competitor at the United States Kuo Shu Federation Tournament and numerous Grand Championships at the International Chinese Martial Arts Championship. |
 Sifu Charles Payne | Sifu Charles Payne started his training in Wah Lum Kung Fu in 1976 at the Wah Lum Academy in Boston under Grandmaster Chan Pui. He has participated in tournaments and trained at various locations in China and the US and at the Wah Lum Temple in Orlando, FL. Sifu Payne became a certified 7th generation Wah Lum instructor in 1996 and continues to practice and teach to the present day at the Association in Boston’s Chinatown and New Hampshire. Sifu Payne is a senior member and coach of the performance and lion dance teams. He participated as a competitor and judge (ICMAC) at local and national events. |
 Sifu Mary Driscoll | Sifu Mary Driscoll is the head of the Wah Lum Kung Fu school in Methuen Massachusetts. She has been training with Sifu Michael Johnson and Simu Peta Hackel for over 25 years. Grandmaster Chan first certified her as a Wah Lum Sifu in 2005. She founded Wah Lum Wellness 12 years ago where she enjoys teaching kung fu and tai chi to students of all ages. She has accompanied Wah Lum leadership on multiple trips across China, learning about our cultural heritage, and training at the Shaolin Temple. Sifu Driscoll has been a judge for the ICMAC and Kuo Shu Federation tournaments. |
 Sifu Pete Kreitchet | Sifu Pete Kreichet has been involved with the martial arts since 1983. He joined the Wah Lum Kung Fu Athletic Association in 1996, was certified as an Instructor in 2005, and teaches in Boston's Chinatown. Pete is a senior member of the school's performance team and assists in coaching the competition team. He has competed and performed on both the national and international level, and is also a founding member and the current coach of Boston University's Kung Fu Club. He has been judging at local and international tournaments (ICMAC and US Kuo Shu) events for many years. |
 Sifu Brain Doherty | Sifu Brian Doherty has been training under Narcyz Latecki for 15 years in Kung Fu and Tai Chi. Prior training in Wah Lum Kung Fu and Kenpo karate. He has been practicing martial arts since 1981. |
 Master Ron Statler | Master Ron Statler has trained for over 40 years in traditional Kung Fu and intensively in the internal arts of Fu Style BaGuaZhang, Chen TaiJiQuan, and Xing Yi. He was a member of the 1st USA National ShuaiJiao team that won 1st place in Paris, France in 1991, and is the founder of the Chinese Wushu Research Institute of NY & CT. |
 Master Stanley Jue | In 1974, Master Stanley Jue started Okinawan Go-Ju-Ryu Karate with Sensei Anthony Mirakian 6th Degree Black Belt (Founder of Go-Ju-Ryu in America). Stan studied here for seven years, earning his 2nd degree Black Belt. In 1975, he began to study Chinese Kung Fu, Hung Gar Fu Hock Pai {Tiger and Crane Style} under the guidance of Grandmaster Kwong Tit Fu (Founder of Hung Gar Fu Hook Pai Tai Hay Morn in America). Stanley became Senior 3rd class in 1989. In 1977, he commenced a pursuit in Wing Chun Kung Fu {Dr Leung Jan Gu Lao Wing Chun Turning Style} under the guidance of Master Henry Mui (Founder of the Pien San Wing Chun In America). Stan thus became a disciple in 1984 becoming the 6th generation of the Dr Leung Jan Gu Lao Turning Style. |
 Master Zihua Li | Master George Li has won first place on full contact fighting, Xing Yi Quan, Shao Lin Quan, Ba Gua on past World Opon Martial Arts Championships. He also won first place on Sabor, short Weapon Sparrin at International Chinese Martial arts Compititions in Washington DC. He has a fourth duan black belt from the World Fighting Martial Arts Federation. |
 Instructor Michael Pravia | Instructor Michael Pravia holds an Intermediate ranking in Pai Lum, a first-degree black belt in Ishin Ryu, and a second-degree black belt in Chinese Kempo. |
 Sensei Todd Hamlet | Sensei Hamlet proudly holds a prestigious third-degree black belt in Chinese Kempo and demonstrates proficiency as an intermediate practitioner of Southern Praying Mantis. |
 Gregg Gotti | Sifu Greg Gotti has embarked on his martial arts journey in 2003. He is one of the head instructors at the USA Kung Fu Academy. |
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