Two sets of Bermuda martial artists have embarked on international events with fighters from both Sanshou and kick-boxing taking on the best in the world.

The team representing Bermuda in Sanshou at the 10th World Wushu Championships includes Talia Iris, Sentwali Woolridge, Garon Wilkinson, Khalid Pitcher, Shannon Ford, Reyel Bowen, and Jermal Woolridge.

Coach Damion Wilson corner Jason Dill and manager Oscar Lightbourne will also travel.

The Bermuda national Sanshou team took part in their very first world championship tournament at the 9th World Wushu Championships held in Beijing, China two years ago. At that tournament, four athletes represented Bermuda with Woolridge placing fifth in the male heavyweight division.

The venue for the championships is Ricoh Coliseum. The weigh-in and opening ceremonies will take place on October 24 with the competition commencing the following day.

The second group of martial artists will compete at the World Association of Kickboxing Organisations (WAKO) World Championships to be held in Villach, Austria.

Skipper Ingham, founder of Bermuda Karate Institute (BKI), along with senior student Gladwin Phillips, WKO karate champion in 1994, left Bermuda last week with two athletes competing from Bermuda Kickboxing Organisation in the K1 section of World Champoinships.

The competition runs from October 19 to 26 with Ray Sillar, who teaches Muay Thai at BKI and student Darren Lee fighting in different weight categories. The tournament is a qualifier for a new event called the Martial World Games to be held in Beijing in 2010.