Andrew Mackenzie has won the SCA's Baronial tournament in Hawaii. The tournament is a miniature version of the SCA's "Crown" tourney, where the victor reigns for a year as Baron alongside his chosen Baroness, an opportunity to lead by example and show how things might be done. The SCA's form, using batons, is similar to the behourd of the 14th century, where combatants used ash or whalebone weapons. The finals were "best of five," and the first bout was with two-sword--his opponent's favored form but utterly alien to Andrew. Still, he won that fight and went on to win the next two, sword and shield and polearm. While the SCA's social environment is often denigrated by many within the HEMA community, it has thrived for more than fifty years and continues to be one of the best places to exercise one's self in armoured combat, albeit with batons rather than the "mezzamente" or "helmschwert" forms in HEMA vogue.
It was Dr. Price's last day on the island, and he reports that he wishes he'd had armour. The Kind of Caid brought his own kit and had an unusually well integrated thrust worked into his sword and shield work.
congratulations, Andrew!