On the first day of the competition Francis performed a powerful and sharp Heian Sandan to beat his opponent and move into the second round. Here his performance of Jion was also strong and spirited, but in a split decision the flags went against him. In kumite he came up against Lithuania. Francis dominated the area and scored early with a well timed jodan punch. Unfortunately his opponent equalised and it went to enchusen - a ‘sudden death’ extension lasting up to 1 minute, where the first to score wins. Neither side, however, succeeded and at the end of time the decision went the other way.

The second day Francis performed kata Tekki shodan, where he demonstrated excellent use of kibadachi but did not progress to the next round. In the kumite Francis met a competitor from the Czech Republic. Another gutsy performance but the long reaching techniques of his opponent reached target and he went out to the Czech.

Francis was not alone at ESKA. He was supported by his father, Matthew, who also trains in the club, as well as his mother and sister. Senseis Richard and Tegwen also played key roles. Richard is President of ESKA and runs the competion along with members of the ESKA Executive Committee, as well as being a referee and area manager. Tegwen is a member of the ESKA Medical commission, coordinating the first aid and ensuring the local medical team operates well within the competition set up.