Reaching Dreams, One Yogi at a Time

7th International Yoga Asana Championship Bishnu Ghosh Yoga Cup Winners

Leaving Los Angeles, headed back to Dallas. What a wonderful, inspirational weekend full of amazing yogis. I feel so blessed to be able to be a part of such a great group of people. I learn more everyday through yoga how to improve myself in my mind and body. It is a beautiful thing to find something so simple, yoga, that helps uncover my inner strength, determination and tenacity. I may never make it to the stage of the International Yoga Championships as a Yoga Champion but seeing the Champions and hearing their stories inspires me to be a champion in my own life.

I am so proud of all the competitors, they all did a wonderful job. I have a small glimpse of the stress and nervousness that accompanies competitions like this from my own experience as a yogi competitor in the Texas Regional Championships and have great admiration for anyone that gets up and performs yoga in front of hundreds of people. It is a nerve racking experience and you never know what your body will do on stage. A pose or routine done perfectly 100 times can become a persons greatest challenge on the stage. But when you nail it and give it your 100% effort, it is wonderful, regardless of the scores.

So CONGRATULATIONS to all the Competitors and the Winners of the International Yoga Asana Championships

From 2010 International Yoga Asana Bishnu Ghosh Yoga Cup Championships

Men's International Winners
First Place: Kasper Van Den Wijnaard (Netherlands)
Second Place: Joseph Encinia (USA)
Third Place: Bel Carpenter (USA)

From 2010 International Yoga Asana Bishnu Ghosh Yoga Cup Championships

Women's International Winners
First Place: BrandyWinfield (USA)
Second Place: Chaukei Stefanie Ngai (China)
Third Place: Gloria Suen (Singapore)

Young Men's International Winners
First Place: Griffin Peddicord (USA - Maryland)
Second Place: Kehonu Sturm (USA - Nevada)
Third Place: Satyajeet Salvi (USA - Illinois)

Young Women's International Winners
First Place: Mei Ling Lu (Singapore)
Second Place: Stacey Boulaev (USA - California)
Third Place: Katherine Marshall-Kramer (USA - Kansas)


Here are the photos I took of the event
USA  Yoga Championships
International Semi Finals
International Yoga Asana Bishnu Ghosh Yoga Cup Championships

Best of the Best, USA Yoga Championship Winners

From 2010 USA/InternationalYogaCompetition (by Eye-Fi)

Yesterday's championship competition was an amazing sight of yoga talent. It was a culmination of the winners of all the regional yoga competitions throughout the United States coming together to challenge themselves and demonstrate their practice to hundreds of viewers.

Yoga Competitions can be debated by many over whether "competition" is even something yoga is suppose to encouraged or if it should be "part" of true yoga. Either way, you can't deny the spectacle that is a yoga competition is awesome and fascinating to watch.

I feel so lucky to have been able to attend and watch beautiful yogis of all sizes and shapes come together to share their hard work and dedication to yoga. It was wonderful cheering people on I never had met and throwing them good thoughts when I saw them wobble or shake.

The Championships have a specific format which includes 5 cumpulsory postures and 2 postures (asanas) of the competitors choice.

1. Standing Head to Knee Pose
2. Standing Bow Pose
3. Bow Pose
4. Rabbit Pose
5. Stretching Pose
6. Additional Pose
7. Additional Pose

The Winners of the USA Competition:

Men's USA Champions

First Place: Joesph Encinia
Second Place: Bel Carpenter
Third Place: Jeff Rangel

Women's USA Champions

First Place:Brandy Winfield
Second Place: Ann Marie Paul
Third Place: Afton Carraway

USA Yogis Show Off Skills at 2010 USA Yoga Championships

From 2010 USA/InternationalYogaCompetition (by Eye-Fi)

At the 2010 USA and International Yoga Competition, in Los Angeles. The USA Men's division is almost done, everyone has done an amazing job! These are truly some of the best of the best yogis! Dallas' beloved Joseph Encinia is in first place! YEA!

You can watch the live video feed of the entire competition here.