Rob Chan, who recently qualified to receive the number one spot in Lightspeed Saber, has finally done it, and after years of domination by Tony Zaldua Jr, is the new #1 Starbat on the continent.

This all required a certain confluence of factors. First, Chan needed to get himself into the ‘A’ game to begin with, which occurred with the fateful Swords n Sabers II tournament in Irvine, California on October 10. Chan— then a B— showed up and cleaned up (Zaldua included) earning the league’s second ‘A’ of all time. It was this event that put him in the running.

Next, it would all depend on Zaldua and his myriad of opponents at the championships, the key adversaries being Ally Fournier from Klamath Falls, Oregon, and Hikaru Hayakawa, wolf officer at Lone Wolf Base in Escondido, California. Fournier performed remarkably well for someone who’d fought in every division that day, and seemed to have worn the champ down. Then it was Hayakawa who finished him off in an incredibly tight battle, knocking him away from the finals and removing the new year’s ‘A’ out of Zaldua’s grasp, and paving the way for Chan.

While Chan did not directly compete to earn the position, his placement is no mere fluke. Chan outclasses many in the league in terms of speed, agility, and endurance. Natively a dancer, he is an expert at changing rhythms, picking up rhythms, and staying on his toes. These traits, combined with off angle attacks, lateral footwork, and blade unorthodoxy, make him a deadly opponent for anyone.

What is in store for the new league #1? It’s hard to say, but the road is surely fraught with perils. There are sharks in the water, and they are named Hayakawa, Perez, Ortiz-Miranda, and yes, Tony Zaldua. Zaldua is well known for his long haul comebacks. And while it may not have served him this time, for Tony, if it’s the long game, it’s only a matter of time.

Cang Snow
Chief Executive Officer