Well not really, but I would be proud to if I were cool enough to play this off-the-charts sport that combines the best elements of soccer, Brazilian footvolley and Kung-Fu wrapped up into an incredible spectacle of gravity-defying athleticism and badassery, that, outrageously, I had remained ignorant of until a missive arrived last night from one of the Collective’s key agents in the field, the distinctively gaited and oft-booted Junho.
Turns out our hero Junho had stumbled upon this 500-year old game while studying Muay Thai on Ko Tao Island. Forget explaining the simple rules here – the pictures and videos speak for themselves. The King’s Cup World Championship is the preeminent competition in the sport, with Thailand being the reigning champs. The main rivalry in the game is between Malaysia and the Thais, and definitely check out the tension and trash-talking in the match between the two sides in the second video below. Apparently the players’ badassitude leaves no room for provincial Western concepts of sportsmanship, adding a wonderful professional wrestling vibe to the ambience. Find out more about Sepak Takraw by checking out sanabung.com and takraw.asia, and enjoy the videos below. Get into it!
saudade brothers 