Lance Hoffman

Tournament at Belmonte Lance Hoffman

This is a record of real events. Written in the style of a medieval epic, this poem documents the modern sport of full-contact armored combat. In the year 2014, athletes from around the world traveled to Belmonte, Spain to represent their countries at the first world championship tournament of the International Medieval Combat Federation. Armed and armored in the manner of their ancestors, brave knights fought and bled for four days to be crowned with champion's gold in the 15th century Gothic castle of Belmonte, breathing fresh life into an ancient sport before a cheering crowd, thousands strong. Within is the story of that grand tournament.