Princes Town stickfighter wins King of the Rock crown

A new King of the Rock emerged at the finals of the National Carnival Commission (NCC) Stickfighting Competition at Skinner Park, San Fernando on February 26.

Anthony Marcano of the Princes Town gayelle was declared NCC’s King of the Rock 2025, dethroning his cousin O'Niel Odle, to do so for the $30,000 purse.

For dethroned king, Odle, it was a pleasure to be ousted by a great fighter like Marcano.

With a smile on his face, after lifting Marcano and raising his bois (stick) in the air as though he was the victor, second place Odle reluctantly acknowledged he held back when he faced off with Marcano.

“It is because of him, I am a fighter in this game,” he told Newsday after receiving his prize of $20,000 and the Lost Tribe award of $10,000 for being the most consistent fighter for the season.

“I used to tote (carry) his stick. It is with honour and gratitude to bow out to him. It was my honour to be dethroned by him. The pleasure is all mine.”

Champion Marcano, trying to secure his crown on his head of dreadlocks, after it was placed there by Keiba Jacob Mottley, NCC’s CEO, said the victory, “feels good."

“I won it three times before, although I can’t remember the years I did so.”

Echoing what Odle said, Marcano acknowledged, “O'Niel is my first cousin. I trained him. I wanted to test him to see how good he is,” he laughed.

In attendance were Energy Minister and prime minister-designate Stuart Young, San Fernando mayor Robert Parris and NCC chairman Winston “Gypsy” Peters.

The trio distributed trophies and awards to past fighters for their dedication to the tradition. Brown envelopes containing cash were also given to “Babes in the Kalinda,” after they gave a demonstration with their sticks, sharing blows with their parents and even engaged Young and Gypsy.

Calypsonian Mistah Shak also entertained the crowd as did black-oil-painted fire breathing devils.

As expected it was a night when blood flowed, laden with tension among the fighters with sections of the crowd calling for the disqualification of third-place winner Selwyn John, who caused his opponent Ronald Lewis to leave the gayelle on a stretcher, and Lewis’s brother Odle, exacting revenge in the ring when he faced off with John.

Referees had to break up a fight between Keeran Ramsawack and Keston Mc Intosh during the loser’s bout or "bligh competition" for bragging rights between fighters who failed to make it to the finals.

Mc Intosh pelted a bois at Ramsawack when he was already down. Referees intervened but Ramsawack kept charging to get revenge while Mc Intosh danced to the drums and the sound of the chantuelle, ignoring his rant.

The music was eventually stopped and Ramsawack, led out of the gayelle, slipped, grabbed a nearby bois and tried to climb back into the ring. He was eventually overpowered and led away.

Tensions increased during the third preliminary bouts among the six finalists to choose three, to come up against the defending champion.

In this playoff, twice John lifted Lewis and threw him to the floor. On the second occasion, Lewis remained grounded, unable to get up as he writhed in pain, holding his back. Emergency medical technicians were called to his aid and after a brief examination, he was lifted in a stretcher and taken to the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH).

The incident provoked the audience, especially those from the same gayelle with Lewis, Odle and Marcano, to loudly call for John’s disqualification.

“This is not a wrestling match,” a very vocal female member of the audience told Newsday.

“This is stick. You don’t lift up a man and bodily slam him. You take a stick, and you play bois. For years they fighting them nasty, but the crown going home with we tonight.”

Odle said his brother suffered spinal injuries but on February 27, he confirmed, “he was treated at the SFGH and discharged. He underwent a number of tests, but they said he is okay. He just got a hard lash. Nothing was broken or fractured. He is good to go.”

Incensed by what happened to his brother, Odle also felt John should have been disqualified instead of placing third.

He called for changes in the game, although stating,"there are no rules in the finals. If you can't brakes (fend off) the blows, then you have no right in the ring."

He said the fighters have their own code of honour.

“There are certain people in stick who are favoured. John is one of them. Had it been me, I would have been disqualified.”

In fact, he said he has been disqualified before because of his advocacy for better remuneration and other benefits for the fighters who place their lives on the line every time they enter the ring to keep this aspect of the culture alive.

For the final rounds, it was announced that he would fight John and the winner would come up against Marcano for the title.

“I was not supposed to fight John because I was the champion, not Marcano. John and Marcano, winners from the other two bouts were supposed to fight and then the victorious person from that bout should have come at me. NCC mix up the whole thing.”

Nevertheless, already infuriated by the injury of his elder brother Lewis, Odle showed no mercy when he entered the gayelle with John.

“I was hurt by what he did to my brother. My brother did not deserve that. I showed no weakness, but within five seconds in that ring, I hit John hard. I cut him. It was the first time he looked me in the eyes and I saw fear.”