Fairytale finish for jousting champion

BALLARAT’S Renae Marisma has won the Australia Jousting Championship at Kryal Castle after defeating Phillip Leitch in the deciding round.

Marisma was one of eight jousters selected to take part in the prestigious competition.

“The event actually ended on a draw,” she said. “It ended up going into a sudden death match so that was a little nerve racking.

“We each got a sticker that we placed on the opponent’s shield, they dipped our lance in paint, and it was whoever could put their lance the closest to the sticker.

“I managed to break my lance on the sticker, so I was perfectly accurate.”

Marisma was inspired to start jousting after seeing a contest between Leitch and Cliff Marisma at Kryal Castle.

After the contest she spoke to Cliff saying she wanted to start jousting and he offered to teach her.

Cliff is now Marisma’s husband, and they tour the world together taking part in jousting tournaments.

“It was a really lovely fairytale story. I go and watch the joust at a castle, and I ask the knight in shining armour how I could be involved, and we end up being married,” said Marisma.

“It was ironic that I would then go on to beat Phillip in the grand final for Australian Jousting Championship because those two people have very much been part of my jousting career from the beginning.

“I could finally beat the person I had seen joust in the very first time I had seen jousting.”

Marisma has plans later this year to travel to Canada, England and Norway and she hopes to take part in the World Championships in the future.

“We don’t know when the championships will run again but once you start taking part in events of that calibre you get invited to more places,” she said.

“It will now be whether I can hold my own in countries other than Australia.”