A couple of the Australian squad have been in Bangkok training with local Bangkok Youth team players. Below is a video they filmed and put together at the end of 2011. It's taken a while to get to the point of being released, but here it is! If you like it and want to see more please share it around and let us know on facebook. Enjoy!
PS. Watch it in HD... it's better!

The 2nd leg of the new format Sepak Takraw ISTAF Super Series was held in Palembang, Indonesia recently, with the top mens and womens teams from around the globe taking part. As is becoming normal practice, the Thais asserted their dominance early in both the mens and womens competitions and were undefeated - taking home gold medals for the mens and womens regus. 

The nations competing in this tournament earned themselves valuable world ranking points and while Thailand still top both the mens and womens rankings, there were some big gains made by a few up and coming teams. The big movers in the outright mens world rankings were Japan (+3 positions to 6th) and USA (+2 positions to 10th), while in the womens both Japan and Indonesia climbed 3 positions to be ranked 5th and 7th respectively.

Check out sepaktakraw.org for a full wrap-up of the competition, complete with photos and interviews with the athletes.

Also check the ISTAF Sepaktakraw facebook page here for more amazing photos from the competition.

We have finally uploaded another video from the Arafura Games. Watch it in High definition on YouTube!

Regu Competition - Preliminary round - Brunei vs. PASTA (Malaysia)

Check our YouTube channel for our other video uploads!

The 1st ISTAF Sepak Takraw World Cup has been run and won, and members of the Australian squad are now looking forward to an intensive training program in Thailand in the lead up to the prestigious 26th King's Cup.

After arriving in Kuala Lumpur on the 19th of July, the Australian Team discovered they were in a tough group and had some difficult matches ahead of them against Japan, Brunei and Cambodia. Australia suffered disappointing losses on the opening days to both Japan and Brunei, and fought hard against Cambodia but couldn't make it past the first round. Under the new ISTAF world ranking system Australia is ranked 23rd in the world - although the team is confident they can make it into the top 20 teams in the world before the end of the year.

Game scores:

(Match against Cambodia best of 3 sets)

Check out sepaktakraw.org for updates on International Sepak Takraw Tournaments and the upcoming Super Series

Good luck to the Australian Sepak Takraw Men's Team competing at the ISTAF World Cup!

From the 21st to the 24th of July Australia will be among 24 countries in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia competing in the 1st ISTAF World Cup.

Click here for an Australian media release on the (all-Darwin) men's team playing in KL. 

If you have cable TV you can catch coverage of the event on Eurosport TV. For up to date information on the event and all 24 teams head to sepaktakraw.org, and for results see sepaktakraw.org/sub-results

Don't forget to follow Takraw Australia on facebook for regular updates from the World Cup.

Our first video upload from the 2011 Arafura Games is below. We're currently editing more footage and will upload it as soon as we can. Watch it in High definition!

Regu Competition - Preliminary round - Sports Authority of Thailand vs. Terengganu (Malaysia)

It was great to see new faces and people of all ages having a go. Continue to kick at home and then show us your skills next time!

If you were unable to attend and are keen to learn more about sepak takraw or have a kick, drop us an email at info@takrawaustralia.comand we'll see what we can do.

We'll be putting another day on in the coming months and look forward to seeing the same faces as well as new ones. In the mean time we're trying to sort out the logistics of starting formal training sessions, as well as putting more training info on this web site. So bear with us as we do so!

If you would like to purchase a ball for practising or simply have some questions you can contact us at info@takrawaustralia.com 

Our photos are now up here- Thanks to Peter Eve

Photo by Michael Franchi

The Arafura Games are over for another year. Congratulations to the Sports Authority of Thailand who won gold in both the regu and doubles events! Congratulations also go to the Terengganu State teams from Malaysia who took out silver in both regu and doubles, and China who came in close behind with bronze medals in both competitions.

Thank you to everyone who attended this year to compete or cheer, and a special thanks goes to the volunteers and local organisers for making it all happen, and the international referees for keeping us on track.

We're intending to make the 2013 Arafura Games sepak takraw competition the biggest yet with 16 mens teams and hopefully, for the first time, a womens competition consisting of at least 8 teams.

Hope to see you- the same smiling faces - and many more, in two years time!