Novice looking for tournament - need recommendation

[zhugeliang]

So far I've trained two years in contemp wushu. My new year's resolution is try to sign up for my first competition. Anyone recommend a tourney to start me off, esp in the Texas area? Thanks in advance.

[xcakid]

Texas you say, well come on up to Dallas!!

This one is in Mar
http://www.kungfuchampionship.com/dallas/index.html

This one is in June
http://www.legendsofkungfu.com/welcome.html

[xcakid]

Also, if you feel like competing in open to all styles tournament, which are pretty crappy. However, not bad if you just like going out there and doing your stuff. Here's the circuit in TX.

http://www.theaok.org/schedule2010.htm

[zhugeliang]

Cool. I'll check the ones in Dallas. Thanks. I think there's a CMA tournament in Austin usually in August, but I'm not sure if my memory is correct on that one.

[blackjesus]

Goodluck, mate
Any Youtube clips to show us?

[zhugeliang]

Thanks. When I get my form all ready for the tourney, I will.

[David Jamieson]

So far I've trained two years in contemp wushu. My new year's resolution is try to sign up for my first competition. Anyone recommend a tourney to start me off, esp in the Texas area? Thanks in advance.

have a look through here: http://kungfumagazine.com/news/index.php

usually people will post their wushu events here.

[xcakid]

Cool. I'll check the ones in Dallas. Thanks. I think there's a CMA tournament in Austin usually in August, but I'm not sure if my memory is correct on that one.

There is one in Austin, that is hosted by the AAU Chinese Martial Arts. However, their info has not been updated, so I did not post it.

Our school will be attending both tournaments in Dallas, so if you are coming by yourself and want a group to hangout with drop me a line. Sucks being at a tournament by yourself.

[GLW]

The AAU event will be in St. Louis this year. It is, after all, supposed to be a roving national event.

There is another Austin event but the divisions and judging for Chinese Arts is spotty at best. It is an "Open Many Style" event that has not really improved much in the past few years it has been held.

As far as Texas is concerned, Johnny Lee's event and Jimmy Wong's are it. The contemporary wushu turnout at most Texas events is generally pretty poor. You DO have some folks competing in Traditional divisions who include some contemporary elements or even do Contemporary routines....but in general, if you want an event with a challenging Contemporary Wushu division, you should probably attend the Berkley event (usually in March or April).

[xcakid]

The AAU event will be in St. Louis this year. It is, after all, supposed to be a roving national event.

So will there be a Sanda Event in St. Louis?

And yes, the Contemporary Wushu attendance last year for Legends of Kung Fu was small. Maybe the ICMAC tournament in Mar. will change that since it is an National/International Circuit.

I agree with the Berkeley tournament, that seems to be attended primarily by Contemporary Wushu practitioners.

Let's not forget Tiger Claws 2nd annual in San Jose CA also.

[masherdong]

There is another Austin event but the divisions and judging for Chinese Arts is spotty at best. It is an "Open Many Style" event that has not really improved much in the past few years it has been held.

That is the Austin Martial Arts Festival and it is held in October. They cancelled for 2009 but the one in 2008 was bad. Sensei Gary Lee was running the "kung fu kata" divisions and running it like it was a karate tournament. Shaolin1 had everything all divided out but Sensei Lee said, "no, we arent doing it like that." Shaolin1 said that things should be better the next time they run it.

[GeneChing]

Tiger Claw's KungFuMagazine.com Championships II will be June 12th, 2010 at the San Jose Convention Center. I'll have more on this for you soon.

[GLW]

As to the Austin Martial Arts Festival :

It is doubtful that it will get better. They have had about 4 or 5 of them...and the organizer refuses to act upon good advice given.

For example, I know of two people who have been involved in Chinese Martial Arts competitions - organizing successful events. They BOTH made recommendations as to how the CMA divisions should be run and even as to specific officials to invite. Almost all of their suggestions were ignored.

Gary Lee, if you are talking the big guy who does Japanese arts, is NOT qualified to execute ANYTHING in CMA divisions. In fact, if I were of a level to still be competing, I would ask for a refund of my money if I discovered that a non-CMA person with NO CMA experience was running the CMA divisions. (You, as the competitor, have a right to expect a certain level of knowledge and experience when you PAY MONEY for competing in an event...and you have a right to raise cain when you are being short changed).

As for Sanda at the AAU event - the short answer is NO. It is unfortunate, but the AAU national organization - due to the Fight Clubs and backyard smoker type of unsafe MMA events - along with all of the bad press - has made an organization wide edict that full contact sports are NOT allowed.

This means that the AAU no longer has a boxing program and that Sanda/San shou are not permitted. The National Board has been looking into possibly partnering with another group to do Sanda - but again, the AAU rules are very specific as to how the registration, payment, insurance, etc... can be handled so the going is a bit difficult to get it squared away.

This ban also applies to the AAU's Taekwondo group. However, somehow, that group was able to hold their full contact sparring - telling the AAU that strikes to the head were not allowed....yet if you watch video of their events, THAT rule is totally ignored.... Works fine until you run into that one competitor who fights, gets injured, and then files against the insurance - only to be denied due to the promoter violating AAU rules for receiving the insurance.

Also, the Sanda events in Texas are technically illegal. They get around it by claiming that all of the competitors are members of the same club...but that would not hold up much. There is supposed to be a license and the competitors all have to be licensed in Texas now. Also, elimination events where the winner continues on to fight again that day are explicitly against the law in Texas now. So far, no one has cared to pursue that but the fines are high enough that I know of very few people who are willing to risk it.

[zhugeliang]

Wow...so many responses...thanks...

masherdong, I have been following shaolin1's comments on the Austin tournament. I think they're having one in August. Maybe I will come maybe not if I decide to go to Dallas. Though so far from this discussion it doesn't sound like the Austin event is the way to go.

xcakid, thanks for the invite, if I do go to Dallas this year I will let you know. There's hardly anyone doing contemp wushu in San Antonio so yes I'll be by myself.

GLW, it happens that my brother lives near St. Louis. Maybe I will try that tournament. Any more info on that particular tournament?

The tourney in Berkeley....don't you have to "qualify" for it by competing in prior tourneys to "place"? Are there age groupings? Sorry for the all those questions, but this is the first time I'm doing anything like this...

[xcakid]

xcakid, thanks for the invite, if I do go to Dallas this year I will let you know. There's hardly anyone doing contemp wushu in San Antonio so I guess I'll be by myself.

The tourney in Berkeley....don't you have to "qualify" for it by competing in prior tourneys to "place"? Are there age groupings? Sorry for the all those questions, but this is the first time I'm doing anything like this...

Cool. Also if you get here a day early and need a place to workout, I will offer up our school too. I'm sure my sifu won't mind as long as you sign a waiver. Our main mat is actually padded and just a tad bit bigger than wushu floor.

As for the the Berkeley CMAT. Here is last years web page. I am sure you find all your answers within.
http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~calwushu/cmat/17/main.php