Tiger Claw's KungFuMagazine.com Championship III & Shark City Nationals

[Dale Dugas]

Gene,

I will add the website address to the new labels on the next batches of jow.

Let me know how I can be of service to you and your tourney.

[GeneChing]

Meanwhile, check out my latest Tiger Claw Blog as it concerns our Championship: Kids vs. Drunken Style

[SIFU RON]

Your a great writter Gene, you really get one's attention and keep it. Well done.

My best to you

Ron

[GeneChing]

This year, make sure you hang out for the after party.

TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER FOR TIGER CLAW'S KUNGFUMAGAZINE.COM CHAMPIONSHIP! This year, we are pre-reg only! For final registration, contact Gigi Oh at Gigi@TCMedia.com or (408) 209-8150.

[GeneChing]

Mickey Lee is one of our previous champs. After winning here, he went on to kick ass and take names using tai chi in sport karate circles. We did news story on him in our 2011 Shaolin Special: Internal Champion Mickey Lee wins NASKA World Men’s Overall Forms Grand Champion By Zhao Xiaohu

Martial Foodie’s Martial Arts Post: Tiger Claw’s KungFuMagazine.com Championship and Shark City Nationals June 4, 2011
by Mickey Lee | 05/27/11 |

BASKA and Tiger Claw come together to bring a dynamic marriage of open tournament and Chinese martial arts competitions to San Jose.

BACKGROUND HISTORY

BASKA & Shark City Nationals
The Bay Area Sport Karate Association is a regional open martial arts tournament circuit that began in Northern California but has expanded into Nevada and Southern California as well as Mexico and Guatemala. While not the largest in size, BASKA’s strength lies in striving to maximize the experience of the competitors. It is this quality customer service that makes this league standout among the plethora of tournaments and circuits throughout the country.

Tiger Claw & Tiger Claw Elite Championship
Owned and operated by the Oh family (Thomas and Gigi along with their children Jen and Jonny), Tiger Claw is a martial arts supply company with branches on both U.S. coasts and the nationwide publication “Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine” (by Gigi Oh and Gene Ching). From 2006 to 2008, Tiger Claw hosted the Tiger Claw Elite (TCE) Championship, which held qualifiers throughout the country at various Tiger Claw-sponsored tournaments and hosted the season-finale TCE Championship Final at Walt Disney World’s Wide World of Sports Complex. While open martial arts tournaments have been nominally inclusive of Chinese martial arts, it has been vastly dominated by Japanese, Okinawan, and Corean stylists. In contrast, Chinese martial arts tournaments by nature have been closed, meaning only practitioners of a specific style compete against one another (e.g. Taijiquan vs. Taijiquan, Contemporary Wushu vs. Contemporary Wushu, etc.). What made the TCE series unique was that it brought the separate worlds of open tournaments and Chinese martial arts together, culminating with practitioners of all styles competing against one another in the TCE Championship Final’s Grand Championships.

Birth of KungFuMagazine.com Championship: Marriage of Tiger Claw & Shark City Nationals
Since 2009, Tiger Claw has narrowed its tournament focus to one event, working with Master Tony and Theresa Kattengell in having a combined open tournament-Chinese martial arts competition in San Jose, California. Tiger Claw established an all-Chinese martial arts tournament to take place at the Kattengells’ signature BASKA tournament, forming the Shark City Nationals (SCN) & Tiger Claw KungFuMagazine.com Championship (TCKFMC); thus, bringing an exciting competition with divisions for open tournament competitors and Chinese martial artists (Traditional Kung Fu, Contemporary Wushu, and Internal Martial Arts such as Taijiquan) all under one roof.

Hosted by Tiger Claw matriarch Gigi Oh (wearing pink), the Welcoming Banquet has featured VIP guests of honor, including Great Grandmaster Ming Lum (2009-11, left in inset) and Grandmasters Lily Lau (2009-10, far left) and Wu Bin (2009, center).

2011 SCN & TCKFMC

This year, the tournament returns to downtown San Jose’s McEnery Convention Center on June 4, 2011. This tournament is outstanding for experienced competitors (seasoned locals to NASKA World Champions) and newbies alike (special first-timer divisions for those new to competition). The pre-registration deadline to get lower pricing for all events is May 29th.

As with all open tournaments competitions, the 2011 Shark City Nationals will feature forms, weapons, and sparring divisions. One of the highlights is the beautiful awards—plaques that can be personalized with customizable photo insert (to be taken at the tournament) for top competitors and grand champions as well as custom Italian silver cups (see inset of cover photo) to the five Overall Grand Champions (13 and under forms/weapons, 14-17 forms/weapons, 18 and over forms/weapons, Women’s Sparring, and Men’s Sparring). All registering adult Black Belts can compete in a “Super Forms” division and registering Black Belt men can compete for a “Super Fight” division—both of which feature one-of-kind 5-foot Championship Cups.

The 2011 KungFuMagazine.com Championships will feature forms and weapons for Internal Martial Arts, Traditional Kung Fu, and Contemporary Wushu as well as sparring for Taijiquan (push hands) and Wing Chun (Chi Sau). There will also be separate divisions for Mulanquan, Health Qigong, and Songshan Shaolin. Tiger Claw will also host a Welcoming Banquet with honored VIP guests on June 3rd at 7pm in China Stix (2110 Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA). The cost is $30 per seat (drinks not included).

In the spirit of open competition, Tiger Claw’s charitable arm (Tiger Claw Foundation) established the WildAid TigerClaw Champion division last year from which all proceeds will be donated to WildAid’s mission of saving wild tigers. This special showcase division is open to all styles and forms with the four finishers all receiving exclusive awards, from SKAGEN watches and $100 gift certificate for TigerClaw.com to an iPad 2 and exclusive media coverage in “Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine!”

[GeneChing]

There was a slight glitch in the BASKA online registration we were using this weekend so we've switched over to manual. Register with Gigi Oh at Gigi@TCMedia.com or (408) 209-8150.

[Taijiren]

Is there going to be a Master's demo? If so, what time will it be?

[GeneChing]

There will be additional demonstrations throughout the day.

For competitors, the First Timer Competitors and the WildAid Tiger Claw Championship will begin first. All First Timer entrants should be ready to go at 9AM - WildAid Tiger Claw contestants should be ready to go soon after.

[GeneChing]

KFM TV

We should have some coverage up there tomorrow evening - the set-up and some banquet vids - and then on Saturday, you'll be able to see the action as it happens.

[Dale Dugas]

Gene,

Good Luck with the tourney, and all that it entails.

Missing you in Albany, brother!

[Taijiren]

What is the spectator fee? Does spectator admission include the night time demo or is that separate?

[GeneChing]

I'm still tired, still picking up the pieces.

Thank you to everyone who participated - competitors, judges, volunteers, spectators - and all of you who watched us and are still watching us on KFM TV.

More to come as the week progresses. We still have some VIPs in town we must take care of, so I'll check in with you all more later.

[webcastGreg]

As of 10am, there are ten videos on KFM Tv for your enjoyment. There are more to come. Please enjoy.

[wenshu]

Dahyuum,

Gene!

Went for the full tonsure!

[webcastGreg]

Doesn't tonsure imply some hair?