5th World Traditional Wushu Championships

[GeneChing]

Haven't heard much coverage of this. We probably won't even be covering it. But here's a nice story, just for archival sake. No one here went, right? If so, let us know.

Kung fu teen tackles cancer
Angela Pownall, The West Australian Updated December 3, 2012, 3:41 am


Jhung Siu and Corey Hunter. Picture: Sharon Smith/The West Australian

As Jhung Siu executes the crafted moves of kung fu with precision, it's hard to believe the Perth teenager battled leukaemia as a young child and had surgery to remove cancerous tumours only weeks ago.

Three weeks before Jhung won a silver medal in the World Traditional Wushu (kung fu) Championships in China last month, he was in hospital and surrounded by his anxious family, who feared the disease had returned.

Modest about his achievement, the 17-year-old said he focused on being in top form for his performance in the world's top kung fu contest.

"I was just doing my best," he said.

The discovery of the cancerous cells in both thyroids, which were removed during the surgery, came as Jhung was making a meteoric rise in the world of kung fu fighting.

Jhung won two gold medals and was named State champion at the WA Championships in July, which qualified him for the world championships in Huangshan.

Jhung and Corey Hunter, who also attends the Ging Mo Academy run by Jhung's father Gawain, won silver in the duel category.

Jhung began practising wushu when he was three years old under the guidance of his father, a kung fu master. It was also at about this age he was diagnosed with leukaemia and not until he was seven that he was declared cured of the disease.

4th World Traditional Wushu Championships
Shaolin Trips: The First World Traditional Wushu Festival
No reports on #2 or #3.

[aktionmancer]

My 3rd time in attendance.
Ive been to #2,4 and 5.

Was a blast each time.
#2 and 4 were both huge parties though.
#1 and 2 were at ZhengZhou, next to the Shaolin Temple. Was my first big international tournament.

#3 and 4 were held in ShiYan, next to Wudang Mountain, home of the Wu-TANG!! = )

#5 was held in Huangshan.
Getting smaller each year it seems. Highly recommend going to check it out if you can.

[aktionmancer]

I didnt realize it, but the link gene posted goes directly to the post i started in 2010!
lol

man, time flies!

[GeneChing]

We'd love to hear more about this year, aktionmancer. I figured it would be smaller as Shiyan is close to Wudang and Shaolin is Shaolin. But still, I've never been to Huangshan, and everyone tells me it is panoramic.

[GeneChing]

This one got the least coverage so far but here's a few tidbits.

Huangshan University hosts wushu forum
Updated: 2012-12-06

The Wushu Culture Tourism High-Level Forum of the fifth World Traditional Wushu Championship was held in Huangshan University on Nov 8. Experts and scholars from the Wushu Research Institute of the General Administration of Sport of China attended the forum.

The forum was jointly sponsored by the International Wushu Federation, Chinese Wushu Association, Anhui provincial government and Wushu Research Institute of the General Administration of Sport of China. Experts and scholars conducted extensive and in-depth exchanges concerning the combination of wushu, culture and tourism as well as traditional wushu protection and education.

NZ Martial Arts team scores at World Wushu Championships
Friday, 7 December 2012, 4:38 pm
Press Release: Fanghua Wuguan Martial Arts School

NZ Martial Arts team scores at World Wushu Championships - Christchurch Tai Chi teacher scores in top 5%

New Zealand’s Martial Arts team won two Golds, a Silver and two Bronze medals in the 5th World Traditional Wushu Championships held recently in China.

2,865 competitors from 53 countries and regions took part in the championships, held over seven days in in the south-eastern Chinese city of Huangshan in November. The event, held every two years in a different Chinese city, is among the world’s largest and most influential event in Martial Arts.

Dave Thew, a Christchurch Martial Arts teacher, won a Gold in his age group category for the Tai Chi event. His score of 9.10 out of 10 put him in the top 5% of all competitors competing in different Martial Arts forms.

In his age category, Auckland Martial Arts teacher, David Wong won a Gold medal in the Tai Chi Chuan and a Bronze medal in the Tai Chi Sword events. David’s scores of 8.78 and 8.82 respectively were his personal best scores.

Shaolin Martial Arts practitioners Kevin (14) and Patrick (10) Zhang of Christchurch made up the balance of the four person New Zealand team. Kevin won a Bronze in the Shaolin event, performing traditional Chinese Martial Arts routines that originate from China’s famous Shaolin Temple.

All competitors competed in gender and age group categories and each person was limited to entering two events.

Wushu is the Chinese term for Martial Arts, and many different styles come under this term. Competitors are judged on points out of 10 on balance, flow, poise, energy and accuracy – and there is a set timeframe for competing in each form.

Dave Thew, taking part in the championship for the second time (he gained a Gold and a Silver in 2010), achieved a personal goal of scoring 9 or over in each event. Besides achieving 9.10 in the bare hands Tai Chi, he was awarded 9.03 in the Tai Chi Sword, the latter just 02 behind the winner of the event.

About the competitors

David Wong is a practitioner of Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan, in both contemporary and traditional bare hand forms and weapons. He has been teaching since 1994 and runs private and community classes in Auckland City. Further information at website: www.yangtaichi.co.nz

Dave Thew practises Tai Chi and Qigong for two hours a day and teaches three classes a week as part of the Papanui High School Adult Education programme. He also offers medical Qigong treatments.

Kevin and Patrick receive training from Alex Zhao at the Christchurch based Chinese Martial Arts school, Fanghua Wuguan, where both adults and children as young as four can learn traditional Shaolin Martial Arts for self defence or competition.