The global martial art community experienced a period of inactivity in the last three years due to the pandemic. Many classes were shut down, and online teaching was challenging for external martial arts. Although in-person classes gradually returned since late 2021, many schools’ enrollments have not fully recovered. Practitioners worldwide were disheartened by the absence of tournaments during this time.
However, the Tiger Claw Elite KungFuMagazine.com Championship is making a comeback, and I was thrilled to hear about it. The organizers deserve applause for their efforts to promote the art through this massive program. The event will take place on May 6-7, 2023, in the spacious South Hall of San Jose’s McEnery Convention Center, California, USA.
The Tiger Claw Elite KungFuMagazine.com Championship used to be one of the largest internal and external Chinese martial art competitions if not the largest in the world outside of China, featuring a diverse range of competition categories, qualified judgeship, and participation of celebrity masters conducting performance and workshops. The roster of participant was like a Who’s Who in the global martial art community.
The upcoming two-day event promises to be highly enriching. On Saturday, the Tiger Claw Elite Taekwondo Championships and External Divisions will take place, showcasing Traditional Kung Fu, Wushu, and Internal Divisions, as well as the Songshan Shaolin Division. Additionally, there will be team competitions. The Internal Divisions will be divided into various categories, such as Tai Chi 24, Tai Chi 42 Competition Style, Chen 56 Competition Style, Chen Tai Chi, Yang Tai Chi, Other Tai Chi Styles, Bagua, Xingyi, Baji, ZhaoBao, Dongyue, Guang Ping, Chang Style, Tai Chi/Internal Sword, Tai Chi/Internal Fan, Tai Chi/Internal Short Weapons, and Tai Chi/Internal Long Weapons, and each of these will be further segregated by gender and age group.The website provides detailed information regarding competition divisions. In Saturday evening, the Overall Grand Champion Finale and Masters’ Exhibition will take place, which is always a spectacle.
On Sunday, the 9th Annual KUNG FU TAI CHI DAY, a free street fair in downtown San Jose, will take place alongside the Internal Divisions. The day will also feature three Showcase Championships: the International Wushu Sanshou Dao Association (IWSD) Overall Championship, the WildAid Tiger Claw Championship, and a new event – the 1st Heavy Guandao (13.75 lb) Championship. Showcase Champions will receive unique prizes and special attention in the post-Championship coverage.
Tiger Claw, a renowned martial arts gear supplier, initiated the Tiger Claw Elite Championship (TCEC) in 2006 with Disney. TCEC kicked off annually at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, and culminated with a yearly finale at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Florida. In the interim, TCEC made stops at around a dozen tournaments nationwide every year. Initially featuring divisions for Chinese, Korean, and Japanese martial arts for three years, TCEC later transitioned into the Tiger Claw Elite KungFuMagazine.com Championship showcasing Chinese martial arts and Taekwondo.
In 2012, Kung Fu Tai Chi commemorated its 20th anniversary, and the annual Championship grew to include a Gala Banquet and KUNG FU TAI CHI DAY, which proved to be a massive success. In 2017, the Tiger Claw organized the KUNG FU TAI CHI 25TH ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL, featuring the Tiger Claw Elite KungFuMagazine.com Championship, as well as a special show at the California Theater on Friday night, Grandmasters LIVE!, and a Banquet Gala on Saturday night. I consider myself lucky to have taken part in both events and had the opportunity to witness their magnificence.
Due to the pandemic, the 2020 Tiger Claw Elite KungFuMagazine.com Championship and KUNG FU TAI CHI DAY were canceled and Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine ceased to print. Nevertheless, KungFuMagazine.com continues publishing fresh, unique articles weekly and maintaining its longstanding online discussion forum. A special online Tiger Claw Elite KungFuMagazine.com Championship took place over five weeks, starting in November 2020. Nonetheless, the event went on hiatus since then.
Gigi Oh, the lead organizer, or the soul of the event, is excited to announce that the Tiger Claw Elite KungFuMagazine.com Championship is back and will be the grand gathering once again. This is a pre-registration tournament and open for registration now and all registrations must be turned in by April 21, 2023.
