THUNDER BAY – Ticket sales have opened for the national martial arts championship, being held in Thunder Bay from July 29 to 31.
The event will bring around 500 of Canada’s top competitors to Thunder Bay, with spots on Canada’s national team on the line. It’s the first time a high-level martial arts event has been hosted in the city.
Put on by Wushu Canada, the event will include both Sanda, a full-contact combat competition, and Taolu, involving choreographed routines.
Brian Nieminen, local organizing committee chair, said it’s a unique chance for locals to see kung fu masters and other athletes at the highest levels of performance.
“I think there’ll be pretty wide interest,” he said. "This is serious competition in both areas – free fighting and extraordinary routines."
The CJ Sanders Fieldhouse at Lakehead University, where events will be held, has a capacity of around 350 people, but could extend that with additional seating if needed, he said.
Lakehead’s senior coordinator of food and conference services, Jenny Veal, called the competition a big deal from an event-hosting perspective.
"It's one of the largest events that we have held since the pandemic began and it will bring people from all over,” she said. “It'll really reactivate tourism, bring people in, and get people excited again.”
About a dozen clubs from the GTA, and others hailing from Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver, are registered for the event, which was delayed from 2020 due to COVID-19.
Some local martial artists may enter the Sanda competition, and local athletes of all ages will have the opportunity to enter the recreational competition where they are judged on prepared routines, Nieminen said.
The Thunder Bay Martial Arts Council will also hold a performance as part of the opening gala, which will showcase kung fu masters and more.
Honourary organizing committee co-chair Ken Boshcoff said he hopes the competition will ignite interest locally.
"I think it gives people who are interested in martial arts and culture, an idea and a look that shows it’s possible to do it, and shows that it is fun and it’s exciting, and it’s not just for action movies and television."
Children 12 and under can attend free. Day passes cost $20 at the door (cash only), while weekend passes ($50) and tickets for Friday’s gala show ($25) are available online at www.wushucanada.com.
The event is sponsored by Tbaytel and has received support from the provincial government and Thunder Bay CEDC.
