WKU National Championships

Hello competitors from across Canada! Welcome to the 2024 WKU Canadian National Championships!

This year we are excited to be hosting the Canadian National Championships bigger and better than ever before, with more competitors traveling from all across Canada to compete. This event is the direct qualifier to the 2024 WKU World Championships which will be hosted in Greece, fall of 2024.

If you would like to represent team Canada on the WKU World stage then this is a must attend event for any martial artist. We are looking forward to seeing familiar faces as well as new faces with the goal of building the best Team Canada possible.

This event is multiple days, spanning Friday July 12th to Saturday July 13th. Friday July 12th will be dedicated to event Check-in & Weigh-ins. July 13th is a full day of competitions.

Event Registration:

All event registration will be conducted through Smoothcomp, and should be completed no later than July 9th, 12:00 AM MST. Ensure you have read the rules for the divisions you wish to enter before registering. Normal registration will end on June 28th at 12:00 AM MST. If you do not register for your desired divisions before the end of Normal registration, there will be a late fee applied to division costs. Late registration will be available from June 28th 12:00 AM MST to July 9th 12:00 AM MST after which point registration for the event will be closed.

Refunds:

Competitors are eligible for a full refund during normal registration (before June 28th, 12:00 AM MST). After the normal registration period, a partial refund of 25% will be offered during the late registration period (June 28th 12:00 AM MST to July 9th 12:00 AM MST). No refunds will be provided after July 9th, 12:00 AM MST.

Check-in & Weigh-in:

Once registered, competitors will be ready to proceed to the Check-in and Weigh-in.

Check-in & weigh-in for all divisions will take place between 5:00 PM MST and 8:00 PM MST on Friday, July 12th, at the venue location: BCIT Gym.

Check-in & weigh-in are mandatory for all competitors. Missing either check-in or weigh-in will result in a forfeit from any divisions registered without the option for a refund. If a competitor does not make weight (Weight is higher than division criteria), competitors have 3 options:

1. Sweat off the added weight and retry, no limitations on weigh-in attempts.
2. Change divisions. This is a division edit and will require a +50% charge to the registration cost made by the competitor for all affected divisions.
3. Bow-out of the division, forfeiting the registration costs. The event is scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM PST on July 12th and all competitors must be on time.

Event Schedule:

Opening Ceremonies will launch the event, where the WKU Canada President and other WKU officials will give a short speech. There will be information pertaining to the WKU World Championships and WKU organization. A small performance will be put on as well.

Following the Opening ceremonies, WKU Canada aims to start divisions at 10:30 AM MST on July 12th, and Smoothcomp's dynamic scheduler will display division start times.

Second day of divisions will start at 10:00 AM MST on July 13th and follow the Smoothcomp dynamic scheduler.

Due to a delayed change in management, WKU Canada was unable to secure a venue for its usual May event. Consequently, the qualification terms for Team Canada for the 2024 season have been adjusted to accommodate the time needed for competitors to plan their trips to Europe. Here are the changes:

1. The top 2 contenders (Gold and silver medalists) in a divisions from the 2023 WKU Canadian Nationals, could automatically qualify for the 2024 Canadian National Team. Their qualification is in the division of the same discipline but is for their age and weight in alignment with the Nationals and WKU rules sets as posted online for 2024.

2. The 3rd and 4th slot will be hashed out at the event allowing for new competitors to place on the team. The top 4 competitors usually qualify, however this year only the top 2 will qualify.

3. Should one of the top 2 ranking competitors in a division in the 2024 Nationals also be a top 2 contender in the 2023 Nationals, then WKU will ask the 3rd placement of the 2024 Nationals division to join the team and so on.

4. Stipulations for Gold & Silver medalist from Nationals 2023:

   • In order to be a valid team member and be eligible for the National team (regardless of your Nationals 2024 outcome) you will be required to fill out and submit an application form, here or using "Application Form" button below, detailing your 2023 divisions and placements as well as your intended 2024 desired Divisions .

   • WKU Canada will accept forms until April 14th, at which time competitors who submitted forms will be informed if they have an automatic placement.

   • You will need to attend the 2024 National Championship in Vancouver as well as the 2024 WKU Training Seminar, more details below.

While WKU Canada acknowledges that this change is not ideal, it believes it provides the best opportunity for WKU members to attend the World Championships in October given the significant financial commitments involved. Rankings from this year's Nationals are considered final, and the 1st through 4th positions will be recognized as such. For more information, please refer to our website.

Ring Sport

Additionally, due to legal restrictions on full-contact fights in BC, traditional ring sport events will not be hosted at the Nationals. Instead, WKU Canada will hold a "try-out seminar" on the final day of the event for competitors interested in ring sport divisions for the World Championships in Greece.

Competitors trying out will be required to provide the following:

1. A Fighting Resume detailing their martial arts history and achievements. WKU Canada will provide a template on their website: Coming Soon!
2. A Video of previous fights within that discipline. Should a fighter not have any videos of previous bouts, videos of sparring from his/her martial arts school is acceptable.
3. A light contact Hybrid discipline will be put together where the competitor will be required to demonstrate their skill. The purpose of this hybrid discipline will be to verify the technique and finesse and fitness of the competitor.

File addresses for where to send fighting resumes and Videos will be provided soon!

If more than 4 competitors register for a specific ring sport division, seniority will be given to competitors with the most experience and demonstrated skill from the hybrid discipline. Full-contact divisions will return in 2025.

Congratulations to those who have placed in the top 2 of their divisions! You are invited to join Team Canada for the 2024 WKU World Championships in Greece, taking place in October 2023.

Here are some important details for qualified competitors:

Uniform and Tracksuit: You will need to purchase the appropriate Team Canada uniform for your discipline and a Team Canada Tracksuit. Information coming soon.

Maintain Eligibility: Ensure you maintain eligibility for the divisions you qualified in. You will not be permitted to change to a new division. Circumstances where you would no longer be eligible include failing to make weight or being too old for the division.

International Competitor's Fee: An $80 CAD international competitor's fee is required.

For those who placed lower than 3rd (3+), you will be listed as a spare. If one or more of the top 2 placements become available, a spare competitor will be asked to attend in their place.

Expectations of Team Canada Athletes:

Represent your family, schools, country, and the WKU organization with pride and integrity. Be present throughout the duration of the event and outside of your own divisions. Uphold the values and Code of Conduct of WKU Canada at all times. Remember that all your actions are representative, both on and off the mat. WKU Canada holds athletes, guardians, and martial arts schools accountable for their actions and conduct. Failure to adhere to the rules and Code of Conduct may result in removal from the team or future WKU events.

Please review the rules and division regulations on the WKU World website. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us.