Rules

Areas, categories & forms

The competition is structured into areas, categories and forms:

Area: The major disciplines of the competition, for example Kung-Fu and Tai-Chi.
Category: Groups related types of event within an area: bare-hand form, short weapon, long weapon, partner form (Duilian), animal style, show form, etc.
Form: The individual, named routine within a category.
Competition group: All athletes with the same combination of area, category, age class and gender – the unit within which athletes compete against each other and are scored.
Championship class: The combination of an area and an age class – the unit in which the European Champion is determined.

Not every area includes all categories. Athletes compete separately by age class and gender and may enter as many categories as they like – with one form per category.

If a competition group has fewer than five participants, groups may be merged – both neighbouring age classes and experience classes (Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced). Conversely, a form with a very large number of entries may be split off into its own category. The organization reserves the right to decide this. The preliminary classification is made available online to all teams before the competition; the final classification is published on the competition day.

The preliminary classification may differ from the final one. Changes are possible up to the publication of the final classification on the competition day, in particular for the following reasons:

No-shows or participants not confirmed at check-in
Correction of incorrect entries, such as age, gender or category
Late withdrawals, for example due to illness or injury
Adjustment to the actual number of participants on site

Age & experience

Athletes are grouped by age and experience. The team selects both for each participant during registration.

Age classes

6–9 years 10–13 years 14–17 years 18–39 years 40–54 years 55+ years

Experience classes

Beginner Intermediate Advanced

Within an age class, athletes are additionally scored separately by experience class.

Categories & forms

The forms listed below are examples only. What is decisive is solely which forms are available for selection and can be entered in the online registration form.

Forms not listed in the registration form can be requested from the organizer: after review, the form is either added to the appropriate category for selection or declined with a reason.

Important: nunchaku are strictly prohibited in Germany. No forms may be performed with nunchaku, and it is forbidden to bring or carry nunchaku to the event.

Bare-hand form

Short forms: Wu Bu Quan, Shi San Quan, Lian Huan Quan, etc.
Medium forms: Wu Xing Quan, Tong Bei Quan, Liu He Quan, Qi Xing Quan, etc.
Long forms: Xiao Hong Quan, Da Hong Quan, Xiao Luo Han Quan, Da Luo Han Quan, Chang Hu Xin Yi Men, etc.

Short weapon

Sabre (Dao)
Sword (Jian)
Double short weapons
etc.

Long weapon

Yin Shou Gun
Other long weapons (spear, Pudao, Kwan Dao, other staff forms)
etc.

Partner form (Duilian)

With enough participants, divided into:

Duilian from the Duan-Pin system
Duilian outside the Duan-Pin system

Animal style / show form

Animal styles
Chain
Rope darts
etc.

Scoring

Each performance is judged by several judges. Each judge awards points with two decimals within the score range set for the group. The final score is the mean of all judges, rounded to two decimals; the highest mean wins.

If a performance is impaired by circumstances beyond the athlete's control, a second attempt may be granted. These include, for example:

External disturbances (e.g. interference by third parties, someone entering the competition area)
Technical failures (e.g. the music, sound or lighting system failing)
Defects of the competition area (e.g. slippery or loose mats, obstacles)
A weapon defect not caused by the performance itself (material breakage or manufacturing fault)
Organizational errors

The athlete's own execution errors do not qualify – such as forgetting the form, a self-inflicted fall, or a weapon defect caused by the performance itself.

The athlete must request the second attempt; the decision is at the sole discretion of the judges and is only possible with their consent. The athlete then competes again after the last starter in the group and is scored normally. If no second attempt is requested or granted, the original attempt is scored.

Judging criteria

The judges assess each form as an overall impression based on the following criteria. Depending on the area (e.g. Kung-Fu or Tai-Chi), they are weighted according to the character of the form.

Technique & precision: Correctness of techniques, stances and positions; clean execution of hand, foot and weapon techniques.
Posture & balance: Stability, balance, controlled posture and secure landings.
Power & dynamics: Appropriate use of power and explosiveness and a balanced relationship between tension and relaxation; for internal styles (e.g. Tai-Chi, Xing Yi or Ba Gua) in particular the development of Neijin (internal power), the harmony of internal and external movement (inner–outer coordination), a balanced interplay of hardness and softness, the unity of body, breath and mind, as well as calmness, control and a natural flow of movement.
Rhythm & timing: Suitable tempo, clear emphasis, meaningful pauses and a fluid sequence of movements.
Coordination & harmony: Interplay of hands, eyes, body and steps (or weapon); clean transitions and a coherent overall structure.
Expression & spirit (Yi): Concentration, presence, inner involvement and a convincing performance.

Point deductions are made, for example, for hesitation or forgetting, loss of balance or a fall, omitted or additional movements, leaving the competition area, and dropping a weapon.

Slight differences in how a form is performed – for example depending on the school or lineage – are normal and do not lead to point deductions.

Ranking & medals

Athletes are ranked within each competition group by standard competition ranking. The top three places receive gold (1st), silver (2nd) and bronze (3rd). In the event of ties, the following rules apply.

General principle

If k athletes share rank r, the next awarded rank is r + k.
Medals are awarded exclusively for 1st place (gold), 2nd place (silver) and 3rd place (bronze).
A rank that does not exist due to a tie cannot award a medal.

Tie for 1st place (gold)

Two athletes tied for 1st → ranking 1, 1, 3: both receive gold, no silver; bronze goes to the athlete(s) ranked 3rd.
Three or more athletes tied for 1st → ranking 1, 1, 1, 4: all receive gold, no silver, no bronze.

Tie for 2nd place (silver)

If two or more athletes share 2nd place, the next rank becomes 4 or higher → no bronze is awarded.

Tie for 3rd place (bronze)

All athletes ranked 3rd receive bronze. Any number of bronze medals is possible.

Valid medal distributions

The following table lists all logically possible outcomes under the ranking rule.

Scenario	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Explanation
Standard result	1	1	1	No ties
1 gold, 2+ silver	1	2+	0	Rank 2 shared → rank 3 skipped
1 gold, 1 silver, 2+ bronze	1	1	2+	Rank 3 shared
2 gold, 0 silver, 1+ bronze	2	0	1+	Ranks: 1, 1, 3 …
3+ gold, 0 silver, 0 bronze	3+	0	0	Ranks: 1, 1, 1 … then 4+ → no 2nd or 3rd place

Impossible medal distributions

The following example combinations cannot occur under the ranking rule and must not appear in results:

1 gold, 2 bronze Rank 2 must exist before rank 3
1 gold, 0 silver, any bronze No 2nd place → no 3rd place
2 gold, 1 silver After two 1st places, the next rank is 3, not 2
3 gold, 1 bronze After three 1st places, the next rank is 4 → no 2nd or 3rd place
Any scenario with “0 gold” Impossible in a real competition

A medal can only be awarded if its rank exists. Tied ranks eliminate the next rank.

All participants also receive a certificate with their scores as a PDF and, on request, printed on site. After the event, the certificates remain available as a PDF download; printed copies are then no longer available.

European Champion

In addition, per area and age class the best athlete is honoured as the European Champion – but only in the highest experience class present in that class. This is usually Advanced; if there are no entries there, the next lower present class takes its place (Intermediate, otherwise Beginner). The classes below still receive medals and certificates, but no European Champion title.

All athletes who have shown at least the required number of scored forms in the respective area qualify for this ranking: three in Kung-Fu, two in Tai-Chi.
For the medal tally, only each athlete's best medals from that area count – as many as required above – so the basis is the same regardless of the number of forms shown. Ranking by medal tally: first the number of gold medals, then, in the event of a tie, silver and then bronze. The best medal tally wins.
In the event of a tie in the medal tally, the higher score decides – the average of the same number of best scores from all forms shown in that area, regardless of whether these are the forms that won the medals.
If both the medal tally and the score are equal, all athletes concerned share the title.

Attendance

Athletes who do not start or are absent are not scored.