The weekend represented multiple styles of combat sports, bringing participants from as far afield as Christchurch and Otago.
Spokesman Peter Shaw said the first day was taken up with a referee seminar conducted by taekwondo master and International Kyorugi (sparring) referee Lynn Liew.
During the day Ms Liew covered the fundamentals of starting a bout with the right etiquette, controlling a bout, ring management, safety requirements, hand signals, equipment checking, dealing with protests, penalty deductions and announcing the winner at the conclusion of the bout.
Mr Shaw said safety had become the number one focus and the referee’s primary role, due to the wide range of age groups and the huge number of contestants in the sport.
Day two was conducted by master instructor Jung Joo (Jason) Kim. Mr Kim is a taekwondo 6th dan and haidong gumdo (Korean sword training) 5th dan. He is also a World Taekwondo poomsae referee.
Before the class started a black belt was awarded to Christchurch haidong gumdo and taekwondo instructor master William Kim.
Mr Kim’s presentation was on the basics of haidong gumdo and initially covered the anatomy of the sword followed by the safety aspects involved with using a "live blade".
Students quickly became familiar with holding their weapons and were guided through numerous cutting motions, body shifting, pivoting, attack and defensive drills, learning and practising two of eight patterns, relocating the sword safely into its scabbard and finally test cutting and extinguishing candles with the swords.
Kim was the first instructor to introduce this martial art to New Zealand and it was the first time it had been taught south of Christchurch.
Mr Shaw said World Taekwondo is the only taekwondo to be recognised at the Olympics and since its inclusion as a demonstration sport at the Seoul Olympics in 1988 it has grown rapidly worldwide.
