Welcome to the Inaugural Midwest Taijiquan Open Peaceful Challenge!
The Midwest Taijiquan Open Peaceful challenge is a taijiquan taolu tournament open to all ages, styles and experience levels. Hosted by Wisconsin Tai Chi Academy, our aim is to bring together taijiquan practitioners from across the United States and around the world to showcase their skills and compete together in the spirit of friendship and camaraderie.
The 2026 tournament will be held on Saturday, September 25th, 2026, from 9:00am at:
Homestead High School
5000 W. Mequon Rd
Mequon, WI, 53092
** REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Registration will close July 31, 2026 at 11:59pm. **
Competitors register here.
This competition is open to the public and tickets need to be prepurchased to enter. Buy tickets now.
Rules and Regulations
The Midwest Taijiquan Open Peaceful Challenge is organized by the Tournament Director, Ray Gates, and hosted by Wisconsin Tai Chi Academy. This is an open tournament which is not currently sanctioned by the USA Wushu Kungfu Federation (USAWKF) for the purposes of seeking qualification for the US Wushu/Kung Fu Team. Rules, regulations and scoring are based on the IWUF Wushu Taolu Competition Rules and Judging Methods (2024).
This tournament will feature five (5) judges: a Head Judge and four (4) other judges. An additional Appeals Judge will also be present to resolve any disputes should they arise.
Registration
All competitors must register online by the registration deadline which is July 31, 2026. Competitors will receive email confirmation of registration and payment. Competitors can register here.
Age Groups
For the purposes of the tournament, your age group is determined by the age you will be on the date of the competition.
Individual competitions are divided into 9 age groups:
- 5 years and under
- 6 – 8 years
- 9 – 12 years
- 13 – 15 years
- 16 – 18 years
- 19 – 29 years
- 30 – 39 years
- 40 – 59 years
- 60+ years
Group competition is open age.
Grand Champion Awards (see Placings and Awards) will be divided into 4 age groups:
- Children’s Grand Champion (ages 12 years and under)
- Youth Grand Champion (ages 13 to 19 years)
- Adult Grand Champion (ages 20 to 59 years)
- Elder Grand Champion (ages 60+ years).
Experience Levels
Individual and Group competitions are divided into three experience levels based on your level of experience with taijiquan at the time of competition:
- Beginner – up to 12 months (still mastering the basics)
- Intermediate – 1 – 3 years (good techniques and stances, still developing coordination and balance)
- Advanced – 3+ years (excellent techniques, stances, etc.)
Group competitors will be allocated an experience level based on the individual with the highest experience level in the group. For example, a group of four with three Beginners and one Advanced competitor would be considered Advanced.
Only competitors who register as Advanced can be considered for Grand Champion awards.
Placings and Awards
Individual events will be categorized according to sex, age group and experience level. Where there are fewer than three (3) competitors in a given event, that event may be combined with a similar event where appropriate.
Medals for individual events will be awarded for first, second and third place competitors for each event. Where there are less than three (3) competitors, the medals awarded will be equivalent to the number of competitors in the event.
Group events will be categorized according to experience level.
Medals for group events will be awarded for first, second and third place groups for each event. Where there are less than three (3) groups for a given event, the number of medals awarded will be equivalent to the number of groups in the event. Note that medals are awarded to each member of the group according to the award their group received.
Full results of the tournament will be published after the completion of all events.
Grand Champion Awards
Grand Champion Awards are open to individual competitors who:
- are competing at the Advanced experience level;
- are competing in at least two events, including at least one (1) bare hand event and one (1) weapon event;
- have indicated on their registration form that they want to be considered for a Grand Champion Award (note: an extra fee applies).
Competitors are welcome to enter more than two (2) events to be considered for Grand Champion Awards, however they must have at least one (1) bare hand and one (1) weapon event to be eligible for consideration.
Final ranking will be determined as the sum of the two (2) highest scores achieved by that competitor, comprised of at least one (1) score in a bare hand event and one (1) score in a weapon event. Where a competitor has entered more than two (2) events, only the highest two scores will be used, in line with the above requirements. The competitor with the highest ranking will win the Grand Champion Award for their age category.
Where there are no eligible competitors for a Grand Champion Award, the Award will not be issued.
Schedule
8:00am – Competitor Check-In Open
8:30am – Doors open to the public
9:00am – Welcome and Tournament Commencement
12:30pm – Break for Lunch
1:30pm – Tournament Continues
5:00pm – Grand Champion Awards Presented and Close
A detailed tournament schedule will be determined once registration has closed. All competitors will be notified of the schedule by email ahead of the competition date.
FAQ
Are other internal styles such as xingyiquan or baguaquan eligible to enter?
This tournament is limited to taijquan styles only. Including other styles may be considered for future tournaments.
I don’t see my style/routine listed. What should I enter as?
If you don’t see your style/routine listed, either:
- Choose the closest style/routine which matches yours, eg: for a Yang routine not otherwise listed, choose Other Yang Style; or
- Choose Other Taijiquan and indicate the style/routine you will be performing.
Where multiple entries for the same style/routine are received the Tournament Director will consider establishing that as its own event.
Will the tournament include a push hands (tuishou) event?
Currently there is no push hands (tuishou) event in this tournament. We are considering including a tuishou event in future tournaments.
How many people can enter a group event?
Group entries require a minimum of two (2) people. While there is no maximum number set, we recommend limiting the group size to seven (7) or fewer competitors.
I don’t have a tang-style uniform to compete in. Can I still compete?
Under IWUF taolu rules, competitors must wear a tang-style uniform in order to compete. If a competitor does not have a tang-style uniform or if their uniform does not conform to the IWUF requirements, they may still compete but will receive a scoring penalty. See the IWUF Wushu Taolu Competition Rules and Judging Methods (2024) for more information on uniform requirements for taijiquan competition.
What happens if I register but cannot attend the tournament?
Competitors who register but are unable to attend the tournament need to advise our Tournament Director as soon as possible. Competitors who withdraw up to one (1) week prior to the tournament will be eligible for a full refund of their registration fee. Competitors who withdraw between one (1) and six (6) days prior to the tournament will be eligible for a partial refund. Competitors who who give less than one (1) day of their withdrawal may or may not qualify for a partial refund at the discretion of the Tournament Director. All inquiries should be directed to the Tournament Director at:
Tickets
People attending to watch the tournament must prepurchase their tickets before attending. This includes anyone accompanying competitors, such as coaches or non-competing family members.
Ticket prices:
- Regular (12 years and older) $
- Child (5 to 12 years) $
- Family (2 regular and 2 children) $
- Under 5 years – Free
IMPORTANT: Tickets will not be available on site on the day of the tournament. Please ensure you prepurchase your tickets beforehand.
Tickets may be purchased here.
Promote Your School
Wisconsin Tai Chi Academy invites other schools teaching taichiquan to promote their services during the tournament. A designated area will be offered for schools to have a table with attendants and promotional information. Apply to feature your school here.