Spring is finally here! Spring is time for growth, as the USAWKF has ushered in its new Board of Directors. Spring is also a time to look forward to this summer’s hot competition schedule. The 2007 US Team Trials competition takes on additional importance this year. Those athletes who make the team will have completed the first step toward a chance to represent the USA in the Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008 during the Olympics. Look in this edition, too, for information on the 2007 USAWKF Nationals and other great events.

If you are not already a USAWKF Lifetime Member, now is the time to act. See the announcement in this issue for a great membership special!

Wushu’s Path to the Olympics Completed

On December 7, 2006, Gilbert Felli, Executive Director of the Olympic Games, sent a letter to all the National Olympic Committees confirming that there will be a Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008 held during the Olympic Games. The world’s top 120 taolu and sanshou athletes will be selected from 25 federations based on the athletes’ placement at the International Wushu Federation’s (IWuF) 9th World Wushu Championships in November of this year.

This letter lays the final piece in place to complete the path to the Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008. For U.S. athletes the path is as follows:

1. Qualify for the USAWKF National Team – The USAWKF Team Trials are scheduled for July 13-15 at the University of Maryland’s Ritchie Coliseum in College Park, Maryland. A separate website, www.uswushuteamtrials.com, has been established to support this event.
2. Compete at the International Wushu Federation’s (IWuF) 9th World Wushu Championships – Beijing, China, early November 2007.
3. The athletes who qualify will then compete at the Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008 at the Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium, Beijing, China, August 21-24, 2008.

Good luck and good training to all competitors!

USAWKF Announces Board of Directors Officers

In accordance with the USAWKF Bylaws, the newly elected USAWKF Board of Directors has held its first meeting within 45 days of the announcement of the Board’s election to choose its officers. The USAWKF is pleased to announce that the following directors were unanimously elected to their respective positions:

President	Anthony Goh
Executive Vice President	C. P. Ong
Secretary	Carl Hyden
Treasurer	Kyle Cummings

These officers take up their duties immediately and will serve for a term of four years.

In addition, the following members of the Board of Directors will continue serving in the administrative positions listed.

Administrative VP for Contemporary Wushu	Xiaolin Lu
Administrative VP for Traditional Wushu	Randy Li
Administrative VP for Internal	Malee Khow
Administrative VP for Sanshou	Tat Mau Wong

Other members of the Board of Directors include Calvin Chin, Paul Chu, Kam Lee, and Hongchao Zhang.

The annual meeting of the Board of Directors will take place during USAWKF Nationals scheduled in Houston, TX in August.

Membership Special

On June 1, 2007, the USAWKF will raise its membership dues for the first time since its inception—more than 10 years ago. Before June 1st, the USAWKF is offering a special rate for additional Lifetime Memberships to its Lifetime Membership Schools and individual members.

When a school was registered as a Lifetime Membership School, it received five Individual Lifetime Memberships along with a Lifetime Membership for the school owner. Now, these Lifetime Membership Schools can get an additional five Lifetime Memberships for its students for $500 only—or only $100 per membership. This represents a significant savings from the current add-on rate of $190.

For schools wanting to become Lifetime Membership Schools, they can receive the Lifetime Membership for the school owner and their five Lifetime Memberships at the current regular $500 rate, plus receive any additional Lifetime Memberships for only $100 per Lifetime Membership.

After June 1st, the regular annual membership rate will be $45 per year, and the new Lifetime Member rate will be $450.Take advantage of this offer while you can!

Type	Current Rate	New Rate (after June 1, 2007)
Individual (Annual)	$25	$45
Individual (Lifetime)	$250	$450
School (Annual)	$100	$180
--Each add'l student (Annual)	$19	$34
School (Lifetime)	$500	$900
--Each add' student (Lifetime)	$190	$340

Competition Kudos

Congratulations to USAWKF member Teresa Wong! Teresa participated in the 1st International Taijiquan Invitational Tournament in Hong Kong January 28-29, 2007. She captured a gold medal in 42 Taiji Jian and a bronze medal in 42 Taiji Quan.

Wushu in the News

Our athletes who participated in the 2nd World Traditional Wushu Championship last fall were recognized in the April 2007 issue of Inside Kung Fu magazine.

If you have newsworthy Wushu accomplishments, please contact the Vice-Chairman of the USAWKF Communication Committee, Russell McWhorter, at thirdgenwingchun@gmail.com.

Upcoming Events

Tulsa National Chinese Martial Arts Open, USAWKF Sanctioned Event, Tulsa, Oklahoma, May 4-6, 2007, Nathan Hale High School (click here for more information)

2007 USAWKF Team Trials, USAWKF Sponsored Event, Ritchie Coliseum (University of Maryland, College Park), July 13-15 2007 (click here for more information)

2007 USAWKF Nationals, USAWKF Sponsored Event, Houston, Texas, August 3-5, 2007, in conjunction with the 2007 Houston International Martial Arts Championships (click here for more information)

2007 9th World Wushu Championship, Beijing, China, November 2007 (exact date and location are to be announced soon)

If you have an event that you would like to have sanctioned or publicized by the USAWKF, please contact the Vice-Chairman of the USAWKF Communication Committee, Russell McWhorter, at thirdgenwingchun@gmail.com.