Referee can stop competition for the following:

• Any unsafe act.
• Any sign of injury.
• Any competitor stepping out of bounds.
• The need to note a warning for an infraction of the rules.
• Any unsafe condition.

At the end of the first round, competitors will exchange roles, the corner judges will be notified of the change of status and the competition will proceed as outlined.

At the end of the second round, competitors will assume roles as freely offense and defense as each shall deem necessary. The corner judges will be notified of the mutual exchange status and the competition will proceed as outlined.

At the end of the third round, the judges will indicate the winner from their positions at the corners. In the case of a tie, the referee will vote as tie breaker.

If a judge or referee has a student in the competition he is strongly urged to excuse himself for that match. In such cases, another judge will assume his position and the competition will proceed.

Technical Considerations:

Only Wing Chun technique in Chi Sao format will be counted as legitimate scoring technique. Techniques from other systems are not to be scored, strategies from San Da, or from Wing Chun not in a Chi Sao format will not be scored and the use of which is a cause for official warning.

Defense consists of the use of Chi Sao skills to negate, neutralize, deflect, avoid or suppress the offense of the other competitor. The competitor will be judged on his sticking skills, stance, footwork, and proper Wing Chun posture in the performance of defense. He may not counterattack, strike, trip or shove the attacker. The judges are to count off for excessive reliance upon “Li” or brute strength as opposed to proper Wing Chun technique.

Offense consists of the use of Chi Sao skills to hit those areas allowed by the rules of this competition. Strikes and techniques from arts or competitive events other than Wing Chun Chi Sao are not to be allowed and will be cause for warning. The competitor will be judged on his sticking skills, stance, footwork, and proper Wing Chun posture in the performance of offense. Simply breaking contact and attacking is not Chi Sao and will be judged as poor technique. Overuse of strength will be considered poor Wing Chun technique. It is therefore possible to strike more times than an opponent and still lose if the method used was inferior Wing Chun technique.

Wing Chun Chi Sao is, at its heart, controlling one’s opponent through sensitivity, trained reflexes, and proper technique.