The 11th annual Ventura Open Taekwondo Championship will kick off at Ventura College on October 15.

The event will feature 700 athletes from mainly the Western United States and Hawaii, but some come from as far away as Maryland and South Carolina. Students from both Ventura and Moorpark Colleges will be participating in the event as well.

Jim Evans, a professor at Ventura College, is the producer of the event and is also the owner of Premium Martial Arts who puts on the event. Evans has held the tournament at Ventura College every year since its birth.

“We have people come from all over to participate,” said Evans.

There are two parts of the competition that the athletes can participate in, sparing and forms. Forms are a set pattern of movements for each level. Blackbelts have nine forms to memorize.

The lowest and the highest scores are then thrown out to prevent cheating.

The tournament is open to all martial artists who follow the World Taekwondo Federation and USA Taekwondo rules.

Groups are divided into gender, age and rank categories to compete.

The tournament started in 1994, so marshall artists would have a place to compete. When it started it was one of two or three tournaments of its kind in Southern California.

“Now there are tournaments everywhere,” said Evans. In past events world champion martial artist and members of the United States Olympic team came to compete.

Two of the more notable athletes have been Stuart Gill a world champion martial artists and Dr. Jimmy Kim, who was not only a world champion but he also won the first Taekwondo gold medal for the United States in 1988.

The event is open to the public at a cost of $10 for adults, $5 for kids 5 to 12, and free for kids under 5. It will take place in the gym at Ventura College.

Call (805) 676-1871 for more information.