After a yearlong season of tae kwon do competition, martial artists from the Froelich’s ATA Black Belt Academy and Karate for Kids school in Bend have ranked top in the state and, in some cases, the world. Mark Froelich was crowned world champion for his tae kwon do weapons performance throughout the American Taekwondo Association tournament season.

Rankings are based on points accrued during competition: Third place receives one point, second place receives three points, and first place receives five points, while all other places are awarded no points.

The Froelich’s ATA group, their ages ranging from 10 to 41, competed in approximately seven regional tournaments throughout Oregon, Washington and Idaho during a season that spanned from May 1, 2006, to April 30, 2007. Most of the members competed in the national tournament held in February in Las Vegas and last month competed in the American Taekwondo Association Worlds in Little Rock, Ark. Points earned from the 2006 world championship count toward the 2007 season.

Competitions are judged according to age division and belt levels. A competitor can become state or world champion in up to three different categories, including forms, weapons and sparring.

They may also be judged in the extreme martial artist – or XMA – category, which is nontraditional martial arts performed to music.

After months of travel and competition, several champions emerged from Froelich’s ATA. The 2007 state champions include Mark Froelich, 31, forms, weapons and sparring; Shawna Froelich, 30, weapons; Patti Whitcomb, 41, forms, weapons and sparring, as well as XMA forms and weapons; Bailey Whitcomb, 12, weapons, XMA weapons and forms; Brodie Whitcomb, 11, XMA weapons; Max Darsonval, 12, XMA weapons; Tally Darsonval, 10, forms, weapons and sparring; Bronson Walker, 14, forms, weapons and sparring; Kaitlin Silva, 10, forms, weapons and sparring; and Nathan Wilcox, 30, sparring.

Bailey Whitcomb and Walker also placed in the top 10 in the weapons category at the world competition.

The Bend martial artists will compete next on July 21 in Lebanon.