CASE STUDY
THE EUROPEAN ITF TAEKWON-DO CHAMPIONSHIPS
The European ITF Taekwon-do Championships marked the 50th anniversary of the sport in the UK at ACC Liverpool.
The week long taekwon-do event utilised the entire ACC Liverpool campus. The venue underwent a transformation which surpassed the requirements of the complex event.
Event requirements
The client required a quick access upon arrival; a showpiece opening ceremony; catering for 1200 people twice a day; training spaces for different nations and a communal space that could be shared during competition breaks.
The event centred around a four-day competition of martial art patterns, sparring, power and technique.
Use of space
ACC Liverpool was able to facilitate this all-encompassing multinational sporting event across the entire campus.
Exhibition Centre Liverpool served as a training space for athletes during build days when the arena became a closed site. It became a hub for visitors to go to train and focus. The clear and open space eliminated distractions, providing a focused training environment for competitors.
Meanwhile the Arena was used for the opening ceremony – providing a performance space, a competition area and a catering space on the same floor. A combination of in-house production, local artistic direction and overnight work from the venue team enabled a spectacular ceremony followed by the transition into a seven ring competition space that opened 10 hours later.
When it came to the main open days of the competition, the arena offered an amphitheatre feel – a combination of retracted seating and a raised platform that made competitors feel like they were in an exclusive competition zone, while spectators felt close to the action.
Production
The client brief was to provide a high impact and visual opening ceremony that felt like the Olympic Games. The team, working with service partner UK Rigging, provided a full production package from concept to realisation, delivering bespoke lighting and sound design services.
The ACC Liverpool production team provided full in-house production for the Championships with an impressive opening ceremony and AV production for the games, utilising innovative rigging and clever designs.
Production included more than 50 moving lights to provide stage and audience effects. An L’Accoustics ARCS system provided sound for the event.
The event required a flexible programme and tight schedules with quick changeovers, enabling the entire ACC Liverpool team to showcase an inventive and proactive approach. Utilising in-house skills, equipment and resources, ACC Liverpool was able to provide a one stop shop to the client, fulfilling all of the event requirements.
See a timelapse video of the event setup here.