An array of disciplines and belts of the sporting kind are combatively lining up in Tauranga this weekend as the city hosts the 34th ITF Taekwon-Do New Zealand National Championships.

About 400 competitors are expected to cram into the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre for the widely regarded annual fixture on July 26-27.

Instructor Christine Young training Kevin Elder before this weekend's tournament. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

Taekwondo, an Olympic event since 2000, is a Korean martial art form combining combat with self-defence.

Tournament organiser Christine Young says it's exciting for Tauranga to gain hosting rights to the national showcase, with competitors coming from 60 clubs throughout the country.

'It [hosting] doesn't happen that often in Tauranga so it's fantastic to see. We will be making the most of it,” says Young, a former world champion.

'It's a chance for local clubs who normally don't travel away to come and see the other black belts in action and see the New Zealand elite, even world champions in action.”

The first ITF Taekwon-Do national championships were held in Palmerston North in 1981.

Competitors range from seven to 57-years-old and from novice to World Champions among yellow, blue and black belts.

Disciplines at the competition include sparring, power breaking (board breaking), special techniques, patterns and team events.

Christine says with entry free on both days the crowd will see some world class athletes in action, including current and past world champions Carl Van Roon, Mark Trotter, Melissa Timperley and Estee Speirs.

Many New Zealand representatives will be competing to try and cement their place in the national team for the next world champs in Italy, 2015.

Others will be looking for tough competition as a build-up tournament to compete at the World Cup in Jamaica next month.

Competition at Memorial Park runs 9am-4pm both days.