Preparations for the 10th European Open Category Kyokushin Karate Championships and the 5th European Junior Kyokushin Karate Championships, that will take place in Gorzow Wielkopolski, Poland are going very well.
   Among many countries, that have sent their applications are: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Holland, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine. Organizer received also many applications form countries located out of the European region. This championships are open to all regions and all Kyokushin organizations.
   Bulletin number 2 has been announced.
   For detailed information about the event click here.

   During the registration process of new KWO Statute in Switzerland the lawyers suggested, that the official name Kyokushin World Organization should be changed to Kyokushin World Federation. While "organization" is more likely to be a name, that describes affiliation of individual persons, the name "federation" describes the affiliation of national groups and clubs. Please mind, that all the names of KWO will soon be changed to KWF. The website address: www.kyokushin-world.org will stay unchanged.

We will keep you informed about the official registration progress.

KWF General Secretary, Andre Drewniak

   On September 22, the President of KWO - Shihan Loek Hollander, Chairman - Shihan Antonio Pinero and General Secretary Shihan Andre Drewniak visited Moscow, where they met Shihan Yuri Trutnev - the Minister of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation.  Main topic of the meeting was exchanging opinions and experiences concerning the future of Kyokushin entering in the Olympic movement. Both sides came to the agreements and commitment to unite maximum efforts to make this possible.

A. Pinero, L. Hollander, Y. Trutnev, A. Drewniak

OSU!

Dear Sensei Joji.

It has been a very difficult time for many people including you and myself.

I have talked to NKKOs member clubs and the question was. Shall we join IKO
or EKKO?
Out of 20 clubs the answer was 19 yes for EKKO and one club with no answer.
That gives: NKKO goes for membership with EKKO.

The main reasons are as follows: NKKO has a very good relationship with
Shihan Antonio Pinero. He is a fantastic nice person and also an extremely
good instructor. It will hurt us badly to loose him.

Second: Since IKO is not making a democratic organisation in Europe this was
not accepted by our members.

When I am looking back I see that with a very little communication between
the two parts IKO and EKKO would today have been a healthy IKO-Europe.

That is pity. I started to train Kyokushin karate in 1968 and it hurts very
much that we now have a split.

Take care and I hope that we can meet in the future some time.

All the best,

Lars Hoquist

   On September 17-19, a three days meeting of the Kyokushin World Organization founders committee: Shihan Loek Hollander, Shihan Antonio Pinero, Shihan Andre Drewniak, Shihan Lars Hoquist and Shihan Bertrand Kron took place in Rotterdam.
   Members of the meeting focused on preparation of the Statute, technical regulations, competition rules etc.
   In the next KWO meeting participation of various Kyokushin leaders is planned, which will take place on the occasion of The 10th European Open Category Championships and EKKO General Meeting, November 5, in Gorzow Wielkopolski, Poland.