On March 14-15, 2009 the Ukrainian Weight Category Kyokushin Karate Championships took place in the city of Kiev.
   200 competitors from 16 regions of Ukraine and 1500 spectators gathered at the event. This tournament was a selection for the European Championships, that will take place in the same place in May. Several meetings with representatives of clubs and regions had place during this championships. Organizer was Ukrainian Kyokushin Karate Organisation led by Shihan Stanislav Blizniuk.
   Shihan Blizniuk reported to EKKO Board that the preparations for The 23rd European Weight Category Kyokushin Karate Championships are going very well and Ukraine is looking forward to meeting all national teams in Kiev on May 23, 2009.

   On March 28 in Paris-Bercy the 23rd Martial Arts Festival took place. This annual event which gathers 18000 spectators and is organised by "Karate-Bushido" magazine, this year was combined with Kyokushin Karate mini tournament.
   Eight European fighters, including three European Champions participated: Jean Luc Vedapodagom (France), Maxime Demeautis (France), Baptiste Delaunay (France), Mohamed Elkholfi (France), Boris Kaczowska (France), Petar Martinov (Bulgaria), Krzysztof Habraszka (Poland) and Alejandro Navarro (Spain). Shihan Jacques Legree was the co-organiser of this tournament.
   Winner of the tournament was Alejandro Navarro - current Open Category European Champion.

    On June 7th, The 3rd Austrian Kata and Kumite Kyokushin Karate Championships took place in Vienna. Tournament, which was organized by Sensei Marek Kubek (3 dan) gathered 297 competitors from 12 countries.
    Main judge was Sensei Christoph Fischer (4 dan).

PHOTO GALLERY

    On February 7-8, in Paris, Sensei Alejandro Navarro (3-times European Open Category Champion) invited by Shihan Jacques Legrée from French Kyokushin Karate Organisation conducted a special seminar for French Kyokushin Karate students.
  More than 100 karateka from various dojos entered the seminar, which was very successful.

   The 9th Northern European Winter Camp took place in Etne, Norway on 19-20 February 2009. Main instructors were Sensei Geir Havreberg 4 dan and Sensei Tom Sølve Erga 4 dan.
More information soon.