On 2-6 July the 38th International Camp took place in Schaars-Hoek Sports Center in Heino, Holland, in which participated 140 participants and 34 instructors from 9 countries (Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Poland, Slovakia, Spain and Turkey). The camp training program was prepared by Shihan Loek Hollander (8 dan). Shihans Antonio Pinero (7 dan) from Spain,  Andre Drewniak (7 dan) from Poland, Ton van Rijn (6 dan) from Holland and Sensei Christoph Fisher (4 dan) from Germany were honorary guests. During the camp promotion tests (up to 4 dan) were held as well as a few EKKO Board meetings with participation of Shihan Loek Hollander, as an IKO International Committee Member.

Commentary:
The number of participants and the camp’s atmosphere showed that the European Kyokushin Organization has been in renaissance for he past few years. The number of member countries is still growing, as well as the number of fighters and the level of European Championships, international camps and judge & referee training sessions. The best example of international cooperation was the presence of participants from nine countries.

Next year the West European Summer Camp will take place in renewed National Sports Centre in Papendal, 10 -14 July 2006.

On the week of July 20-24, the annual East European Summer School was held in Cracow, Poland. This year about 330 participants gathered to train together with  Shihan Katsuhito Gorai and shihan Francisco Filho-the open category World Champion in 1999 and one of the best K-1 fighters, who were invited by the organiser - Shihan Andre Drewniak.

Apart from polish students, there were also guests from 12 european countries: Holland, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Armenia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, Norway and Portugal.
On the last day of the camp the examination took place. The event finished with Sayonara Party where students performed music and comedic skits to entertain the instructors.

PHOTOS

     On June 4-5 The 22nd Japan Weight Category Championships were held in Furitsu Taikukan Hall in Osaka.

On April 29-30 and May 1 in Tokyo-Taiikukan Hall took place the 3rd World Weight Category Kyokushin Karate Championships. Over 300 competitors from about 30 countries participated in this spectacular event. In the second day of the tournament there were finals of: kumite women, kumite senior man and kata men's and women's divisions. About 800 childrens participated in kata and kumite divisions.

European competitors dominated in kata men's and women's divisions. Among European Team the best was Lucian Gogonel from Romania who became World Champion in lightweight category. The best woman fighter was Agnieszka Sypien from Poland who won the World Champion tittle in heavyweight category.
 
Gold medals: Lucian Gogonel (Romania) lightweight category, Agnieszka Sypien (Poland) heavy weight category, Javier Lezcano (Spain) kata division,
Silver medal: Ewa Pawlikowska (Poland) lightweight category, Raluca Jianu (Romania) kata division,
Brown medal: Zurine Eciolaza (Spain) lightweight category, Ryszard Makara (Poland) heavyweight senior kumite (over 40 years old),
4th place: Emil Kostov (Bulgaria) middleweight category, Aleksander Bielecki (Poland) senior kumite open, Edward Golinski (Poland) lightweight senior kumite (over 40 years old), Steven Crane (Great Britain) heavyweight senior kumite.

European coaches were: shihan Andre Drewniak from Poland and shihan Ton van Rijn from Holland.

PHOTO GALLERY

On April 16 in the Canary Island International Open Kyokushin Karate Tournament took place with participation of about 40 competitors from France, Portugal, Poland and Spain. Approximately 900 spectators gathered in the sport hall.
The tournament won Alejandro Navarro from Spain. Main judge was shihan Antonio Pinero (7 dan). The honourable guest of the championships was General Secretary of EKKO shihan Andre Drewniak (7 dan).
Organiser of the Tournament was Spanish Kyokushin Karate Organisation led by shihan Antonio Pinero.

GALLERY