On the first weekend of new year , 4 - 6 January the annual Winter Camp Mitsumine 2003 was held. 188  Kyokushin karateka from Japan, Korea, Chile and Poland participated in this event which was organized by the IKO Kyokushinkaikan Honbu. 

     The leading instructor of the camp was Kancho Shokei Matsui. The assistant instructors were shihan Yuzo Goda and shihan Isamu Fukuda. Japanese national team preparing for the 8th World Open Category Championships participated in the camp.

     During the whole camp Japanese television was present, preparing the review from this event. Additionally the team from Korea came to make the Kyokushin promotion video to be broadcasted in their country.

photos & report

     The 2nd European Open Category Championships were held in Wroclaw, Poland on the 23rd of November 2002. Altogether 71 competitors from 13 countries, including 20 medallists of World and European Championships took part in the event. The following countries participated: Armenia, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Holland, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine, Yugoslavia.

     The tournament was played in the new built Sports Hall "Orbita" and gathered 2800 spectators. EKKO President Antonio Pinero and General Secretary Andre Drewniak together with representative of Polish Ministry of National Defence officially opened the championships.

     Winner of the Men Open Category became the actual Superheavy Weight European Champion (Varna) - Tomasz Najduch from Poland. Winner of the Women Open Category became Agnieszka Sypien from Poland. In kata: the former European Champion from Spain - Javier Lezkano and actual World Champion Raluca Jianu from Romania confirmed their leadership again.

     Main judge was EKKO President shihan Antonio Pinero.

     On May 15th the 18th European Weight Category Championships was held in Riesa (Germany). Tournament gathered more than 120 fighters from 21 countries.  There ware more then 800 spectators. Main judge was shihan Antonio Pinero.
During the opening ceremony shihan L. Hollander as IKO representative handed dan certificates and belts to the following karateka: 7 dan for shihan Joe Claronino from UK, 7 dan for shihan Andre Drewniak from Poland, 7 dan for shihan Peter Voogt from Holland, 6 dan for shihan Ton von Rijn from Holland.
On May 14th during General Meeting a new EKKO board was voted:
   President - Antonio Pinero from Spain,
   Vice - president - Ton von Rijn from Holland,
   General Secretary - Andre Drewniak from Poland,
   Treasurer - Christoph Fischer from Germany
Organiser of European Championships was GKKO led by Sensei Christoph Fischer.

Best fighter: Piotr Moczydłowski (Poland)
Best women fighter Anna Kopyrina (Russia)
Men Best Tameshiwari result: Gogonel Lucjan (Romania) - 17 boards
Women Best Tameshiwari result: Anna Kopyrina (Russia) - 9 boards

Official Results & gallery

     Over the weekend of July 10 to 14, the West European Summer Camp 2002 was held at the National Sport Center, Arnhem, Holland. Nearly two hundred Kyokushin students from all over western europe attended this event which was organized by International Committee Member Shihan Loek Hollander and assisted by Shihan Van Rijn.

     The seminar was also strongly supported by Branch Chiefs and Instructors from Holland and by visiting international Instructors, Shihan Drewniak from Poland and Shihan Wakiuchi from Italy.

     The Seminar conducted extensive basics through advanced techniques and included a much-anticipated Tameshiwari clinic. At the end of the camp a promotion test was conducted for nearly fifty people that included Kumite for all levels. At the conclusion, Shihan Loek presented all participants with a certificate and souvenir to commemorate their attendance and great weekend of training at the camp.

                                                                                     Kyokushin News Vol.24.