On 13-14 October 2017 in the Ahlbeck Sports and Entertainment Hall (Germany), next to Swinoujscie (Poland), the 31st Kyokushin European Championships were held. 412 competitors from 24 countries fought in 37 weight categories and kata, divided by age groups: seniors, juniors, younger juniors and youngsters. After a short performance of the Polish Navy Orchestra, the opening ceremony of the Championships was made by the Mayor of Swinoujscie Janusz Zmurkiewicz, the Mayor of Ahlbeck Lars Petersen and the President of the European Kyokushin Federation shihan Antonio Pinero. Among honorary guests were Shihan Hristo Traikov (Bulgaria), shihan Leslaw Samitowski (USA), shihan Lars Hogquist (Norway), shihan Andre Drewniak (Poland), sensei Mauricio Alvarada (Costa Rica) and shihan Noriyuki Tanaka (Japan) Taiko, who opened the Championships by striking a Taiko drum.

President Antonio Pinero handed in artistic cups to the President of Swinoujscie, the Mayor of Ahlbeck, members of the KWF Board, shihan Wlodzimierz Roj, shihan Robert Wajgelt, sensei Andrzej Klujszo and others to appreciate their efforts to prepare and organize the European Championships and promote Kyokushin in Poland and Europe. In connection with 35 year celebration of Swinoujscie Kyokushin Center, its founder and animator of twelve international tournaments and three national championships sensei Paweł Sujka was awarded an artistic epergne by the President of PFK shihan Andre Drewniak and a samurai sword by the President of Regional Karate Federation sensei Andrzej Klujszo.

The Championships were held under the patronage of MSiT and the Embassy of Japan. The main judge was shihan Antonio Pinero. It is worth mentioning that the event was prepared exceptionally well (i.e. a morning training on the beach accompanied by a horse riding club and Taiko drum sounds, sports hall decorations combined with professional lighting systems, computerized event processing and fast printout of results, artistic cups and medals for participants, accommodation and full board at a new five-star Radisson Blu Hotel, conducting a KWF General Meeting during an evening cruise on Chateaubriand ship, providing coverage of the event by three TV and two radio stations, Sayonara and disco, fireworks, delivering a final report for Teleexpress news program and 30-minute coverage presented by the first national Polish TV channel TVP1.

Among many sponsors and city authorities supporting the event was the Platinum Sponsor Radisson Blu Hotel Swinoujscie and they should be distinguished. The direct organizer of the championships was the Swinoujska Akademia Kyokushin with its President Marek Antoniuk.

The 32nd European Kyokushin Championships will be held on 25-26 May 2018 in Bucharest, Romania, and the next Kyokushin KWF World Championships will take place on 2-3 November 2018 in Astana, Kazakhstan.

RESULTS

On 20-23 July 2917 at Krakow Academy of Physical Education there was held the 44th East European Summer Camp in which participated 316 fighters and coaches, including about 40 participants from Belarus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Kaliningrad, Russia and Ukraine. Training sessions were led by the President of EKF shihan Antonio Pinero and USA Country Representative shihan Leslaw Samitowski from Chicago. Simultaneously there was organized a session for the national team, which was conducted by PKF coaches shihan Andre Drewniak, sensei Maciej Sokolowski and shihan Robert Wajgelt and coach shihan Waclaw Antoniak was introducing WKF fighting regulations. On July 21 at the Conference Hall of the Hotel Justyna, the Annual Meeting of PKO was held, in which more than 40 Polish Branch Representatives took place. On July 22 examinations were conducted for Kyu and Dan and later in the evening a Sayonara party was organized.  Cabaret contest was won by shihan Piorkowski's team. The camp ended the next day with over-one-hour examination fights. All camp participants traditionally received diplomas of participation, poster calendars with a family photo and key rings. The organizer was the Polish Kyokushinkai Organization led by shihan Andre Drewniak.

GALLERY

From the 7th to the 10th of July, the West European Summer Camp was took place for the 50^th time led by Shihan Loek Hollander. The first time was in 1968 in Ermelo, here also Sosai Oyama was president, who was then just attended with sensei.

The West European summer camp was the first to launch a long tradition of summer camps throughout the world, many countries and organizations followed this example. This summer camp is famous worldwide because of the tremendous intensity of training and the hardness of the black belt promotion tests. Many special training courses were given here for the first time, such as training in an inflatable tennis hall that is boiled up to 60 degrees Celsius, but also military training with tree trunks. These trainings have now passed the whole world.

The concept of Kyokushin summer camp of Shihan Hollander still fits modern times. This year, the Dutch Kyokushin Karate Organization (NKKO) has created a special program in which Kyokushin is the center of friendship of the past and for the future. We therefore borrowed the theme: "Time to reunite" from the KWU. After all, many black belts and famous shihans from all over the world have shed their blood, sweat and tears on Papendal and achieved a dan-degree here.

The NKKO invited a number of guest instructors this year to make this 50th camp special. Shihan Piñero, Shihan Lezkano, Sensei Pablo Estensoro and Sensei Jonathan Tineo have given fantastic lessons. But also, Kyokushin friends from other organizations like Shihan Koen Scharrenberg, Koen Spitaels, Peter Voogd and Fernando Alonso and Jerome de Timmerman made this camp a good camp in which many have found each other. How nice would it be if we were to give this cooperation more content in the future, didn't Sosai Oyama ever meant this?

A total of around 160 participants have been present from more than 10 countries to participate in this intensive training program, for example the hot air tent training by Shihan Loek Hollander which has not been given for more than 10 years.

Another highlight was the presence on Sunday morning of the Dutch IFK (NKA) who traveled with all the participants from their summer camp to Papendal to train together with us. Sensei Darren Stringer was their guest instructor and together with our Spanish instructors they did a fantastic training and created a great atmosphere with about 250 karateka's from IFK and KWF.

The most beautiful moment during this camp was during the party on Saturday night. Only a few were aware of what was going to happen. All shihans were present in their dogi and were upheld when Shihan Antonio Piñero, chairman of the KWF, spoke. He addressed Shihan Loek Hollander and praised him for his commitment to Kyokushin, a lifetime of his mission that our Shihan Hollander of Sosai Oyama himself received: "Enter the world and make Kyokushin big." On behalf of the all members of the KWF, Shihan Piñero presented the 10^th dan to Shihan Loek Hollander who was visibly surprised but also touched. A beautiful moment that many have closed in their hearts.

 The 50^th summer camp is now behind us and is one of the most beautiful camps I have ever experienced (since 1983). We are looking forward to the future in which we can celebrate the cooperation and friendships we experienced, and so we celebrate and honor the legacy of Sosai Oyama to make Kyokushin even more bigger and stronger in this world.

The 51st summer camp will be held from 12th to 15th July 2018. See you then OSU!

On behalf of the Dutch Kyokushin Karate Organization

Paul Lorist

Shihan, secretary of the board.

On 2-9 July 2017 the biggest in the World, International Kyokushin Summer Camp was held. Nearly 1000 participants, representing IFK, Kan, KWF and AKR, were accommodated in six hotels and practiced at the Kamchiya Sports Center. The opening of the camp was made by: Sports Minister of Bulgaria Krasen Kralev, shihan Andre Drewniak, shihan Dawid Pickthall and shihan Ivo Kamenov (main organizer). The program included two obligatory training sessions per day, at 8am and 6pm.

The participants were grouped as follows: black belts, brown and green belts, yellow and blue belts, children and a separate group of fighters. Volunteers could also take part in a Iaido sword training.

Training sessions for black and brown belts were run daily by shihan A. Drewniak (KWF) and shihan D. Pickthall (IFK). World champions Zahari Damyanov (Kan) and Sergey Plekhanov (KWF) as well as other Bulgarian masters, such as shihan Asen Asenov, shihan Marin Mitev, sensei Nikolay Rachev and senpai Petar Martinov, led sessions for the sports group and others.

Shihan Ramil Gabbasov conducted daily training classes for 160 international KWU judges.

The Professional Grand Prix of Bulgaria was held on 5 July. The President of WFKO Aleksander Tanyushkin from Moscow opened the event and the main judge was shihan Andrey Bura. Fighters fought five rounds of 2 minutes each, with a minute's rest. The first match was won by Aleksander Drozd (Russia) who defeated Andrey Andreev (Bulgaria). The second one was won by Nikolay Yorgov (Bulgaria) who defeated Naoki Morita (Japan). The organizer was the Kyokushin Bulgarian Federation led by shihan I. Kamenov.

Shihan Hatsuo Royama came at the end of the camp to take part in the International Youth Tournament, dan exams and a farewell photo session.

On 7 July was held the International KWU Youth Tournament "Varna Cup" with the participation of about 130 fighters from 16 countries. The main judge was shihan R. Gabbasov and it was opened by shihan A. Drewniak on the behalf of KWU. Prizes were given by shihan H. Royama, shihan A. Drewniak, shihan M. Mitev and sensei N. Rachev. The event was organized by the Bulgarian Kyokushin Federation headed by shihan I. Kamenov.

On 8 July dan examinations were held, supervised by Shihan H. Royama and shihan A. Drewniak.

In the evening the official closure of the camp and a photo session took place in which participated shihan H. Royama and shihan A. Drewniak, as well as all leading instructors. Late in the evening in Varna a Sayonara party for about 400 adult participants was organized in the Rappongi Restaurant.

GALLERY

July 8th, 2017, on the last day of the 50th, jubilee International Summer Camp in Papendal, Holland, Shihan Loek Hollander received 10th Dan.

On behalf of Board of Kyokushin World Federation and all students Shihan Antonio Pinero had this great honor to hand to Shihan L. Hollander 10th Dan Certificate along with Black Belt with ten golden strips. 

Shihan L. Hollander dedicated all his life to build up strong Kyokushin in Europe as well as all over the world.

As the right hand of Sosai Masutatsu Oyama (especially in International Affairs) he was the member of International Committee of IKO for 50 years and he was responsible for creation of European Kyokushin Organization and supervised development of African Kyokushin. 

Shihan L. Hollander always played exceptionally important role in all IKO World Championships and international camps on all continents.

He created unique European style of Kyokushin trainings.

He put a lot of efforts to spread Kyokushin especially in Eastern European countries, he was leading Eastern European Kyokushin Summer Camps in Krakow, Poland for more than ten times as well as numerous times in other Eastern European countries. 

Nobody in the world more than Shihan L. Hollander deserves to get this extraordinary recognition.