On March 18 2017 the KWU European Championships were held in Berlin with more than 500 competitors from 24 countries. The official opening of the European Championships was made by KWF Secretary Andre Drewniak who stressed validity of the championshipвЂ^TMs motto TIME TO BE UNITED and thanked all Kyokushin leaders of the united Kyokushin because thanks to them European and world Kyokushin events set new standards for the range and quality of events organization. Short speeches were also made by KWU Secretary Sergey Suvorov and KWU Director Ramil Gobbasov who emphasized positive aspects of unification and development prospects.

The main judge of the championship was Shihan Ramil Gobbasov from Russia who ran a seminar for more than 40 judges on Friday. The championships were held simultaneously on 6 mats in two combined twin Sports and Entertainment Halls. Medals were given by Shihan A. Drewniak and Secretary S. Suvorov. On Sunday, according to the program, participants visited Berlin and in the evening they attended a Sayonara Party. The organizer was the German Kyokushinkai Kan Organization led by sensei Alexei Demanov.

Sensei Ilie Ionescu, the Country Representative of Romania and the President of the Romanian Kyokushin Federation organised KAGAMI BIRAKI in three Romanian cities. The sessions were held in Bucharest on the 12th January and Giurgiu on the 13th January. The special guest instructor for the sessions was Sensei Daniel Trifu, KWF board member and president of the Australian Kyokushin Federation. Senpai Lynne O'Brien from KWF Australia, board member of the Australian Kyokushin Federation, also attended the Bucharest and Giurgiu sessions. She enjoyed the enthusiasm and warmth of the Romanian Kyokushin community. Due to dangerous driving conditions caused by extreme weather Sensei Ilie Ionescu and Sensei Daniel Trifu could not make the 250 km trip from Bucharest to Galati. The session in Galati on the 14th January went ahead as planned and the students and instructors put on a great event.

Training sessions were immensely enjoyed by all involved. The Romanian Karateka showed great enthusiasm and fighting spirit during some of Sensei Trifu's training drills. Sensei Ionescu took this opportunity to announce the important events for 2017 and to present belts and certificates. The following Karatekas from the Romanian Kyokushin Federation were presented with their official KWF belts and certificates:

• George Radoi 3 dan (Giurgiu),
• Ana Cristina Stase 3 dan (Galati),
• Gabriel Stroe 2dan (Bucuresti),
• Catalin Mocanu 2 dan (Giurgiu),
• Dorel Aldea 2 dan (Galati),
• Marius Stan 1 dan (Giurgiu),
• Cristian Verdes 1 dan (Bucuresti),
• Daniel Ionita 1 dan (Bucuresti)

Here  pictures from training sessions with  Sensei Ilie Ionescu and  Sensei Daniel Trifu.

PS. For martial arts students today, the New Year's celebration of Kagami Biraki, continue the old samurai tradition of kicking off the new year. It is also a time when participants engage in a common endeavor and rededicate their spirit, effort and discipline toward goals, such as training.

GALLERY

On 3-4 December 2016 the 5^th Youth World Championships were held in a beautiful sports hall at the Palace of Culture and Sports in Varna, Bulgaria, with the participation of 666 fighters from 33 countries in three age categories: 12-13, 14-15 and 16-17 years. Board and accommodation were provided in the four-star hotel Astera in Golden Sands, near Varna. 

The main judge and a teacher on 3-day the International judges course with the participation of 46 judges was Shihan Ramil Gobbasov (Russia).

Day before the event, about 500 competitors  participated in a united training conducted by Shihans: Hatsuo Royama, Andre Drewniak i David Pickthall.

Shihan Andre Drewniak (KWF) officially opened the World Championships emphasizing the event's motto TIME TO BE UNITED was up-to-date and also thanked Shihan Ivo Kamenov for making the championships so prominent. Shihan David Pickthall (IFK), Shihan Hatsuo Royama (Kan) and the Secretary of KWU Sergey Suvorov also made speeches and a letter from the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Shihan Juri Trutniev was read. The guests of honor were Shihan Henny Bosman (South Africa), Shihan Hristo Traikov (Bulgaria) and Sensei Daniel Trifu (Australia). The finals were dominated by Russian, Japanese and Bulgarian junior fighters. 

The organizer provided live Internet TV streaming of the championships and the Press conference during which they also discussed why Sosai Mas. Oyama's ideas are still so attractive in the modern world.

Sayonara combined with disco was held in the hotel. Accommodation, board and flights from Sofia to Varna for all 700 participants were covered by the organizer of the World Championships.

The organizers invited everyone to participate in the next summer camp in Varna in July 2017 and the 3^rd KWU World Championships in the Metropolitan Plaza in Tokyo in November 2017.

The thirtieth Kyokushin European Championship took place on 25-26 November 2016 at the Papendal National Olympic Center in the Netherlands. 423 participants represented 26 countries including: Japan, USA, Australia, Turkey, Iran, Lebanon and Israel. A 30-minute concert performed by the famous Dutch drummer group Taiko started the jubilee event. The President of KWF Loek Hollander and the President of EKF Antonio Pinero 50 years ago created the Kyokushin European Organization and thanks to them Kyokushin in Europe and Africa have developed so much and helped stabilize the World Kyokushin after the death of Sosai Mas. Oyama. Among honorary guests were Vice President Hristo Traikov (Bulgaria), Secretary Andre Drewniak (Poland), Treasurer Lars Hogquist (Norway) and members of the KWF Board: shihan Leslaw Samitowski (USA), sensei Daniel Trifu (Australia), sensei Mauricio Alvaro (Costa Rica) and CR of Japan Noriyuki Tanaka.

 On Thursday, a group of fighters paid tribute at Arnhem Military Cemetery to killed Allied Paratroopers fighting for the liberation of Europe in the Arnhem forest. On Friday, the first day of the Championship, fighters competed in all categories of kata and junior kumite. On Saturday, the second day, fighters competed in all categories of kumite.

As part of the accompanying events, an International Judges Course, the General Meeting of the KWF and the EKF General Meeting were held. It was settled that on 13-14 October 2017 will be held another 31^st European Championships in Swinoujscie (Poland) and in May 2018 the 32^nd European Championships in Bucharest (Romania).The 2nd World KWF Championship is scheduled for 2018 in Tokyo, next 3^rd World Championship is scheduled for 2020 in Chicago and the 4^th World Championship in 2022 in Moscow.

The organizers of the jubilee championship was the Dutch Kyokushinkai Federation led by CR Rien Brink, Secretary Paul Lorist, shihan Aloys te Braake and other members of the Board, and many volunteers who created an unforgettable event.

RESULTS

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