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

GALLERY

GALLERY

On September 27, 2016 The 12th Mas Oyama Memorial Cup Tokyo 2016 was organized by IKO Kyokushinkaikan, lead by Kancho Yoshikazu Suzuki and Daihyo Kuristina Oyama.

Tournament gathered 251 participants from: Japan, Korea, China, Canada, Russia, Switzerland, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Chile, Brazil, Bolivia, Indonesia, India and Haiti.

Tournament Committee Chairman was Shihan Susumu Miyake. Opening ceremony speech was made by Kancho Hatsuo Royama  (Kyokushinkan). Sensei Nicholas Pettas was an honorary guest.

Arkadiusz Sukiennik of KWF Poland, took 3rd place in Kumite Senior (+35 years old) Heavy Weight category.

GALLERY

photos: Andrzej Zacharski 

Our summerschool was attended by 125 students from all over Europe and  also some good friends  from Iran.

Shihan Loek Hollander and Shihan Antonio Pinero supervised the lessons  in this summerschool.

Next year the Dutch Kyokushin Karate Organisation  will  celebrate the 50 th summerschool, so hereby we invite everybody to join this special event.

 ( Papendal Holland from 7 till 10 july 2017)

With regards

rien.brink@hetnet.nl