On November 22, The 8th European Open Category Kyokushin Karate Championships 2008, The 8th European Kyokushin Karate Kata Championships 2008, The 2nd European Kyokushin Karate Junior Championships 2008 took place in Varna, Bulgaria. 130 competitors from 17 european countries took part in the event.
   Special guests were: Shihan Antonio Pinero (EKKO President), Shihan Andre Drewniak (EKKO General Secretary), Sensei Christoph Fischer (EKKO Treasurer).
   EKKO Board meeting took place on November 20, where the vital matters concerning the future of Kyokushin in Europe were discussed. Judges seminar led by Shihan Andre Drewniak and assisted by Shihan Stanislav Blizniuk and Sensei Jacek Czerniec, was organised on the day before the championships.
   In both final fights met the same fighters as last year. In men open category Alejandro Navarro from Spain once again won with Lucian Gogonel from Romania and in women open category, this time Agnieszka Sypien from Poland was the one who won the champion title, beating Danaila Cherneva from Bulgaria. Both finals were very exciting.
   Organiser of the championships was Bulgarian Kyokushin Karate Organisation, led by Shihan Hristo Traikov. Main judge was Shihan Antonio Pinero.

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Opening Ceremony	Juniors and Seniors	Kata
Eliminations	Finals	Awards

RESULTS

RESULTS - Juniors

   On the weekend of 24 - 26 October 2008, in Helsinki the Kyokushin Karate Camp led by Sensei Geir Havreberg took place. Program of the camp included kihon, kata, kumite, stregth excersises, tameshiwari, self-defense and sparring.
   Organiser was Senpai Jyri Hokkinen - the leader of Finland Kyokushin Karate Organisation.

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   On November 1-2, in Tokyo Gymnasium hall the The 40th All Japan Kyokushin Karate Championships Tokyo 2008. Official opening was done by Sensei Kyosuke Machida.
   Honorary guests were Shihan Loek Hollander from Holland, Shihan Peter Chong from Singapore, Shihan Seiji Isobe from Brazil. Other special guests were: Shihan Yuzo Goda and Shihan Makoto Nakamura from Japan, Shihan Stuart Corrigal from Canada, Shihan Antonio Pinero from Spain and Shihan Andrzej Drewniak from Poland.
   Organiser of the championships was International Karate Organisation Kyokushinkaikan, led by Kancho Shokei Matsui.

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   The 6th North American & International Kyokushin Karate Black Belt Conference was held on October 10 to 12, at the world famous Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada.
   Main instructors of the camp were: Shihan Seiji Isobe and Shihan Francisco Filho from Brazil. Unfortunately Shihan Bobby Lowe from Hawaii could not attend the camp, due to his health problems.
      Participants from all over the world, included few Sensei from Europe too.

   From October 8 to 12, The 3rd European Team Training Camp was held in Varna, Bulgaria. Aproximately 100 fighters, Country Representatives and coaches of 22 National Teams from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech R., Denmark, Croatia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland and Tunisia,  gathered to train together.
   Three training sessions a day were held, both outdoors and indoors, led by Shihan Loek Hollander, Shihan Andre Drewniak, Shihan Joe Claronino, Shihan Tsutomu Wakiuchi, Shihan Hristo Traikov. A meeting of European Country Representatives and National Team coaches took during the camp. 
   The goal of this camp was to higher up the level of European fighters, with special focus on the boxing techiniques. Sensei Asen Asenov and Sensei Nikolai Rachev - two karateka from Bulgaria, specializing in boxing were invited to lead the classes.

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