On July 9 - 13, the West European Summer Camp 2003 was held at the National Sport Center Papendal, Arnhem, Holland. Nearly 130 Kyokushin students from Holland, Poland, Ukraine, France, Denmark, Austria, attended this event which was organized by the Dutch Kyokushin Karate Organisation lead by Shihan Loek Hollander and assisted by Shihan Ton van Rijn, Sensei Henk Gerhards and others.
The seminar was also strongly supported by Branch Chiefs and Instructors from Holland and by visiting international Instructors, Shihan Pinero from Spain, Shihan Drewniak from Poland, Shihan Wakiuchi from Italy and Shihan Blizniuk from Ukraine.
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 Hollander and Shihan van Rijn presented all participants with a certificate and souvenir to commemorate their attendance and great weekend of training at the camp.
During the camp an unofficial EKKO Board meeting was held with participation of President A. Pinero, General Secretary A. Drewniak, Treasurer Ch. Fischer, Member S. Blizniuk, Advisors: L. Hollander and T. Van Rijn. Many important points for the development of european kyokushin were discussed, including: Re-registering of EKKO from Swiss law to the EU law in Brussels; Money Saving Plan; Final acceptation of new EKKO Website; preparations to the 3rd European Open Weight Category Championships Baja '03 and the 18th European Weight Category Championships Papendal '04.
In many Country Representatives' opinion, this summer camp was historical event, as it gathered the most important kyokushin leaders in Europe and thanks to this many new ideas were born. It seems like the new era of European Kyokushin Karate Organisation has started.