Hello Everyone of IKGA

The 10th European Open Goju Kai tournament and the 36th European IKGA Seminar Combined has finally been realized & concluded.

I am pleased to announce that the two most popular events in Europe IKGA and Goju Kai Karate have been successfully concluded. The 4th of July with the European Tournament held at Policoro (Matera) in the Basilicata Region of Italy resulted a Top Class Tournament with a closing record of 400 participants. The one day full emersion Event saw participants from 18 Nations taking part including South Africa and Namibia. It was not an easy day, like all tournaments are not ever, but it was a first for Host country Italy to prepare and accomplish this tournament. With Diligent preparation and very hard work, this resulted as a great success over and above all aspects.

The medal ranking for the day Championship is as follows:

COUNTRY	GOLD	SILVER	BRONZE	FINAL SCORE(N° GOLD MEDALS)	PLACEMENTS
HUNGARY	17	11	10	17	1 ST PLACE
ENGLAND	11	7	10	11	2 ND PLACE
SOUTH AFRICA	10	15	34	10	3 RD PLACE
NAMIBIA	4	7	18	4	4 TH PLACE
ITALY	2	2	7	2	5 TH PLACE
CZECH REPUBLIC	2	1	1	2	6 TH PLACE
SWITZERLAND	1	4	1	1	7 TH PLACE
PORTUGAL	1	1	0	1	8 TH PLACE
SWEDEN	1	0	1	1	9 TH PLACE
BULGARIA	0	1	0	0	10 TH PLACE
ROMANIA	0	0	2	0	11 TH PLACE
GERMANY	0	0	1	0	12 TH PLACE
SLOVAKIA	0	0	0	0	13 TH PLACE
UKRAINE	0	0	0	0	13 TH PLACE

I personally would like to congratulate everyone for their well performance and thank you all for your incredible effort put in competing.

As for the Seminar, the 36th has turned out to be a record breaking too in participants, in venue, in food, in location, in everything. The best one could ask for. It is unbelievable how quick time passes from preparing to the arrival of all and in one week everyone is gone again, but with wonderful memories. I could see the enjoyment in everyone’s faces and this has made me very happy. The resort has complemented all our groups of IKGA for the well behaviour and discipline shown throughout the week of stay. As the week passed by, management got to see all of us work in a special way through Karate practice and left them with a very positive impression of our highly attributed organization. Karate brings people together from all walks of life, more than any other single minded sport in the world. Karate has no distinctions, no colour, no race, no favouritism, but only through hard work and attendance and respect one for the other will you carve your way to success as a single person in sport and in Life. Many roads were crossed in this 2 year preparation of wonderful Karate Event in IKGA we have. I have learned plenty through all of you leaders in each country but most of all what is wonderful is that our bondage as Karate Family in Goju Kai has become stronger. My thank you goes to everyone, participants, parents, coaches, organizers, secretaries, etc..You are all special. I would like to congratulate all that have passed their Dan Grading, from 1st to 5th Dan, and a particular congratulation to Joachim Shihan for passing his Roku dan and Mark Adam Shihan for passing his Nana Dan. Congratulations to the Check Republic and Swiss Goju Kai, Roman Jirac and Jakub Jirsa as well as Erik golowing in becoming Shihan. Europe is becoming ever more stronger in the Shihan Ranking.

In conclusion, Saiko Shihan, Ingo Hanshi and Peter Hanshi have expressed their joy and gratitude as you all well know. Their presence in this memorable Italian Seminar and Championship, will definitely put a strong mark for times to come. These are our pillars in Karate for the past 50 years that have sacrificed their time and energy in maintaining a stable organization till date. We hope to see them again in training amongst all of us, in good health first.

May we always look ahead in life with a smile on our faces, no matter what the circumstances, as long as we keep on trying to do our best, and most of all, TO GIVE YOUR LIFE A PURPOSE…

TILL WE ALL MEET AGAIN,

SINCERELY

SHIHAN

IGNAZIO COSTARELLI

LUCIANO MASCI

( OC ) IKGA ITALY