The long-awaited KWU summer camp officially kicked off on July 2 with much positive excitement and to the delight of all martial arts fans. Kamchia Sports Complex welcomed nearly 1400 participants from all over the world, who came to Bulgaria from different continents to gain experience from some of the most proven masters in Kyokushin, Kudo, Kickboxing, MMA, and more.
The martial arts classes started at sunrise with the fresh sea air and in close proximity to the Black Sea coast so that the young talents of the large-scale camp could reap all the dividends of outdoor sports.
The summer international camp started off strong with the KWU World Cup Varna for Juniors and Cadets (14-21 yo) and the KWU World Cup among Men and Women in the open categories.
On 4 and 5 July, the Sports and Recreation Complex in Kamchia held the long-awaited battles of the traditional international matches for the KWU World Cups, in which nearly 400 fighters from 27 countries registered for participation. Juniors and cadets competed for the cup in three age groups – 14-15 years, 16-17 years, and 18-21 years. And in the men’s and women’s absolute category, 76 fighters fought to the last breath, with 55 men and 21 women. In the cadets in the age group 18-21 and in the absolute category, in addition to trophies and medals, there were cash prizes for the winners from 1st to 4th place. Along with winning the prestigious trophies in the various categories as per KWU competition rules, the winners were also tested for doping.
Apart from the traditional Kyokushin Karate training, various kickboxing, Kudo, MMA, Iaido and wrestling training sessions were also held during the camp. The large-scale international event offered a wide selection of challenges and sporting activities for every participant who was looking to develop their fighting skills or try something new.
The week’s highlight was the 17th edition of the SENSHI professional fighting gala on July 8, where 36 fighters from 19 countries showed their skills in the fighting arena and regularly brought the audience to their feet. The titanic clashes left the spectators breathless, ultimately giving them a high adrenaline rush and unforgettable emotions.
During the week of the international camp, renowned martial arts masters, Shihans, and Senseis held workshops for participants. Additionally, two main meetings between KWU’s board of directors and the KWU SENSHI board took place to discuss further developments in the organization.
Take a look at the final stats from camp:
All participants: 1384 from 43 countries.
All participants in the KWU World Cup Varna (14-21 years): 367 from 27 countries.
All participants in the KWU World Open Cup among men and women: 76 from 25 countries.
All participants in the KWU SENSHI Camp: 1275 from 36 countries.
All participants in the Kudo camp: 36 from 6 countries.
Participants in the SENSHI gala night: 36 fighters from 19 countries.
31 instructors, special guests, referees, and judges:
Shihan Akira Masuda 9. Dan (Japan)
Shihan Andre Drewniak 9. Dan (Poland)
Shihan Kenichi Osada 7. Dan (Japan)
Shihan Francisco Filho 7. Dan (Brazil)
Shihan Ryu Narushima 6. Dan (Japan)
Ernesto Hoost (Netherlands)
Shihan Semmy Schilt 9. Dan (Netherlands)
Peter Aerts (Netherlands)
Takashi Ito (Japan)
Shihan Ivo Kamenov 7. Dan (Bulgaria)
Shihan Marin Mitev 7. Dan (Bulgaria)
Shihan Asen Asenov 6. Dan (Bulgaria)
Shihan Sam Greco 6. Dan (Australia)
Shihan Nicholas Pettas 6. Dan (Japan)
Shihan Glaube Feitosa 5. Dan (Brazil)
Shihan Tihomir Atanasov 5. Dan (Bulgaria)
Shihan Stoyan Dimov 5. Dan (Bulgaria)
Sensei Ewerton Teixeira 4. Dan (Brazil)
Sensei Andrews Nakahara 4. Dan (Brazil)
Sensei Jan Soukup 4. Dan (Czechia)
Sensei Tariel Nikoleishvili 4. Dan (Georgia)
Sensei Zahari Damyanov 4. Dan (Bulgaria)
Sensei Petar Martinov 4. Dan (Bulgaria)
Sensei Yusuke Fujii 4. Dan (Japan)
Sensei Masaki Fujii 3. Dan (Japan)
Sensei Ryota Azuma 3. Dan (Japan)
Sensei Ryota Onodera (Japan)
Albert Kraus (Netherlands)
Andy Souwer (Netherlands)
Senpai Jo Miyahara 2. Dan (Japan)
