Early highlights in 2018: The Diamond Cup, will be held 24th Feb. The tournament have been a strong tournament with top European fighters, Russia and Kazakhstan – top of that: Japan. The question would be naturally to raise, especially with Many World Tournaments this years: can the Diamond Cup attract star fighters also this time?
At the time The Netherlands, France, Belgium,Spain,Germany, Switzerland, England, Romania, Bulgaria and Japan are registered, and still this is not last call at all. The tournament shapes up, and we think from what we can see that this will be a great tournament. We do also believe that more top seeded fighters will enter, but many do have several heavy tournaments in their bodies, so it would be naturally to take a little time and evaluate.
Follow the registration here and sight up HERE
The last editions of the Diamond Cup`s has been more or less very strong when we look at the previous line ups. Last one back in 2016 did attract many of the strongest nations, at the podium Russia, Lithuania and Kazakhstan.
The first Diamond Cup was held in 2004. So in 2007,2009,2011 and in 2014. The 2014 addition was “The 1st West European Championship” and far as we know, that`s the one and only in that format. The gap between 2011 and 2014, could also be mention, the Belgian Shinkyokushin organization was the host of the European Championship in 2012, and it safe to say that the activity has been high. Already from the start, this has been a nice mix of countries and organizations, and if not mistaken the the origin of the tournament was Niji Yama Cup, with Ashihara Belgium as the other part, in order to organize the tournament
2007, then as now, Japan was invited and did win two categories Takuya Morikawa (men lightweight) and Nozomi Kanemitsu (women middleweight) The rest was dominated by England and Belgium.
Up to 2009 it had been mostly Western European countries that had joined the tournament. In 2009, the tournament did reach a new level getting in fighters from Lithuania, Ukraine, Denmark and more. The Lithuanian fighters capture 11 medals, wining all women divisions and super heavy weight and light weight for the men. The Danish fighters with 5 medals, did also a very strong tournament. Fighters as Lukas Kubilus (LT) Andrus Miseckas (LT) Christian Chistensen (DEN) Olexander Kravest (UKR) to name some names, it is also worth to mention The Netherlands, with 3 man on the podium, Wesley Jansen (LW) and Jan Van Beek (SHW) and even top spot with Tim Haverkamp (HW) Results
The Diamond Cup in 2011 was one of the hardest tournament in Europe at the time. Now rest of the Eastern Europe had entered, and Russia and Kazakhstan was represented with their top fighters. Russia with fighters from IFK and WKO/Shin and Kazakhstan with fighters from WKO/Shin. Poland was also strongly represented together with Lithuania. Among the top spots, Russia took seven medals and Lithuania with five. This year the double third place was replaced with a 3rd place final. Kazakhstan with Vladimir Artyushin (1st)and Mariya Gridneva (3rd) Szepesi Csenge (HUN) did get notable win over rival Inga Mikstaite (LT) in the middleweight. Results
The 2014 edition was a step back when we compare with the top level from 2011. This tournament with the “1st West European Championship” format, excluded all countries that were not in Western Europe. There is a very big difference when Lithuania, Russia, Kazakhstan, Poland and many others are missing. And the results was no more complicated than moving up a few places on rang than what the “usual” results were. But don`t get it wrong, the top level was at a acceptable level and more than approved! Results
The idea with the West EC was also that organizing it would be shared among several organizers but….
In 2016 was the tournament back on the highest level again. All the top nations was to see, and heavily merited fighters with strong records was at the line up. The double third places was back, and this time new weight categories was added. In the men`s categories it became a good mix between the winning nations, and several nations was to see at the podium. Lithuania Russia, Japan and Kazakhstan took the top spots in the men\s category, as among women Hungary took one and Russia the two others. Results