Yesterday it was confirmed that in four years the next World Championship in Weight categories will be held in Poland! this has been rumored before, but now it is confirmed!
Poland are really on fire at the time. Not only will they host the 7th World Championship in Weight Categories in 2021, but as we know U-22 and Open weight this Autumn, the European Championship in May 2018. But what about EC in 2019 and 2020? Now as the plans are made, the preparations begin!
To start with the World Championship in Weight Categories 2021, Poland. No doubt about that Poland will be a very good host for the Championship. This championship demands a significant amount of capacity. It also shows that Poland’s geographical location is favorable in many ways, relatively central in Europe.
As a Kyokushin nation, Poland have always been a nation with a high number of karatekas. And regarding the level we also know for sure that they have top level athletes Junior, senior, women and men – Kumite as well as Kata. Organizing great tournaments would also be something that they has done with success before. Picking up the European Open Weight in 2012, adding the European Championship in 2015 – a tournament that became remarkable strong, placed the PFKS as a “complete nation”
This Autumn Poland holds the European Championship Open Weight and U-22 EC. Following it up with the European Championship in May 2018.
Later in 2018, a another great nation will organize the European Championship Open Weight and U-22 in November – Hungary. Hungary do also have many of the same qualities, but it has been some years since the was the host of the European Championship last time, 2006. But some us also remember that Hungary was the host of the 2nd World Championship (World Cup) back in 2001.
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2019
The European Championship in 2019 will be held in Lithuania. As it is a World Championship year, Lithuania have a tradition to organize the European Championship the same year. As they did in 2003, Kaunas, 2007 Vilnius, 2011 Vilnius. Lithuania is from formerly one of – if not the biggest nation in Shinkyokushin, and it is very beneficial to host the European Championships in the same year as the World Cup, given that one can qualify more athletes. This will only work for nations who can take advantage of the extra space a host has, and of course to maintain the required level.
Organizationally, Lithuania is also very good at organizing tournaments, the European Championship we have mentioned but we remember a very good event in 2013, the 5th World Cup (weight categories) And not long ago EC Open Weight in Kaunas 2014. (and in 2000) U-22 for 2019 and 2020 are yet to come..
2020
In 2016 Georgia was the host for the European Championship, and in 2020 they will go for it again. Being one of the countries that almost is at the border of the European region (EKO vise) with Russia and Kazakhstan, Georgia has made a stronger and stronger impression into the European region.
2021
As we started the article – World Championship in Poland 2021. We believe this will be one for the memories! But we also know that it be another change in the weight categories, as a proposal has been done into:
- Men: -60, -65, -70, -75, -80, -85, -90, +90
- Women: -50, -55, -60, -65, -70, +70
This is not new for the most of us, and this has been a topic since the aim of the Olympics started. WKO/Shinkyokushin is an organization that can pull this of. With that we mean that you must have a high number of fighters to fill all the categories. And fill them with skilled fighters of course. We have seen the challenge in the KWU World Championship, where categories was slimmed down to under ten fighters, even so that the KWU represent IFK, KWF, Kyokushi-Kan.
As we said:Now as the plans are made, the preparations begin!