IKO Iran International Elite Kyokushin Championships

Posted on February 12, 2012 by gorai

The Iran International Elite Karate Championships was held at Urmie, Iran on 2/11/12 organized by Shihan Seyed Mohammadi, IKO Iranian Branch Chief.

Urmie is a picturesque  city in Northern Iran near the borders of Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. It is famous for it’s “Lake Urmine”, the world biggest salt lake. The arena was packed with well over 4,000 excited spectators to welcome the international invited Kyokushin teams from Japan, Russia, Ukraine, Romania, and Poland.

Results are following. Iranian Kyokushin competitors showed exceptional potential to be one of the top international contender nations in the future. Osu!

Light: 1st: Rahim Karimi Nasab (Iran)
2nd: Antonio Grigorescu (Romania)
3rd: Yuko Kimura (Japan)
4th: Naoya Kimura (Japan)

Middle: 1st: Masanaga Nakamura (Japan)
2nd: Mousa Bagheri (Iran)
3rd: Giga Shamatava (Russia)
4th: Iunusov Sultanametkhan (Ukraine)

Heavy: 1st: Nima Feizi (Iran)
2nd: Amin Azimi (Iran)
3rd: Yuta Takahashi (Japan)
4th: Marcin Prachnio (Poland)

IKO Iran International Elite Championships

Posted in Shihan Gorai | Comments Off

Romania training

Posted on February 5, 2012 by gorai

indoors training

Osu. Luckily we had many students attend the training. Even through the snow they came. We trained 4 sessions yesterday and first one was at dawn. Snowfall was record in Romania for the last 50yrs. Kyokushin, OSU!

after snow training!

Posted in Shihan Gorai | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Romania

Posted on February 3, 2012 by gorai

Osu. Today I traveled to Sinaia, Romania; about 122km from Bucharest. It has been snowing and snowing across Europe, and the temperature here is below -10C. It is the heaviest snow storm in more than 50 years. Some members were forced to cancel their attendance at the seminar this weekend, but still others are showing up, and many are on their way to this beautiful mountain town.

I casually trained with instructors from Romania, Switzerland, Poland and Austria this monring. The official session will start tonight. I hope everyone drives safely and will be able to make it through the storms. Osu!

snow in romania-from uk daily telegraph

Posted in Shihan Gorai | Comments Off

Bucharest, Romania

Posted on February 2, 2012 by gorai

My flight to Bucharest from NY yesterday was cancelled due to bad weather in Istanbul. Luckily I could change my flight and arrived earlier than expected.

I will conduct IKO Officiating Seminar for Romanian members in Bucharest this weekend. Shihan Dorel Bulearca is hosting this event.  Bucharest is a beautiful city.

Weather NYC is unseasonably warm, but it is cold in Europe, and Japan is having record-breaking snow right now. Something is wrong with the world climate. We should work hard to conserve energy and help the environment for the future.
Osu!

bucharest was once know as "little paris"

Posted in Shihan Gorai | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

US Weight Category Karate Championships

Posted on January 25, 2012 by gorai

Osu. We just completed the 2012 USWC in LA this weekend. Many US and Canadian fighters and international participants attended.  IKO-LA BC Sensei Taku Nakasaka did a great job to organize the event at a different venue this time and his Dojo students worked hard to help out. Neighboring IKO LA BC’s, Sensei Patrick Fard and Sensei Hasegawa and their members worked together to support this event and it was a great success.

I was very happy about our KKNY Team. Everybody trained hard and did their best. Team KKNY, KKFL and KKNC stuck together and supported each other and then, everybody managed to place in their divisions, so their success was shared by everybody. I am proud of all participants, congratulations, Osu!

KKNY Results:
Daniel Milicevic – US Super Heavyweight Champion
Koto Hiraoka – 2nd US Womens LW
Marek Mroz – 3rd US Mens HW
Yoshihiko Wakida – 2nd US Sr Mens LW & 2nd Sr Int Kata
Rahi Ghasemi – 2nd US Sr Mens HW
Alan Terakubo – 3rd US Jr Boys 7yrs
Leon Terakubo – 4th US Jr Boys 4-6yrs
KKFL:
Jaana Reynolds – 3rd US Womens MW & 3rd Sr Adv Kata
KKNC:
Christian Buffaloe – US Jr Boys 11-12yrs Champion & 2012 US Best Spirit Award

Daniel Milicevic - 2012 US Super Heavyweight Champion!

Posted in Shihan Gorai | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu ~ Happy New Year 2012

Posted on January 5, 2012 by gorai

sosai mas oyama at winter camp

Osu. IKO Honbu is closed this week to observe the New Year then Kancho will lead the traditional IKO Kyokushin Kaikan Winter Training Camp at Mitsumine mountain.

This Sunday at KKNY we will have our annual Kagami Biraki, New Year’s Training & Welcome Party.  This year our KKNY Japanese moms arranging the Omochi Tsuki, which is traditional rice pounding ceremony to open the New Year with good health and prosperity.  Everyone be ready to help pound the rice, Osu!

We said goodbye to 2011. Last year made some excellent memories and some sad ones for Kyokushin.  In March, Japan suffered a terrible earthquake and tsunami that demolished our branch dojos in the region and killed many thousands. Japanese people are recovering with the Spirit of Osu -perseverance through adversity – and thanks to the kindness and support from people around the world.  In June we held a very competitive All American Open in NY that showcased some of the best fighters we have ever seen.  In September, the IKO lost one our highest ranking members, and Sosai Mas Oyama’s first uchi-deshi, Shihan Bobby Lowe, then in November, we held the most successful World Open Tournament in history and crowned the youngest ever, and first Champion from Russia.  That was the Year of the Rabbit. 

This year is the Year of the Dragon and 2012 marks the 18th year KKNY is operating in NYC. I have a positive outlook and high hopes for the future.  Thank you all NY students, IKO members and friends around the world for your support these almost 2 decades. I am looking forward to seeing you in USA, in Japan and around the world.  Have a good health, take care of family and good luck, OSU!

Posted in Shihan Gorai | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Last Class of 2011

Posted on December 31, 2011 by gorai

Osu. Completed the last KKNY class for 2011. As is Kyokushin tradition, we did 1000 punches and 1000 kicks. All of us, including 4 yrs old boy successfully completed the challenge. Afterwards, everyone stayed to help clean the dojo to get ready for the New Year.
I’d like to thank everyone for your friendship and support in 2011. Kyokushin has events planned all over the world in 2012. Coming soon, will be the US Weight Category on January 22nd in Los Angeles, CA. Good luck all competitors.
This year I traveled a lot and saw many students in their home towns training Kyokushin. It made me feel how lucky we are to be part of this organization. I wish you all take care of your health and enjoy much happiness in 2012.
“Sankotsu Sangyo” Be honest, be kind, be happy.
and Happy New Year!! Osu!

KKNY Last Class 2011

Posted in Shihan Gorai | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

IKO European Junior Karate Championships

Posted on December 17, 2011 by gorai

Osu. I am in Warsaw, Poland for the European Junior Karate Championships. We had approximately 150 competitors aged 14 to 17 yrs from Europe and Russia. Russia showed their clout by winning 11 out of 18 categories. Poland took 5, Romania and Italy 1 each. We started this event category in Europe last year at Belgrade, Serbia, and I believe it will expand rapidly to welcome hundreds of competitors in the years to come. Junior members are future of our organization and we should nurture them for the eternity of IKO!kanku ceiling!

poland jr champs 2011

Posted in Shihan Gorai | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

KKNY Winter Promotion Test

Posted on December 16, 2011 by gorai

Osu. I was supposed to write more blog! World Tournament was a huge success and many things to say so I will write a little bit at a time.

Tariel Nikoleishivili of Russia took the IKO Kyokushin kaikan’s 10th World Open title last month in Tokyo. He was the youngest person ever to win it – he just turned 20. He has been a junior champion in Russia and was first non-Japanese to win the All Japan Open so he is no stranger to the podium, but to win the 10th World Open, he fought the hardest matches in his life over 3days, then the final with the 9th World Champion, Teixeira. It was very exciting finish and everyone in arena felt his energy. Russia was very strong this tournament, but also so many international fighters have come up strong. Tariel is still young so I am interested to see who will win the 11th World.

Congratulations to all students at the Winter kyu test at NY Dojo. It was the biggest test of the year with more than 50students. Everybody did great. We closed for Christmas and News Years weekend, but open all during midweek. We have Kagami Biraki on Jan 8, training and party after with family and friends.
Train hard in 2012, Osu!

adults test 12.11

Posted in Shihan Gorai | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

KKNY Goodwill Tournament

Posted on November 22, 2011 by gorai

Osu. We just had the Fall 2011 Goodwill Tournament in NY and many students participated in kata, kumite and tameshiwari. This event was a good chance for students to test themselves, and for almost everybody, it was the first time to compete.  Also this event supported the NY Citymeals on Wheels charity.

I want to thank everyone for their contribution, and all the brown and black belts who helped out, Osu!

I realized I didn’t update this blog since World Tournement was concluded.  Tariel Nikoleishvili became the youngest ever (age 20) and first Russian to win the World Open – congratulations!  IKO Honbu has full results and report online now here: http://www.kyokushinkaikan.org/en/news/2011/11/the-10th-world-open-karate-tournnament-report.html

I will add a brief review here soon too, Osu!

Sensei Taku Nakasaka posted the promotion video for the US Weight Category Karate Championships (Jan 22, 2012) on YouTube today:

Posted in Shihan Gorai | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off