51st Fujimura Cup – Swiss Ippon Shobu Open
2nd European Ippon Shobu Karate League for Clubs
May 23, 2026

Ichi-go ichi-e 一期一会
“Unique encounters, unique moments”

A big thank you to everyone for being part of this event!
The impressions of the recent Fujimura Cup are still vivid – full of
emotion and lasting memories.
A total of 41 clubs from 4 nations, with 396 entries, created the
setting for a technically high-level competition and outstanding Shotokan Ippon
Shobu Karate.
All individual categories featured a strong field of athletes, delivering intense, high-
level competition throughout, including the Junior and Senior Team Kata events.
Two Senior Team Kumite categories added even more excitement, creating the
electric atmosphere that defines this event year after year.

Referee Seminar

The event began on Friday, May 22, with an international referee seminar attended
by around 25 nationally licensed referees, along with numerous international ESKA
officials.
Beni Isenegger, member of the ESKA Referee Commission, led the seminar with
great expertise and remarkable clarity.
These refresher courses on ESKA Ippon Shobu rules play a key role in the ongoing
development of Shotokan Ippon Shobu Karate across Europe.
They provide referees and judges with a clear, structured, and performance-
oriented training framework, supporting their progression to a high international
standard.
A heartfelt thank you to Beni Isenegger for his outstanding dedication and
commitment.
The next judges’ seminar will take place during the final League event in Lisbon on
Friday, September 11. Further details will follow in the official announcement in the
coming weeks.

The Tournament in Wettingen

The competition in Wettingen has long been an integral part of Swiss karate
history. As organizers, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone
who contributed to the success of the Fujimura Cup and the second stage of the
European Ippon Shobu Karate League – we are deeply thankful to all of you.
On Saturday, May 23, the Sporthalle in Wettingen became a true centre for
Shotokan Ippon Shobu Karate. Sport unites and builds friendships without barriers:
in Wettingen, we welcomed strong participation from Italian clubs and
associations, who made a valuable technical and enthusiastic contribution to the
competition.
The Kata and Kumite events, performed at a high European level, thrilled the
audience. Several European Shotokan champions, competing in both disciplines,
delivered outstanding performances.
The referee team, composed of numerous international officials, ensured a
consistently high standard of judging through precise and consistent decisions.
It is thanks to all of you – athletes, coaches, club managers, and volunteers – that
the Fujimura Cup becomes an unforgettable experience year after year.
The Fujimura Cup remains a tradition that unites us with passion and enthusiasm.

Grand Champion

It is always a great pleasure to present the combined award (for medalists in both
Kata and Kumite). Karate is both kata and kumite: when athletes excel in both
disciplines, they deserve special recognition. We are proud that the Fujimura Cup
has been honouring this outstanding achievement since 1974.
This year, the Grand Champion titles were awarded to two young athletes:
Sofia Cucchi (Italy) and Quinten De Smedt (Switzerland).

European Ippon Shobu Karate League for Clubs

With the introduction of the Karate League, a new dynamic has emerged for Ippon
Shobu Karate in Europe – more and more events are bringing our community
together. This represents significant added value for traditional Shotokan Karate.
We are on the right track with the League for Clubs and must continue to develop
it—creating more top-level international opportunities for athletes while
strengthening a unified European referee community and establishing ESKA as a
benchmark for Shotokan Karate.
This year, four competitions are scheduled, with the final ranking to be decided in
Lisbon on September 12.

Athlete and Club Rankings 2026

The final annual rankings will be determined after the upcoming events in Austria
and Lisbon. At the end of November, during the ESKA European Shotokan
Championships in Niš (Serbia), the top five female and male athletes, as well as the
top clubs, will be awarded; the top three will receive special recognition.

Post-Fujimura Cup Information

Photos from the 51st Fujimura Cup and the current League ranking lists are now
available for download on the Sportdata platform.

Save the date

We are already looking forward with great enthusiasm to the next edition of the
Fujimura Cup and can’t wait to welcome you again on April 17, 2027, in
Wettingen for another unforgettable day of karate.

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Report first Ippon Shobu Karate League event

The first ESKA Ippon Shobu Karate League event took place at the Palacicogna Stadium, Treviso, Italy on Sunday 15th March 2026.
With over 700 entries from Italy, Switzerland, Belgium Hungary and Portugal this was a very successful event and bodes well for the remaining league championships to take place later this year in Switzerland on 23rd May, Austria on 30th May and Portugal on 12th September.
The event showcased the high standards of Shotokan karate and the excellent behaviour that we associate with ESKA championships.
The ESKA technical director Tommaso Mini and the WSKA technical director Maurizio Contipelli lead a referee and judge course for 70 officials before the championships to ensure that all were confident with ESKA rules.
In his speech welcoming dignitaries, competitors and spectators ESKA president Richard Poole acknowledged the wonderful atmosphere in the stadium and most impressively the camaraderie shown towards each other by rivals on the tatami. He also thanked Ofelio Michielan and Alessia Michielan for their hard work in organizing such a successful event