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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
ESKA Championship 2025
The 2025 European Shotokan Karate-Do Association (ESKA) Championships took place over the weekend of 28-30th November in the coastal city of Portimão, Portugal, where athletes from across Europe gathered to compete at the highest level of Shobu Ippon Karate.
This year saw 22 teams in attendance and 650 total entries and over three days, competitors showcased outstanding skill, precision, and spirit across all age categories.
The 38th ESKA Championships were held at the Portimão Arena, an excellent venue for an event of this scale. The programme featured individual and team events across Kata and Kumite and strong representation Youths through to Veterans. Throughout the weekend, athletes delivered disciplined, committed performances that captured the essence of traditional Shobu Ippon karate: clarity, timing, and decisive techniques.
We were honoured to welcome several distinguished guests, including the ESKA Honorary Vice President; José Ferreira, President of LPKS; José Chagas, Vice President of the Portuguese branch of the Portuguese National Karate Federation; and Susana Pires, Head of the Portimão Council’s Sport and Youth Division. The opening ceremony was marked by a moving performance of the national anthem by recording artist Eunice Boachat.
During the ESKA congress a minutes silence was observed to honour the memory of Ilya Gouliev, former Vice President of ESKA and a great supporter of both Shobu Ippon Karate and ESKA, who passed away earlier this year.
Reflecting on the event, ESKA President Richard Poole said:
“These championships showed the very best of European Shotokan Karate. The standard was exceptionally high, and the spirit demonstrated by our competitors reminds us why Shobu Ippon karate continues to thrive. My thanks go to all athletes, coaches, officials, and organisers whose dedication upholds the values we share across Europe.”
ESKA extends its sincere gratitude to organisers João Paula, Tiago Paula, and Rafael Alexandre, whose professionalism and tireless work ensured the smooth and efficient running of the championship. Their efforts, together with those of the referees, officials, volunteers, and support teams, upheld the high standards expected of this event.
Once again, the championship demonstrated why Shobu Ippon karate continues to inspire generations of practitioners: its emphasis on spirit, respect, and the pursuit of excellence.
Congratulations to all competitors, especially those who achieved medal success. Your commitment and discipline continue to elevate the standard of Shotokan karate across Europe.
ESKA championship 2024
A Fantastic Showcase of Karate at the 2024 ESKA Championships in Gondomar, Portugal
The 2024 European Shotokan Karate-Do Association (ESKA) Championships took place last weekend in the vibrant city of Gondomar, Portugal. Teams from across Europe gathered to compete at the highest level of Shotokan karate, showcasing exceptional skill, determination, and sportsmanship.
The 36th ESKA Championships were held over three days at the impressive Multiusos de Gondomar, a venue that provided an ideal setting for the prestigious event. The competition featured intense battles across a range of categories, including individual kata, team kata, individual kumite, and team kumite for cadets, juniors, youth, seniors, and, for the first time, Veterans. Athletes demonstrated the true spirit of karate, with some stunning performances that celebrated the rich traditions of Shotokan karate.
The host nation, Portugal, delivered an incredible performance, topping the medal table, followed closely by Italy. England and the Czech Republic shared the third position, reflecting the high level of karate across the continent.
The closing ceremony marked the conclusion of this prestigious event in spectacular fashion, celebrating the achievements of all competitors and the unity of the Shotokan karate community. In a symbolic gesture, the ESKA flag was handed over by José Ferreira, President of the Portuguese Karate Federation (LPKS), to another representative of LPKS who are also the next hosts of the ESKA championships in 2025. This ceremonial exchange signified the transition and generated excitement for the next championships.
Mr Richard Poole president of ESKA paid tribute to Sensei Hiroshi Shirai of Italy who inspired many thousands of shotokan students throughout Italy and Europe and also to Kent Rantzow a member of the ESKA referee commission who is greatly missed by ESKA members. Both passed away during the last 12 months. The families of both Sensei Shirai and Kent Rantzow were in attendance.
ESKA extends its heartfelt gratitude to the organisers, referees, volunteers, and supporters who made this championship possible. Special thanks go to the city of Gondomar for its warm hospitality and to the Portuguese Karate Federation (LPKS) for their exceptional efforts in hosting this successful event.
Congratulations to all the athletes who participated and to those who achieved medal success. Your dedication and perseverance continue to inspire the Shotokan karate community across Europe.
We look forward to welcoming everyone to the next ESKA Championships for another celebration of Shobu Ippon Karate in Portimao Portugal from 21st to 23rd November, 2025.
ESKA Championship 2022
ESKA 2022 – What a comeback!
Winterthur, Switzerland greeted athletes from 20 Countries around Europe for the 36th ESKA Championships. Previously designated ESKA 2021, the Championships had to be postponed due to the Covid Pandemic and the Organising Team did a fantastic job in pulling everything together not knowing how many athletes would be able to attend and compete with Covid still affecting many people.
Before the competition, a Referees Course and Examinations took place under the guidance of Ted Hedlund, Maurizio Contipelli and Tomasso Mini. The final examination being, of course, the competition itself. ?? candidates successfully joined the Team of qualified ESKA Referees.
During Congress the ESKA delegates were presented with up-to-date information about the Organisation and important points of the championships including that this would be one of the biggest ESKA tournaments to date.
The Competition began and with 626 world-class entries in kata and kumite we were looking forward to some exciting matches. The Athletes did not disappoint as the competition was dominated by nail-biting fights and superb kata performances. This, together with a great atmosphere in the venue made for a memorable comeback!
Topping the table was Portugal, closely followed by the Czech Republic and England.
The president of ESKA, Mr. Richard Poole handed the ESKA flag to the representative of the host of the 2023 Championships, Javier Artero Teran, President of ASKT.
We look forward to seeing you in San Fernando Spain from 1-3 December for the 37th ESKA Championships.
Results https://www.sportdata.org/karate/set-online/popup_main.php?popup_action=...
