# What are the most prestigious karate competitions?



## nordin (Oct 26, 2013)

I'd like to ask for a help from martialtalk community.

What would you say are the most prestigious karate competitions for free sparring? With prestigious I mean combination of highest level (possibly international) competition, martial art media coverage, decent prize money, historical significance etc. If you ask no-gi BJJ practitioner what is the top of no-gi grappling competitions, he/she will most likely answer ADCC and maybe no-gi Mundials. If you ask that to freestyle wrestler he/she will answer Olympics, Sambo fighter- President's Sambo Cup, Muay Thai - Lumpinee or Rajadamnern stadium etc. What is equivalent in karate styles? 
  I understand that there are many different organizations for each style and that some have quiet equal competition level, however I'd appreciate one or two competitions for each style(Shotokan, Kyokushin, G&#333;j&#363;-ry&#363;,Sh&#333;rin-ry&#363;, Shi t&#333;-ry&#363;,Wad&#333;-ry&#363 and maybe short description why do you think it's the top. 
Thank you in advance


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## Grenadier (Oct 27, 2013)

For the "big four" Karate systems (Shotokan, Shito Ryu, Wado Ryu, Goju Ryu), the WKF competition is the most prestigious at the world level.  The WKF is the governing body for the Olympics, and each country that sends a competition team (both Kata and Kumite) to the WKF is going to put their best competitors forth.  You're going to see athletes who have skills the likes of George Kotaka, Elisa Au-Fonseca, Luca Valdesi, etc.  These athletes train intensely over a period of months to get ready for such competitions, and will be going against the best from other countries.  

Also, many of the countries' athletes are going to be extremely motivated.  If they win at that level,  then they get many sponsorships, as well as the government generously rewarding them.  


At the national level, I can only speak for the USA,  but here, the big two competitions  are the US Open (held in Las Vegas) and the USA Karate National Championships.  USA Karate is the governing board (formerly the USA-NKF), and  the competition is also based on the WKF.  At these levels, things are a bit more diverse, that you also have kobudo competition in addition to the usual.  Also, athletes of all skill levels are present, ranging from the beginner (0 to 1 year of experience), all the way to those who have had decades of training.  

I've been to the nationals, and enjoy watching all levels of athletes compete.  Even at the beginner levels, you can see who amongst them are going to be the next generation of elite competitors (provided that they continue training), and get to meet many of your fellow instructors from all over the country.  It's a great way to get to know your fellow karate-ka.


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## nordin (Oct 27, 2013)

Thank you very much for your answer.

What about Sh&#333;rin-ry and Kyokushin? For Kyokushin US open maybe?


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## Grenadier (Oct 28, 2013)

nordin said:


> Thank you very much for your answer.
> 
> What about Sh&#333;rin-ry and Kyokushin? For Kyokushin US open maybe?



A lot of Shorin Ryu folks actually compete at the USA Karate nationals.  I've seen some Shorin Ryu black belts compete at both the advanced division, as well as the Okinanwan Kata division, and do as well as any.  For that matter, I've also seen quite a few Shorin Ryu folks learn kata from Shotokan, Shito Ryu, etc., and go for the elite divisions as well.  As long as they can understand the fundamentals involved with the particular system, then they can do quite well.  


As for the Kyokushin folks, in my area, Oyama Shihan (Yasuhiko) holds his World Oyama Knockdown Tournament every year here in the spring at Samford University's gymnasium.  Always a good event to watch, and I even got a chance to talk with Oyama Shihan for a bit.  Very nice fellow, but at the same time, a very commanding presence indeed.  

There are a bunch of Japanese Kyokushin fighters who come to this tournament every year.


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## Martin h (Nov 14, 2013)

In kyokushin the most prestigious international tournaments are the world open tournament(s). Specifically the world open tournaments arranged by the Matsui-group kyokushin and the one arranged by the Midori-group kyokushin (aka, Shinkyokushin). "Open" as in open weightclass. A few of the smaller kyokushin factions also arranges world open tournament, but they lack the prestige.  It is the curse of kyokushin that the different factions refuse to work together after the death of the founder.  Slightly smaller are the weight class tournaments (also known as world cup´s). A few tournaments held by jointly by several smaller factions are on the rise, but they still lack the prestige of the tournaments held by the big 2 factions.


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## Martin h (Nov 14, 2013)

nordin said:


> and Kyokushin? For Kyokushin US open maybe?


  In Kyokushin (or knockdown karate in general), the US is not a force to be reckoned with. The US open is not seen as a major league international tournament.


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## twendkata71 (Mar 22, 2014)

USA karate name given/brand name,if you will. The USANKF is the federation and current NGB recognized by the WKF and USOC. The former NGB was the USAKF.  The USAKF still runs elite competitions on its own. They have also partnered with the USANKF to send competitors to WKF events. The USAKF also is associated with the WUKF(World Union of karate do federations-a break away group from the WKC,WUKO-new) the WUKF has high level competitions internationally under the old WUKO type rules. 




Grenadier said:


> For the "big four" Karate systems (Shotokan, Shito Ryu, Wado Ryu, Goju Ryu), the WKF competition is the most prestigious at the world level. The WKF is the governing body for the Olympics, and each country that sends a competition team (both Kata and Kumite) to the WKF is going to put their best competitors forth. You're going to see athletes who have skills the likes of George Kotaka, Elisa Au-Fonseca, Luca Valdesi, etc. These athletes train intensely over a period of months to get ready for such competitions, and will be going against the best from other countries.
> 
> Also, many of the countries' athletes are going to be extremely motivated. If they win at that level, then they get many sponsorships, as well as the government generously rewarding them.
> 
> ...


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## twendkata71 (Mar 22, 2014)

Other very prestigious karate events are : JKA world championships-Shotokan only. World Shoto Cup-also Shotokan only. 
Many styles have their own World Cup or World Championship. WSKF(World Shito ryu), Goju Kai, etc.  Most come together for the WKF world championships.     WKF is a amatuer competition, no prize money, just medals and prestige. There is now WKF type competitions(at least in Europe) that gives out prize money(premier 1) curcuit.  Usually WKF world champions compete for prize money to support their training.


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