The 5th Annual Ukrainian National Kendo Tournament for Japanese Ambassador’s Cup took place in Kiev on 15-16 of October. This time, the tournament was held under the slogan “Joined by gratitude – with thanksgiving in heart.”
Kendo seminar and certification up to 1st kyu were held as tradition on the eve of the tournament. Both the certification and the tournament were the first real opportunity for many participants to test and show their strength, and get an objective assessment of their level.
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Thus, for our partners from the Odessa regional KENDO and BUDO Federation, this was the first attestation to which they have been preparing so seriously and responsibly for a long time in collaboration with the Kiev Kendo Federation. We can confidently say that they overcame with honour this first milestone on the way of Kendo.
A rather short period of time passed from the tragic events in Japan, which made millions of people all over the world to empathize with the life and fate of Land of Rising Sun inhabitants.
Long before the tournament the organizers decided to hold it in a modest and restrained format in memory of those tragic events.
At the opening ceremony of the tournament, Mr. Oga Kosuke, cultural attaché of the Embassy of Japan in Ukraine, first of all thanked the citizens of Ukraine for their help and support to Japan after the tragedy, and also thanked the participants and audience for the interest to one of the most popular martial arts in Japan.
There was a silence minute in remembrance of the victims of the tragedy.
The tournament was traditionally held in individual and team classification of championship. More than thirty kendokas assayed their strength in dual meets for Japanese Ambassador’s Cup in the individual classification. Four teams were competing for the team Cup.
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This time all the dual meets were noted for their special straining caused by the will to win of each participant. Both older students and younger and less experienced ones stuck heels in their skills and onslaught. As a result, the final fights did not disappoint nor spectators neither participants of the tournament.
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Denis Fedchuk (1st Dan) defended his title in close-fought battle and continued to be the owner of Ambassador’s Cup for one more year.
Second place won Сonstantine Solyanik (3rd kyu), and the third – Roman Falyeyev (2nd Dan).
In the team championship places as follows:
1st place. The team of Kendo, Iaido and Jodo Federation of Ukraine
Metel Mikhail
Chuikov Ivan
Solyanik Constantine
Fedchuk Denis
Falyeyev Roman
2nd place. The team of Kiev Kendo Federation (Team A)
Polyakov Alexander
Strantsevilko Dmitriy
Sobur Sergei
Yena Oleksiy
Musevich Vladimir
3rd place. The team “West-South”
Bukatar Alexander
Obschinin Vasil
Kamzalakov Oleg
Kokhanskiy Igor
Gavrilyak Emerikh
Awards were presented to winners by the Ambassador of Japan in Ukraine, Mr. Sakata Toichi. Despite the fact that the Ambassador had begun his duties in Ukraine only 6 days prior to the Tournament, he found the opportunity to visit it and to award its winners.
In his speech in the end of tournament, Mr. Ambassador expressed his sincere admiration of the spirit of Kendo, which was demonstrated by the participants. He also was pleasantly surprised by the advanced level of Kendo in Ukraine, he said, it made him respect Japanese martial arts even more, because they were developing by efforts of many enthusiasts far beyond the Land of Rising Sun.
Kendo, Iaido and Jodo Federation of Ukraine expresses its sincere gratitude to the leadership of a specialized School # 47 for their cooperation and assistance in organizing the tournament.
