WKF representatives and delegates from all the host cities of the 2018 Karate 1-Premier League met in Tenerife (Spain) to launch the new edition of Karate’s flagship event. 

WKF representatives and delegates from all the host cities of the 2018 Karate 1-Premier League met in Tenerife (Spain) to launch the new edition of Karate’s flagship event. 

Chaired by WKF President Antonio Espìnós, the meeting was held in Tenerife coinciding with the celebration in the Spanish city of the World Cadet, Junior & U21 Championships. In addition to representatives of Karate’s international governing body, the gathering welcomed members of the organising committees of all the 2018 Karate 1-Premier League tournaments. Next year’s edition of Karate’s first-class series of competitions will have seven tournaments. The cities of Paris (France), Dubai (UAE), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Rabat (Morocco), Istanbul (Turkey), Berlin (Germany) and Tokyo (Japan) will host tournaments of the anticipated 2018 Karate 1-Premier League. 

The new image of the top Karate tournaments was presented at the meeting, as well as the upgraded design of competition. Other improvements were discussed to further increase the presentation of the tournaments and to continue taking the event to new levels in terms of organisation, delivery of the competition, and TV coverage. The representatives of all the seven host cities pledged to contribute to further raising the profile of Karate’s flagship event, as the Karate 1-Premier League is acquiring greater levels of importance, especially in the quest for the qualification of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.    

“It is our intention to continue working together to move Karate and the Karate 1-Premier League in the right direction. The tremendous progress that the Karate 1-Premier League has experienced over the years is the result of the joint cooperation of the WKF, national federations and organising committees. Today’s meeting was an important step forward in our desire to work closely with all parties involved in order to achieve our goal of continuing reaching new milestones for our sport,” said WKF President Antonio Espinós.