On October 9-10, 2010 the XVIII World Gichin Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Championship and III World Kohai Cup took place in Lons-le-Saunier (France). The strongest competitors from 40 countries participated in this tournaments. The Sport Martial Arts League member Irina Druts is the World Champion in Team Kumite among Female of 16-20 years.

On October 9-10, 2010 the XVIII World Gichin Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Championship and III World Kohai Cup took place in Lons-le-Saunier, France on the basis of the exhibition centre «Juraparc». Competitions were held under the aegis of Shotokan Karate-Do of United Nations (SKDUN).

More than 800 sportsmen from 40 countries participated in competitions: Europe (Austria, England, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Portugal, Russia, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine, the Wales, France, Switzerland, Scotland), Asia (Azerbaijan, Georgia, India, Japan), Africa (Algeria, Benin, Gabon, Cabo Verde, Congo, Mali, Morocco, Senegal), America (Dominican Republic, Cuba, Peru, USA). Competitions were held on 10 tatami.

Belarusian National Team consisted of 87 persons, including 75 sportsmen. The Team was presented by 22 organizations from 16 cities of all regions of Belarus, including Sport Martial Arts League headed by GM Alexander Maltabarov. Belarusian Officials at this Championship were: Team Leader – Master Andrey Vil’kin (7th Dan); coaches: Master Pavel Babich-Ostrovsky (4th Dan), Master Oleg Pontus (4th Dan), Master Evgeny Romanovsky; Team Manager – Anastasiya Leschinskaya; Referees: Master Svetlana Vil’kina (6th Dan), Master Natalia Gordynskaya (3rd Dan), Master Pavel Zhukov (5th Dan), Master Segrey Sedykh (5th Dan).

At the XVIII World Championship the Belarus Team has won 33 medals: 8 gold, 9 silver, 16 bronze. The strongest countries in the general national offset:
I. Romania (medals: 39-36-42/117)
II. Belarus (8-9-15/32)
III. Georgia (4-3-0/7)
IV. Lithuania (3-4-10/17)
V. Congo (3-2-1/6)
VI. England (2-2-12/17)
VII-VIII. France and Ireland (on 2-1-3/6)
IX. Ukraine (1-1-6/8)
X. Bulgaria (1-1-4/6).
Medals were won by sportsmen of 27 countries.

At the III World Kohai Cup the Belarus Team has won 19 medals: 5 gold, 7 silver, 7 bronze. The strongest countries in the general national offset:
I. Romania (medals: 24-14-19/57)
II. Belarus (5-7-7/19)
III. Georgia (3-1-1/5)
IV. Lithuania (1-2-4/7).
Medals were won by sportsmen of 18 countries.

The Belarusian sportsmen participated in 77 individual and team sections of the program. In 45 sections Belarusian sportsmen have occupied prize-winning places. 50 medals were awarded to Belarusian sportsmen (65% of Team structure). The gold medal for Belarus was brought by the Sport Martial Arts League member Irina Druts. She became the World Champion in Female Team Kumite among competitors of 16-20 years old.

This event became the 55th top tournament (World and European Championships and Cups) in which Belarusian National Team participated. For this time 536 medals (176 gold, 148 silver, 212 bronze) are won. 18 times Belarus was in a three of the strongest countries in the general national offset (1st place - 4, 2nd place - 8, 3rd place - 6).

By: Belarusian Shotokan Karate-Do Federation Chairman Andrey Vil’kin.