Boston IKC 2003 Provides Competition, Seminars, Belt Grading, Brotherhood and Friendship; First East Coast IKC Tournament Caters to International Kenpo Community.

Business Editors

COSTA MESA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 28, 2003

The International Karate Championships announced today the Boston IKC 2003, the first East Coast IKC design to draw participants from the worldwide Kenpo Community. The event will offer four days packed with tough competitive events, intensive training and international camaraderie for Kenpo enthusiasts.

"With the Boston IKC we will bring together the Kenpo community in the same tradition and spirit as our annual international IKC tournaments," said Doreen Cogliandro, IKC executive producer, IKKA (International Kenpo Karate Association) board member and the highest ranked woman in Ed Parker Kenpo worldwide. "At this event you will see very young children competing as well as very experienced black belts. We are offering all Kenpo divisions for forms and are keeping our focus on the art."

In addition to the competitive events, some of the most impressive Kenpo black belts in the world will be leading seminars during the Boston IKC. Intensive training workshops will be led by 4th degree black belt Larry Kongaika, 8th degree black belt Bob Liles, 10th degree black belt Huk Planas, Professor Tom Sotis (knife fight master), 6th degree black belt Dian Tanaka, 10th degree black belt Frank Trejo, 9th degree black belt Gilbert Velez, Martin Wheeler (Systema expert) and 6th degree black belt Zach Whitson. Participants of all levels will be able to take classes from any or all of the instructors.

Slated to open with belt grading (brown and black) on Thursday, July 31 the event will conclude on Sunday, August 3, 2003. The Saturday tournament offers 16 rings and 166 divisions broken down by age and rank. Competition will take place in eight different categories including weapons, Kenpo forms, team sparring, creative/musical forms, self defense, team forms, sparring and open (non-Kenpo) forms.

Tournament day will kick off with the Parade of Nations featuring the flags of the visiting countries as well as flags representing the birthplace of participating children. The British Isles, Cambodia, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, England, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Portugal, Madrid, Mexico and Puerto Rico will be represented as children assemble at 8:00 a.m. at Revere City Hall and march to Revere High School. The parade will continue around the gymnasium where the flags will be placed for display during the tournament. The Suffolk County Sheriff Department honor guard will present the U.S. flag and the national anthem will be sung prior to the official welcome and presentations.

"One of the things I like most about this tournament is the brotherhood and friendship it nurtures," said Cogliandro. "Participants will meet people from all over the world that share their enthusiasm for the martial arts. It's truly an international event."

At the Wonderland Entertainment Complex, the event will conclude with the Brotherhood dinner which will feature Kenpo demonstrations from a wide variety of countries, a blade demonstration by Professor Sotis and a multimedia tribute to Ed Parker, the father of American martial arts. The tournament's conclusion will be celebrated with dancing until 2:00 a.m.

All tournament participants will receive a certificate of participation signed by the instructors and a Boston IKC 2003 patch. Trophies will be awarded for 1st through 4th place in all individual events. Teams will receive trophies for 1st place only. All black belt Grand Champions will receive a gold ring inscribed with the Boston IKC 2003 logo. Children (participants under 18 years old) will receive a participation trophy.

The Boston IKC is an IKKA sanctioned event. Founded by Ed Parker in 1956 as the Kenpo Karate Association of America and renamed at a later date to reflect its worldwide membership, the International Kenpo Karate Association (IKKA) is the only association authorized to govern, teach or certify studios or individuals in Kenpo Karate by the late Senior Grandmaster Edmund K. Parker, Senior. It is one of the world's largest Kenpo Karate associations with hundreds of schools throughout the United States and in over 20 countries. Without exception, every American Kenpo practitioner and Kenpo organization can trace their roots back to the IKKA and Parker.

The IKKA bears the responsibility of bringing Ed Parker's Kenpo Karate into the new millennium. The IKKA governs Ed Parker Kenpo Karate curriculum, training and certification. It is also committed to aiding Ed Parker Kenpo studios in attaining their financial goals. The IKKA offers membership and benefits to clubs, schools and individuals. With its goal of building brotherhood and friendship, the IKKA exists to strengthen, perpetuate and evolve Kenpo through sound logic, concepts and principles.

For additional information, please contact the IKKA at 714-371-4054 or at www.ikka.us.

For additional information about the Boston IKC 2003, please contact Doreen Cogliandro at [e-mail] or the Revere Karate Studio at 781-289-9535 or www.reverekarate.com.

Photographs of the event will be available beginning Saturday, August 2, 2003 at www.ikka.us/bostonikc.