This year’s competition will bring together 1,650 competitors from 19 countries and it is the last big competition before the World Karate Championship, which will be held in Turkey in October.

“The importance of this tournament is, among others, that it is the final competition where the members of the Croatian Karate National Team will be finally chosen to represent us at the upcoming World Championship,” pointed out Mišo Berak, tournament director.

Athletes will compete in several categories, juniors, cadets and younger seniors.

The organiser of the competition is the Croatian Karate Association with the technical organisation of the TAD Karate Club from Rijeka, and the competition is also supported by the City of Rijeka.

“We are proud to have a tournament like this in Rijeka and such excellent organisers, whom I wish much success in the future,” said the head of the Department of Sports and Technical Culture of the City of Rijeka, Zdravko Ivanković.

The competition starts on Friday at 4 pm, on Saturday and Sunday it will start at 9 am, while the official opening of the tournament will be on Saturday at 1 pm.

Entrance is free of charge for all who are interested.