2nd WUKF WORLD CUP 10-13.09.2020 SZCZECIN-POLAND

2020 will go down in history for the Covid-19 pandemic. If someone in January told me that from March I would be trapped at home for several months, borders would be closed, planes would stop flying, hotels and restaurants would not serve guests, I would probably ask that individual if they were feeling okay. The coronavirus pandemic has caused great changes in our private lives in terms of us adapting to function in the new world.

When thinking about Szczecin, most people associate the city primarily with port areas. However, it has much more to offer to its visitors, both for those who value a walk into the history and monuments, and for those who are looking for opportunities for active recreation.

Pomeranian Dukes' Castle - This historical place of the Griffin family, rulers of the Pomeranian Duchy, proudly rising over the Oder and the city. Currently, it houses cultural institutions, such as the Castle Opera, museum, cinema and a small theater. It is interestingly located, beautifully restored and mysterious. The Pomeranian Dukes' Castle makes an amazing impression both during the day and at night, and the streets around the castle are extremely picturesque.

Philharmonic M. Karłowicza - the unique, white shape of the Philharmonic was created just a few years ago in 2014, but it perfectly blended in with the surroundings. It perfectly contrasts with the neighbouring buildings and the greenery of the nearby park, while not overwhelming them.

Over 90% of the Old Town in Szczecin was destroyed during World War II. After it was rebuilt, it acquired a unique atmosphere. The district stretching from the Odra riverbank is full of restaurants and cafes where you can eat something good and relax while sightseeing

Wały Chrobrego is also an important symbol of Szczecin. This viewpoint which overlooks the Oder was built at the beginning of the 20th century. Wały was intended to be the central walking point of the city. Tourists can admire the Oder, the port and the nearby islands lying on it, Grodzka, Bielawa and Łasztownia. On Wały Chrobrego there are many monumental buildings such as the National Museum, the Provincial Office and the Maritime University.

THE ARCHICATEDRAL BASILICA OF ST. James 
Second tallest church in Poland. A visit to the Basilica will be a great idea for all lovers of art history. An additional attraction may be the viewpoint from the basilica tower, which offers a beautiful view of Szczecin and its surroundings. This terrace houses the highest viewpoint in Szczecin. The basilica is 80 meters long and 40 meters wide.

PORT GATE IN SZCZECIN 
Baroque city gate - Another attraction for lovers of architectural history. The Port Gate in Szczecin is one of the two remaining gates of the Prussian fortifications. The gate used to close Szczecin from the west - before World War II it was called the Berlin Gate, because the road to Berlin led through it.

Over half a thousand participants from around 20 countries came to Szczecin for the WUKF Karate World Cup. The event, organized by the Bushikan Karate Club in Szczecin, took place on September 10-13 in the Netto Arena SPORTS HALL. The event was to be of an even higher rank as Szczecin had been chosen to host this year's WUKF World Championships. The arrival of 2.5 thousand competitors was expected with karatekas from around 40 countries. But as another wave of coronavirus infections hit the world caused the significant drop in the expected attendance of competitors, the World Union of Karate-Do Federation (WUKF) decided to change the name to the World Cup due to the limitations of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pawel Bombolewski (organiser of the WUKF World Cup 2020), Jacek Lipinski, Liviu Crisan (WUKF President)

The person responsible for organising the world cup was the president of KK Bushikan, Paweł Bombolewski, who had to cope with quite a challenge of organising a sports event of this scale in a pandemic with constantly changing regulations regarding sporting events. The competition was conducted at the highest sports and organizational level. Big applause to the competitors, judges and organizers of the World Cup.
The World Cup was conducted according to all sanitary regulations and solutions recommended by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Sport, the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate and the World Health Organisation.

The two sides of the medal: The first one is good. This competition should be considered successful due to the result. I won three medals in traditional karate. One gold medal in the kata +35 years category, one silver medal in the veterans kumite category, and one bronze medal in the seniors kumite category.

My preparations took place in the park where my wife and daughter helped me, for which I would like to thank them. Due to the fact that I do not know how give up, I decided to do everything to go.

The other bad side of the medal is down to the pandemic: no access to the sports hall, no possibility of exercising in a group, no sparring, too many questions regarding transport and quarantine and a lot of other things that contributed to the inability to properly prepare. Looking back, I am very pleased with the fact that I was at the competition, that I could meet my friends and gain new experiences and insights. 

My sporting result is not that important to me, more important is the feeling of adrenaline, without which I probably can't function normally. Adrenaline has become a staple in my life.