Every year, the Palais des Sports Saint-Sauveur in Lille hosts a major national karate competition. This was the case on the weekend of September 14. ASPTT Lille and Templemars KC organized the French Kumite Cup (fights), under the eyes of the new president of the French Karate Federation, the “local” Bruno Verfaillie. Perhaps the start of a new era.
On December 14 and 15, the best French fighters took part in the traditional Coupe de France in Lille. A very popular competition, with the individual tournament on Saturday, followed by the team competition on Sunday. A final test before the year 2025 where the major championships will follow, with as an aperitif, the Paris Open from January 24 to 26. This is why foreign karatekas licensed in France also participated in this Senior French Cup.
The two friendly clubs from the Lille metropolis, experienced in the exercise, perfectly organized these two days of fights, marked by quality and intensity. As is often the case, the Ile-de-France clubs monopolized the podiums, for both men and women. None unfortunately for the Hauts-de-France clubs. But Northerners “exiled” in Ile-de-France shone.
This is the case of Younesse Salmi. Licensed at Gonesse KC, this 23-year-old Dunkirk, full member of the French combat team, won in the -67 kilo category.
Results of the French Karate Cup
Women -50kg
First: Cylia OUIKENE (Shotokan Karate Club of Villeuneuve-la-Garenne)
Second: Niswa AHMED (Gonesse Karate Club)
Third: Tiphaine BONNARDE (Argenteuil Elite Karate) / Lola COCHARD (Fontenay Karate Shotokan)
Masculins -60kg
First: Sami TAS (AS Evry-Courcouronnes)
Second: Rayyan MEZIANE (Gonesse Karate Club)
Third: Amine HELLAL (Karate Elite Argenteuil) / Ramon JEAN-BAPTSITE (CJF Karate Shotokan)
Women -55kg
First: Silya ABDESSELEM (CADK Arles)
Second: Tylla LEVACHER (AAS Sarcelles)
Third: Assma CHARIF (Gonesse Karate Club) / Elsa SCHMITT (AAS Sarcelles)
Men -67kg
First: Younesse SALMI (Gonesse Karate Club)
Second: Anis HELASSA (Karate Elite Argenteuil)
Third: Brice LIGER (AS Evry-Courcouronnes) / Isaac MATINGOU (CSM Puteaux)
Women -61kg
First: Yvon SYDNEY (Karate Elite Argenteuil)
Second: Maryam AJARAY (Gonesse Karate Club)
Third: Elais ROUSSELOT (Fontenay Karate Shotokan) / Oleksandra Sholokhova (AAS Sarcelles)
Men -75kg
Premier : Kilian CIZO (AAS Sarcelles)
Second: Thanh-Liêm LE (AS Evry Courcouronnes)
Third: Hugo ASSEMAT (Karate Elite Argenteuil) / Ryan GARI (AAS Sarcelles)
Women -68kg
First: Nesrine BOUGRINE (USLM Mont Saint-Martin)
Second: Iman HASSOUNI (AS Evry Courcouronnes)
Third: Nathanaèle FLAMAND (CKS in Pays Créçois) / Robin ZWANENBURG (Stade Poitevin Karate)
Masculins -84kg
First: Ilies ELGUIR (Sen no Sen Vénissieux)
Second: Makhtar Diop (Club Sauvegarde Besançon)
Third: Dany MAKAMATA (AAS Sarcelles) / Hendrick CONFIAC (AAS Sarcelles)
Women +68kg
Premiere: Ophélie Mulolo (Samouraï 2000)
Second: Clémence Péa (Karate Elite Argenteuil)
Third: Nancy GARCIA (AAS Sarcelles) / Jade OZSERTTAS ZERA (KOS Villeneuve)
Masculins +84kg
First: Hocine DAIKHI (Stade Porte Normande Vernon)
Second: Amir ZOUAOUI (Stade Porte Normande Vernon)
Third: Faadel BOUSSAG (AS Evry-Courcouronnes) / Danylson JACQUET (Team Kombat Club Saint Brice).
TEAMS
Women
- Sports Friendly Teal Karate
- Karate Elite Argenteuil
- Samurai 2000 and ASS Evry-Courconnes Karate
Male
- ASS Karate Sarcelles-Gonesse
- ASS Evry-Courconnes Karate
- Louviers-Vernon and ASSO Karate Club Dragon Force
A first for Bruno Verfaillie
This Coupe de France was also the first meeting of the new federal management team, elected on December 12. After 6 mandates and 25 years of consecutive presidency, Francis Didier handed over the reins. The new regulations in fact limit national mandates to three.
Lille resident Bruno Verfaillie (63 years old) was elected after an intense campaign. A former high-level fighter at LUC (7th dan), the native of Lesquin then led the Lille and Templemars clubs as technical director. While becoming a world referee. Which led him to referee in the biggest global competitions, including the Olympic Games and World Championships. The Northerner was elected with more than 56% of the votes against former world champion Gilles Cherdieu. He thus succeeds Francis Didier. But also to another Northerner, Berckois Jacques Delcourt, president (and founder) of the FFK from 1975 to 1998.
Bruno Verfaillie therefore attended this Coupe de France no longer as organizer, but as president of the French Federation of Karate and Associated Disciplines. This end-of-year competition in Lille therefore opened a new page in the history of karate in France.
