Istanbul - The national karate team leaves today for the Seniores European Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, to defend the great result obtained last year in Tampere, Finland, when Italy ranked first for the number of won medals. The competing athletes aree: Kumite - Giorgia Gargano (50 kg), Sara Cardin (55), Laura Easter (61), Silvia Semeraro (68), Greta Vitelli (68), Clio Ferracuti (68), Luca Maresca (60) Gianluca De Vivo (67), Luigi Busà (75), In the Masters (84) and Stefano Maniscalco (84); Kata Female - Sara Battaglia, Viviana Bottaro and Michela Pezzetti, all of the Fiamme Oro, with Bottaro also competing in the individual contest; Kata Male - Alessandro Iodice, Mattia Busato and Alfredo Tocco, with Busato also involved in the individual matches. (9colonne)