Great Britain Karate
About Great Britain Karate - Team GB Karate
Great Britain Karate - Team GB Karate established in 2005 by Chief instructor sensei George Best 8th Dan. We have clubs across England with new clubs joining all the time, the organisation is affiliated to the World Karate Body.
Great Britain Karate is dedicated to the improvement of its students, we have technical courses to help develop and improve standards across the organisation. They include Kyu grade courses, Brown and Black belt courses, Gradings, Referee and Judges courses, Instructor qualification course I.Q.C and Team GB Karate squad training. We have a National team that competes in World and European championships with great success winning numerous World and European championship honours.
Can anyone train and join Great Britain Karate
Karate is for everyone and can be practiced by children from the age of 4yrs and adults of all ages. You can train and join anyone of our clubs across the Northwest. We focus on Traditional Shotokan Karate developing the core fundamentals of Karate which are Kihon - Basics, Kata - Set Patterns and Kumite Sparring. This gives the student a good grounding and knowledge base of all techniques.
Individuals and clubs can train and join Great Britain Karate, individuals can obtain a Great Britain Karate licence and in regards to clubs, clubs can apply for affiliation through Great Britain Karate by contacting us through the website www.gbkarate.com
Welcome to the official Great Britain Karate website: Governing Body for Karate in England and Karate X Cube. Chief Instructor Great Britain Karate and coach of Team GB
Great Britain Karate Instructors
Get to Know Us
George Best: chief instructor
Hello my name is George Best 8th Dan. Welcome to Great Britain Karate, Karate is for everyone and we welcome you into our Dojo's (training halls). I look forward to teaching you and watching you develop. With diligent training you will become proficient in the fundamentals of Shotokan Karate.
GB Karate has fully insured qualified DBS checked instructors who train and teach across the Northwest
Competition History and Achievements:
George first started training in Shotokan Karate at the age of 11 under the instruction of his father Sensei John Best, George's Chief Instructor and mentor. Also a keen athlete George could adapt to many other sports. He soon showed his potential in Karate as he progressed through his Kyu grades reaching his black belt 1st Dan at the age of 13.
During this time he trained hard under the guidance of his father Sensei John Best winning many competitions which led to him being selected for the Karate Union of Great Britain England squad (KUGB). He reflects about these very hard training sessions.
“These sessions were a test of physical and mental endurance, Sensei Keinosuke Enoeda 9th Dan would put us through our paces. It was essential to train with the correct martial attitude spirit and technique nothing but your best would do”
His first international event was in Ireland where he competed in a team friendly winning all of his fights. This led to a squad selection in which he was picked to compete in the European Championships held in Turkey 1984. George went to these Championships with the will to win. This was not over looked by squad coach Sensei Keinosuke Enoeda as George was asked to line up and fight in the senior team kumite squad the very next day.
“It was an honour to be in the starting line up for the England senior team at the age of 16”
This was the start of things to come he trained harder in order to develop his Kata and Kumite. This earned him the prestigious title of under 21 British Shotokan Cup Individual Kata & Kumite Grand Champion 1985. George went on to dominate the category winning the Kumite event another two consecutive years 1987/1988.To top this George also fought for Team GB under Ticky Donovan in which the Team GB beat Japan in both team matches.
George is renowned for his fast kicking techniques. Anyone who has seen him in competition or trained with him on courses can appreciate the speed and power in which he can deliver a multitude of techniques. His distancing timing and body movement are phenomenal making him one of the best Karate exponents Team GB has produced.
With this unstoppable attitude George competed in the European Championships held in Sunderland England, taking the European Kumite title in 1986 and again in 1987 for the second consecutive time. Sensei Keinosuke Enoeda presented George with the most outstanding competitor award. George has also competed in open style tournaments winning the Senior Individual English Karate Governing Board British All Styles Kumite Championships, (EKGB) no more than three times beating all comers from a multitude of styles. This led to the build up of the World Shotokan Cup held in Brisbane, Australia 1988 where George competed against the World’s best.
George fought Japans Masao Kagawa twice in these championships. The former Japan Karate Association Grand Champion was beaten convincingly by George both times. The first confrontation was in the individual Kumite and the second time in the team Kumite event.
George was to take bronze medal at these championships and Team GB came second to Japan. Team GB were to regain the title from Japan again in the 1990 World Shotokan Cup.
With George’s dedication commitment and hard training, England and Team GB have won the European Team Kumite Championships no more than five times and the World Championships twice making England and Team GB one of the most successful Karate nations in the World.
To top this George developed Karate X Cube a tournament that took place on Sky TV.
George's organisation Great Britain Karate has made its mark competing on the world stage. With this success GB Karate will continue to develop and grow by teaching Shotokan Karate at its best.
George Best Chief Instructor:
Great Britain Karate
Championship honours:
*Gichin Funakoshi World Shotokan Karate Championships *
Senior World Individual Kumite Champion
*JKA Senior World Team Kumite Champions *
JKA Senior World Team Kumite Championships Second Place
JSKA Senior World Individual Silver Medallist
JKA Senior World Shotokan Cup Individual Bronze Medallist
JSKA British Team Champions Twice
*EAKF Senior European Team Champions Five Times*
Shobu Ippon International Team Kumite Champions
JSKA Senior World Team Kumite Forth Place
Senior English Karate Governing Board British All Styles Team Kumite Champions
Senior Karate Union of Great Britain National Individual Championships Second Place
Winner of the Trafford Community Sports Award
Senior Karate Union of Great Britain Shotokan Cup Kumite Second Place
Senior Karate Union of Great Britain Shotokan Cup Kata Third Place
*Senior English Karate Governing Board British All Styles Individual Kumite * Champion Three Times
GB Karate Team beat Japan
*EAKF Under 21 European Individual Kumite Champion *Twice
EAKF Under 21 European Team Kumite Champions
EAKF Under 21 European Individual Kumite Bronze Medallist
*Under 21 Karate Union of Great Britain Shotokan Cup Individual Champion * Three Times
*Under 21 Karate Union of Great Britain Shotokan Cup * Individual Grand Champion Kata and Kumite
EAKF Under 21 European Team Kata Third Place
Sky TV: Karate X Cube
Ann Ashley Sensei 3rd Dan
Hello and welcome to Great Britain Karate we teach Traditional Shotokan Karate focusing on the 3 core foundations of Karate which are your Blocks, Kicks and Punches known as (Kihon). This will lead to you understanding your attack sparring known as (Kumite) and thirdly your set patterns known as (Kata).
Once these 3 elements are know by the student in perfect order, the student will be asked to grade for their first belt, 9th Kyu Orange belt.
If your looking for a new challenge then Karate will give you this challenge, we look forward to seeing you at our next training session.
GB Karate has fully insured qualified DBS checked instructors who train and teach across the Northwest
Simon Beresford Sensei 3rd Dan
Hello and welcome to Great Britain Karate we teach Traditional Shotokan Karate focusing on the 3 core foundations of Karate which are your Blocks, Kicks and Punches known as (Kihon). This will lead to you understanding your attack sparring known as (Kumite) and thirdly your set patterns known as (Kata).
Once these 3 elements are know by the student in perfect order, the student will be asked to grade for their first belt, 9th Kyu Orange belt.
If your looking for a new challenge then Karate will give you this challenge, we look forward to seeing you at our next training session.
GB Karate has fully insured qualified DBS checked instructors who train and teach across the Northwest
GBK Training Venues
Whitefield Conservative Club: Elms Street, Whitefield, Manchester M45 8GQ
Instructors:
Ann Ashley sensei and Sammy Ruddock sensei: Tuesday 6pm - 7pm & 7pm - 8pm
George Best sensei: Thursday
6pm - 7pm & 7pm - 8pm
Simon Beresford sensei and Robert Beresford sensei: Sunday
10am - 11pm & 11pm - 12pm
GB Karate has fully insured qualified DBS checked instructors who train and teach across the Northwest
Great Britain Karate Championship Medals
Welcome to GBK Message Board
Sports Direct and Everlast: Sponsors of GB Karate
Great Britain Karate have done it again by winning the World Karate Championships. The squad have taken 12 Gold, 4 Silver and 8 Bronze medals in total what a fantastic achievement and a great start to 2022.
Here's your chance to meet and train with the Great Britain Karate Team on Sunday 8th May at Sports Direct Unit 2, Trafford Retail Park, Neary Way Urmston, Manchester M41 7FN. It all starts at 11am so come join us.
Great Britain Karate are pleased to announce that from Thursday 8th July we'll be training in our new venue, Whitefield Conservative Club Elms Street, Whitefield, Manchester, M45 8GQ
Instructors are: George Best sensei and Simon Beresford sensei. Sessions will take place Thursday 6pm - 7pm & 7pm - 8 - pm and Sunday morning 11am - 1pm. Please contact us in advance in order to book your place.
I'm pleased to announce that due to GB Karate's Covid-19 Protection Plan and our stringent guidlines set out we have been deemed as safe to train at centres from 8th July all Juniors and Seniors will be training at our venues.
Great results at the AMA International Championships Sikander Khalid: Silver Individual Kumite and 4th Individual Kata.
Sammy Ruddock: Bronze Individual Kumite great work from all who competed.
The 12th December marked the end of the year with the FSKA World Karate Championships where GB Karate's Sammy Ruddock took Gold in the Women's youth Ippon Kumite and Gold In the Women's youth Kata to become "Grand Champion". Sammy entered the next category above and took 3rd place in the 17-18yrs category. What and outstanding acheivement from this young lady who has fantastic futre ahead of her. In the men's Kumite we saw Damion Wood strom his way through to the podium to take 3rd place. What a great year it has been for all our athletes well done to you all.
Sammy Ruddock: Gold Ippon Kumite, Gold Kata and Bronze 17-18yr old Kumite
Damion Wood: Bronze Ippon Kumite
24th November and GB Karate had an amazing day at the UKW National championships. With eight competitors competing and eight competitors taking 12 medals.
Damion Wood: Gold Sanbon Kumite
Sammy Ruddock: Gold Ippon Kumite
Sammy Ruddock: Gold Kata
Robert Beresford: Gold Nihon Kumite
Damion Wood: Silver Ippon Kumite
Maddox Brathwaite: Silver Kata
Lee Brathwaite: Bronze Kata
Sikander Khalid: Bronze Ippon Kumite
Sikander Khalid: Bronze Sanbon Kumite Sikander Khalid: Bronze Kata
Dylan Eckersley: Joint Bronze Nihon Kumite
Dylan Eckersley: Joint Bronze Nihon Kumite
GB Karate would like to thank all the team who competed at the WUKF European Karate Championships in Odense, Denmark. We'd all like to extend our thanks to coaches; Ann Ashley, Simon Beresford and parents who supported the team that's Rebecca Sogbetun, thank you.
We'd also like to thank Sikander Khalid, Sammy Ruddock and Robert Beresford who did a great job competing. Last but not leaset, we'd all like to extend a big round of applause to Eve Sogbetun who won the Women's Shobu Ippon Kumite to become 11th WUKF European Champion, well done to you.
Eve Sogbetun: Gold Women's European Shobu Ippon Chmapion
GB Karate had a fantastic weeked at the AMA Championships taking 17 medals in total. We'd like to thank all members who competed.
Sammy Ruddock: Gold Kata, Gold Ippon Kumite, Silver Sanbon Kumite
Damion Wood: Gold Sanbon Kumite
Sikander Khalid: Silver Sanbon Kumite
Sulay Hussain: Silver Sanbon Kumite
Senior men's team Kumite:
Sikander Khalid: Silver
Damion Wood: Silver
Darren Gaus: Silver
Lee Brathwaite: Silver
Junior youth's team Kumite:
Sulay Hussain: Silver
Robert Beresford: Silver
Harrison Gee: Silver
Lee Brathwaite: Bronze Sanbon Kumite & Bronze Kata
Harrison Gee: Bronze Kata
Fraser Retson: Bronze Kata
Devon Eckersley: Bronze Kata
Once again well done to all how competed you did yourselves proud and GB Karate too.
The next international seminar is taking place in Makhanda, Grahamstown Eastern Cape Province of South Africa with the United Shotokan-Ryu. I'd like to thank sensei Gary Grapentin and sensei Maureen De Jager for their invite and hospitality whilst in South Africa. Osu
GB Karate would like to congratulate its members who competed at last week’s North of England Championships, the results are as follows:
Men’s Team Fighting:
Lee Braithwaite: Silver
Sikander Khalid: Silver
Darren Gaus: Silver
Junior Kumite: Harrison Gee: Bronze
Children’s Kata: Maddox Braithwaite: Gold
GB Karate do it again with a fantastic 8 medal haul and a gold rush to the podium, at the AMA National championships. Sikander Khalid, Eve Sogbetun and Sammy Ruddock have all achieved the double by becoming double National champions on two conscutive years 2018/2019 what a fantastic achievement by these competitors. Well done to Robert Beresford on his first National championship.
Results are:
Sikander Khalid: Gold Male Senior Kumite
Eve Sogbetun: Gold Medal Women's 16-19 Ippon Kumite
Eve Sogbetun: Bronze Women's 16-19 Sanbon Kumite
Sammy Ruddock: Gold Women's Junior Sanbon Kumite
Sammy Ruddock: Bronze Women's Junior Ippon Kumite
Kata: Eve Sogbetun: Silver Women's Junior Kata
AMA International Open Championships:
Sammy Ruddock: Gold Girl's Cadet Kata
Sikander Khalid: Bronze Men's Senior Kunite
FEKO International Open Championships:
Eve Sobertun: Silver Women's Junior Kumite
Sammy Ruddock: Bronze Girl's Cadet Kata
Sikander Khalid: Bronze Men's Senior Kata
