Congress selects new officers to lead WSKA into the future

The WSKA Congress elected Richard Poole as the new president of the World Shotokan Karate-do Association.  Mr. Poole defeated John Hanratty the interim president. Mr. Hanratty has assumed the position of Vice President. The remaining positions ran unopposed.  As of the 2009 congress the leadership of WSKA is:

President - Mr. Richard Poole
Vice President - Mr. John Hanratty
Director of Technical Matters - Mr. Ted Hedlund
Director of Africa - Mr. Malcom Dorfman
Director of Americas - Mr. John DiPasquale
Director of Europe - Mr. Richard Poole
Director of Administration - Mr. Bob Poynton
Director of Finance - Mr. Richard Poole

The board also recognized the service of Mr Dirk DeMits who has resigned from the Board of Directors.  "Mr. DeMits has provided many years of outstanding service to WSKA" said Richard Poole.  "We are very fortunate to have had worked with Dirk and we are appreciative of his agreement to assist with managing the finances of the organization going forward."

Teams arrive for World Championship

It is here.  What all Shotokan Karate competitors look forward to every 2 years, the World Championships.  Against a beautuful backdrop of the Caribean Sea and the Nichupte Lagoon teams are preparing for Saturday and Sundays competition. Our hosts have done a wonderful job of getting everyone checked in and ready for a wonderful event. 

Over the next few days there will be meetings for the coaches and referees to make sure the competition is a success.  We will also be holding our congress where all the countries come together to discuss the business of the World Shotokan Karate-do Association and to strengthen our support for Shotokan Karate worldwide.

Results of the competition will be posted on this website.

2009 World Championships in Cancun, Mexico September 26-27, 2009

The Asociación Shotokan México Japón, A.C. along with the WSKA Karate-Do World Championship Organizing Committee presents by the first time this event in our country. The WSKA World Championship is realized every two years getting reunited Shotokan Karate-Do’s elite from all over the world. As we all know this beautiful martial art is the most practiced world wide. This great event represents for us a huge commitment with all the WSKA affiliated members, with our Governmental Authorities as well as with every single Shotokan Karate-Do student and practitioner in México.

It is a great pleasure for us to welcome all the athletes and participants and to inform them that this Championship’s main purpose is to make the fundamental basis of Traditional Shotokan Karate-Do stronger preserving the original rules and regulations which originated the firsts World Championships and undoubtedly at present time are still standing. We must remember that in Karate the most important of all is neither winning nor loosing but also to fortify our temper and nature trough the development of techniques and skills capables to defeat an opponent. In this same way the courtesy and respect held in every moment will transform a simple match in a real art and beauty manifestation. I would like to thank the presence of all the participating countries, trainers, judges, athletes and also to the Organizer Committee and all volunteers for all their invaluable support. And also, in a very special way, I would like to thank to our Governmental Authorities, sponsoring and Karate-Do professionals whom made possible to realize this Championship with great expectations and with a great sense of work. Sensei Rogelio Flores Aguilera Chairman and Chief Instructor Asociación Shotokan México Japón A.C.