About the Club

Kristiansund Shotokan Karateklubb is an member of Norwegian Confederation of Sports, Norwegian Martial Arts Federation and Karatenomichi World Federation. We practice the Shotokan karate style and we focus on the traditional values in the martial arts we teach.  Chief instructor at the club is Sensei David Barker who is graded Yondan (4th dan). He has been instructor for adults and children since 1995.

Sensei Mikio Yahara

Founded in 2003 under the auspices of Kenshinkai Shotokan Karate Club, directed by Sensei Glen Moulds Kristiansund Shotokan Karateklubb soon flourished. The club enjoyed a close relationship with its English counterpart, but in 2007, in order to comply with Norwegian regulations the Kristiansund Shotokan Karateklubb was required to affiliate directly to Japan as opposed to retaining associate membership via an English organisation. This had a most regrettable outcome in that the club lost touch with Sensei Moulds, the mentor for 17 years of David Barker. Kristiansund Shotokan Karateklubb was however able to make a strong link directly to Japan and the Karatenomichi World Federation headed by by the legendary Mikio Yahara.

2007 saw the first Japanese karate instructor, Sensei Norio Kawasaki – the protege of Mikio Yahara – arrive in Kristiansund to teach a 3 day seminar.

Sensei: Tore Strøm, Norio Kawasaki and David Barker.

5th KWF World Cup 2009

In 2008 Kristiansund Shotokan Karateklubb was elected organizer and host for the 5th KWF Karate World Cup and Training Camp.  The Cup and Training Camp was held between 27th of march and 29th of mars 2009. There was 250 participats in Kristiansund fram 19 nations. The participats in the competition could participate in kumite, team kumit, kata, team kata.

Among the visiting instructors at the world cup was Chief instructor Mikio Yahara Sensei, Akihito Isaka Sensei (8th dan Assistant Chief Instructor), Malcom Dorfman Sensei (8th Dan Assistant Chief Instructor) and Robert Sidoli Sensei (7th dan). The training camp had courses with Mikio Yahara Sensei and Akihito Isaka Sensei and all the high graded instructors of KWF also preformed DAN gradings.

Kristiansund Shotokan Karate Klubb won silver in the group male veteran kumite, by Sensei Erik Opdahl and gold in the group male team veteran kumite. A great achievement for our club!!

Erik Opdahl in kumite against Marco Fanicchi from South Africa.

Take a look at our picture gallery here and the results from the 5th KWF World Cup.

Contact information and instructors

If you wish to contact Kristiansund Shotokan Karateklubb you can phone or e-mail one of our main instructors or you can send us an message on the contact page.

David Barker (4 dan)

Chief instructor
Mobile: +47 92 86 06 24
E-mail: david@kristiansundshotokan.com

David sensei is currently the only person in Norway to hold full KWF ‘D’ Kyu International Instructor, Judge, and Examiners qualifications. He is one of the few in Europe to achieve this status and holds it alongside Steve Mason of Scotland, Holly Rye of Scotland, Steven Edwards of England, Glen Moulds of England, and Sabrina Collins of England. This gives him ’special examiner priveleges’ that enable him to promote students to the grade of 1st Kyu and have them recognised by and entered into the records of the KWF in Tokyo, Japan. He attained his 3rd Dan on 9 December 2006 from Karatenomichi World Federation.

Dave sensei recently passed his Yondan (4th dan) at the World cup event held in Kristiansund, Norway in march 2009. The grading examination was overseen by Chief instructor Mikio Yahara Sensei, Akihito Isaka Sensei (8th dan Assistant Chief Instructor), Malcom Dorfman Sensei ( 8th Dan Assistant Chief Instructor), Robert Sidoli Sensei ( 7th dan) and other highly graded instructors of 6th dan or above. Despite sustaining an injury during the early part of the examination Dave Sensei passed the examination.

David’s karate lineage can be traced from Sensei Hirokazu Kanawzawa and the Japan Karate Association through to Sensei Eddie Witcher (an Englishman who spent considerable time in Japan) through to Sensei Glen Moulds. Sensei Moulds inherited the Kenshinkai on the death of Eddie Witcher and his skills as a karate instructor have forged a great passion in David. Sensei Moulds made several annual visits to Norway for almost a decade. David is the first to state that his karate would not be the same without the inspiration and assistance given to him by Sensei Moulds. David and the club would like to extend their sincere and deepest respect to Sensei Moulds.

David takes great satisfaction in seeing his students progress, and his ultimate aim in karate is to produce a student who will surpass him, thereby fulfiling his role as an instructor.

Tore Strøm (2 dan)

Instructor
Mobile: +47 99 22 33 44
E-mail: tore@kristiansundshotokan.com

Tore sensei came to the club in the spring of 2004 having practised other martial arts previously. His rise to Shodan (1th dan) in May 2007 was quite fast as a result of his experience. A popular instructor within the the childrens group, especially at the Frei dojo. Tore is one of the club’s senior members, and always trains with a grin on his face, showing his enjoyment, which can prove infectious.

Tore sensei recently passed his Nidan (2th dan) at the World cup event held in Kristiansund, Norway in march 2009. The grading examination was overseen by Chief instructor Mikio Yahara Sensei, Akihito Isaka Sensei (8th dan Assistant Chief Instructor), Malcom Dorfman Sensei ( 8th Dan Assistant Chief Instructor), Robert Sidoli Sensei ( 7th dan) and other highly graded instructors of 6th dan or above.

Erik Opdahl (1 dan)

Instructor
Mobile: +47 95 22 04 22
E-mail: erik@kristiansundshotokan.com

Erik started practicing Shotokan Karate when Molde Karateklubb was formed in 1985. From 1989 up until 1991 he was instructor and leader of the club. His grade then was senior brown belt (1 kyu). He was among the students from Molde who took part in several county championships in Trondheim. Erik Sensei won an amount of medals in these events. From 1991 he was a member of the Tiger Karateklubb i Oslo. Here he was lucky enough to train and compete with a number of the Norway all style national team, and competed in the Norwegian cup as part of the kumite team. He was also a silver medal winner from the JKA Norwegian championship in 1991.

He retired from competition and karate in 1994 but the bug still burned in him. He moved  back to Kristiansund from Oslo (where he was working as an instructor for the police in arrest techniques and self defence) at a time when there was no Shotokan club. He left the  police force in 2005. In  September 2008 he decided that he would  like to continue training in Shotokan and joined the club, under the  teachings of Sensei Dave. Erik Sensei participated in the KWF World  Cup 2009 i Kristiansund and took silver medal in the individual male  kumite (+35).  He was beaten by grand champion Marco Finiichi of  South Africa in a well fought match. He was also part of the  Norwegian team that beat Great Britain 2-1 to win the male veterans team kumite Gold.

Erik Sensei graded Shodan (1 dan) during the World Cup held in Kristiansund in March  2009. The Grading was overseen by Chief instructor Mikio Yahara Sensei, Akihito Isaka Sensei (8 dan Assistant Chief Instructor), Malcom Dorfman Sensei (8 Dan Assistant Chief Instructor), Robert Sidoli Sensei (7 dan) og other senior KWF instructors.

Gunn Maridal (1 dan )

Instructor
Mobil: +47 97 19 20 20
E-mail: gunn@kristiansundshotokan.com

Sensei Gunn started training at Kristiansund Shotokan Karateklubb in 2005 after she had been training karate at an other club in Kristiansund for 5 years.

Gunn was graded 3 kyu at the 4th KWF World Cup in Italy, april 2008. The grading examination was overseen by Chief instructor Mikio Yahara Sensei, Akihito Isaka Sensei (8 dan Assistant Chief Instructor), Malcom Dorfman Sensei (8 Dan Assistant Chief Instructor), Robert Sidoli Sensei (7 dan).

Gunn was graded 1 dan (Shodan) at the training camp held in Kristiansund between 12-13 dec 2009. The grading was by Sensei Robert Sidoli (7 dan).

Sverre Mollan (1 dan)

Instructor
Mobil: +47 91 52 90 83
E-mail: sverre@kristiansundshotokan.com

Sensei Sverre started training at Kristiansund Shotokan Karateklubb in the spring of 2004. Sverre had never been training martal arts before joining the club.

Sverre was graded 1 kyu by Kawasaki Sensei in december 2007.

Sverre was graded 1 dan (Shodan) at the training camp held in Kristiansund between 12-13 dec 2009. The grading was by Sensei Robert Sidoli (7 dan).