The instructor of the “Pankritios Athlitikos Syllogos Machitikon Technon” (meaning “Cretan Sports Club of Fighting Arts“), sensei Nikolaos KARAISKAKIS (6th Dan), established the Central Academy of Fighting Arts of Crete as the first Karate dojo in the island of Crete, based on Heraklion, back in September of 1984.
During the course of the first 2 years, the number of the dojo’s first members in Crete started to rise and thus it was decided to establish the first Karate Club in Crete, under the name “Cretan Sports Club of Fighting Arts” in 1986. Since then, the club (consisting of many different dojos) has participated in numerous local, national and international events. Many athletes of the Cretan Sports Club of Fighting Arts have achieved remarkable results throughout all these years both on national and international level.
The Cretan Sports Club of Fighting Arts with its instructors, sensei Nikolaos Karaiskakis (6th Dan) and sensei Anna Hourdaki (6th Dan), decided to start a strong connection with Japan, having high level Japanese instructors to teach them further into the art of Karate Do and thus a new cooperation with the worldwide Shito-ryu Shukokai Union starts in 2004. This way, the Shito-ryu Shukokai Union of Greece is also established during the same year.
During the years that have passed, the athletes of the Cretan Sports Club of Fighting Arts have participated in world championships and big events of our system (Shito-ryu Shukokai Karate Do) including seminars with world-class instructors. Furthermore, the Shito-ryu Shukokai Union of Greece in cooperation with the Cretan Sports Club of Fighting Arts and the technical and governing bodies of the city of Heraklion, has successfully organized remarkable events, with 2 of the most important ones being a European Karate Summer Camp in 2005 with the participation of 200 athletes and a Karate World Cup in 2007, including seminars lead by high-graded Japanese Instructors, with the participation of 350 athletes from 22 countries. Additionally, the athletes of the club have also participated in many international championships and seminars worldwide, with most notable the SSU (Shito-ryu Shukokai Union) World Cups in Chatres of France in 2005, in Amagasaki of Japan in 2008, in Waldkirchen of Germany in 2009, in Tivoli of Italy in 2011 and again in Amagasaki of Japan in 2013, always obtaining remarkable positions.
For 2014, the Cretan Sports Club of Fighting Arts is proud for once more to organise the Shito-ryu Shukokai World Cup in Heraklion of Crete, Greece, with the expected participation of 350 athletes from several countries of the world! During the event, high-ranked Japanese instructors will lead the seminars, including sensei Haruyoshi YAMADA, 10th Dan, sensei Tsutomu KAMOHARA, 9th Dan and sensei Sueo SAKITANI, 8th Dan, assisted by the English instructor sensei Denis CASEY, 8th Dan.
This great event, is also a celebration that marks the 30 years of Karate Do presence in the island of Crete!