George Carruthers Profile

Born in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1953, George Carruthers began his training in Shotokan karate with Sensei Gene Dunnett and then Sensei Jim Wood in 1971, as a member of what was to become, the Karate Union of Scotland (KUS). The KUS, both North and South, came under the auspices of the late master Keinosuke Enoeda and his assistants Sensei's Tomita and Kawasoe.

During his stay in South Africa he trained with the Sensei' Derrick and Keith Geyer in their dojo in Germiston, Transvaal and also with Sensei Chris Antony (now Karatenomichi), in Benoni, Transvaal. He left the KUS, in 1980 after moving to Saudi Arabia and joined the British Shotokan Karate Association under Sensei Charles Mack. In 1988 he started his own association, the British Shotokan Karate Union.

In his younger days he was regarded as a reasonable fighter at association level, and in 1981, he fought the then World Freestyle Champion, Sensei Dan Anderson (US), in a demonstration bout in Saudi Arabia, who described him as both a formidable and highly competent opponent.  He has taught and refereed in America, Europe and the Middle East, and trained with some of Shotokan’s most senior instructors.

He was honoured by Osamu Ozawa sensei in 1994, who presented him along with such notables as Hirokazu Kanazawa to the  championships in Las Vegas.  He is known for his in-depth knowledge of ‘karate-Jutsu’ with a special interest in kata bunkai and holds both Batchelor and Master degrees in health sciences.

George was graded to 6th Dan by Sensei Yoshikazu Sumi, and 7th Dan by Keigo Abe Sensei. He is a fellow and holds the shogo (title) kyoshi with the International Shotokan-ryu Karate-do Shihankai.

He is the Chairman of the JSKA (Great Britain) and is one of Sensei Keigo Abe’s most senior instructor’s both internationally and in the UK. He is a qualified international referee and instructor and holds ‘A’ Class Examiner status with the Japan Shotokan Karate Association.