With the participation of 42 athletes and instructors of Shinkyokushinkai and Kyokushikai Karate, the 18th Greek Summer Camp was successfully conducted at the beautiful island of Skiathos during the dates 28/6-02/07.
Athletes and instructors from England, Georgia, Moldova, Spain, and Greece trained together and exchanged ideas and experiences, under the instructions of the top instructors of the hardest Karate.
Shihan Cyril Andrews 6th Dan (Branch Chief-Country Representative Shinkyokushinkai Great Britain), Shihan Juan Carlos Escalera 6th Dan (Branch Chief-Country Representative Shinkyokushinkai Spain), Shihan Pedro Soriano 5th Dan, Shihan George Kosmidis 5th Dan, Shihan Avtandil Shengelia 5th Dan (Branch Chief-Country Representative Shinkyokushinkai Georgia) and Sensei Otario Melikiadis (Branch Chief for Northern Greece), taught and trained daily for 4 hours morning and evening, passing their important experience and knowledge to the students.
The 18th Summer Camp was extremely interesting, because it included 3 sections that covered the actions of the Greek Shinkyokushinkai Karate Association as well as the actions of the newly founded Hellenic Full Contact Federation. First the technical and theoretical seminar was conducted for Shinkyokushinkai karate, and then the 1st Official Referee Seminar was conducted under the aid of the Hellenic Full Contact Federation, where international referees Shihan Juan Carlos Escalera, Shihan George Kosmidis, and Shihan Pedro Soriano where the main instructors.
In addition, the summer camp finished with the most crucial part, the Dan grading for the 1st and 3rd Dan. The grading was of special importance and difficulty since two of the Grading and Technical Committee of the European Karate Organization (EKO), Shihan Cyril Andrews and Shihan Juan Carlos Escalera, conducted the grading, with the help of the Branch Chief and Country Representative Shihan George Kosmidis, Brach Chief Sensei Otario Melikiadis, Shihan Pedro Soriano, and Shihan Leonardo Adria.
After the 3 hour grading of Kata, Kihon, and Ido, the candidates that successfully completed the first part of the grading were: Manos Seitis (3rd Dan), Papavasileiou Nikos (3rd Dan), Agorastakis Michael (1st Dan), and Verikakis John (1st Dan).
During the Kumite grading on the afternoon of the same day, 39 year old sensei Manos Seitis was distinguished for his fighting spirit, his endurance and his ability to withstand severe hits, as he completed successfully 15 2 minute fights with full force.
Also excellent was the presence of 47 year old Sensei Papavasileiou Nikos, who successfully completed 10 2 minute fights and the two other athletes, Agorastakis Michael and Verikakis John who completed successfully 15 and 10 2 minute fights respectively.
At the Kumite grading, also helped and took part Shihan Kostas Galios, Sensei Tziras Athanasios and Dalamagkas George, from the Greek Budokan Organization, sempai Haris Hondros, Mauropoulos George, Ares Spiropoulos, Krisilas John, Tzallas Michael, Bella Andreanidou, in addition shihan Leonardo Adria and George Kosmidis took part at the fights.
The same day during the morning and the evening the first official Referee Seminar was conducted under the aid of the Hellenic Full Contact Federation, with the cooperation of Shihan Juan Carlos Escalera, Shihan George Kosmidis, Shihan Pedro Soriano, and Shihan Leonardo Andria. After the practical exams, the successful candidates where: Galios Konstantinos, Tziras Athanasios, Dalamagkas George, Seitis Manos, Xondros Xaris, Krisilas Giannis, Mauropoulos George, Papavasileiou Nikos, Pliatsikas George, Tzallas Michael, and Petrou Apostolos.
Important, was the presence at the camp of the General Director of the Ministry of Athletics of Georgia, Irakli Dolaberidze, who is a national coach for the Georgian Shinkyokushinkai team and a personal friend to Shihan George Kosmidis. It is important to mention that Sensei Irakli Dolaberidze is taking part the last 16 years at the Greek Summer Camp.
The organization of the summer camp was taken care of, from Evdoksia Kosmidou, Koufogewrgios Apostolos, and the office director of the Hellenic Full Contact Federation, Stavros Voulgarakis.
The Country Representative of the Greek Shinkyokushinkai Karate and the Board of the Hellenic Full Contact Federation would like to thank the Mayor of Skiathos Island Mr. Preveziano Dimitrio, the President of the Athletics organization of the municipality of Skiathos Island Mr. Kwstantakopoulo George, for their help and the gifts to all the foreign participants. We would also like to thank the Dervenis Brothers, for their impeccable service and excellent cooperation all these years from 1997, the Skiathos Palace Hotel, and the Television Station ASTRA TV for the promotion and coverage of the Summer Camp.
