Sensei
Sensei Khim Torres (4th Dan)
Sensei Khim Torres began shotokan training at the tender age of four at his father’s dojo in the Philippines. By age ten, he received his Shodan (first degree) black belt under the supervision of Sensei Ruperto Torres, JKA Philippines, Luzon Director. Sensei Khim also studied other martial arts during his young age – he ventured into Arnis De Mano (Filipino stick fighting), Kodokan Judo (Japanese martial arts) and Tae Kwando (Korean martial arts). After years of training, he decided to concentrate on helping his father propagate shotokan karate in the Philippines. He enrolled and graduated from the instructor training program of JKA Lipa City, Philippines, teaching beginners and advanced classes. At eighteen, he qualified as member of the Philippine National Karate Team. Over a long experience in competitions, representing Philippines in many national, international, and world championships, he won various awards from prestigious tournaments in both kata and kumite. Sensei Khim received his Nidan (second degree) black belt under Sensei Masanori Takahashi, Official JKA representative in the Philippines. Aside from teaching and competing in karate, Sensei Khim has a degree in Psychology and worked as a Health, Music, and Physical Education instructor before migrating to the United States in 2002. In the US, while a full time karate instructor at the Academy of Martial Arts (2002-2008), he was selected into the U.S National Karate Team – competing and representing in both kata and kumite. Sensei Khim received his Sandan (third degree) black belt in 2006 under Sensei Yutaka Yaguchi, ISKF Technical Committee. And in 2009, Sensei Khim attained his Yondan (fourth degree) testing with Sensei Mikami, Sensei Osaka and Sensei Taniyama at JKA AF National camp in New Orleans and also certified as Instructor D, Judge C and Examiner D.
Currently, Sensei Khim is leading the effort to promote and inspire shotokan karate in the SF Bay Area as the chief instructor of JKA Northern California, the first JKA American Federation dojo in the northwest region.
Major Tournament Record:
2010 1st Place Men’s Individual Kumite 18-34yrs, 1st Place Team Kata, Ozawa Cup, Las Vegas, NV
2009 3rd Place Men’s Individual Kumite and Kata, 2nd Place Men’s Team Kumite and Kata, JKA AF Nationals, New Orleans, LA
2008 2nd Place Team Kumite, ISKF Shoto Cup, Toronto, Canada
2nd Place Team Kata, ISKF Nationals, Los Angeles, USA
2007 2nd Place Individual Kumite, 3rd Place Individual Kata & 1st Place Team Kata, ISKF Master Camp, Philadelphia, USA
1st Place Individual Kumite, 1st Place Team Kata & 2nd Place Team Kumite, ISKF Nationals, San Francisco, USA
2006 2nd Place Individual Kumite, ISKF/JKA Nationals, Alaska, USA
2004 2nd Place Team Kata, ISKF/JKA Nationals, Ohio, USA
2003 3rd Place Team Kata, ISKF/JKA Nationals, Hawaii, USA
2002 3rd Place Team Kata, ISKF/JKA Nationals, Orlando, Florida, USA
2001 3rd Place Team Kumite, Sea Games, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
1st Place Indiviual Kumite, 2nd Place Team Kumite. AKF, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
1998 1st Place, Individual Kumite, 3rd Place Individual Kata & 2nd Place Team Kata, All Shotokan Karate Invitational, Lipa City, Philippines.
1997 1st Place, Individual Kumite, PKF, Dagupan, Philippines.
3rd Place, Individual Kumite & Team Kumite SEA Games, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Represented Philippines, 6th World Karate Cup, Manila, Philippines.
1995 2nd Place, Individual Kumite, PKF, Cebu, Philippines.
Represented Philippines, WKF, Sun City, South Africa.
1993 1st Place, Individual Kumite, PKF, Baguio, Philippines.
Christina Foo (4th Dan)
began her karate training in 1990 under Sensei Jose Ferrand, chief instructor at the Miami Shotokan Karate Club who was the major influence introducing her to the competitive arena early on. She became a seasoned competitor and a consistent member of the US team. Her commitment and dedication to training earned her several national and international awards. In 2000, Christina moved to the San Francisco Bay Area for her career as a Marketing Manager in the Silicon Valley. During this time, she continued to compete while coaching and mentoring upcoming karatekas. Her passion for the discipline and the community propels her to explore instructing skills and a stronger mentoring role within JKA NorCal. Christina was recently certified in JKA AF 2009 National Camp as Instructor D, Judge D and Examiner D testing with Sensei Mikami, Sensei Osaka and Sensei Taniyama.
Major Tournament Record:
2010 Ozawa Cup (Las Vegas, NV)
1st Place Women’s Senior1 Kumite 35-45yrs, 2nd Place Women’s Senior1 Kata 35-45yrs, 3rd Place Women’s Team Kumite
2009 1st Annual JKA American Federation National Tournament (New Orleans, LA)
1st Place Senior Kumite and Kata, 2nd Place Women’s Individual Kumite and Kata
45th Annual All South Karate Championship (New Orleans, LA)
2nd Place Kata, 3rd Place Kumite, 1st Place Senior Kata, 1st Place Team Kata
2007 1st Annual JKA/WF America National Tournament (Phoenix, AZ)
1st Place Kata, 1st Place Senior Kata
29th Annual ISKF/US National Tournament (San Francisco, CA)
1st Place Kumite, 1st Place Team Kata, 2nd Place Team Kumite
2006 10th Funakoshi Gichin Cup World Karate-do Championship Tournament (Sydney, Australia) US Team member
28th Annual ISKF/US National Tournament (Anchorage, AK)
3rd Place Kata, 1st Place Team Kata, 1st Place Team Kumite
2004 10th ISKF/Pan-American Karate Championship (Panama City, Panama)
3rd Place Kata, 3st Place Kumite, 1st Place Team Kumite
27th Annual ISKF/US National Tournament (Columbus, OH)
3rd Place Kumite, 2nd Place Team Kata
2003 26th Annual ISKF/US National Tournament (Honolulu, HI) Best Female Competitor
1st Place Kata, 2nd Place Kumite, 2nd Place Team Kata
2001 9th ISKF/Pan-American Karate Championship (Philadelphia, USA)
3rd Place Kata, 2nd Place Kumite, 1st Place Team Kata, 1st Place Team Kumite
2000 8th Shoto World Cup Karate Championships (Tokyo, Japan) US Team member
23rd Annual ISKF/US National Tournament (Philadelphia, PA)
2nd Place Kata, 2nd Place Kumite, 1st Place Team Kata, 1st Place Team Kumite
1999 8th ISKF/Pan-American Karate Championship (Barbados, West Indies) Best Female Competitor
1st Place Kumite, 2nd Place Kata, 1st Place Team Kumite
22nd Annual ISKF/US National Tournament (Denver, CO) Grand Champion
1st Place Kata, 2nd Place Kumite, 3rd Place Team Kumite
1998 21st Annual ISKF/US National Tournament (Phoenix, AZ) Best Female Competitor
1st Place Kumite, 1st Place Team Kumite
1997 20th Annual ISKF/US National Tournament (New Orleans, LA)
3rd Place Kumite, 3rd Place Kata, 2nd Place Team Kata
1996 6th Shoto World Cup Karate Championships (Osaka, Japan) US Team member
1995 6th ISKF/Pan-American Karate Championship (Kingston, Jamaica) US Team member
18th Annual ISKF/US National Tournament (Santa Rosa, CA)
2nd Place Team Kata
1994 17th Annual ISKF/US National Tournament (Los Angeles, CA)
1st Place Team Kata
1993 16th Annual ISKF/US National Tournament (Denver, CO)
2nd Place Team Kata
