Gail Eder 5th Dan

Chief Instructor

Gail practised Karate from 1979 until the end of 1988. She was awarded her Shodan in 1982 and Nidan in 1985.
She represented New Zealand at APUKO championships in 1985 and 1987.

In early 1988 she began to practice Aikido as well and by the end of that year was totally committed to Aikido.

Gail was awarded her aikido Shodan by the late Ron Russell in 1992 and the late Hadyn Foster Sensei awarded her Nidan in 1995, Sandan in 1999 and Yondan in 2007. In 2016 she received her 5th Dan from the Directors of the Institute of Aikido UK.

Gail was inducted into the New Zealand Martial Arts Hall of Fame in November 2013.

Gail's ideas in presenting an Aikido class are foremost that it should be safe and enjoyable for everyone involved.

Her longstanding commitment to teaching Aikido reflects the value she places on important positive influences aikido can have on participants and ultimately on the wider community.

Ray Eder 6th Dan

Director - Institute of Aikido NZ

Ray is the head of the Institute of Aikido New Zealand, the organisation to which our club is affiliated. He is also the Chief Instructor at Kyu Shin Do Aikido (North Shore), our sister club in Northcote.

Ray has supported the Warkworth Aikido Club since it first started. The Northcote club provided funding for mats and Ray has provided support for teaching, gradings and demonstrations.

Ray started Aikido training in 1982 with the late sensei Ron Russell who awarded Ray his Shodan in 1987, Nidan in 1988, and Sandan 1993.

Ray was inducted into the Australasian Martial Arts Hall of Fame (AMAHOF) in August 2013 in the category "Instructor of the year - Aikido". He was promoted to 6th Dan by the Sokeship Council of AMAHOF in August 2016.

His approach to teaching is to apply the principles of Aikido aiming for a safe non threatening environment that is conducive to learning and allowing people to develop their own way. One of his favourite quotes from the founder of Aikido is "It (Aikido) is not for correcting others; it is for correcting your own mind". He tries to live by this precept and it is reflected in his style of teaching.