196 participants representing 15 chess associations who came from all over Sicily: these are the numbers of the Regional Youth Championships – Memorial Giovanni Piazza which took place in Marsala, at the Hotel President, on 20 and 21 April. The competition was organized by the Sicilian Chess Committee with the support of Lilybetana Scacchi and the patronage of the Municipality of Marsala.
For the occasion, to formalize the start of the event, with the traditional white on a motorbike, the municipal councilors Ignazio Bilardello and Salvatore Agate intervened and welcomed the players together with Mrs. Claudia Giacalone, wife of the late Giovanni Piazza.
In front of the 64 black and white boxes, some well-known names of Sicilian chess and award-winning champions competed – divided into categories U18, U16, U14, U12, U10 and U8 – but also many very young people who have recently approached this fascinating sports of the mind.
“It was a celebration for sport and chess. The kids had fun facing healthy competition and sharing the many emotions of these two days. – comments Giuseppe Cerami, President of Lilybetana Scacchi – From an organizational point of view, we are satisfied with how the entire competition took place and with what we managed to offer to the many participants and their companions”.
Satisfaction also for the results obtained: Lilybetana Scacchi has in fact closed the regional phase of the Youth team bringing home two victories, both in the women’s category: first place for Federica Montalto in the Under 18s who thus closes her last championship in this category in style , and Ilaria Canale’s third place in the Under 12.
Not to be outdone was the very young Chiara Agrusa, of the Amici della Scacchiera Erice, who in the women’s Under 10 ranked first ex-aequo together with Sofia Arnetta from Palermo.
The municipal councilor Giacomo Tumbarello spoke at the awards ceremony.
On Monday 22nd it was the turn of the Student Championships and the School Chess Trophy which were organized by the ASD Lilybetana Scacchi of Marsala, under the aegis of the Ministry of Education and Merit, the Regional School Office, the Provincial Delegation of Trapani of the FSI, with the patronage of the Municipality of Marsala.
The event brought together teams from 61 schools in the city, from primary to secondary school, from all over Sicily.
Here too there was no shortage of victories by the home team. In the male primary category, the team from the Sirtori Comprehensive Institute stood out and reached the top of the rankings. The Cavour – Mazzini teams performed excellently: second place among the male secondary schools and third place for both the female first grade secondary schools and the female primary schools. In the female student category, third place for the Liceo Classico Giovanni XXIII.
The students were rewarded by Prof. Francesco Ciulla, provincial coordinator for Physical Education, representing the Regional School Office.
