NEARLY 800 CHESS PLAYERS REGISTERED IN THE PANAMERICAN YOUTH CHESS FESTIVAL

- The opening will be this Sunday, July the first, in Plaza Mayor, at 2:00 p.m.
- It was a success to break the record of contesters: a total of 788.
- Antioquia´s delegation received the Colombian uniform; Peru, first delegation to arrive in Medellín.
- The games can be followed, live, on the official web page: www.panamericanomedellin2007.com.
- Along with detailed information, there will be a web cam with images from the press room on: www.ajedrezpanamericano.blogspot.com

Translation: Camilo Herrera.

After three days traveling, a considerable number of a total of 125 Peruvian players who will compete in the continental competition has arrived. The expectations for hundreds of children and young adults of becoming some of the best chess players in the American continent will be, from the first to the seventh of July, an important part of the XVIII PANAMERICAN YOUTH CHESS FESTIVAL. At the moment, there are 788 players registered, representing 18 delegations.

The attendance at The Chess Park (Parque del Ajedrez) of the Atanasio Girardot sports campus is free of charge in all categories: U-6, U-8, U10, U12, U16, U18.

COLOMBIAN NEWS
The U-12 national champion, Melissa Castrillón, received the Colombian flag from the president of the Antioquia Chess League and Director of PANAMERICAN YOUTH CHESS FESTIVAL, Luis Pérez Carrillo.

“Your uniform represents 44 million people: what people feel for the Colombian national soccer team, we are going to feel for you during the Pan-American”, those were Francisco Lopera´s words, Fecodaz (Colombian Chess Federation) VP.

Melissa Castrillón, U-12 Colombian national champion and fifth place in the U-18 male category shared the symbolic presentation of the Colombian flag along with the U-16 national champion, IM David Arenas, the three times pan American champion, WIM Jenny Chiriví, the U-8 national champion, Stiven Zapata, the U-10 national champion Daniela Romero and several other champions and runner ups, including the U-6, María de los Ángeles Varela. Also present coaches Mauricio Ríos and Carlo Vittorino.

The clubs from Envigado, lead by coach MI Jorge Mario Clavijo, and Caballo (knight) e6, are finishing their previous gathering outside of Medellín.

XVIII PANAMERICAN YOUTH CHESS FESTIVAL – Medellín 2007 is being organized by The Antioquia Chess League and the American Chess Confederation, and supported by Indeportes Antioquia and Inder Medellín.