The fifth edition of the Orion Latin American u18 Team Tournament held December 8/9 on OGS was a great success with 11 school and academy teams from Mexico to the southern tip of Chile and the Pacific coast (Ecuador) to the Atlantic (Argentina).
First place in the 6-round event was Team Villa High de México (Sebastián Bañuelos, Bruno Michaca and Paola Ortega), 2nd: British School of Chile (Gustavo Gibbons, Fernando Gallardo and Fernando Cárdenas). 3rd: Dojo de Go de México (Diego Luciano, Omar Zavala and Ruben Hernandez).
The decisive match was Round 5 between Villa High and the British School. Boards 1 and 3 had finished and split one each. It all came down to move 259 when the Chilean, Gallardo, had a winning placement to catch a group of Machaca’s – but was off by one intersection.
Thanks to the sponsorship of the American Go Foundation, the players of the Villa High team of Mexico will represent Latin America at the next US GO Congress next summer in Madison, Wisconsin.
Special thanks go to the board of the Ibero-American Go Federation, to the team coaches: Ernesto Cepeda, Haroldo Brown, Diego Albuja, Siddharta Ávila and Sebastián Montiel, and especially to the 33 youth players who brought tremendous enthusiasm and commitment to the contest.
Cross grid and event photos here.
– Terry Benson from a report by Sebastian Montiel of Chile.