From the Chess archiv of Chess-Results.com: Article: 737 from 23.07.1998, Category International

Newsletter to all European Chess Federations (23.7.98 von Prof. K. Jungwirth)

FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DES ÉCHECS

PROF. KURT JUNGWIRTH, CONTINENTAL PRESIDENT OF EUROPE

Graz, 23.07.1998

To the European Chess Federations

Dear Chess Friends,

We are still under the impression of a great event, the European Youth Championships 1998 in Mureck. We had with us 510 players, 285 boys, 225 girls from 43 federations, 46 coaches, 275 accompanying persons. Thanks to all of them for coming to Austria.

Apart from a thunderstorm on the arrival day and some rain at the closing ceremony we had fine weather for playing chess, no epidemic, no protest in the tournament hall, no political incident. It is great to bring together young people in peace instead of dividing them through stupid politics.

Competition was tough. There were many powerful players. Judit Polgar, number 17 in the current world rating list had to acknowledge the strength of the youngsters. She played a simul on 30 boards against boys under 14 and girls under 16, she won 18, drew 5, lost 7.

The computer program Nimzo98 developed by Chrilly Donninger, Vienna, and presented by IBM Austria was luckier. In two days it played about 60 games, drew four, lost none.

The final standing and bulletins were handed over or sent to the delegations or federations. They were also put on Internet along with all the games.

Our congratulations go to all participants, especially to the medallists. We are enclosing a list of the best federations based on the first six players of each group (6 points to the first, 5 to the second, etc.), Ukraine, Georgia and Russia dominated the event.

Mr. Ochoa and a Spanish delegation visited the tournament to collect information for the next challenge in Spain. All our good wishes go to the World Youth Championships 1998 in Oropesa del Mar.

I hope we may say that the organisational team with Erich Gigerl and Egon Brestian with about 50 assistants, the arbiters team with Gertrud Wagner, Werner Stubenvoll and Andrej Filipowicz, the bulletin team with Hubert Ebner (Schach Aktiv, 2280 games to write down) did a good job.

Mureck definitely demonstrated: Europe is a strong chess continent.

Kind regards K. Jungwirth m.p.

MEDALLISTS

  GOLD SILVER BRONZE
       
G10 MUZYCHUK Anna UKR ROGULE Laura LAT ARUTYUNOVA Diana UKR
G12 SEBAG Marie FRA KOSINTSEVA Tatiana RUS KURSOVA Marie, RUS
G14 JAVAKHISHVILI Lela GEO GARA Ticia HUN BERZINA Ilze LAT
G16 MATNADZE Ana GEO MOSER Eva AUT CHARKHALASHVILI Inga GEO
G18 REIZNICE Dana LAT ZOZULIA Ana UKR KUCYPERA Ana POL
       
B10  TISHYN Dmytro UKR  BARAMIDZE David GEO  METZGER Michael GER 
B12  RADJABOV Teimour AZE  GASHIMOV Vugar AZE  MURARIU Andrei ROM 
B14  RIAZANTSEV Alexander  IZORIA Zviad CZE  LUPULESCU Constantin ROM 
B16  SARGISSIAN Gabriel ARM  JIRKA Jiri CZE  KOVCHAN Alexander UKR 
B18  DE VREUGT Dennis NED  MOISEENKO Alexander UKR  ILJUSHIN Alexei RUS 

List based on the 6 best players of each category

  B 10  B12  B14  B16  B 18  G 10  G 12  G 14  G 16  G 18  Tot 
Ukraine    10      36 
Geogia        10    33 
Russia      13      33 
Latvia                15 
Azerbaijan  11                  14 
Romania            11 
Hungaria                     
Israel               
Poland                 
Armenia                   
Czech Republik                 
France                   
Germany                 
Netherlands                   
Austria                   
Moldova                 
Belarussia                   
Bosnia i Hercegovina                   
Bulgaria                   
Greece                   
Slovakia                   
  21  21  21  21  21  21  21  21  21  21