Youth WOC
The World Othello Youth Championship was first played in 2016, in Mito, Japan. When W.O.C. celebrated its 40th year, the decision was made that youth players should be invited to participate. There were four youth players attending the tournament. In WOC 2017,which was held in Ghent, Belgium, there were thirteen players attending the tournament. The World Othello Federation Youth Committee plans to improve the Youth Championship. 2019 in WOC Tokyo, it was 17 youth players attending.
5th Youth WOC 2022, Paris, France
The fifth WOC for youths will be held in Paris, France.
1st Youth WOC, Mito, JapanThe first WOC for youths was held in Mito, Japan. The grand final was played between Arthur Juigner and Masaki Wada. Wada won the game with 36-28. They had already played against eachother in round 8 of the swiss tournament, where Juigner won with 36-28.
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2nd Youth WOC, Ghent, BelgiumThe response from the Othello community after the start of Youth WOC was amazing. Many federations began hosting youth qualification tournaments and Othello events. Twelve federations sent youth players to Ghent, Belgium; which was a success! The Japanese player Akihiro Takahashi, surprised everyone when he qualified for the WOC 2018 semifinal, and even made it to the grand final! In fact he won the swiss round of WOC 2018. Therefore, no final game was played between Takahasi and Micky Shifman; who finished as runner-up in WOC Youth 2018. |
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Takahashi vs Arthur Juigner in round 13 in Live Othello TV | The WOC 2018 Youth price cermony. | Yablonskaya, Youens and Ourega interviewed by Live Othello TV |
2nd |
Ghent, Belgium |
2017 |
W.C. | Akihiro Takahashi | Japan |
RU | Micky Shifman | Israel |
Third | Danielle Yosifovich | Israel |
4 | Felix Juigner | Switzerland |
5 | Anne Dorbeck | Netherlands |
6 | Mikael Lee | Korea |
7 | Remi Tastet | France |
8 | Nikita Zincenko | Czech Republic |
9 | Gallo Irene Ourega | Ivory Coast |
10 | Valentino Giannini | Italy |
11 | Alena Yablonskaya | Belarus |
12 | Jana Verstuyft | Belgium |
13 | Robyn Youens | England |
3rd Youth WOC 2018, Prague, Czech Republic
The third Youth WOC showed us that the youth players are here to stay! The number of players increased to 17 youth players from 12 federations in 2018.To make things even more interesting, the Youth World Champion also became The World Champion in 2019. Keisuke Fukuchi won the WOC final against Pianyat Aunchele from Thailand. Therefore, there was no Youth Championship final. Felix Juigner, from Switzerland, went from 4th place in 2017, to nabbing a runner up trophy! Danielle Yosifovich was best girl for the second time in a row, with a fourth place finish!
Yehor Maksymov against Jana Verstuyft, WOF Live TV Yosifovich, Fukuchi, Laufer and Jugnier. All Youth WOC players at stage.
3rd |
prague, czech republic |
2018 |
W.C. | Keisuke Fukuchi Japan |
RU | Félix Juigner Switzerland |
Third | Shachar Laufer Israel |
4 | Danielle Yosifovich Israel |
5 | Yehor Maksymov Ukraine |
6 | Wendy de Graaf Netherlands |
7 | Mikael Lee Korea |
8 | Nikita ZinĨenko Czech Republic |
9 | Gallo Irène Ourega Ivory Coast |
10 | Vitek Sládek Czech Republic |
11 | Mark Plowman Great Britain |
12 | Micky Shifman Israel |
13 | Rémi Tastet France |
14 | Emma Löfroth Sweden |
15 | Jana Verstuyft Belgium |
16 | Eline Verstuyft Belgium |
17 | Eduard Halimon Ukraina |
4th Youth WOC 2019, tOKYO, jAPAN
The fourth Youth World Championship was held in Tokyo, October 2019.
The 43th WOC was planned to be held in Hong Kong. 24 youth players was registered. Circumstances, however, forced the WOC to move to Tokyo. However, 17 participants is good, given the circumstances. Again it was no Youth semifinals, because Akihiro Takahashi won the WOC 2019.
Four youths playing Othello is a family bussines! De Graaf-Blijleven, Netherlands The throphy cermony
W.C. | Akihiro Takahashi, Japan |
RU | Kenta Yakushij, Japan |
Third | Shachar Laufer Israel |
4 | Mickey Shifman, Israel |
5 | Yuki Namazu, USA |
6 | Wendy De Graaf-Blijleven, the Netherlands |
7 | Erdenesuvd Batzorig, Mongolia |
8 | Erdenemunkh Manlai, Mongolia |
9 | Bertram Palmer, Denmark |
10 | Narantuya Erdenebat, Mongolia |
11 | Eui Chan Noh, Korea |
12 | Zi Xiao Wang, China |
13 | Mark Plowman, Great Britain |
14 | Alberte Josefine Nielsen, Denmark |
15 | Misa Namazu, USA |
16 | Shani Shifman, Israel |
17 | Tuva Juhnestam, Sweden |