First Annual Oceanside Rapid a Major Success
On a beautiful Saturday, June 29, 2024, the Oceanside Chess Club hosted our first annual rapid tournament at St. Mark's Church, Qualicum Beach. The event attracted players from across Vancouver Island, coming from as far as Port Alberni and Duncan to compete in the day’s festivities.
The growing interest in the game of chess seems more apparent now than ever. Thinking back to the days of meeting at the Qualicum Beach Library, when the number of players was as low as 4 or 5, the growth seems astronomical! During the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more clubs closed their doors. A lack of chess clubs plagued the mid-island. It was in the aftermath of the virus that our club really began to blossom. And now, we are hosting Oceanside’s first chess tournament!
After some fierce competition, Declan O'Sullivan emerged as the champion, claiming first place and the top prize of $100. Len Molden and Dillon Atkins followed closely, securing second and third places with prizes of $75 and $50, respectively. Stuart Gray Jr. beat both Len and Dillon to second place overall, but decided instead to claim the junior prize, a beautiful Onyx chess set donated to the club earlier that day by a member of the community.
The success of our tournament would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors: Dr. Anthony and Susan Ciammaichella, Lantzville Wellness Centre, Bailey’s in the Village, and Annette Blakey.
Behind the scenes, our dedicated directors worked tirelessly to organize and oversee the tournament. Their hard work and commitment ensured that the event ran as smoothly as it did.
A special thanks also goes out to Roger McFetridge and the Bishops of Bowser, whose generous donation of clocks, boards, and score sheets allowed us to host this event, among many others. Over night, we tripled our club's playing capacity. Going forward, we hope to host many more tournaments like this one. As I write this, our directors are already making plans for the next one. So thanks to the Bishops of Bowser’s donation, they will be bigger than ever!
As always, thanks to you, our community, without your support, none of this would be possible. Until next time, friends, wishing you warm regards and sunny days.