As part of the FIDE Women’s Chess Marathon and global FIDE Women’s Month celebrations, Australia hosted a series of inspiring activities this August. These events brought together more than a hundred young players, role models from the Australian chess community, and entire school communities to celebrate and promote girls in chess.
Interschool Girls Tournament – August 12
The celebrations began with the Korowa Anglican Girls School CV Zonal Tournament, where an impressive 120 girls from Prep to Grade 12 competed. This traditional annual event, which continues to grow in scale, demonstrated the enthusiasm and talent of young Australian players. All participants received official certificates from the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess.
Lauriston Girls School Celebrations – August 19 & 21
Lauriston Girls School marked 25 years of its chess club with two memorable events: a talk by Angelica Zivanovic, former World Juniors representative for Australia and mother of three young daughters, followed by a lecture and simultaneous exhibition by WGM Julia Ryjanova, Australia’s top female player.
We are delighted to share the words of the Principal of Lauriston Girls School, who captured the spirit of the celebrations beautifully:
“We are thrilled to share highlights from a very special week in chess at Lauriston, celebrating Women’s Chess Month, a global initiative launched by the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess. This inspiring campaign aims to promote chess among girls and women across all continents.
As part of our celebration:
On Tuesday 19th August, we were delighted to host Angelica Zivanovic, mother of 3 girls. Speaking with the Year 1-2 Chess Club, Angelica shared her own journey as a young chess player representing Australia, captivating students with her story.
On Thursday, August 21st, we welcomed International Women Grandmaster Julia Ryjanova, Australia’s number one female chess player. Julia presented a simultaneous exhibition … After nearly 1.5 hours she won all 24 games in spite of some serious resistance.
We also took this opportunity to honour a very special milestone: Leonid’s 25th year teaching chess at Lauriston. His dedication and passion have shaped generations of young chess enthusiasts. To celebrate, I presented Leonid with a gift and heartfelt thank-you card which contained personal messages of gratitude from members of the Chess Club. Congratulations, Leonid, and thank you for your contribution to Lauriston. We look forward to Chess continuing to thrive at Lauriston.”
Leonid Sandler is not only a pillar of chess at Lauriston, but also a well-known coach who has cooperated with the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess on numerous occasions, generously sharing his knowledge and passion with students around the globe. Most recently, he served as the coach of the St. Lucia women’s team during the last Chess Olympiad, as part of FIDE’s New National Female Teams initiative.
The FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess warmly congratulates everyone involved in these celebrations for their commitment and creativity. Together, these events showed how local initiatives can connect with the global movement to promote women and girls in chess—truly embodying the spirit of the Women’s Chess Marathon.
