Lautier wins in Spain

Joel Lautier of France was the sovereign victor in the World Championship Zonal tournament in Mondariz, Spain. The tournament ran from September 3rd to 14th. Six players qualified for the Fide World Championships - five went straight through, but the sixth qualifier will still have to be decided by tiebreak.

Final results

Qualifiers:

Joel Lautier, France          8

Loek van Wely, Holland        7½
Jon Speelman, England         
 
Igor-Alexandre Nataf, France  7
Jeroen Piket, Holland

Into playoffs:

Sergei Tiviakov, Holland      6½
Josif Dorfman, France
Tony Miles, England
Christian Bauer, France
Dimitri Reinderman, Holland
Jonathan Parker, England
John Emms, England
Luis Comas Fabrego, Spain
Michele Godena, Italy
Oscar de la Riva Aguado, Andorra