This newsletter is reproduced with kind permission from the IFMS Director of Competitions, Michael Tipper. Click here for the IFMS web site.

Welcome to the third International Federation of Memory Sports Newsletter and the second of this millennium. In this edition I will tell you about the American Memoriad and the Austrian Junior Competition held at the end of last year. The dates of the World Memory Championships have been agreed and we'll also look to next year's competition.

The Austrian Junior Championship

The first Austrian Junior Championship took place in Vienna in December last year. Organised by Hubert Krenn of the Österreichisches Institut für Gedächtnistraining, 26 competitors battled it out over 8 tests that included cards, numbers and words. 16 year old Katja Turecek took the lead after the third event. She never gave up the number one slot despite fierce competition from 17 year old Lukas Amsüss who came second and 15 year old Marlies Huebmer who took the bronze medal. The under 14 category was won by Clarissa Böck.

Sponsorship was provided by PSK and representatives from the Austrian Ministry of Education supported the event by attending and assisting in the prize giving. Media interest included an interview on National Television with 17 year old Katja. The press release (in German) can be found at http://www.memoriade.org/memoriade.htm.

The USA Memoriad

The US Memory Championships took place in New York on Saturday 5th February 2000. 20 competitors took part with defending champion Tatiana Cooley keen to retain her title. Significant by his absence from the starting line up was Yu Zhang, the 1999 World Memory Championships Silver Medallist and Reigning World Junior Champion. This new kid on the block who gave Dominic O'Brien a good run for his money in London last year is unable to compete at this year's World Memory Championships and so chose not to make his bid for the US title.

Fought over 5 events, it was a close competition that could have been won by any one of 8 competitors in the last event, traditionally the speed cards discipline. Tatiana Cooley in one of her weaker disciplines managed to secure enough points to fend off the challenge to her title from Edison Hong in the runner up slot and Joseph Song who finished third. The 5 events competed were Names and Faces, Poem, List of Words, 5-Minute Number, Speed Cards. New US Records were set by Christopher Turner in the Word event (78 words in 15 minutes) and by Tatiana Cooley in the Names and Faces event (85 points). Thanks to sponsorship from British Airways, we'll be seeing Tatiana, Edison and Joseph in London at the World Memory Championships in August.

Press interest in this year's competition was described by Tony Buzan as a "Media Frenzy" thanks to the magnificent efforts of chief organiser Tony Dottino. Elements of the press represented at the competition included ABC, CNN, The New York Times, USA Today and Oprah Winfrey's TV Station. Newsweek ran a one page feature on an interview and a memoriad orientation exercise given by Tony Buzan, originator of the Memoriad concept and co-founder of the International Federation of Memory Sports.

Forthcoming National Competitions

Austria - Following the success of the first Austrian Junior Championships at the end of last year, regional competitions will begin soon, culminating in the 2000 Championships which will take place at the beginning of July. The top three competitors from that, the second Austrian National event, will then go on to compete at the World Championships in London in August. Hubert Krenn also tells me that he is expecting to arrange a series of competitions between different universities at the end of the year. More about that later in the year.

German - The 2000 German National Championships will take place in Friedrichshafen 28th-29th July. It promises to be an exciting event with Gunther Karsten seeking to defend his title, notably against the ever improving Jan Formann who has competed against Gunther on a number of televised events in the last year.

India - The 2nd Indian National Competition will take place in Chennai (Madras) 21st -23rd July 2000. Organised by Dr Reddy of the Madras Academy, details can be found at http://www.namaskar.net/worldcup99/index.php3. This site also announces the First Asian Memory Competition that is scheduled to take place at the end of the year. More details about that as information becomes available.

Memory as a sport is attracting huge interest around the globe. There are up and coming Brain Stars appearing all over the world. I think the likes of Dominic O'Brien and Andi Bell and Tatiana Cooley will have to watch out!

World Memory Championships 2000

World Memory Championships 2000 will take place at Alexandra Palace in London as part of the 4th Mind Sports Olympiad on 25th-26th August 2000. The whole Mind Sports Olympiad takes place 19-28th August and for those of you who have been before, you know that it is a fascinating place to be watching all sorts of mental combat taking place. To enter, you need to contact the Mind Sports Olympiad Organisation and book your place directly with them making sure that you let me know you are entering. This will probably be the last year without qualifying criteria as we expect the numbers wishing to take part in the future will increase significantly.

The rules for the event can be found on my aol web space at http://members.aol.com/mrmrtipper/ifms/ifmsindx.htm. Please read these in some detail if you wish to enter, especially about any translation requirements. If you wish to obtain your own personal copy, please send a self-addressed envelope and £5 Sterling (for costs and postage) to the address at the foot of the page.

You will recall that in the September 1999 Newsletter, I announced that the 2001 World Memory Championships will take place separately from the Mind Sports Olympiad and is provisionally planned for May 2001. This still stands and we are now beginning to put together the team that will make that happen. We will need a Marketing Manager, PR Manager, Operations Manager, Event Co-ordinator, Logistics Manager and a Competitors "Host".

We will seek to obtain sponsorship for this event over the coming months to provide a significant prize fund and support the running costs of such a prestigious event. However, to make the event happen we need a team of committed individuals willing to invest some of their time and energy. If you are interested in supporting this venture, or know someone who is, please let me know. The team needs to be in place by the end of June and it is my intention to announce it in the July Newsletter so please come forward and support this growing sport. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Rules

Hubert Krenn who organises the Austrian Championships has suggested that there should be 2 Junior categories - under 14 years old and 14-17. Each category would have separate events and be of different duration to cater for the differences between the "harder to keep occupied" youngsters and the more mature teenagers. I accept that this may be a gross generalisation but experience has shown that the younger mnemonists tend to find it difficult to concentrate as long as the seniors. What do you think?

- Michael Tipper IFMS Director of Competitions

c/o Life Skills Programmes Ltd
PO Box 224
Patchway
Bristol, UK
BS32 0YN