29th - 30th April
A World Champion is Crowned
An International Chess Federation World Championship Match consists of 14 games. To be declared the winner, a player must score 7.5 points or more. Should both players end on 7.5 points after 14 games, the champion is decided on a tiebreak. Over the last three weeks, Astana in Kazakhstan has been the scene for an incredible chess battle that ended with Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren finishing game 14 on 7.5 each. Eventually Liren prevailed to claim the rapid tiebreak and be crowned the World Champion. Next year eight players will play each other twice in the FIDE Candidates Tournament and the winner will then challenge Liren for the grand title of World Champion. Until that moment, China's Ding Liren can savour the moment as the best in the world.
It was a double victory for Canada in Gangneung, South Korea, as Scotland had to settle for silver in both the women's and men's finals of the World Senior Curling Championships 2023. The same city also hosted the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships 2023. USA's Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse overcame Japan by 8-2 to take victory, while Norway beat Canada to complete the podium. In Hangzhou, China, the XII Asian Senior Kurash Championship was decided. Kurash means grappling or wrestling and is a traditional Uzbek sport popular in Central Asia. Follow the link for full results of the championship.
Østfold in Norway hosted Round 1 of the International Orienteering Federation World Cup. Long Distance was claimed by Tove Alexandersson (SWE) and Kasper Harlem Fosser (NOR). Fosser took his second gold, while Sara Hagstrom (SWE) won the women's race in the Middle Distance. In other orienteering news, first medals were achieved by Denmark and Czechia at the European Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships held in Portugal, but it was Finland securing the standout achievements. Over to rugby union where the Women's Six Nations Champion was decided between England and France on Saturday. A record crowd of 58,498 attended Twickenham Stadium in London to witness 11 tries scored, with the home side and defending champions going on to win by 38-33 and once again lift the trophy.
The village of Donji Kraljevec in Croatia opened the new season of the FIM Speedway World Championship. Bartosz Zmarzlik (POL) claimed maximum points on Saturday. Two rounds remain of the AMA Supercross Championship as Eli Tomac (USA) added further to his lead in the 450SX, while Hunter Lawrence (AUS) looks favourite to take the 250SX title. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) reclaimed the lead on the overall standings of the FIM MotoGP World Championship by winning in Jerez, Spain on Sunday. At the FIM Supermoto World Championship, it was Alex Jimenez Ruiz (ESP) taking control after the first round in Busca, Italy. The final motorcycling roundup is the FIM Motocross World Championship, with Jorge Prado (ESP) leading the overall classification on 206 points after round 5 in Agueda, Portugal.
Over to motor racing where the FIA World Endurance Championship spent the weekend at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium for round 4. The overall win belongs to Mike Conway (GBR), Kamui Kobayashi (JPN), and Jose Maria Lopez (ARG) in their Toyota Gazoo Racing hypercar. Sergio Perez beat teammate Max Verstappen to lead a Red Bull one-two at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, round 4 of the FIA Formula One World Championship. Charles Leclerc completed the podium. Jānis Baumanis (LAT) began the opening weekend of the FIA World Rallycross Championship in dominant form. Scott McLaughlin has driven to his first victory at the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series. Sunday's race was at the Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. At the second and third rounds of the Fanatec GT World Challenge America held at the NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, Porsche GT3 R 992 clinch the Pro win in race one, while Mercedes-AMG GT3 reign in the second race on Sunday. Kyle Busch claimed his second victory of the season at the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series held at the Taleda Superspeedway on Sunday.
Three International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships concluded over the weekend. Japan beat Ukraine 5-3 to win the Men's Division I, Group B in Tallinn, Estonia. In the Men's U18 Division I, Group A, Kazakhstan defeated the home side 6-1 in Angers, France. In the biggest match of the weekend, USA has beaten Sweden 3-2 in overtime to become champions of the Men's U18 World Championship in Basel, Switzerland.
Gabriel Medina (BRA) and Carissa Moore (HAW) won the Margaret River Pro in Australia, Event 5 of the World Surf League Championship Tour. Mejdi Schalck (FRA) and Miho Nonaka (JPN) claimed Boulder gold, while Speed gold went to Veddriq Leonardo (INA) and Aleksandra Miroslaw (POL) at the International Sport Climbing Federation World Cup in Seoul. Zhengzhou in China hosted the opening round of the F1H2O UIM World Championship, one of the premier powerboating competitions. Jonas Andersson (SWE) took maximum points.
Adam Richard Yates (GBR) is the overall winner of the Tour de Romandie, a UCI WorldTour multi-stage road race in Switzerland. This is all in preparation for the start of the Giro d'Italia from next weekend. Blanka Guzi (HUN) and Woongtai Jun (KOR) savoured gold at the UIPM Modern Pentathlon World Cup in Budapest, Hungary. Sweden has beaten Switzerland 7-4 to win the International Floorball Federation Men's U19 World Cup 2023 held in Frederikshavn, Denmark. Bronze was won by Finland. The World Padel Tour headed to Brussels for the next major stop. Agustin Tapia and Arturo Coello claimed the men's title, while Ari Sánchez and Paula Josemaría Martín became the women's champions.
Cairo hosted the next FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup. Illia Kovtun (UKR) and Joscelyn Roberson (USA) won the Floor Exercises, while the Vault champions are Joscelyn Roberson (USA) and Artur Davtyan (ARM). Lee Chih-Kai (TPE) won the Pommel Horse, Nikita Simonov (AZE) claimed the Still Rings, and Alice D'Amato (ITA) became the Uneven Bars champion. Illia Kovtun added to his medal tally by winning the Parallel Bar and Horizontal Bar Finals. Giorgia Villa (ITA) is the Balance Beam champion.
Until next time, have a great week in sport.