Royalists Dominate WESPA Youth Cup | Daily News

Royalists Dominate WESPA Youth Cup

In a right Royal battle, Sri Lanka produced its first World Youth Scrabble Champion as 16-year-old Royalist Aabid Ismail won the WESPA Youth Cup 2017 edging out 15-year-old fellow Royalist Janul de Silva by ½ point. Vignesh Pirapaharan (15 years) of Lyceum International School, Panadura was 8th. The wins secured by Aabid (20.5), Janul (20) and Vignesh (16) also enabled Sri Lanka to annex its third consecutive World Team Title at this event which was conducted for under 18 Scrabble players by the World English Language Scrabble Players Association (WESPA). This year's WESPA Youth Cup (formerly known as World Youth Scrabble Championship) which was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 27 – 29 November 2017, was the largest ever attracting 178 players from 15 countries.

Janul also emerged as the Under 16 World Champion whilst Adheesha Dissanayake (Willesden International College) emerged as the Under 10 World Champion. Royal had the distinction of having four players representing the National Team this year with Qays Sangani (15 years) and Pasindu Mallawarachchi (16years) being placed 20th and 45th respectively.

Royal is the only school that has had at least one representative in all 12 years that this Championship has been held. Royalists have been consistent performers at successive World Youth Scrabble Championships with Aabid being the 2nd runner-up, Under 16 Champion and winner of the high word score in 2016, Janul emerging 4th as well as the Under 14 Champion in 2015 and Qays being placed 8th in 2016. Janul also represented Sri Lanka at WESPAC 2017 (formerly known as World Scrabble Championship). He was the youngest player at the Championships and secured 16 wins out of 32 games.

Aabid’s and Janul’s performances capped off an excellent year for Royal Scrabblers where the following individual titles were secured in addition to all major team titles.

 


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