SKI STAGE 2003The traditional European Go & Ski Stage once again attracted thirty odd Go players from Germany, France, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia, and of course Switzerland, the host country. The locale was the Grand Hotel de Pont-sur-Vallorbe in the marvelous Vallee de Joux, in the Swiss Jura area.
Thanks to the financial support of the Ing Foundation, and the organizational talents of the 4L league (the four organizers stemming from Lausanne, Limoges, Luxembourg, and Levanger) the stage was superbly organized. The pedagogical responsibility was vested in Laurent Heiser (6D) of Luxembourg who performed to the satisfaction of all with his customary competence. To the joy of all, the absence of snow in this celebrated valley in the centre of this watch making area of Switzerland enabled the participants to profit completely from the two sessions each day. The two themes prominent in this year’s course were the semeai and analyses of games played in the now well known manga, Hikaru no Go. Several episodes, in the form of trick films, were displayed on a computer screen enabling an initiation of those who had never been exposed to Hiraku no Go and the addicts to once again watch their favourite games.
A teaching script prepared before the start was distributed to the participants, and this enabled them to consider difficult problems at their leisure and prepare the associated non-trivial questions. The exceptional quality of the course (conducted in English) and documentation available to the participants was greatly appreciated. There is no doubt that the excellence of the course was due in no small part to the generous support of the Ing Foundation and for this the organizers express their gratitude. In appreciation of the work he has done and the excellence of the courses he has given over a period of ten years, the participants presented Laurent Heiser with a specialty of the region, an antique pocket watch.
Report prepared by Patric Fontaine
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