Kelowna’s growing Go community welcomed 23 players to the 2026 Kelowna Spring Go Rating Tournament on May 30, 2026, making it one of the largest Go tournaments held in the city in recent years.
The tournament was organized as part of the OCCA Communities Association’s (OCCA) Asian Heritage Month celebrations, highlighting the cultural significance of Go, one of the world’s oldest strategic board games.
Held at the Super 8 by Wyndham Kelowna, the event featured five rounds of competition among players of various ages and skill levels. Participants included both experienced competitors and newer students, creating a friendly and inclusive atmosphere throughout the day.
Known as Weiqi in China, Baduk in Korea, and Igo in Japan, Go has been played for more than 2,500 years and has gained international attention in recent years through advances in artificial intelligence, including the famous AlphaGo matches.
The tournament was organized to promote Go in the Okanagan and to provide local players with opportunities to compete in rated games without having to travel to larger cities. Kevin Wang finished in first place, followed by Leo Tao, Andy Pang, Cameron Liu, George Gu, and Jiyan Zhang.
Four players earned Excellence Awards with 4–1 records: Leo Tao, Jiyan Zhang, Sean Ming Thin, and Enzo Song. Ten additional players received Merit Awards for achieving 3–2 records.
The organizers would like to thank Super 8 by Wyndham Kelowna for providing the venue, as well as the City of Kelowna, The Dragon King Restaurant, Rollingdale Winery, The Luxe Spa, and several other local businesses for their generous support and sponsorship.
“Go is not only a competitive game but also an important part of Asian cultural heritage,” said tournament organizer Yao Shen. “We are grateful to OCCA and our community sponsors for helping bring this event to Kelowna.”
The Kelowna Go community plans to continue hosting tournaments, school programs, and beginner-friendly activities throughout the year to help introduce more people to the game.
News by Yao Shen
Email: yao.shen@me.com
Tel.: 6728662100
We respectfully acknowledge that the OCCA is operating on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation.
Please note that we will have a photographer on site during the events. If you prefer not to be featured in any photographs, kindly contact OCCA at info@occabc.ca.
