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The First Magic Women's Invitational

The first women's invitational Magic tournament was sponsored by New Wave and held at Neutral Ground in New York on April 12, 2000. I didn't qualify, but went to New York to cheer the girls on, and to attend the NY Pro Tour held on the following days.

Waiting for Neutral Ground to open on Thursday morning. The girls are Sonia Oliveira, Claudia Loroff, and Sara Camarata. The guys in back are from Australia and the one in front is Sonia's friend.

My roommate, Sara Camarata.

The 8 women in the invitational. In back, Laurie Dunning (US), Sonia Oliveira (Portugal), Michelle Bush (US), and Claudia Loroff (Germany). In front, Alice Coggins (UK), Marie-Laure Saulnier (France), Rebecca Hiebert (US), and Lauren Passmore (US).

Getting the rules for the competition from Alex Schvartsman.

Ready for the booster draft. Marie-Laure, Laurie, Michelle, Sonia, Claudia, Lauren. That's Chris Senhouse whispering to Darwin Kastle in the back.

From the other side, that's Alice, Claudia, Rebecca, Lauren, Marie-Laure, Laurie, Sonia, and Michelle.

Drafting

Claudia playing against Sonia, with their supporters, both human and furry, looking on.

The finals were held in the featured match section of the NY Pro Tour on Saturday night.

Spectators included Lauren, Dave Price, and Darwin Kastle (almost hidden).

Also Marie-Laure and some of her friends.



Claudia was playing suicide green beatdown, and Michelle was playing a combo deck with Goblin Bombardment and Enduring Renewal. Claudia lost the first two games, partially due to a disastrous consultation for an Emerald Charm in the first game that emptied her library of all but one card. Claudia sideboarded in a few more Emerald Charms after game one, and in the final games she had great draws and her attack was just too fast for Michelle's deck to deal with. Claudia won the finals 3-2.

A few pictures of the NY Pro Tour

Richard Garfield gunslinging.

The Team Challenge semifinals. Your Move Games on the left and Team Antarctica on the right. That's Sara and Michelle at the back, and Randy Buehler looking off to the left.

Your Move Games team: Darwin Kastle, Dave Humpherys, and Rob Dougherty.

The amazing set for the semifinals and finals.

The semifinal matches.


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