Stefanova Wins Women's World Rapid Championship
Antoaneta Stefanova has won the the 2012 Women’s World Rapid Championship. The competition was an 11-round Swiss at 25 minutes plus 10 second increment which took place from 30 May - 3 June in Batumi, Georgia.
Former women's world champion Stefanova finished with 8½/11, just claiming first place ahead of Kateryna Lahno, Humpy Koneru and another former world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk.
The Women's World Blitz Championship will now follow in Batumi on 4-5 June as a 15-round Swiss at 4 minutes plus 2 second increment. Live coverage and more at the official website.
The final standings:
| Name | Nat | Elo | Pts | TB | ||
| 1 | GM | Stefanova Antoaneta | BUL | 2518 | 8.5 | 61.5 |
| 2 | GM | Kosteniuk Alexandra | RUS | 2457 | 8.0 | 61.5 |
| 3 | GM | Koneru Humpy | IND | 2589 | 8.0 | 60.5 |
| 4 | GM | Lahno Kateryna | UKR | 2546 | 8.0 | 57.5 |
| 5 | GM | Muzychuk Anna | SLO | 2598 | 7.5 | 59.5 |
| 6 | GM | Harika Dronavalli | IND | 2508 | 7.5 | 53.0 |
| 7 | GM | Dzagnidze Nana | GEO | 2547 | 7.0 | 53.0 |
| 8 | GM | Cramling Pia | SWE | 2478 | 6.5 | 57.5 |
| 9 | GM | Zhao Xue | CHN | 2549 | 6.5 | 56.0 |
| 10 | WGM | Guo Qi | CHN | 2360 | 6.5 | 56.0 |
| 11 | IM | Paehtz Elisabeth | GER | 2491 | 6.5 | 54.5 |
| 12 | WGM | Tan Zhongyi | CHN | 2430 | 6.5 | 54.0 |
| 13 | IM | Javakhishvili Lela | GEO | 2449 | 6.5 | 52.0 |
| 14 | GM | Zhukova Natalia | UKR | 2442 | 6.5 | 52.0 |
| 15 | GM | Zhu Chen | QAT | 2491 | 6.5 | 52.0 |
| 16 | GM | Kosintseva Tatiana | RUS | 2532 | 6.5 | 48.0 |
| 17 | WGM | Huang Qian | CHN | 2417 | 6.0 | 62.5 |
| 18 | IM | Khurtsidze Nino | GEO | 2456 | 6.0 | 58.5 |
| 19 | Wang Jue | CHN | 2364 | 6.0 | 55.5 | |
| 20 | IM | Gunina Valentina | RUS | 2530 | 6.0 | 54.5 |
| 21 | IM | Mkrtchian Lilit | ARM | 2449 | 6.0 | 51.0 |
| 22 | IM | Ushenina Anna | UKR | 2454 | 5.5 | 52.0 |
| 23 | GM | Arakhamia-Grant Ketevan | SCO | 2426 | 5.5 | 51.0 |
| 24 | WGM | Batsiashvili Nino | GEO | 2436 | 5.5 | 50.0 |
| 25 | IM | Melia Salome | GEO | 2410 | 5.5 | 46.0 |
| 26 | WGM | Pogonina Natalija | RUS | 2447 | 5.5 | 46.0 |
| 27 | GM | Danielian Elina | ARM | 2484 | 5.5 | 45.0 |
| 28 | IM | Khukhashvili Sopiko | GEO | 2414 | 5.5 | 43.0 |
| 29 | IM | Gvetadze Sofio | GEO | 2338 | 5.0 | 53.0 |
| 30 | IM | Muzychuk Mariya | UKR | 2456 | 5.0 | 51.0 |
| 31 | GM | Chiburdanidze Maia | GEO | 2500 | 5.0 | 49.5 |
| 32 | WGM | Cori T Deysi | PER | 2386 | 5.0 | 47.5 |
| 33 | WGM | Ding Yixin | CHN | 2353 | 5.0 | 45.0 |
| 34 | IM | Purtseladze Maka | GEO | 2348 | 5.0 | 44.0 |
| 35 | IM | Krush Irina | USA | 2457 | 5.0 | 43.0 |
| 36 | IM | Lomineishvili Maia | GEO | 2366 | 5.0 | 41.5 |
| 37 | IM | Kovalevskaya Ekaterina | RUS | 2417 | 4.5 | 48.5 |
| 38 | GM | Socko Monika | POL | 2484 | 4.5 | 48.0 |
| 39 | WGM | Mammadova Gulnar | AZE | 2345 | 4.5 | 47.5 |
| 40 | IM | Matnadze Ana | ESP | 2446 | 4.5 | 44.0 |
| 41 | WIM | Mikadze Miranda | GEO | 2323 | 4.5 | 41.5 |
| 42 | WIM | Arabidze Meri | GEO | 2351 | 4.5 | 41.0 |
| 43 | WGM | Charkhalashvili Inga | GEO | 2334 | 4.5 | 41.0 |
| 44 | WIM | Janjghava Natia | GEO | 2306 | 4.0 | 42.0 |
| 45 | IM | Klinova Masha | ISR | 2318 | 3.5 | 46.0 |
| 46 | IM | Khotenashvili Bela | GEO | 2500 | 3.5 | 44.5 |
| 47 | IM | Gurieli Nino | GEO | 2329 | 3.5 | 40.5 |
| 48 | WIM | Umudova Nargiz | AZE | 2231 | 3.0 | 39.5 |
| 49 | WIM | Bezgodova Svetlana | RUS | 2120 | 2.5 | 44.5 |
| 50 | GM | Gaprindashvili Nona | GEO | 2356 | 2.0 | 39.0 |
.
Stefanova won the $12,000 first prize, but admitted that luck was on her side since she benefited from two huge blunders from Zhao Xue and Kateryna Lahno.
.
.
.
.
Highlights of the opening ceremony:
.
.
Highlights from the final rounds and an interview with the winner:
.
Videos from the official website.
