List of 2025 Vidor Checkers Festival Players:

1. Watson Franks USA
2. Joe Coleman USA
3. Joel Nolan USA Beaumont, TX
4. Vasilisa Filaretova USA from California and 14 year old lady
5. Sofia Filaretova USA
6. Matthew Clark USA
7. Mark Sokolovsky USA
8. Alex Holmes USA
9. Michael Holmes USA
10. Claton Nash USA
11. Joe Moore USA
12. Jonathon Chappell USA
13. Mark Sokolovsky USA
14. Alex Moiseyev USA
15. Vadym Lapin USA
16. Alan Millhone USA

17. Igor Martynov GER
18. Nadiya Chyzhevska UKA
19. Filip Kareta CZE
20. Crispin Odhiambo KEN
21. Vuyisile Dabi RSA
22. Azola Londa RSA
23. Melikaya Nonyukela RSA
24. Vuyani Mazibuko RSA
25. Lukhanyo Dyanibokwe RSA
26. Maxwell Luntonti RSA
27. Lubabalo Kondlo RSA
28. Vuyani Mazibuko RSA
29. Wynnell Neverson BAR
30. Ron King BAR
31. Jack Francis BAR

Kirk Tribes (Vidor, TX) katribes@yahoo.com) brought his young sons to observe part of the tournament and to play some practice games. Kirk is a tournament chess player.

Round Trip flight for Lubabalo Kondlo $3,000 + 11 days at Holiday Inn Express & Suites Vidor South by IHG $1,100 & meals = $4,500 per Person.
Round Trip flight for Crispin Odhiambo $5,800 + 11 days at Holiday Inn Express & Suites Vidor South by IHG $1,100 & meals = $7,300 per Person.

Port Elizabeth, South Africa (PLZ) to Johannesburg (JNB) or Johannesburg O.R. Tambo $100
Johannesburg (JNB) to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) $1,200 routed thru Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport (AMS), Amsterdam,
Neatherland to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) then Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Jack Brooks Regional
Airport (BPT) Beaumont, TX "Commerical Aviation" $160 to Holiday Inn Vidor, TX or Beaumont Municipal A3irport (BMT) Beaumont, TX "Private &
general aviation" Jack Brooks Regional Airport (BPT) in Beaumont, TX to Hilton Express Inn Vidor, TX 23 miles and around 25 minutes.

Nairobi, Kenya, S Africa - Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) to William P Hobby International Airport (HOU) Houston, TX $2,600 routed
thru Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport (AMS), Amsterdam, Neatherland to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) then
(HOU) Houston, TX to Jack Brooks Regional Airport (BPT) Beaumont, TX $300 Distance between Jack Brooks Regional Airport (BPT) in Beaumont, TX
and the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Vidor South by IHG is approximately 23 miles and around 25 minutes. It's worth noting that Vidor, TX is
about 6 miles east of Beaumont.

Greensboro, NC (GSO) to Beaumont, TX (BPT) roundtrip $367 - $500, 8hrs | take Uber from Beaumont (BPT) to Vidor Hilton Express 23 miles/25 minutes, $27

Watson arranged transportation from (BPT) to&from Hilton / Hilton to&from City Hall.  Also had lunch delivered at Vidor City Hall, and dinner daily. It is about 1 mile/3 minutes
by car from Hilton to Vidor Citxy Hall.

2025 Vidor World Checkers Festival Budget:  $71K  (main contributors, Joe McDaniel, City of Vidor, ACF, Vidor Merchants, Entry Fees)  Expenses:  support for 9 South Africans with visa, flights, hotel, & meals $53K, Cash Prize Funds $14K, Trophies $500, T-Shirts $600, Transportation $2K, print/copies/flags/etc. $1K, food/meals/snacks/water/etc. $600 = $71K No actual figures posted so this is an estimation/guesstimation.