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David Trace

From Countdown
David Trace
Octochamp Statistics
Final positionChampion
Seeding1
Points total423
Conundrums solved5
David Trace

David Trace was an octochamp in and the champion of Series 9, as well as the runner-up of Championship of Champions III.

From Birkenhead, he first appeared in the first episode of Series 9 following the conclusion of Championship of Champions II. He beat all opponents placed before him to become an octochamp — the first since Darryl Francis in Series 6 — and the very clear #1 seed for the final rounds (with more than twice as many points as the #2 seed, Geoffrey Taylor). There, he contested close games against Anne Tipp and David White on his way to the grand final, where he faced off against Mick Keeble. 74 – 70 down going into the conundrum, he brilliantly unscrambled CABANARCH into CHARABANC in two seconds to become champion of Series 9 and remain undefeated.

Trace returned for Championship of Champions III, where he defeated Cathy Morgan and Darryl Francis in close encounters to set up a moutherwatering encounter with Series 10 champion Harvey Freeman. Both contestants played very well, and the score going into the crucial conundrum was 107 – 105 in Trace's favour. However, the result would turn against him in this instance, as Freeman unscrambled PURSUEPAT in a second and a half to become the champion of champions and put an end to Trace's winning streak. Nonetheless, Trace managed 107 points, ensuring a combined score of 222 in one of the closest and most high-octane matches in Countdown history.

Trace returned to Countdown for the Supreme Championship, and seemed to have lost none of his edge as he beat Russell Byers and Richard Campbell in his first two games, but he came unstuck against Allan Saldanha, losing 34 – 45.

Preceded by
Clive Spate
Series winner
Series 9
Followed by
Harvey Freeman


Preceded by
Peter Evans
Champion of Champions runner-up
Championship of Champions III
Followed by
Tony Vick

Episodes

# Date Type Contestant 1 Score Contestant 2 Presenters Guest Lex Max
405 9/04/1986 P Tony Jenner 44 – 61 David Trace Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Catherine Clarke 87
406 10/04/1986 P Susan Crafer 24 – 48 David Trace Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Catherine Clarke 73
407 11/04/1986 P Paul Kaye 25 – 35 David Trace Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Eve Pollard Catherine Clarke 74
408 14/04/1986 P Wendy Marks 27 – 58 David Trace Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Eve Pollard Catherine Clarke 74
409 15/04/1986 P John Bratley 35 – 56 David Trace Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Eve Pollard Catherine Clarke 80
410 16/04/1986 P Gloria Jones 20 – 59 David Trace Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Eve Pollard Catherine Clarke 94
411 17/04/1986 P Denis Baines 28 – 55 David Trace Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Eve Pollard Catherine Clarke 73
412 18/04/1986 P Lynn Blackburn 17 – 51 David Trace Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Eve Pollard Catherine Clarke 72
438 26/05/1986 QF Anne Tipp 34 – 52 David Trace Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Della Thompson 74
442 30/05/1986 SF David White 34 – 49 David Trace Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Catherine Clarke 73
444 3/06/1986 GF Mick Keeble 74 – 80 David Trace Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth,
Bill Tidy
Catherine Clarke 129
597 24/06/1987 CQF Cathy Morgan 57 – 61 David Trace Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Sally James Della Thompson 72
600 29/06/1987 CSF Darryl Francis 55 – 58 David Trace Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Sally James Della Thompson 73
601 30/06/1987 CGF Harvey Freeman 115 – 107 David Trace Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Sally James Della Thompson 127
M17 24/07/1989-28/07/1989 M Dick Green 88 – 112 David Trace Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman none Catherine Clarke 138
M71 6/08/1990-10/08/1990 M David Trace 82 – 92 Peter Evans Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman none Mark Nyman 129
1881 14/11/1996 eQF David Trace 68 – 63 Russell Byers Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Cryer Susie Dent 82
1885 20/11/1996 eSF David Trace 46 – 36 Richard Campbell Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Tom O'Connor Catherine Stokes 72
1887 22/11/1996 eF David Trace 34 – 45 Allan Saldanha Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Tom O'Connor Catherine Stokes 70


Championship of Champions Runners-Up

I : Joyce Cansfield | II : Peter Evans | III : David Trace | IV : Tony Vick | V : Gino Corr | VI : Chris Waddington | VII : Damian Eadie | VIII : Kenneth Michie | IX : Pete Cashmore | X : Kate Ogilvie | XI : Chris Wills | XII : Mark Tournoff | XIII : Charlie Reams | XIV : Dan McColm | XV : Bradley Horrocks | XVI : James Haughton