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Difference between revisions of "FOCAL"

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'''FOCAL''' is the voluntary organisation responsible for organising the vast majority of unofficial [[Countdown tournament]]s since 2016. The organisation's name is an acronym for ''Finals Of the Co-event Annual League''. Perhaps coincidentally, "focal" also means "word" in the Irish language.
 
'''FOCAL''' is the voluntary organisation responsible for organising the vast majority of unofficial [[Countdown tournament]]s since 2016. The organisation's name is an acronym for ''Finals Of the Co-event Annual League''. Perhaps coincidentally, "focal" also means "word" in the Irish language.
  
Players play in events across the British Isles throughout the year, with the top 8 highest ranked players at the end of the year receiving free entry into the finals event in Birmingham, held alongside a normal tournament that is open to everyone. Events are open to all, regardless of experience, level of play or age, and can be set up anywhere and by anyone. Events typically lasts between 6 and 8 hours, followed by a trip to the pub.
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Players compete in events across the British Isles throughout the year, with the 8 highest-ranked players after the final qualifying tournament receiving free entry into the season finals (formerly held in Birmingham; at present, in Milton Keynes), held concurrently with a standard tournament open to everyone else. To date, all but one of the FOCAL season winners have been a series champion on ''[[Countdown]]''. The winner of the first FOCAL season was [[Series 66]] champion [[Jack Worsley]]. 2017's was [[Rob Foster]], followed by [[Series 73]] champion [[Jonathan Wynn]] in 2018, and [[Series 69]] champion [[Callum Todd]] in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the events from 2020–2022 being merged into a [[2020–22 FOCAL season|single season]]; this was won by [[Series 63]] champion [[Jack Hurst]], who defended the title in [[2023 FOCAL season|2023]]
  
Rated events in 2016 are being hosted in Lincoln, Bristol, Leeds, King's Lynn, St Albans, Nottingham, Milton Keynes, Dublin, Huddersfield and Glasgow. All events are hosted on a Saturday, with the exception of two 'hangover' events, held on the Sundays in Lincoln and Glasgow as secondary events. Tournament entrance costs between £10 and £16 dependent on event.  
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The organisation was the brainchild of [[Series 78]] champion and former [[Countdown in Milton Keynes 2015|Countdown in Milton Keynes]] organiser [[Zarte Siempre]] in mid-2015. [[Callum Todd]] is the current chairman, presiding over the [[2020–22 FOCAL season|2020–22]] and [[2023 FOCAL season|2023 season]]s so far. The previous chairmen were Siempre in early 2016 and 2017, [[Mark Murray]] in late 2016 and [[Jeff Clayton]] from 2016 to 2021.
  
The organisation was the brainchild of [[Series 69]] contestant and [[.co.mk]] organiser [[Zarte Siempre]] in mid-2015. The team is currently chaired by [[Series 70]] champion [[Mark Murray]], organiser of the 2015 and 2016 [[Countdown in Bristol]] tournaments.
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Full standings for the year, details about events, a FAQs section for newcomers, and pictures from previous tournaments can be found at the '''[http://focalcountdown.com/ FOCAL website]''' with events list in the '''[http://focalcountdown.com/upcomingevents calendar]'''.
  
As of 1st May, [[Series 66]] champion [[Jack Worsley]] was leading the 2016 rankings after four events, having won both COLIN 2016 and The Hangover in January, and been runner up at CoBris 2016 in February, losing the final to [[Series 63]] champion [[Jack Hurst]]. The other players currently standing to qualify for this year's finals are highest-scoring female octochamp and [[CoC XIV]] semi-finalist [[Jen Steadman]], FOCAL maverick [[Zarte Siempre]][[Series 73]] semi-finalist [[Thomas Carey]], [[Series 68]] champion [[Giles Hutchings]][[Series 72]] champion [[Tom Cappleman]], [[COHUD]] and [[CoStAl]] organiser [[James Robinson]], and [[Countdown in Dublin 2016]] organiser [[Edward Byrne]].
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==Winners==
 
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{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%;"
Full current standings for the year, details about events, a FAQs section for newcomers, and pictures from previous tournaments can be found at the '''[http://http://focalcountdown.co.uk/ FOCAL website]''' .
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!data-sort-type=number|Season
 
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!class="name" | Events
 
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!class="name  | Points leader
 
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!class="winner" | Winner
==Events on the 2016 calendar==
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!class="name" | Runner-up
*[[Countdown in Lincoln 2016]] and [[The Hangover]] on January 30th/31st
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!Finals
*[[Countdown in Bristol 2016]] on February 27th
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|-
*[[Countdown in Leeds 2016]] on April 30th
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![[2016 FOCAL season|2016]]
*[[Countdown in King's Lynn 2016]] on May 28th
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|12
*[[Countdown in St Albans 2016]] on July 2nd
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|[[Jack Worsley]]
*[[Countdown in Nottingham 2016]] on July 23rd
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|[[Jack Worsley]]
*[[Countdown in Milton Keynes 2016]] on August 20th
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|[[Giles Hutchings]]
*[[Countdown in Dublin 2016]] on September 10th
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|[[2016 FOCAL finals]]
*[[Countdown in Huddersfield 2016]] on October 8th
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|-
*[[Countdown in Glasgow 2016]] and CoGlasgowOnThen on November 12th/13th
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![[2017 FOCAL season|2017]]
*The FOCAL Finals in Birmingham on December 3rd
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|12
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|[[Stephen Read]]
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|[[Rob Foster]]
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|[[Jen Steadman]]
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|[[2017 FOCAL finals]]
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|-
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![[2018 FOCAL season|2018]]
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|13
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|[[James Robinson]]
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|[[Jonathan Wynn]]
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|[[Tom Cappleman]]
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|[[2018 FOCAL finals]]
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|-
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![[2019 FOCAL season|2019]]
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|14
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|[[Callum Todd]]
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|[[Callum Todd]]
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|[[Bradley Horrocks]]
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|[[2019 FOCAL finals]]
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|-
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![[2020–22 FOCAL season|2020–22]]
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|19
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|[[Bradley Horrocks]]
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|[[Jack Hurst]]
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|[[Tom Cappleman]]
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|[[2020–22 FOCAL finals]]  
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|-
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![[2023 FOCAL season|2023]]
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|16
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|[[Jack Hurst]]
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|[[Jack Hurst]]
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|[[George Armstrong]]
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|[[2023 FOCAL finals]]
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|}
  
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==Committee members==
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*[[Darren Godfrey]] — chairman
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*[[Chris Marshall]] — treasurer
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*[[Adam Beach]] — social media and production
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*[[Matthew S Rutherford]] — safeguarding
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*[[George Armstrong]], [[Fiona Titcombe]] and [[Callum Todd]] — various
  
 
[[Category:Countdown tournaments|FOCAL]]
 
[[Category:Countdown tournaments|FOCAL]]
[[Category:FOCAL tournaments 2016|FOCAL]]
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[[Category:FOCAL tournaments 2016|*]]
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[[Category:FOCAL tournaments 2017|*]]
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[[Category:FOCAL tournaments 2018|*]]
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[[Category:FOCAL tournaments 2019|*]]
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[[Category:FOCAL tournaments 2020–22|*]]
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[[Category:FOCAL tournaments 2023|*]]

Latest revision as of 02:02, 10 February 2024

FOCAL is the voluntary organisation responsible for organising the vast majority of unofficial Countdown tournaments since 2016. The organisation's name is an acronym for Finals Of the Co-event Annual League. Perhaps coincidentally, "focal" also means "word" in the Irish language.

Players compete in events across the British Isles throughout the year, with the 8 highest-ranked players after the final qualifying tournament receiving free entry into the season finals (formerly held in Birmingham; at present, in Milton Keynes), held concurrently with a standard tournament open to everyone else. To date, all but one of the FOCAL season winners have been a series champion on Countdown. The winner of the first FOCAL season was Series 66 champion Jack Worsley. 2017's was Rob Foster, followed by Series 73 champion Jonathan Wynn in 2018, and Series 69 champion Callum Todd in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the events from 2020–2022 being merged into a single season; this was won by Series 63 champion Jack Hurst, who defended the title in 2023

The organisation was the brainchild of Series 78 champion and former Countdown in Milton Keynes organiser Zarte Siempre in mid-2015. Callum Todd is the current chairman, presiding over the 2020–22 and 2023 seasons so far. The previous chairmen were Siempre in early 2016 and 2017, Mark Murray in late 2016 and Jeff Clayton from 2016 to 2021.

Full standings for the year, details about events, a FAQs section for newcomers, and pictures from previous tournaments can be found at the FOCAL website with events list in the calendar.

Winners

Season Events Points leader Winner Runner-up Finals
2016 12 Jack Worsley Jack Worsley Giles Hutchings 2016 FOCAL finals
2017 12 Stephen Read Rob Foster Jen Steadman 2017 FOCAL finals
2018 13 James Robinson Jonathan Wynn Tom Cappleman 2018 FOCAL finals
2019 14 Callum Todd Callum Todd Bradley Horrocks 2019 FOCAL finals
2020–22 19 Bradley Horrocks Jack Hurst Tom Cappleman 2020–22 FOCAL finals
2023 16 Jack Hurst Jack Hurst George Armstrong 2023 FOCAL finals

Committee members