Due to persistent vandalism, account creation has been suspended. If you would like an account, please contact Charlie Reams on Apterous.

Difference between revisions of "FOCAL"

From Countdown
(Committee members: 2024 committee)
 
(41 intermediate revisions by 11 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
'''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. 2016's FOCAL Champion was [[Series 66]] champion [[Jack Worsley]], 2017's champion was [[Rob Foster]] and 2018 [[Jonathan Wynn]].
+
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 2017 were hosted in Lincoln, Bristol, Manchester, Leeds, London, Kings Lynn, Waterford, Bournemouth, Milton Keynes, Huddersfield, and Dublin. All events are hosted on a Saturday, with the exception of the 'hangover' event, held on the Sunday in Lincoln as secondary events.
+
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.
  
New events in 2018 were in Newcastle, Cambridge, and Blackpool, and more new events in 2019.
+
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]'''.
  
The organisation was the brainchild of [[Series 78]] champion and [[.co.mk]] organiser [[Zarte Siempre]] in mid-2015. The team is currently chaired by [[Series 76]] semi-finalist [[Jeff Clayton]], organiser of several different tournaments. The previous chairmen were Siempre [[2016]] and Mark Murray [[2017]]
+
==Winners==
 
+
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%;"
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.co.uk/ FOCAL website]''' with
+
!data-sort-type=number|Season
events list in the '''[http://focalcountdown.co.uk/upcomingevents calendar]''' .
+
!class="name" | Events
 
+
!class="name  | Points leader
 
+
!class="winner" | Winner
 
+
!class="name" | Runner-up
==Events on the 2018 calendar==
+
!Finals
*[[Countdown in Lincoln 2018]] and [[The Hangover]] on January 27th/28th
+
|-
*[[Countdown in Bristol 2018]] on February 24th
+
![[2016 FOCAL season|2016]]
*[[Countdown in Newcastle 2018]] on March 24th '''NEW EVENT'''
+
|12
*[[Countdown in Leeds 2018]] on April 21st
+
|[[Jack Worsley]]
*[[Countdown in London 2018]] on May 12th
+
|[[Jack Worsley]]
*[[Countdown in Waterford 2018]] on June 2nd
+
|[[Giles Hutchings]]
*[[Countdown in Cambridge 2018]] on June 16th '''NEW EVENT'''
+
|[[2016 FOCAL finals]]
*[[Countdown in Milton Keynes 2018]] on August 4th
+
|-
*[[Countdown in Bournemouth 2018]] on August 18th
+
![[2017 FOCAL season|2017]]
*[[Countdown in Huddersfield 2018]] on September 8th
+
|12
*[[Countdown in Dublin 2018]] on September 29th
+
|[[Stephen Read]]
*[[Countdown in Blackpool 2018]] on October 13th '''NEW EVENT'''
+
|[[Rob Foster]]
*The FOCAL Finals/[[Countdown in Birmingham 2018]] on November 24th
+
|[[Jen Steadman]]
 +
|[[2017 FOCAL finals]]
 +
|-
 +
![[2018 FOCAL season|2018]]
 +
|13
 +
|[[James Robinson]]
 +
|[[Jonathan Wynn]]
 +
|[[Tom Cappleman]]
 +
|[[2018 FOCAL finals]]
 +
|-
 +
![[2019 FOCAL season|2019]]
 +
|14
 +
|[[Callum Todd]]
 +
|[[Callum Todd]]
 +
|[[Bradley Horrocks]]
 +
|[[2019 FOCAL finals]]
 +
|-
 +
![[2020–22 FOCAL season|2020–22]]
 +
|19
 +
|[[Bradley Horrocks]]
 +
|[[Jack Hurst]]
 +
|[[Tom Cappleman]]
 +
|[[2020–22 FOCAL finals]]  
 +
|-
 +
![[2023 FOCAL season|2023]]
 +
|16
 +
|[[Jack Hurst]]
 +
|[[Jack Hurst]]
 +
|[[George Armstrong]]
 +
|[[2023 FOCAL finals]]
 +
|}
  
 +
==Committee members==
 +
*[[Darren Godfrey]] — chairman
 +
*[[Chris Marshall]] — treasurer
 +
*[[Adam Beach]] — social media and production
 +
*[[Matthew S Rutherford]] — safeguarding
 +
*[[George Armstrong]], [[Fiona Titcombe]] and [[Callum Todd]] — various
  
 
[[Category:Countdown tournaments|FOCAL]]
 
[[Category:Countdown tournaments|FOCAL]]
[[Category:FOCAL tournaments 2016| ]]
+
[[Category:FOCAL tournaments 2016|*]]
[[Category:FOCAL tournaments 2017| ]]
+
[[Category:FOCAL tournaments 2017|*]]
 +
[[Category:FOCAL tournaments 2018|*]]
 +
[[Category:FOCAL tournaments 2019|*]]
 +
[[Category:FOCAL tournaments 2020–22|*]]
 +
[[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