2024 FOCAL season

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The 2024 FOCAL season is seventh and current season of FOCAL tournaments. It is the first season under the chairmanship of Darren Godfrey, who took over the role from Callum Todd at the end of 2023.

Events

As ever, the season kicked off with the Lincoln double-header on the last weekend of January.

The chief Lincoln event, known as COLIN, was the nineteenth annually, bearing the title COLIN XIX accordingly. The February slot was occupied by Liverpool, which returned after a five-year absence. For the second year running, March involved players tackling in the town of Rugby — a double-header this time around, the main Rugby event was preceded by a 2-round Goatdown tournament on the Friday night. The Reading event in April (also the first since 2019) used a useful, purpose-built software designed by Series 80 octochamp and quarter-finalist Fiona Titcombe. Three debuting locations on the co-event circuit were Sheffield, Oxford and Durham, hosted in May, June, and July respectively. Early August consisted of a double-header in Birmingham, while London returned for the Bank Holiday weekend. Blackpool held the mid-September slot for the third successive year, followed by the Irish capital of Dublin two weeks later. October's annual Scottish event will instead be held in Glasgow this year, making it the first event in the city in eight years. The final preliminary round will take place in the Essex town of Braintree in early November, which will precede the 2024 FOCAL finals in Milton Keynes on 30 November.

Locations from the 2023 season that were absent in this season were Brighton, Edinburgh, Countdown in Leeds, Manchester, and Newcastle.

Round	Event	Location	Country	Date	Entrants	Winner
1	COLIN XIX	Lincoln	England	27 January	45	Jack Hurst
2	COLIN XIX: The Hangover			28 January	34	Rob Foster
3	Co:Liverpool 2024	Liverpool		24 February	39	Jack Hurst
4	Goat:Rugby 2024	Rugby		22 March	19	Zohaib Rehan
5	Co:Rugby 2024	Rugby		23 March	37	Jack Hurst
6	Co:Mon 2024	Monasteraden	Ireland	6 April	20	Brendan Duke
7	Co:Reading 2024	Reading	England	20 April	53	Tom Carey
8	Co:Sheffield 2024	Sheffield		18 May	37	Jack Worsley
9	Co:Oxford 2024	Oxford		15 June	50	Rob Foster
	Co:Waterford 2024	Waterford	Ireland	29 June	28	Hazel Drury
10	Co:Durham 2024	England	Durham	6 July	27	Tom Carey
11	Goat:Brum 2024		Birmingham	2 August	24	Zohaib Rehan
12	Co:Brum 2024			3 August	33	Jack Hurst
13	Co:London 2024		London	24 August	45	Tom Cappleman
14	Co:Blackpool 2024		Blackpool	14 September	40	Jack Worsley
15	Co:Dublin 2024	Dublin	Ireland	28 September	24	Jonathan De Souza
16	Co:Glasgow 2024	Glasgow	Scotland	12 October	TBC	TBC
17	Co:Braintree 2024	Braintree	England	2 November	TBC	TBC
GF	2024 FOCAL finals	Milton Keynes	30 November	TBC	TBC
	Co:MK Open 2024			TBC	TBC

Leaderboards

Since the 2020–22 FOCAL season, the number of FOCAL points has been determined by the formula (1 − [position] ÷ ([players] + 1)) × 1000. Points from both wins and losses count towards each player's final event score. If two or more players finish in the same position on the leaderboard, they are sorted by most conundrum solves, then by highest individual game score, before their FOCAL points are calculated.

Once all of the season's preliminary rounds have been played, the top eight contenders will qualify for the end-of-season finals. Should any of the top eight not attend the finals event, the next highest-ranked person in attendance will take their place.

Each player's overall FOCAL points total will be the sum of their best eight performances only; all others are discounted.

Top 8

Following Co:Dublin 2024, the standings were as follows:

Pos. Entrant LIN LHO LIV GRU RUG MON REA SHE OXF WAT DHM GBI BIR LON BLA DUB GLA BRA {{{19}}} {{{20}}} {{{21}}} {{{22}}} {{{23}}} {{{24}}} {{{25}}} {{{26}}} {{{27}}} {{{28}}} {{{29}}} {{{30}}} Points 1 Jack Hurst 1 3 1 2 1 – 11 – 6 – 4 – 1 4 – – {{{21}}} 7507 2 Tom Carey 12 6 – 11 11 – 1 5 9 – 1 – – – 13 4 {{{21}}} 6734 3 Dylan Taylor – – 3 10 2 – – 4 17 – 3 – 5 – 3 – {{{21}}} 6581 4 Jonathan De Souza 7 – – – 13 – 15 2 16 – – 13 3 14 – 1 {{{21}}} 6429 5 George Armstrong 9 10 19 3 9 – – – 14 – 4 5 16 8 10 – {{{21}}} 6381 6 Tom Cappleman 20 7 – – 7 – 2 – 8 – – 2 19 1 – – {{{21}}} 6326 7 Adam Latchford 12 2 16 4 17 – 28 7 27 – – 17 10 13 7 – {{{21}}} 6150 8 Dan Byrom 11 9 – 6 10 – 5 10 29 – – – – 20 – 2 {{{21}}} 6070

Remaining contenders

Following Co:Dublin 2024, the standings were as follows:

Pos. Entrant LIN LHO LIV GRU RUG MON REA SHE OXF WAT DHM GBI BIR LON BLA DUB GLA BRA {{{19}}} {{{20}}} {{{21}}} {{{22}}} {{{23}}} {{{24}}} {{{25}}} {{{26}}} {{{27}}} {{{28}}} {{{29}}} {{{30}}} Points 9 James Robinson 29 15 4 – – – 7 6 26 – – 11 4 – 8 – – {{{21}}} 5920 10 Eeshan Malhotra – – – 7 4 – 9 12 18 5 – 12 23 17 – – {{{21}}} 5680 11 Tom Stevenson – – 2 – 2 – 26 – 4 – – 7 11 11 – – {{{21}}} 5484 12 Bradley Horrocks 22 11 7 – – – – 9 7 – 8 15 12 – – – {{{21}}} 5420 13 Callum Todd 2 5 – – – – – 3 – – 2 – – 9 2 – {{{21}}} 4468 14 Matthew Brockwell – – – – – – 12 – 5 – 11 3 15 11 4 – {{{21}}} 5378 15 Matthew S Rutherford 15 20 12 16 18 – 29 18 20 – 6 22 31 19 17 5 {{{21}}} 5266 16 Tim Hebbes 19 24 9 9 16 – 27 – 12 – – 5 21 22 – – {{{21}}} 5038 17 Rob Foster 4 1 – – – – 3 – 1 – – – – 2 – – {{{21}}} 4765 18 Ed Byrne 6 14 – 12 27 – – 8 33 – – – 8 – – – {{{21}}} 4706 19 Adrian Fletcher 14 18 20 16 14 – 6 26 – – – 21 27 10 29 – {{{21}}} 4595 20 Zohaib Rehan – – – 1 5 – – – 2 – – 1 9 – – – {{{21}}} 4474 21 Fiona Titcombe 18 16 28 18 22 – – – 17 22 – 18 14 29 23 – {{{21}}} 4092 22 Coral Heath 34 – 25 15 15 – 18 29 10 – – 19 30 26 16 – {{{21}}} 4007 23 Richard Priest 37 17 5 – – – 16 – 31 – – – 20 – 11 – {{{21}}} 3825 24 Jack Worsley 3 4 – – – – – 1 – – – – – – 1 – {{{21}}} 3771 25 Phil Stanton 36 28 18 14 12 – 21 – 43 – 7 23 26 – 25 – {{{21}}} 3737 26 Tim Down 28 8 – – – – 4 – 15 – – – – 3 – – {{{21}}} 3729 27 Adam Dexter 30 25 – 5 29 – 8 – 25 – – 24 28 36 – – {{{21}}} 3376 28 Darren Godfrey – – 21 – 34 – 31 19 – – 18 – 24 18 18 – {{{21}}} 3327 29 Andy Platt 5 – – – – – – 16 – – – 10 13 – 15 – {{{21}}} 3322 30 Stephen Read – – 17 8 25 – – 11 – – – – – – 5 – {{{21}}} 3106 31 Stewart Gordon 17 30 10 – 31 – – 21 37 – – – – – – 12 {{{21}}} 2949 32 Matt O'Connor – – 8 – 8 – – – – – – – 18 – – 3 {{{21}}} 2940 33 Ashwin Abinashi – – – – 35 – 22 13 23 – 14 – – 24 – – {{{21}}} 2857 34 Brendan Duke – – – – – 1 – – – 2 – – – – – 7 {{{21}}} 2603 35 Steven Grady – – – – 20 – – – – – – 14 7 – 9 – {{{21}}} 2488 36 Mike Lee – – – – 21 – 30 – – – – 20 25 27 12 – {{{21}}} 2476 37 Jason Turner 24 22 15 – – – – 35 – – 19 – – 30 32 – {{{21}}} 2442 38 Tracey Mills 33 12 – – – – – 15 – – – – – – 6 – {{{21}}} 2399 39 Eoin Jackson – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – – – 11 {{{21}}} 2362 40 Stu Harkness – – – – – – – – – – 10 16 6 – 21 – {{{21}}} 2315 41 Alan O'Sullivan – – – – – 4 – – – 9 – – – – – 8 {{{21}}} 2180 } 42 Graeme Cole 23 13 – – – – 14 – 39 – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 2105 43 Steve Hyde 16 – – – 19 – 43 28 32 – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 1992 44 Hazel Drury – – – – – 3 – – – 1 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 1823 45 Ronan Higginson – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – 6 – – {{{21}}} 1811 46 Adam Beach 39 32 31 – – – 24 27 36 – – – – – 33 – {{{21}}} 1797 47 Ian Wray 42 – – – 24 – – 20 24 – – – 32 – 31 – {{{21}}} 1761 48 Chris Marshall 44 27 – – – – – 23 – – – – – 37 19 16 {{{21}}} 1760 49 Mark Murray – – – – – – – – 30 4 – – – 25 – – {{{21}}} 1731 50 Roger Stevens – – – – – 6 – – – 10 – – – – – 17 {{{21}}} 1689 51 Brendan Whitehurst – – 6 – 28 – – – – 41 – – 22 – – – {{{21}}} 1662 52 Anthony Endsor 21 – 26 – – – – 14 – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 1525 53 Jonathan Wynn – – – – 6 – – – 19 – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 1469 54 Gabriel Thallon – – – – – – – – – – – – – 5 20 – {{{21}}} 1403 55 Jessica Pratesi – – – – – – 32 – 34 – – – – 21 – – {{{21}}} 1283 56 Roshin Sen – – – – – 11 – – – 12 – – – – – 21 {{{21}}} 1222 57 Ed McCullagh – – – – – – – – – – – 8 17 – – – {{{21}}} 1180 58 Dave Robjohns – – – 13 26 – 38 – – 40 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 1178 59 Toby Byfield – – – – – – 33 – 13 – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 1134 60 Tasneem Rana – – – – – – – – – – 16 – – – 14 – {{{21}}} 1088 61 Suzy Turner – – – – – – 15 – – – – – – 23 – – {{{21}}} 1074 62 Jessamine O'Connor – – – – – – – – – 11 – – – – – 14 {{{21}}} 1061 63 Euan Crabb – – 29 – – – – 30 – – 20 – – – 30 – {{{21}}} 1040 64 Mark Mills – 23 – – – – – 24 – – – – – – 28 – {{{21}}} 1028 65 Sean Fletcher – – – – 23 – 20 – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 1025 66 Gevin Chapwell 32 26 – – – – – – – – – – – 28 – – {{{21}}} 952 67 Ben Wilson – – – – – – – – – – – – 2 – – – {{{21}}} 941 68 Mike Springett 26 – – – – – 40 – 49 – – – – – – 20 {{{21}}} 933 69 Paul Talmey – – – – – – 10 – 46 – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 913 70 Amar Chotai 27 29 – – – – – – – – – – – 32 – – {{{21}}} 888 71 Joseph Bartram – – – – – – 34 – 42 – – – – 31 – – {{{21}}} 872 72 Dave Ashton – – 27 – – – – – – – 13 – – – – – {{{21}}} 861 73 David Hilton 38 21 – – 32 – – – 45 – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 850 74 Oliver Garner – – – – – – – – – – – – – 7 – – {{{21}}} 848 75 Kate Scranage – – – – – – – 22 – – – – – – 24 – {{{21}}} 836 76 Antoinette Ryan – – – – – – – – – 5 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 828 77 Conor Travers 8 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 826 78 Taz Turner 40 31 35 – – – – 37 – – 25 – – 39 34 – {{{21}}} 825 79 Paul Worsley – – – – – – – 25 – – – – – – 22 – {{{21}}} 805 80 Brian Sullivan – – – – – – – – – 6 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 793 81 Junaid Mubeen – – – – – – – – 11 – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 784 82 Dinos Sfyris 10 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 783 83 Jeff Clayton 31 19 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 783 84 Sarah McDonagh – – – – – 5 – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 762 85 Sean De Loughry – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 6 {{{21}}} 760 85 Paul Drury – – – – – 13 – – – 18 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 760 87 Sean O'Sullivan – – – – – – – – – 7 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 759 88 Neil Collins – – – – – – 13 – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 759 89 Chris Kirby – – 11 – – – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 725 90 Sean Lonergan – – – – – – – – – 8 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 724 91 Dave Ryan – – – – – – 17 – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 685 92 Elizabeth Beer – – – – – – – – – – 9 – – – – – {{{21}}} 679 93 Matty Artell – – 13 – – – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 675 94 Phil Hannan – – – – – – – – – – – – – 15 – – {{{21}}} 674 95 Sam Prouse 25 – – – 30 – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 668 96 Gale Berry – – – – – 7 – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 667 97 Paul Craib – – 36 – – – – – – – 22 – – – 27 – {{{21}}} 655 98 Ian Linton – – – – – – – – – – – – – 16 – – {{{21}}} 652 99 Mervyn Tong – – 14 – – – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 650 100 Catriona Cappleman – – – – – – 19 – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 648 101 Trevor MacEoin – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 9 {{{21}}} 640 102 Wes Pollington – – – – – 8 – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 619 103 Andy Evans – – – – – – 35 – 44 – – – – 40 – – {{{21}}} 619 104 Samik Sen – – – – – – – – – 15 – – – – – 22 {{{21}}} 603 105 Gerry Tynan – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 10 {{{21}}} 600 106 Ann Dibben – – – – – – – – 21 – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 588 107 Mark Ivey – – – – – – – – – – 15 – – – 36 – {{{21}}} 586 108 Séan O'Connor – – – – – 9 – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 571 109 Matt Gould – – – – – – – – – – 12 – – – – – {{{21}}} 571 110 Sarah Langan – – – – – – – – – 13 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 552 111 Martyn Pegram – – – – – – 25 – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 537 112 Diarmuid Henry – – – – – 10 – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 524 113 Mark McDonnell – – – – – – – – – 14 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 517 114 Nathan Pace – – 23 – – – – – – – – – – – 38 – {{{21}}} 498 115 Sandie Simonis – – – – – – – – 35 – – – – 38 – – {{{21}}} 488 116 Owen Carroll – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 13 {{{21}}} 480 117 Harry Savage – – – – – – – – 28 – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 451 118 Alison Douglas – – 22 – – – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 450 119 Kevin Jackson – – – – – – – – – 15 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 448 120 Ceara McGovern – – – – – 19 – – – 19 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 440 121 Archie Rodger – – – – – – 44 – – – 21 – – – – – {{{21}}} 435 122 Ted Burke – – – – – 12 – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 429 123 George Drury – – – – – 18 – – – 21 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 419 124 Kelly Thomas – – – – – – – – – 17 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 414 125 Damian McEvoy – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 15 {{{21}}} 400 126 Sam Hodkin – – 24 – – – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 400 127 Tricia Lowther – – – – – – – – – – 17 – – – – – {{{21}}} 393 128 Alan Jones – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 26 – {{{21}}} 366 129 Mauro Pratesi – – – – – – 39 – 50 – – – – 42 – – {{{21}}} 348 130 Jack D 43 33 – – – – – 36 – – 26 – – – 37 – {{{21}}} 344 131 Aaryanna Walton – – – – – 14 – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 333 132 Dave Cappleman – – – – – – 36 – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 333 133 Ljubica Lazarevic – – 30 – – – 52 – – – – – 33 – – – {{{21}}} 316 134 Graham Harding – – – – – – 37 – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 315 135 Finola Jackson – – – – – – – – – 20 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 414 136 Dee Barry – – – – – 15 – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 286 137 James Laverty 41 34 – – – – – – – – – – 29 – – – {{{21}}} 285 138 Samuel Stock – – – – – – – – – – – – – 33 – – {{{21}}} 283 139 Rose Boyle – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 18 {{{21}}} 280 140 Ruth Cappleman – – – – – – 38 – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 278 141 Ross King – – – – – – – – – – – – – 34 – – {{{21}}} 261 142 Steven Turnbull – – – – – – – – 38 – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 255 143 Michael Armstrong – – – – – – – 32 48 – 27 – – – – – {{{21}}} 253 144 George Baker – – – – – – – 34 – – 24 – – – – – {{{21}}} 248 145 Ciara O'Hare – – – – – – – – – 22 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 241 146 Gordon Lessells – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 19 {{{21}}} 240 147 David Roe 35 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 239 148 Liz Furness – – – – – – – – – – – – – 35 – – {{{21}}} 239 149 Natasha Rodgers – – – – – 16 – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 238 150 Helen Harding – – – – – – 40 – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 222 151 Liam T Davis – – – – – – – – – 23 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 207 152 John Billingsley – – 32 – – – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 200 153 Sarah Waldon – – – – – 17 – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 190 154 George Carey – – – – – – – 31 – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 184 155 Mel Coupe – – – 19 33 – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 182 156 Alan Lowther – – – – – – – – – – 23 – – – – – {{{21}}} 179 157 Eva Dewsbury – – 33 – – – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 175 158 Jenny Burnes – – – – – – – – – 24 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 172 159 Ben Leyburn – – – – – – 45 – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 167 160 Oli Moore – – 34 – – – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 150 161 Nick Sellars – – – – – – 46 – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 148 162 Mike Brailsford – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 35 – {{{21}}} 146 163 Rosie Cleary – – – – – – – – – 25 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 138 164 Ellen Harrison – – – – 37 – 48 – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 137 165 Sam Manojlovic – – – – – – – 33 – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 132 166 Daaniyal Ali – – – – – – 47 – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 130 167 Annie Gallagher – – – – – – – – – – – – – 41 – – {{{21}}} 109 168 Liam Holton – – – – – – – – – 26 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 103 169 Rachael Montgomery – – – – – – 49 – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 93 170 Aideen Mooney – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 23 {{{21}}} 80 171 Paul Mcgivern – – – – – – – – 47 – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 78 172 Irene Dove – – 37 – – – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 75 173 Katy Bowen – – – – – – 50 – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 74 174 Fionnuala Knox – – – – – – – – – 27 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 69 175 Joseph Henry – – – – – – – – – – – – – 43 – – {{{21}}} 65 176 Pete Borrett – – – – – – 51 – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 56 177 Ali Stevenson – – – – 36 – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 53 178 Selma Reilly – – 38 – – – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 50 179 Fi Thorne – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 39 – {{{21}}} 49 180 Paddy Meskell – – – – – 20 – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 48 181 Tim Scott – – – – – – – – – – – – – 44 – – {{{21}}} 43 182 Xinkai Jon Jon Tian – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 24 {{{21}}} 40 183 Leeny Jackson – – – – – – – – – 28 – – – – – – {{{21}}} 34 184 Paul J. Dove – – 39 – – – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 25 185 Dave Lord – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 40 – {{{21}}} 24 186 Ed Mason – – – – – – – – – – – – – 45 – – {{{21}}} 22 187 Vicci Smith 45 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 22 188 Maire Bennett – – – – – – 53 – – – – – – – – – {{{21}}} 19

Colour	Result
Gold	Winner
Silver	2nd place
Bronze	3rd place
Green	Top 10 finish
Blue	Other finish
White	Did not participate