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2024 FOCAL season

From Countdown

The 2024 FOCAL season was the seventh season of FOCAL tournaments. It was the only season under the chairmanship of Darren Godfrey, who took over the role from Callum Todd at the end of 2023. It was the third consecutive season won by Jack Hurst.

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. Early April saw the return of the village of Monasteraden in County Sligo, Ireland. Mid-April's Reading event (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 sequence between May and July. 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 was instead held in Glasgow this year, making it the first event in the city in eight years. The final preliminary round took place in the Essex town of Braintree in early November, which preceded the end-of-season finals in Milton Keynes on 30 November.

Locations from the 2023 season that were absent in this season were Brighton, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, and Newcastle. These were substituted by Reading, Glasgow, Sheffield, Liverpool, and Durham respectively.

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 14 George Armstrong
17 Co:Braintree 2024 Braintree England 2 November 27 Rob Foster
GF 2024 FOCAL finals Milton Keynes 30 November 8 Jack Hurst
Co:MK Open 2024 38 Callum Todd

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.

Qualifying finalists

Following Co:Braintree 2024 — the final qualifier of the season — 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 3 {{{21}}} 7518
2 Tom Carey 12 6 11 11 1 5 9 1 13 4 2 8 {{{21}}} 6890
3 Tom Cappleman 20 7 7 2 8 2 19 1 5 {{{21}}} 6706
4 George Armstrong 9 10 19 3 9 14 4 5 16 8 10 1 {{{21}}} 6589
5 Dylan Taylor 3 10 2 4 17 3 5 3 {{{21}}} 6581
6 Jonathan De Souza 7 13 15 2 16 13 3 14 1 7 {{{21}}} 6521
7 Dan Byrom 11 9 6 10 5 10 29 20 2 3 {{{21}}} 6305
8 Tom Stevenson 2 2 26 4 7 11 11 6 {{{21}}} 6270


Remaining contenders

Following Co:Braintree 2024 — the final qualifier of the season — 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 Adam Latchford 12 2 16 4 17 28 7 27 17 10 13 7 8 {{{21}}} 6246
10 James Robinson 29 15 4 7 6 26 11 4 8 {{{21}}} 5920
11 Matthew Brockwell 12 5 11 3 15 11 4 15 {{{21}}} 5842
12 Rob Foster 4 1 3 1 2 1 {{{21}}} 5729
13 Eeshan Malhotra 7 4 9 12 18 5 12 23 17 {{{21}}} 5680
14 Bradley Horrocks 22 11 7 9 7 8 15 12 {{{21}}} 5420
15 Callum Todd 2 5 3 2 9 2 {{{21}}} 5419
16 Matthew S Rutherford 15 20 12 16 18 29 18 20 6 22 31 19 17 5 5 14 {{{21}}} 5407
17 Tim Hebbes 19 24 9 9 16 27 12 5 21 22 {{{21}}} 5038
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 6 16 {{{21}}} 4330
22 Phil Stanton 36 28 18 14 12 21 43 7 23 26 25 7 {{{21}}} 4053
23 Coral Heath 34 25 15 15 18 29 10 19 30 26 16 24 {{{21}}} 4007
24 Richard Priest 37 17 5 16 31 20 11 {{{21}}} 3825
25 Jack Worsley 3 4 1 1 {{{21}}} 3771
26 Tim Down 28 8 4 15 3 {{{21}}} 3729
27 Ashwin Abinashi 35 22 13 23 14 24 13 12 {{{21}}} 3561
28 Adam Dexter 30 25 5 29 8 25 24 28 36 {{{21}}} 3376
29 Darren Godfrey 21 34 31 19 18 24 18 18 {{{21}}} 3327
30 Andy Platt 5 16 10 13 15 {{{21}}} 3322
31 Stephen Read 17 8 25 11 5 {{{21}}} 3106
32 Stewart Gordon 17 30 10 31 21 37 12 {{{21}}} 2949
33 Matt O'Connor 8 8 18 3 {{{21}}} 2940
34 Ronan Higginson 3 6 2 {{{21}}} 2740
35 Brendan Duke 1 2 7 {{{21}}} 2603
36 Steven Grady 20 14 7 9 {{{21}}} 2488
37 Mike Lee 21 30 20 25 27 12 {{{21}}} 2476
38 Jason Turner 24 22 15 35 19 30 32 {{{21}}} 2442
39 Tracey Mills 33 12 15 6 {{{21}}} 2399
40 Ian Wray 42 24 20 24 32 31 11 {{{21}}} 2368
41 Eoin Jackson 2 11 {{{21}}} 2362
42 Stu Harkness 10 16 6 21 {{{21}}} 2315
43 Alan O'Sullivan 4 9 8 {{{21}}} 2180
44 Gabriel Thallon 5 20 4 {{{21}}} 2136
45 Graeme Cole 23 13 14 39 {{{21}}} 2105
46 Steve Hyde 16 19 43 28 32 {{{21}}} 1992
47 Hazel Drury 3 1 {{{21}}} 1823
48 Jessica Pratesi 32 34 21 13 {{{21}}} 1819
49 Adam Beach 39 32 31 24 27 36 33 {{{21}}} 1797
50 Chris Marshall 44 27 23 37 19 16 {{{21}}} 1760
51 Mark Murray 30 4 25 {{{21}}} 1731
52 Roger Stevens 6 10 17 {{{21}}} 1689
53 Brendan Whitehurst 6 28 41 22 {{{21}}} 1662
54 Toby Pereira 32 26 28 10 {{{21}}} 1595
55 Dave Ryan 17 4 {{{21}}} 1542
56 Anthony Endsor 21 26 14 {{{21}}} 1525
57 Jonathan Wynn 6 19 {{{21}}} 1469
58 Suzy Turner 15 23 18 {{{21}}} 1431
59 Euan Crabb 29 30 20 30 11 {{{21}}} 1307
60 Mike Springett 26 40 49 20 10 {{{21}}} 1266
61 Roshin Sen 11 12 21 {{{21}}} 1222
62 Ed McCullagh 8 17 {{{21}}} 1180
63 Dave Robjohns 13 26 38 40 {{{21}}} 1178
64 Joseph Bartram 34 42 31 20 {{{21}}} 1158
65 Phil Hannan 15 8 {{{21}}} 1141
66 Toby Byfield 33 13 {{{21}}} 1134
67 Tasneem Rana 16 14 {{{21}}} 1088
68 Jessamine O'Connor 11 14 {{{21}}} 1061
69 Mark Mills 23 24 28 {{{21}}} 1028
70 Sean Fletcher 23 20 {{{21}}} 1025
71 Sam Prouse 25 30 19 {{{21}}} 989
72 Ben Wilson 2 {{{21}}} 941
73 Paul Talmey 10 46 {{{21}}} 913
74 Amar Chotai 27 29 32 {{{21}}} 888
75 Dave Ashton 27 13 {{{21}}} 861
76 David Hilton 38 21 32 45 {{{21}}} 850
77 Oliver Garner 7 {{{21}}} 848
78 Kate Scranage 22 24 {{{21}}} 836
79 Antoinette Ryan 5 {{{21}}} 828
80 Conor Travers 8 {{{21}}} 826
81 Taz Turner 40 31 35 37 25 39 34 {{{21}}} 825
82 Paul Worsley 25 22 {{{21}}} 805
83 Brian Sullivan 6 {{{21}}} 793
84 Junaid Mubeen 11 {{{21}}} 784
85 Dinos Sfyris 10 {{{21}}} 783
86 Jeff Clayton 31 19 {{{21}}} 783
87 Sarah McDonagh 5 {{{21}}} 762
88 Sean De Loughry 6 {{{21}}} 760
89 Paul Drury 13 18 {{{21}}} 760
90 Sean O'Sullivan 7 {{{21}}} 759
91 Neil Collins 13 {{{21}}} 759
92 Chris Kirby 11 {{{21}}} 725
93 Sean Lonergan 8 {{{21}}} 724
94 Elizabeth Beer 9 {{{21}}} 679
95 Samuel Stock 33 17 {{{21}}} 676
96 Matty Artell 13 {{{21}}} 675
97 Gale Berry 7 {{{21}}} 667
98 Paul Craib 36 22 27 {{{21}}} 655
99 Ian Linton 16 {{{21}}} 652
100 Mervyn Tong 14 {{{21}}} 650
101 Catriona Cappleman 19 {{{21}}} 648
102 Trevor MacEoin 9 {{{21}}} 640
103 Wes Pollington 8 {{{21}}} 619
104 Andy Evans 35 44 40 {{{21}}} 619
105 Samik Sen 15 22 {{{21}}} 603
106 Gerry Tynan 10 {{{21}}} 600
107 Ann Dibben 21 {{{21}}} 588
108 Mark Ivey 15 36 {{{21}}} 586
109 Séan O'Connor 9 {{{21}}} 571
110 Matt Gould 12 {{{21}}} 571
111 Sarah Langan 13 {{{21}}} 552
112 Martyn Pegram 25 {{{21}}} 537
113 Mauro Pratesi 39 50 42 23 {{{21}}} 527
114 Diarmuid Henry 10 {{{21}}} 524
115 Mark McDonnell 14 {{{21}}} 517
116 Nathan Pace 23 38 {{{21}}} 498
117 Sandie Simonis 35 38 {{{21}}} 488
118 Owen Carroll 13 {{{21}}} 480
119 Harry Savage 28 {{{21}}} 451
120 Alison Douglas 22 {{{21}}} 450
121 Kevin Jackson 15 {{{21}}} 448
122 Ceara McGovern 19 19 {{{21}}} 440
123 Archie Rodger 44 21 {{{21}}} 435
124 Ted Burke 12 {{{21}}} 429
125 George Drury 18 21 {{{21}}} 419
126 Kelly Thomas 17 {{{21}}} 414
127 Sam Hodkin 24 {{{21}}} 400
127 Damian McEvoy 15 {{{21}}} 400
127 Logan Skelton 9 {{{21}}} 400
130 Tricia Lowther 17 {{{21}}} 393
131 Alan Jones 26 {{{21}}} 366
132 Jack D 43 33 36 26 37 {{{21}}} 344
133 Aaryanna Walton 14 {{{21}}} 333
134 Dave Cappleman 36 {{{21}}} 333
135 Michael Armstrong 32 48 27 14 {{{21}}} 320
136 Ljubica Lazarevic 30 52 33 {{{21}}} 316
137 Graham Harding 37 {{{21}}} 315
138 Finola Jackson 20 {{{21}}} 414
139 Dee Barry 15 {{{21}}} 286
140 James Laverty 41 34 29 {{{21}}} 285
141 Rose Boyle 18 {{{21}}} 280
142 Ruth Cappleman 38 {{{21}}} 278
143 Ross King 34 {{{21}}} 261
144 Steven Turnbull 38 {{{21}}} 255
145 Jill Thwaites 21 {{{21}}} 250
146 George Baker 34 24 {{{21}}} 248
147 Ciara O'Hare 22 {{{21}}} 241
148 Gordon Lessells 19 {{{21}}} 240
149 David Roe 35 {{{21}}} 239
150 Liz Furness 35 {{{21}}} 239
151 Natasha Rodgers 16 {{{21}}} 238
152 Helen Harding 40 {{{21}}} 222
153 Noel Pereira 22 {{{21}}} 214
154 Liam T Davis 23 {{{21}}} 207
155 John Billingsley 32 {{{21}}} 200
155 Iain Sime 12 {{{21}}} 200
157 Sarah Waldon 17 {{{21}}} 190
158 George Carey 31 {{{21}}} 184
159 Mel Coupe 19 33 {{{21}}} 182
160 Alan Lowther 23 {{{21}}} 179
161 Eva Dewsbury 33 {{{21}}} 175
162 Jenny Burnes 24 {{{21}}} 172
163 Ben Leyburn 45 {{{21}}} 167
164 Fi Thorne 39 25 {{{21}}} 156
165 Oli Moore 34 {{{21}}} 150
166 Nick Sellars 46 {{{21}}} 148
167 Mike Brailsford 35 {{{21}}} 146
168 Rosie Cleary 25 {{{21}}} 138
169 Ellen Harrison 37 48 {{{21}}} 137
170 Sam Manojlovic 33 {{{21}}} 132
171 Daaniyal Ali 47 {{{21}}} 130
172 Annie Gallagher 41 {{{21}}} 109
173 Liam Holton 26 {{{21}}} 103
174 Rachael Montgomery 49 {{{21}}} 93
175 Aideen Mooney 23 {{{21}}} 80
176 Paul Mcgivern 47 {{{21}}} 78
177 Irene Dove 37 {{{21}}} 75
178 Katy Bowen 50 {{{21}}} 74
179 Matty Deller 26 {{{21}}} 71
180 Fionnuala Knox 27 {{{21}}} 69
181 Joseph Henry 43 {{{21}}} 65
182 Pete Borrett 51 {{{21}}} 56
183 Ali Stevenson 36 {{{21}}} 53
184 Selma Reilly 38 {{{21}}} 50
185 Paddy Meskell 20 {{{21}}} 48
186 Tim Scott 44 {{{21}}} 43
187 Xinkai Jon Jon Tian 24 {{{21}}} 40
188 Fiona Thorne 27 {{{21}}} 36
189 Leeny Jackson 28 {{{21}}} 34
190 Paul J. Dove 39 {{{21}}} 25
191 Dave Lord 40 {{{21}}} 24
192 Ed Mason 45 {{{21}}} 22
192 Vicci Smith 45 {{{21}}} 22
194 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