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[[Image:Chris Davies trophy.jpg|130px|right]]
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[[Image:Harvey_Freeman.jpg|130px|right]]
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'''[[Chris Davies (Series 61)|Chris Davies]]''' was the champion of [[Series 61]]. He was a musician and charity shop volunteer from Greasby in Merseyside, who on his first show impressed not only with his defeat of [[Scrabble]] player [[Ed Rossiter]] but also with his exceptionally fast Rubik's cube solutions. In his second game against [[Matt Shepherd]] he failed to secure a century, but words including {{word|PUEBLOS}} and {{word|TANDOORI}} gave him victory by 95 points to 46. This points difference was eclipsed the following day as Davies ran out the winner by a margin of 75 points, and just one day later [[Michael Jocelyn]] suffered an even worse fate as {{word|SEPTUPLE}}, {{word|ISOMERS}} and the conundrum {{word|IMISSBOYS}} saw Davies win with a scoreline of 113 – 37 in his favour - an even greater margin than the day before.
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'''Harvey Freeman''' was the champion of [[Series 10]], [[Championship of Champions III]] and the [[series 33|Supreme Championship]], and is widely regarded as one of the greatest Countdowners of all time. Freeman made his debut on 31 October 1986 against [[David Whiting]] as a 21-year-old Cambridge University undergraduate from Enfield, Middlesex. He won that game and the seven which followed to achieve [[octochamp]]dom with an aggregate score of 523 points. This was a record at the time, and stood for almost 14 years before being beaten by [[David Williams (Series 43)|David Williams]] in [[Series 43]]. In his second heat game, Freeman amassed 82 points which was also a record at the time. He returned for the series finals as #1 seed, and dominated his opponents [[Elisabeth Jardine]] and [[Les Martin]] in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively, before going on to face [[Mike Percik]] in the grand final. Despite having {{word|OUTTAKES}} {{X}} disallowed in the second round, Harvey produced a commanding performance running out the winner by 96 points to 52.
  
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Having so far failed to find a [[nine-letter word]] in his heats, Davies found two in the first four rounds against [[Ross Mackenzie]]. However, Mackenzie found them both as well and was on Davies' tail throughout the game. The pressure helped Davies who secured victory through the words {{word|MALAPERT}} and the [[Darren]]ic {{word|PUPATED}}. After solving the conundrum {{word|CIRCUSHEN}}, Davies had amassed a score of 139, the second highest of all time. Further Darrens including {{word|RIBCAGE}} and {{word|RIVULETS}}, along with the nine-letter word {{word|SCLEROTIA}}, gave Davies victory in his sixth game against Jonathan Seal. Of note, in round two of this game Seal beat Davies, the first time he had failed to score in 51 consecutive rounds. Two further centuries helped Davies win his last two heat games against [[Marcus Bearpark]] and [[John Smoker]] respectively.
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Freeman returned for [[Championship of Champions III]], beating [[Michael Stephenson]] and [[John Clarke (Series 11)|John Clarke]] to set up a grand final against [[David Trace]]. Freeman lost out in the first conundrum to Trace, putting him ten points behind, but he scored in every other round before solving the [[crucial conundrum]] {{word|PURSUEPAT}} to win 115 – 107 — the highest ever score in a 14-round grand final, and the only time anyone has ever scored over 110 under that format. In 1996, Freeman participated in the [[series 33|Supreme Championship]]. Given a bye in the first round, Harvey defeated [[Ian Bebbington]] in the second round and [[Barry Grossman]] in a closely-fought group final to put himself into the series quarter-finals. Therein, he beat [[Andrew Perry]] before once again beating [[John Clarke (Series 11)|John Clarke]] in the semi-final. In the final, he faced former [[prodigy]] [[Allan Saldanha]]. Freeman spotted a [[nine-letter word|niner]] in the first round and was able to hold on to his lead to win 82 — 79, winning the title of all-time supreme champion, and maintaining his winning streak at an unprecedented 19 games. ('''[[Harvey Freeman|more...]]''')
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Davies returned for the finals as number two seed. Against fellow [[octochamp]] [[Steve Wood]], the words {{word|RELLINOS}} and {{word|RANDOMISE}} assisted Davies in building a 43-point lead after just five rounds. He ran out the winner, setting up a semi-final against [[Innis Carson]]. After twelve rounds of this game only seven points separated the two players. In round 13, Carson beat Davies with {{word|SOLENOID}}, opening up a fifteen point lead with just two rounds to go. Carson missed the numbers target in round 14 whereas Davies found a perfect solution, but he still needed to solve the crucial conundrum {{word|EPITUSSLE}} to win. After 25.5 seconds he doubtfully offered {{word|SLEEPSUIT}} — and exclaimed "Oh my God!" as this was revealed to be correct. In the grand final Davies faced #1 seed [[Andrew Hulme]], who often equalled but never bettered him. The words {{word|TETRODE}}, {{word|DIARISES}} and the conundrum {{word|ARTLEPOOL}} gave Davies the series by 117 points to 86. He remains an active member of the [[:Category:Online community|online Countdown community]] and is often seen on [[Apterous]]. ('''[[Chris Davies (Series 61)|more...]]''')
 

Revision as of 21:43, 1 February 2010

Harvey Freeman.jpg

Harvey Freeman was the champion of Series 10, Championship of Champions III and the Supreme Championship, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest Countdowners of all time. Freeman made his debut on 31 October 1986 against David Whiting as a 21-year-old Cambridge University undergraduate from Enfield, Middlesex. He won that game and the seven which followed to achieve octochampdom with an aggregate score of 523 points. This was a record at the time, and stood for almost 14 years before being beaten by David Williams in Series 43. In his second heat game, Freeman amassed 82 points which was also a record at the time. He returned for the series finals as #1 seed, and dominated his opponents Elisabeth Jardine and Les Martin in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively, before going on to face Mike Percik in the grand final. Despite having OUTTAKES ☓ disallowed in the second round, Harvey produced a commanding performance running out the winner by 96 points to 52.

Freeman returned for Championship of Champions III, beating Michael Stephenson and John Clarke to set up a grand final against David Trace. Freeman lost out in the first conundrum to Trace, putting him ten points behind, but he scored in every other round before solving the crucial conundrum PURSUEPAT to win 115 – 107 — the highest ever score in a 14-round grand final, and the only time anyone has ever scored over 110 under that format. In 1996, Freeman participated in the Supreme Championship. Given a bye in the first round, Harvey defeated Ian Bebbington in the second round and Barry Grossman in a closely-fought group final to put himself into the series quarter-finals. Therein, he beat Andrew Perry before once again beating John Clarke in the semi-final. In the final, he faced former prodigy Allan Saldanha. Freeman spotted a niner in the first round and was able to hold on to his lead to win 82 — 79, winning the title of all-time supreme champion, and maintaining his winning streak at an unprecedented 19 games. (more...)

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