Rookie Player Wins World Title on his Debut in Hastings!
As has become tradition, following the first day’s play
of the World Crazy Golf Championships an open-call went out to all of the players
to participate in the World £2 Tat Challenge.
For the second year in a row a total of 30-players heeded
the call and headed over to the hallowed venue that is what Wembley is to
football, Twickenham is to Rugby Union, The Crucible is to Snooker (and indeed
what Hastings Seafront is to Crazy Golf) – the Old Town Amusement Arcade!
.JPG "The winner and losers from the 2013 World £2 Tat Challenge") |
| The winner and losers from the 2013 World £2 Tat Challenge |
2013 also saw the Buttons Committee make a radical change
to the rules – with a 20-minute time-limit imposed! This meant that the play
would be even more fast paced than usual and that bit more risky for the more
canny ratty competitors who will often wait until their opponents are out of
tuppenny bits to make their move and clean-up.
.JPG "Scott 'Donkey Gringo' Lancley enforcing the rules") |
| Scott 'Donkey Gringo' Lancley enforcing the rules |
The frenetic competition took some of the newcomers by
surprise and with some of the veterans sticking to tried and tested methods
that weren’t quite right for the new format the results were very interesting
indeed.
With time ticking down the players entered their scores
with official referee Emily ‘Lemony’ Gottfried to record for the ages.
Taking an early tie in the clubhouse was the reigning and
defending champion ‘Squire’ Richard Gottfried on five bits, with the lead
shared by debutees Chris Hillman and Helen Dodd, along with Tat
Veteran Trevor Exall and second time competitor Chris Wood.
.JPG "Fast-paced action from the ratters, tatters and sharks - Steve Sturdy looks particularly confused/angry at being robbed of a prize by the looks of it!") |
| Fast-paced action from the ratters, tatters and sharks - Steve Sturdy looks particularly confused/angry at being robbed of a prize by the looks of it! |
Former World Tat Challenge Champions Paul ‘Johnson Paul
Johnson’ Johnson then scored seven pieces to scoop the lead.
This group was soon trumped by William Edwards who
amassed a total of eight pieces. With a few players left to declare at the end
of the twenty-minute contest the contestants awaited the result. Sly old fox
Terry ‘Cockney Tel’ Exall approached the ref with quite a haul, but 2013 was
not to be his year, as he had managed to score an impressive, but not quite
good enough unlucky seven pieces of tat to tie for second place.
.JPG) |
| Lemony and Donkey Gringo count up the final rankings |
That meant that the new and undisputed 2013 World £2 Tat
Challenge Champion was William ‘Insert Nickname’ Edwards who was elated to be
crowned champion, receive the entire bag of goodies and the respect of his
fellow competitors.
.JPG "The 2013 World £2 Tat Challenge Champion - William 'Sideshow Bob' Edwards") |
| The 2013 World £2 Tat Challenge Champion - William 'Sideshow Bob' Edwards |
Over the weekend William scored a remarkably unique Grand
Slam of victories – winning the World Title in the Tat Challenge and finishing
last of all the competitors (that managed to finish the six qualifying rounds) in
the World Crazy Golf Championships!
While a grand total of 91 pieces of tat was won by the 30
players, there were two-player who ‘did a Chappers-Smith’ and drew a blank – these
were Christian ‘Anthony Pope’ Fuchs and Steve ‘Teen Wolf’ Lovell who remarked
he “should of put his mask and wolf hands in the prize pot.”
Top international player was Finland’s Pasi ‘Bruiser’ Aho
from Germany who scored three, just edging out Spain’s Núria Meléndez Orriols
who recorded two. ‘The Fox’ Christian Fuchs got the international ‘bronze’ after
scoring nil.
Rank Player Country Tat Won
1 William Edwards ENG 8
2 Paul Johnson ENG 7
2 Terry Exall ENG 7
4 Richard Gottfried ENG 5
4 Trevor Exall ENG 5
4 Chris Wood ENG 5
4 Chris Hillman ENG 5
4 Helen Dodd ENG 5
9 Adam Kelly ENG 4
9 Keith Kellard ENG 4
11 Pasi Aho FIN 3
11 Steve Sturdy ENG 3
11 Kate Kelly ENG 3
11 John Moore ENG 3
11 Matt Dodd ENG 3
11 Ollie Greenhead ENG 3
11 Ruth Burke ENG 3
18 Will Donnelly ENG 2
18 Martin Greenhead ENG 2
18 Mark Wood ENG 2
18 Elizabeth Edwards ENG 2
18 Núria Meléndez Orriols SPA 2
23 Marc Chapman ENG 1
23 Steve Gow ENG 1
23 Brian Smith ENG 1
23 Gillian Edwards ENG 1
23 Neil Cottam ENG 1
23 Daniel Cottam ENG 1
29 Christian Fuchs GER 0
29 Steve Lovell ENG 0
£2 Tat Challenge Hall of Fame:
£2 Tat Challenge Order of Merit Ranking List:
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| The £2 Tat Challenge Order of Merit Ranking List |
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