WSC Final

I don't intend to go into details of the final games here - these can be seen at the WSC site. I hope to give you an idea of the atmosphere. Also post some of the photos that didn't fit into the previous blog entries...

We had been asked to assemble in the playing area at 9 a.m. wearing our scrabble polo shirts as Mattel were filming a promotional video for the event. This entailed filming both Nigel and Ganesh as winner/runner-up prior to the final itself.

I think Ganesh was auditioning for Bollywood - he had us all killing ourselves with laughter as he leapt up and down in delight at winning, and then shuffling onto the stage with his head down and looking so despondent as the runner-up. Nigel was his normal unconcerned self in both shots.

The hotel provided a cake for the finalists...

It was rather a large cake so we all got to taste it.

There was a delay before the final started, presumably for interviews and getting the cameras set up for the final etc. This provided an opportunity to catch up with more people and take more photos.

Ganesh and Nigel were both very relaxed...








Naween and Harshan, both from Sri Lanka, but representing Australia and England respectively.

I took the opportunity to get all the ladies together for a photo shoot.
Back Row: Joanne Craig (NZ), Lynne Butler (NZ), Wilma Vialli (Aus-TD) Odette Rio (Phi), Di Dennis (Eng), Loretta Alban (Qat)
Front Row: Theresa Camilleri (Malta), me (Eng), Suanne Ong (Mal)

The final eventually got under way, with Nigel taking a 2-0 lead before lunch. The audience reassembled, hoping for a more closely fought game(s) than the first two. The third game was more exciting, but Nigel emerged victorious - the 2007 World Scrabble Champion.

The stage was then prepared for the prize ceremony.

Wilma presented the prizes for 10th to 6th in party mood - bopping about to the music. A couple of the recipients joined in on their way to the stage. The Mattel head of scrabble in India presented 5th and 4th prizes - he looked a bit sheepish when Wilma cajoled him to bop :)

3rd place: Wellington Jighere
This was the first time I had seen him without his hat...
Third place is pretty amazing for a first time competitor. He was unlucky not to be in the final, having had to play Nigel in the last round of the tournament proper for the place.

2nd place: Ganesh
Ganesh was a lot more gracious in defeat than he had been for the pre-final filming.

1st place: Nigel Richards
Nigel was as laid back and underwhelmed as ever.

There was something of a party atmosphere. The hotel produced another cake for the winner. People were milling around as various combinations of players were gathered on the stage for photographs.

Team Malaysia
The most successful team (Suanne 12th, Ganesh 2nd)

Team Thailand
(Komol, Panupol, Gerry, Weera, Charnwit)
I really think that more teams should have a 'uniform'. In day one it was yellow (the King's colour). Day two this very smart navy blue. Gerry said there was nothing for day 3, just try to colour-coordinate their T-shirts :)

The competitors: