Yet again fair weather greeted the eager throng of Scrabblers from Canberra, Sydney, Newcastle, and of course, Wollongong. Eighty-eight enthusiasts endured eight forty-four minute games over eight hours at the gastronomically-improved Collegians RL Football Club.
The A division promised to provide particular interest. Contenders for a World Championship place would be directly opposed in the race for an honoured spot on the Australian team, with only the Balmain and Wyong tournaments to follow before the qualification deadline. For this contest, home ground advantage proved to be a factor with locals Rod Talbot and John Holgate taking out first and second from in-form Joan Rosenthal, thereby moving to 5th and 6th places nationally. Rod claims to have been extremely lucky to overcome young Canberra mother Susan McGillivray in his first game before eventually suffering his only loss to mature Campbelltown father John Holgate who played four bingos plus QI for 60+ points in his last six moves. Good mate Derek McKenzie (who doesn’t fit either of the above categories) did Rod a favour by beating John in the final round. Unfortunately, the overworked Wilma Vialle valiantly tried to play despite illness but had to retire after four games.
B division was yet again won by flame-haired Pat Schuberg from Joan Buchanan (both claiming Wollongong as a happy hunting ground), with Dr Gordon Meggs being the only male to fend off a horde of chasing women.
Probably the happiest winner was TV quiz show contestant and trivia expert Sue Tuckett, who was promoted to C division after a no-show. Although losing to young upstart Stacey Lock Lee in the last round, she had accumulated enough of a margin to claim first place from Stacey and Beverly Purkiss, all on 6 wins, grabbing the tournament’s highest rating gain of 84 points in the process. Stacey was probably the next happiest player, walking away with prizes for 2nd place, highest game, the raffle and for just being the youngest player. Perhaps if she had for once listened to her dad’s advice about studying word lists and playing practice games, she wouldn’t have done so well – just like her dad!
Rex Shakespeare was the only undefeated player in the tournament after eight games to take out D division comfortably from Chris Phillips and Beryl Pearson. Two novices, Shirley Taylor and Trish Shepherd were welcomed to the world of tournament Scrabble. Both vow to return next time after solid practice with clocks (which they think are necessary for fairness).
After jousting with words all day, fourteen participants chose to unwind by staying behind for an evening of sumptuous food and wine. Inevitably, spelling mistakes were found in the menu and the anagram puzzles set by the revellers became impossible as the evening wore on and the wine flowed.
Results after game 8
WORDS FEB FROL 0201 -- A SECTION
Rank Player Wins Mar
---------------------------------
1 Rod Talbot 7 372
2 John Holgate 6 480
3 Joan Rosenthal 6 197
4 Paul Cleary 5 601
5 Derek McKenzie 5 355
6 Jean McGiffen 5 299
7 John Barker 5 265
8 Kerry Constable 5 164
9 Joanne Craig 5 121
10 Ian Close 5 -92
11 Richard Farrington 4 268
12 Bob Jackman 4 210
13 Jeff Chelton 4 159
14 Gloria Gallagher 4 14
15 Sue Gergeliffi 4 -15
16 Keith Bioletti 4 -39
17 Jan Serisier 4 -217
18 John Spaan 4 -223
19 Hanne Marks 4 -540
20 Audrey Newman 3 -11
21 Ros Gibbons 3 -93
22 Norma Tracey 3 -247
23 Susan MacGillivray 3 -253
24 Jean Noonan 3 -475
25 Graeme Lock Lee 2 -275
26 Betty Coleman 2 -288
27 Betty Foreman 2 -377
28 Wilma Vialle 1 -360
HIGH GAME: Rod Talbot 595
HIGH WORD: Rod Talbot 113
"LANCIERS"
Results after game 8
WORDS FEB FROL 0201 -- B SECTION
Rank Player Wins Mar
---------------------------------
1 Pat Schuberg 7 445
2 Joan Buchanan 6 355
3 Gordon Meggs 6 340
4 Daphne Bezuidenhout 6 230
5 Angie Farrington 5 225
6 Ann Fiddler 5 207
7 Natalie Tadday 5 41
8 Val Ryan 5 -124
9 Michael Adler 4 204
10 Esther Rolfe 4 177
11 Richard Birch 4 17
12 Nonie English 4 -30
13 Sunny Wright 4 -44
14 Margaret Berliner 4 -55
15 Tony Hunt 4 -57
16 Jean Balmer 3 37
17 June Stephenson 3 -66
18 Jenny Templeton 3 -148
19 Judy McGuinness 3 -228
20 Raya Wilkinson 3 -233
21 Liz Jackman 3 -379
22 Fay Van Oyen 2 -144
23 Mary Craven 2 -440
24 Margaret Andrews 1 -330
HIGH GAME: Joan Buchanan 489
HIGH WORD: Angie Farrington 101
"VERACITY"
Results after game 8
WORDS FEB FROL 0201 -- C SECTION
Rank Player Wins Mar
---------------------------------
1 Sue Tuckett 6 376
2 Stacey Lock Lee 6 206
3 Beverly Purkis 6 49
4 Therese Newman 5 366
5 Peggy Womersley 5 197
6 Leonie McConnell 5 188
7 Edith Lowbeer 5 126
8 Mireille Minet 4 143
9 Merle Young 4 7
10 David Ragen 4 0
11 Margaret Ackman 4 -26
12 Heather Sorenson 4 -40
13 Betty Irwin 4 -50
14 Judy Hall 4 -100
15 Claire Dove 4 -125
16 Maureen Wilkins 3 -228
17 Andree Lajoie 3 -326
18 Roslynn Parnell 2 -194
19 Vi Phillips 2 -197
20 Louise Ready 0 -372
HIGH GAME: Stacey Lock Lee 443
HIGH WORD: Judy Hall 96
"FESTERS"
Results after game 8
WORDS FEB FROL 0201 -- D SECTION
Rank Player Wins Mar
---------------------------------
1 Rex Shakespeare 8 391
2 Chris Phillips 6 417
3 Beryl Pearson 5 276
4 Joy Bresser 5 242
5 Joy Morris 5 148
6 Merriss Adler 5 -95
7 Shirley Taylor 4 -21
8 Brian Irwin 4 -22
9 Yvonne Edwards 4 -52
10 Elwyn Smith 4 -60
11 John Smith 4 -107
12 Nicola Turner 3 96
13 Trish Shepherd 3 -73
14 Diana Field 2 -462
15 Beryl Christiansen 1 -206
16 Maria Kaye 1 -472
HIGH GAME: Chris Phillips 445
HIGH WORD: Nicole Turner 102
"FLOODING"
Stats for Tournament : WORDS FEB FROL 0201
+--------------------------+-----------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| state Name | National | State | Wins | Rating Points |
| | Old New | Old New | Exp Act | Old Change New|
+--------------------------+-----------+---------+-----------+---------------+
+Section: *A SECTION + + + +
+--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| NSW Rod Talbot | 8 5 | 5 2 | 5.8 7.0 | 1809 +19 1828 |
| NSW John Holgate | 6 6 | 3 3 | 5.6 6.0 | 1813 +7 1820 |
| NSW Joan Rosenthal | 15 14 | 7 6 | 6.0 6.0 | 1773 1773 |
| NSW Paul Cleary | 2 2 | 1 1 | 6.6 5.0 | 1914 -25 1889 |
| NSW John Barker | 72 55 | 20 16 | 3.1 5.0 | 1564 +38 1602 |
| NSW Derek McKenzie | 40 38 | 12 13 | 4.3 5.0 | 1633 +14 1647 |
| NSW Joanne Craig | 41 35 | 13 11 | 4.0 5.0 | 1632 +21 1653 |
| NSW Jean McGiffen | 49 49 | 15 15 | 5.0 5.0 | 1617 +1 1618 |
| NSW Kerry Constable :act | 93 84 | 24 20 | 4.2 5.0 | 1521 +15 1536 |
| NSW Ian Close | 122 99 | 35 29 | 2.9 5.0 | 1458 +44 1502 |
| NSW Bob Jackman | 5 15 | 2 7 | 6.8 4.0 | 1814 -45 1769 |
| NSW Richard Farrington | 121 115 | 34 33 | 2.8 4.0 | 1459 +25 1484 |
| NSW Gloria Gallagher | 146 133 | 43 42 | 2.6 4.0 | 1424 +28 1452 |
| NSW Jeff Chelton | 132 129 | 40 39 | 3.7 4.0 | 1448 +6 1454 |
| NSW John Spaan :act | 87 86 | 23 22 | 4.0 4.0 | 1530 1530 |
| NSW Jan Serisier | 95 93 | 26 24 | 3.9 4.0 | 1517 +3 1520 |
| NSW Sue Gergelifi | 98 88 | 28 23 | 3.2 4.0 | 1510 +16 1526 |
| NSW Keith Bioletti | 136 131 | 42 40 | 3.4 4.0 | 1442 +12 1454 |
| NSW Hanne Marks | 158 132 | 47 41 | 2.1 4.0 | 1415 +38 1453 |
| NSW Norma Tracey | 94 103 | 25 30 | 4.0 3.0 | 1520 -20 1500 |
| NSW Audrey Newman | 169 156 | 49 46 | 2.3 3.0 | 1401 +15 1416 |
| NSW Jean Noonan | 135 138 | 41 44 | 3.0 3.0 | 1442 +1 1443 |
| NSW Susan MacGillivr:act | 118 122 | 33 35 | 3.2 3.0 | 1463 -4 1459 |
| NSW Ros Gibbons | 156 161 | 46 47 | 3.3 3.0 | 1416 -6 1410 |
| NSW Betty Coleman | 154 183 | 45 51 | 3.3 2.0 | 1417 -26 1391 |
| NSW Graeme Lock Lee | 62 94 | 18 25 | 4.9 2.0 | 1576 -58 1518 |
| NSW Betty Foreman | 200 211 | 54 56 | 2.8 2.0 | 1362 -15 1347 |
| NSW Wilma Vialle | 57 97 | 17 27 | 5.2 1.0 | 1588 -84 1504 |
+-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+
+Section: *B SECTION + + + +
+--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| NSW Pat Schuberg | 283 245 | 77 63 | 4.4 7.0 | 1219 +61 1280 |
| NSW Joan Buchanan | 277 254 | 76 65 | 4.6 6.0 | 1232 +30 1262 |
| NSW Daphne Bezuidenhout | 320 281 | 84 77 | 3.2 6.0 | 1159 +68 1227 |
| NSW Gordon Meggs | 248 237 | 66 61 | 5.2 6.0 | 1280 +18 1298 |
| NSW Angie Farrington | 288 275 | 79 74 | 3.9 5.0 | 1212 +22 1234 |
| NSW Ann Fiddler | 384 353 | 96 90 | 2.9 5.0 | 1068 +41 1109 |
| NSW Natalie Tadday | 461 418 | 109 101 | 2.5 5.0 | 972 +55 1027 |
| NSW Val Ryan | 266 255 | 70 66 | 4.5 5.0 | 1250 +11 1261 |
| NSW Esther Rolfe | 413 390 | 100 97 | 2.5 4.0 | 1028 +30 1058 |
| NSW Nonie English | 263 277 | 69 76 | 5.0 4.0 | 1251 -19 1232 |
| NSW Tony Hunt | 367 356 | 90 91 | 3.1 4.0 | 1088 +19 1107 |
| NSW Margaret Berliner | 275 287 | 74 79 | 5.2 4.0 | 1238 -24 1214 |
| NSW Michael Adler :act | 274 276 | 73 75 | 4.4 4.0 | 1239 -6 1233 |
| NSW Sunny Wright | 421 391 | 102 98 | 2.4 4.0 | 1024 +33 1057 |
| NSW Richard Birch | 253 273 | 68 72 | 5.4 4.0 | 1267 -28 1239 |
| NSW Jean Balmer | 323 334 | 86 88 | 3.7 3.0 | 1154 -15 1139 |
| NSW Raya Wilkinson | 246 267 | 65 70 | 4.8 3.0 | 1283 -35 1248 |
| NSW Jenny Templeton | 238 256 | 62 67 | 4.8 3.0 | 1297 -37 1260 |
| NSW Judy McGuinness | 372 376 | 94 95 | 3.2 3.0 | 1084 -2 1082 |
| NSW June Stephenson | 312 320 | 83 84 | 3.6 3.0 | 1172 -12 1160 |
| NSW Liz Jackman | 243 259 | 64 68 | 4.9 3.0 | 1291 -37 1254 |
| NSW Fay Van Oyen | 401 422 | 98 103 | 3.1 2.0 | 1043 -21 1022 |
| NSW Mary Craven :act | 454 462 | 106 110 | 2.4 2.0 | 975 -7 968 |
| NSW Margaret Andrews | 224 282 | 58 78 | 6.1 1.0 | 1329 -102
1227 |
+-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+
+Section: *C SECTION + + + +
+--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| NSW Stacey Lock Lee | 610 577 | 152 140 | 4.4 6.0 | 832 +35 867 |
| NSW Sue Tuckett | 693 599 | 178 147 | 2.7 6.0 | 756 +84 840 |
| NSW Bev Purkis | 507 479 | 124 117 | 4.7 6.0 | 923 +28 951 |
| NSW Edith Lowbeer | 475 474 | 116 116 | 4.9 5.0 | 959 +1 960 |
| NSW Therese Newman | 736 668 | 192 172 | 2.4 5.0 | 715 +59 774 |
| NSW Peggy Womersley | 569 561 | 140 139 | 4.6 5.0 | 875 +10 885 |
| NSW Leonie McConnell | 660 623 | 169 156 | 3.1 5.0 | 783 +39 822 |
| NSW Mireille Minet | 514 522 | 129 128 | 4.5 4.0 | 920 -9 911 |
| NSW Heather Sorensen :ac | 702 673 | 182 175 | 2.8 4.0 | 746 +25 771 |
| NSW Judy Hall | 515 549 | 130 135 | 5.2 4.0 | 919 -24 895 |
| NSW Merle Young | 480 512 | 118 127 | 5.7 4.0 | 951 -32 919 |
| NSW Betty Irwin | 478 498 | 117 121 | 5.2 4.0 | 953 -23 930 |
| NSW David Ragen | 639 635 | 163 163 | 3.8 4.0 | 805 +7 812 |
| NSW Claire Dove | 631 626 | 159 159 | 3.6 4.0 | 812 +9 821 |
| NSW Margaret Ackman | 634 624 | 162 157 | 3.3 4.0 | 807 +14 821 |
| NSW Maureen Wilkins | 599 618 | 147 154 | 4.0 3.0 | 842 -18 824 |
| NSW Andree Lajoie | 682 669 | 174 173 | 2.5 3.0 | 763 +10 773 |
| NSW Roslynn Parnell | 588 634 | 141 162 | 4.2 2.0 | 856 -44 812 |
| NSW Vi Phillips | 489 597 | 121 145 | 5.2 2.0 | 942 -96 846 |
| NSW Louise Ready | 633 705 | 161 184 | 3.3 0.0 | 809 -65 744 |
+-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+
+Section: *D SECTION + + + +
+--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| NSW Rex Shakespeare | 714 662 | 185 171 | 5.8 8.0 | 734 +47 781 |
| NSW Chris Phillips | 727 717 | 188 188 | 5.6 6.0 | 722 +10 732 |
| NSW Joy Bresser :act | 823 808 | 216 211 | 4.5 5.0 | 633 +16 649 |
| NSW Beryl Pearson :act | 0 866 | 0 226 | 3.6 5.0 | 551 +43 594 |
| NSW Joy Morris | 987 931 | 260 249 | 3.0 5.0 | 495 +39 534 |
| NSW Merriss Adler :act | 923 898 | 243 237 | 3.8 5.0 | 539 +24 563 |
| NSW Brian Irwin | 859 877 | 225 228 | 4.9 4.0 | 601 -18 583 |
|*NSW Shirley Taylor | 0 944 | 0 251 | 4.0 4.0 | 522 +1 523 |
| NSW Elwyn Smith :act | 980 952 | 257 253 | 3.4 4.0 | 499 +12 511 |
| NSW Yvonne Edwards | 957 947 | 251 252 | 3.4 4.0 | 502 +18 520 |
| NSW John Smith :act | 889 903 | 232 238 | 4.7 4.0 | 573 -14 559 |
| NSW Nicola Turner | 0 920 | 0 242 | 3.8 3.0 | 568 -23 545 |
|*NSW Trish Shepherd | 0 967 | 0 259 | 3.3 3.0 | 500 500 |
| NSW Diana Field | 1020 1039 | 270 279 | 3.1 2.0 | 451 -23 428 |
| NSW Beryl Christensen | 1054 1065 | 284 289 | 2.3 1.0 | 386 -27 359 |
| NSW Maria Kaye | 850 930 | 222 248 | 4.7 1.0 | 609 -75 534 |
+-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+