As usual, the Wollongong tournament was run in a congenial and thorough way by Rene Chelton and her hard-working band of helpers. Games are conducted in a charming setting complete with an inexpensive motel run by the Illawarra Retirement Trust. The tournament is unique in that lunch is included in the entry fee, along with the usual stream of sandwiches, cakes, biscuits and hot and cold beverages.
A total of 98 players contested four divisions with prizes awarded down to the fifth placegetters. It was good to see Paul Cleary win the A division in his first visit to Wollongong and also good to see Carol Nomarhas from Canberra get 4th place in D division in her tournament debut. The highlights for me though were the big ranking gains by Sue Flack (93 points) who won B division, and Jean Noonan ( 51points) in A division. Both these lovely ladies are fighting back to reclaim the heights they previously enjoyed. Sue, of course, amazes us by frequently travelling from Bega.
We were glad that Bob and Liz Jackman were able to come along after their planned camping trip was foiled by earlier rain. For once, Liz did better than her partner who dropped 13 points but still retains a slim lead at the top over Esther Perrins who wasn't playing.
There was a hint of controversy when experienced Joan Rosenthal amazingly managed to place her opening move in a row which missed the middle square - probably a tournament first - but was let off lightly and allowed to move the word after her opponent brought it to the adjudicator's attention.
The day was topped off nicely when Bob, Liz, Paul, Joanne, Rod, Jean, Ros, Peter, Rudy and Graeme unwound with some drinks at the Collegians Club, home of the local scrabble club, then enjoyed a tasty banquet at the Thai Carnation Restaurant.
Results after game 8 WORDS297 -- A DIVISION Rank Player Wins Mar -------------------------------- 1 Paul Cleary 7 658 2 Peter Shaw 6 333 3 John Barker 6 153 4 Joan Rosenthal 5 477 5 Bob Jackman 5 315 6 Peter Tobler 5 29 7 Jean Noonan 5 5 8 Robin Duncan 5 -105 9 Jean McGiffen 5 -176 10 Moana Nepia 4 220 11 Rod Talbot 4 126 12 Liz Jackman 4 -18 13 Jeff Spring 4 -96 14 Graeme Lock Lee 4 -147 15 Audrey Newman 4 -368 16 Betty Foreman 3 313 17 Pat Warren 3 59 18 Sue Gergelifi 3 -41 19 Keith Bioletti 3 -48 20 Robyn Flynn 3 -560 21 Gloria Gallagher 2 -51 22 Joanne Craig 2 -65 23 Robert Tomkins 2 -407 24 Jeff Chelton 2 -606 HIGH GAME: John Barker 549 HIGH WORD: Robert Tomkins 105 "QUASHES" Results after game 8 WORDS297 -- B DIVISION Rank Player Wins Mar -------------------------------- 1 Sue Flack 7 471 2 Siva Sivapalasundrum 6 100 3 Kerry Constable 6 60 4 Pam Morris 5 245 5 Alison Rae 5 232 6 Cheryl Michler 5 180 7 Ros Gibbons 5 169 8 Ethel Collins 5 100 9 Judy Nelson 5 -158 10 Hanne Marks 4 282 11 Judy McGuinness 4 271 12 Elizabeth Ho 4 40 13 Betty Coleman 4 -49 14 Norma Tracey 4 -266 15 Maureen Wilkins 3« -263 16 Ruby Kotwall 3 204 17 Rachael Westwood 3 44 18 Esther Rolfe 3 -80 19 Jenny Templeton 3 -94 20 Judy Hay 3 -221 21 Gary Pollard 2« -551 22 Tim Reddan 2 -164 23 June Stephenson 2 -270 24 Val Ryan 2 -282 HIGH GAME: Judy McGuinness 497 HIGH WORD: Judy Nelson 109 "SKITING" Results after game 8 WORDS297 -- C DIVISION Rank Player Wins Mar -------------------------------- 1 Rudolf Puntschuh 6 362 2 Mireille Crabb 6 271 3 Lan Knox 6 269 4 Raya Wilkinson 6 209 5 Michael Adler 5 342 6 Penny Lavender 5 282 7 Henni Maat 5 206 8 Isobel Humphreys 5 28 9 Pat Schuberg 5 6 10 Faye Van Oyen 4 180 11 Dawn Spring 4 142 12 Christine Small 4 38 13 Mary Craven 4 -20 14 Margaret Andrews 4 -47 15 Chloe McNally 4 -54 16 Richard Birch 4 -63 17 Jean Balmer 4 -150 18 Trish Farland 3 220 19 Alan Gauci 3 -128 20 Margaret Ackman 3 -198 21 Merle Young 3 -261 22 Judy Hall 3 -303 23 Jocelyn Mather 3 -361 24 Pam O'Connor 2 -259 25 Yvonne Pollard 2 -410 26 Svend Grunnet 1 -301 HIGH GAME: Trish Farland 497 HIGH WORD: Richard Birch 116 "STRAFED" Results after game 8 WORDS297 -- D DIVISION Rank Player Wins Mar -------------------------------- 1 Ivana Duria 7 414 2 Shirley McIndoe 6 242 3 Meriss Adler 6 157 4 Carol Nomarhas :act 5 275 5 Margaret Gauci 5 194 6 John Strang 5 140 7 Lenore Fay 5 35 8 Sharon Sorensen 5 28 9 Bunny Knott 5 0 10 Nonie English 5 -4 11 Chris Phillips 4 193 12 Joanne Deady 4 130 13 Sue Tuckett 4 98 14 Pearl Gillot 4 -12 15 Lila Tucker 3« -221 16 Joy Morris 3« -253 17 Dea Matthews :act 3 -38 18 Kath Davidson 3 -39 19 John Fay 3 -147 20 Yvonne Ward 3 -154 21 Nicola Turner 3 -160 22 Beryl Christensen 2 -253 23 Mary Lynam 1 -167 24 Norma Ryan 1 -458 HIGH GAME: Margaret Gauci 426 HIGH WORD: Pearl Gillott 95 "SCABIES" RATING MOVEMENTS +-------------------------+-----------+---------+-----------+----------------+ | state Name | National | State | Wins | Rating Points | | | Old New | Old New | Exp Act | Old Change New | +-------------------------+-----------+---------+-----------+----------------+ +Section: *A DIVISION + + + + +-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+ | NSW Paul Cleary | 7 5 | 4 4 | 5.9 7.0 | 1926 +20 1946 | | NSW Peter Shaw | 41 22 | 15 11 | 3.4 6.0 | 1759 +60 1819 | | NSW John Barker | 37 21 | 13 10 | 3.9 6.0 | 1776 +45 1821 | | NSW Joan Rosenthal | 11 11 | 5 5 | 4.9 5.0 | 1893 +4 1897 | | NSW Jean Noonan | 141 118 | 34 30 | 2.7 5.0 | 1521 +51 1572 | | NSW Bob Jackman | 1 1 | 1 1 | 6.8 5.0 | 2031 -14 2016 | | NSW Robin Duncan | 17 17 | 8 8 | 5.3 5.0 | 1846 -1 1844 | | NSW Jean McGiffen | 18 18 | 9 9 | 5.4 5.0 | 1845 -5 1839 | | NSW Peter Tobler :act | 45 43 | 16 15 | 4.3 5.0 | 1743 +13 1756 | | NSW Moana Nepia | 60 62 | 18 18 | 4.3 4.0 | 1703 -5 1697 | | NSW Jeff Spring | 130 129 | 33 33 | 3.9 4.0 | 1551 +2 1553 | | NSW Graeme Lock Lee | 116 108 | 31 28 | 3.2 4.0 | 1581 +16 1597 | | NSW Liz Jackman | 166 149 | 41 36 | 1.8 4.0 | 1458 +45 1503 | | NSW Rod Talbot | 35 44 | 12 16 | 5.5 4.0 | 1777 -28 1748 | | NSW Audrey Newman | 151 142 | 35 35 | 2.7 4.0 | 1489 +26 1515 | | NSW Keith Bioletti | 118 120 | 32 31 | 3.4 3.0 | 1575 -5 1569 | | NSW Pat Warren | 161 158 | 38 38 | 2.6 3.0 | 1476 +8 1484 | | NSW Betty Foreman | 157 150 | 37 37 | 2.0 3.0 | 1481 +19 1500 | | NSW Sue Gergelifi | 107 114 | 29 29 | 3.9 3.0 | 1600 -17 1582 | | NSW Robyn Flynn | 91 104 | 23 27 | 4.6 3.0 | 1635 -29 1605 | | NSW Gloria Gallagher | 63 90 | 19 22 | 5.2 2.0 | 1699 -64 1634 | | NSW Joanne Craig | 106 128 | 28 32 | 4.2 2.0 | 1602 -44 1557 | | NSW Robert Tomkins | 164 168 | 39 42 | 2.6 2.0 | 1463 -12 1450 | | NSW Jeff Chelton | 115 131 | 30 34 | 3.5 2.0 | 1581 -29 1551 | +-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+ +Section: *B DIVISION + + + + +-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+ | NSW Sue Flack | 285 233 | 64 52 | 3.4 7.0 | 1216 +93 1309 | | NSW Siva Sivapalasundram | 177 177 | 44 44 | 6.3 6.0 | 1431 -2 1428 | | NSW Kerry Constable :act | 273 253 | 62 56 | 3.8 6.0 | 1237 +47 1284 | | NSW Ethel Collins | 233 235 | 52 53 | 5.3 5.0 | 1308 -2 1305 | | NSW Pam Morris | 306 286 | 73 65 | 3.2 5.0 | 1183 +36 1219 | | NSW Cheryl Michler | 247 248 | 54 54 | 5.0 5.0 | 1289 +0 1288 | | NSW Ros Gibbons | 286 273 | 65 62 | 3.8 5.0 | 1215 +24 1239 | | NSW Judy Nelson | 195 201 | 47 46 | 6.1 5.0 | 1394 -19 1374 | | NSW Alison Rae :act | 260 256 | 58 57 | 4.2 5.0 | 1266 +15 1281 | | NSW Judy McGuiness | 397 384 | 94 92 | 3.0 4.0 | 1047 +20 1067 | | NSW Elizabeth Ho | 378 358 | 89 86 | 2.5 4.0 | 1073 +30 1103 | | NSW Hanne Marks | 194 204 | 46 47 | 5.2 4.0 | 1396 -23 1372 | | NSW Betty Coleman | 268 278 | 60 63 | 4.7 4.0 | 1245 -13 1231 | | NSW Norma Tracey | 317 308 | 75 74 | 2.8 4.0 | 1158 +23 1181 | | NSW Maureen Wilkins | 321 328 | 78 79 | 4.0 3.5 | 1154 -9 1144 | | NSW Ruby Kotwall | 206 223 | 48 51 | 5.0 3.0 | 1369 -40 1328 | | NSW Jenny Templeton | 269 292 | 61 68 | 5.0 3.0 | 1242 -38 1203 | | NSW Esther Rolfe | 411 400 | 100 97 | 2.3 3.0 | 1028 +14 1042 | | NSW Rachael Westwood | 360 352 | 86 84 | 2.5 3.0 | 1099 +10 1109 | | NSW Judy Hay | 248 267 | 55 60 | 5.0 3.0 | 1289 -39 1249 | | NSW Gary Pollard | 343 350 | 81 82 | 3.0 2.5 | 1127 -9 1117 | | NSW Tim Reddan | 389 397 | 92 94 | 2.6 2.0 | 1060 -12 1047 | | NSW Val Ryan | 238 272 | 53 61 | 5.1 2.0 | 1301 -60 1240 | | NSW June Stephenson | 415 425 | 101 103 | 2.4 2.0 | 1021 -7 1013 | +-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+ +Section: *C DIVISION + + + + +-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+ | NSW Rudolf Puntschuh | 523 485 | 134 123 | 4.2 6.0 | 902 +36 938 | | NSW Lan Knox | 479 451 | 121 110 | 4.5 6.0 | 945 +31 976 | | NSW Mireille Crabb | 449 417 | 112 101 | 4.7 6.0 | 982 +38 1020 | | NSW Raya Wilkinson | 538 480 | 138 121 | 3.5 6.0 | 885 +57 942 | | NSW Penny Lavender | 431 431 | 105 105 | 5.0 5.0 | 1007 +0 1007 | | NSW Michael Adler :act | 441 433 | 108 106 | 4.6 5.0 | 994 +9 1003 | | NSW Henni Maat | 626 592 | 154 149 | 3.3 5.0 | 806 +34 840 | | NSW Pat Schuberg | 482 468 | 122 117 | 4.2 5.0 | 941 +15 956 | | NSW Isabel Humphreys | 564 525 | 145 135 | 3.3 5.0 | 867 +33 900 | | NSW Christine Small | 446 456 | 109 112 | 4.5 4.0 | 985 -12 972 | | NSW Dawn Spring | 433 446 | 106 109 | 5.1 4.0 | 1004 -21 982 | | NSW Faye Van Oyen | 559 538 | 143 139 | 3.4 4.0 | 874 +12 886 | | NSW Margaret Andrews | 474 487 | 119 124 | 4.6 4.0 | 949 -11 937 | | NSW Chloe McNally | 488 509 | 125 129 | 4.9 4.0 | 935 -17 917 | | NSW Mary Craven :act | 650 619 | 160 153 | 3.1 4.0 | 796 +18 814 | | NSW Richard Birch | 448 467 | 111 116 | 5.2 4.0 | 982 -24 957 | | NSW Jean Balmer | 544 535 | 140 138 | 3.6 4.0 | 881 +8 889 | | NSW Trish Farland | 500 556 | 129 144 | 4.6 3.0 | 925 -48 876 | | NSW Alan Gauci | 683 684 | 166 167 | 2.9 3.0 | 777 +2 779 | | NSW Judy Hall | 424 477 | 103 120 | 5.2 3.0 | 1014 -66 947 | | NSW Merle Young | 642 645 | 157 158 | 3.0 3.0 | 799 +0 798 | | NSW Jocelyn Mather | 458 521 | 114 134 | 5.2 3.0 | 973 -65 907 | | NSW Margaret Ackman | 710 706 | 173 173 | 2.7 3.0 | 757 +6 763 | | NSW Pam O'Connor | 729 740 | 178 183 | 2.6 2.0 | 736 -12 723 | | NSW Yvonne Pollard | 600 651 | 149 160 | 3.2 2.0 | 832 -35 796 | | NSW Svend Grunnet | 717 786 | 174 196 | 3.1 1.0 | 749 -62 686 | +-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+ +Section: *D DIVISION + + + + +-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+ | NSW Ivana Duria | 731 680 | 179 166 | 4.7 7.0 | 733 +48 781 | | NSW Shirley McIndoe | 737 714 | 182 175 | 4.6 6.0 | 726 +28 754 | | NSW Merriss Adler :act | 901 845 | 232 215 | 3.6 6.0 | 599 +51 650 | |*NSW Carol Nomarhas :act | 0 725 | 0 179 | 5.0 5.0 | 740 +0 740 | | NSW Margaret Gauci | 775 765 | 194 191 | 4.6 5.0 | 696 +8 704 | | NSW John Strang | 834 793 | 211 198 | 4.1 5.0 | 657 +26 683 | | NSW Sharon Sorensen | 738 741 | 183 184 | 5.1 5.0 | 726 -2 723 | | NSW Lenore Fay | 796 806 | 199 204 | 5.5 5.0 | 680 -8 671 | | NSW Bunny Knott | 920 888 | 236 228 | 3.4 5.0 | 581 +31 612 | | NSW Nonie English | 763 756 | 191 188 | 4.9 5.0 | 706 +4 710 | | NSW Pearl Gillott | 812 833 | 204 211 | 4.5 4.0 | 667 -9 657 | | NSW Chris Phillips | 807 847 | 203 216 | 4.8 4.0 | 671 -21 649 | | NSW Joanne Deady | 959 933 | 246 241 | 3.0 4.0 | 549 +19 568 | | NSW Sue Tuckett | 752 794 | 186 199 | 5.6 4.0 | 714 -31 682 | | NSW Lila Tucker | 1158 1140 | 293 293 | 1.4 3.5 | 294 +76 370 | |*NSW Joy Morris | 0 1060 | 0 273 | 3.8 3.5 | 500 -21 478 | |*NSW Dea Matthews :act | 0 1041 | 0 269 | 3.2 3.0 | 500 -10 489 | |*NSW Nicola Turner | 0 1061 | 0 274 | 3.4 3.0 | 500 -22 477 | | NSW Kath Davidson | 995 1003 | 258 259 | 3.3 3.0 | 514 -6 507 | | NSW John Fay | 996 1007 | 259 262 | 3.5 3.0 | 514 -8 505 | |*NSW Yvonne Ward | 0 1013 | 0 264 | 4.0 3.0 | 500 -62 500 | | NSW Beryl Christensen | 970 1033 | 249 267 | 3.4 2.0 | 536 -41 494 | | NSW Mary Lynam | 1112 1141 | 284 294 | 2.5 1.0 | 414 -45 368 | |*NSW Norma Ryan | 0 1163 | 0 299 | 4.0 1.0 | 500 -185 314 | +-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+