Scrabble Australia
The Causeway Challenge 2009
Contenders

The event

The 8th Causeway Scrabble Challenge is expected to be held in December 2009.

Qualification criteria

The Australian team of five will be selected as follows. The qualification criteria are essentially the same as for the Australian Masters event, but with no concession for being top of one's state:

1. A player must be a financial member of ASPA for the entire qualifying period.
2. A player must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Temporary visa holders are not eligible.
3. The method of ranking candidates is by the three peak statistic (the Q statistic) described below.
4. Players may appeal to CASPA for a special dispensation in exceptional circumstances.
5. In the event of any unforeseen issue the decision of CASPA is final.

The three peaks Q statistic

The primary criterion for ranking candidates is the Q statistic calculated like this:

• The qualification period is July 1 2008 to June 30 2009 inclusive.
• Subperiods are July to Oct 2008, Nov 2008 to Feb 2009 and Mar 2009 to June 2009.
• The qualifying statistic is Q = (P1 + P2 + 2 x P3)/4 , which is a weighted average of peak ratings in three subperiods.
• If you play no rated games recognised by CASPA in a subperiod, your peak is zero in that subperiod.
• You must have played at least 60 games in the qualifying period before the last peak.

The secondary criterion is number of rated games within the qualification period. If two players have the same Q statistic, the one with the greater number of games in the qualification period is ranked higher.

The contenders

The table below shows the notional team as at 02.09.2008 plus 8 more who are almost in.

More details revealed as you move your mouse over the table.

THE TEAM	Rank	Q Stat 02.09.2008	Games	Peak (games) Jul-Oct	Peak (games) Nov-Feb	Peak (games) Mar-Jun
David Eldar (VIC)	1	2040.00	0
Chris May (NSW)	2	2009.00	28	2009 (28)
Edward Okulicz (NSW)	3	1999.00	29	1999 (29)
Naween Fernando (VIC)	4	1983.00	6	1983 (6)
Andrew Fisher (VIC)	5	1930.00	6	1930 (6)
ALMOST IN
Trevor Halsall (VIC)	6	1900.00	11	1900 (11)
Michael Hornung (VIC)	7	1887.00	7	1887 (7)
Julian McKail (VIC)	8	1886.00	0
Joan Rosenthal (NSW)	9	1869.00	0
Peter Kougi (VIC)	10	1841.00	4	1841 (4)
Esther Perrins (NSW)	11	1836.00	20	1836 (20)
Bob Jackman (NSW)	12	1827.00	55	1827 (55)
Richard Jeremy (ACT)	13	1815.00	20	1815 (20)

Recently processed:
17.08.2008 Wollongong WY Fundrais (NSW), 23.08.2008 Revesby (NSW), 24.08.2008 ROCKINGHAM 2008 (WA), 24.08.2008 SA AUGUST (SA), 30.08.2008 Claytons Saturday (QLD), 30.08.2008 Oatlands (NSW), 31.08.2008 Claytons Sunday (QLD)