French World Scrabble Championships

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The French World Scrabble Championships (French : Championnats du monde de Scrabble francophone) is an annual Scrabble tournament that takes place in a different French-speaking country every year. Created in 1972 by Hippolyte Wouters, it was the first of the three World Scrabble Championships to be created, with the English version being created in 1991 and the Spanish version being created in 1997.

Contents

Unlike the English and Spanish versions, the French World Championships are made up of various tournaments, somewhat like the World Series of Poker. The "Main Event" is the Elite tournament which has existed since 1972, and was first won by the tournament's creator Hippolyte Wouters.

List of tournaments

World Championships

Other tournaments

Some other tournaments are organised during the week which do not crown a World Champion but do have a winner:

History of the Championships

The French World Scrabble Championships started off as a small tournament in Cannes with just 7 players, and at the time, was not considered to be a World Championship. The tournament moved each year and more and more players which led to other tournaments being created at the same venue. The Elite tournament was at first dominated by Belgian players, with 5 of the first 7 championships being won by Belgian players. After three French winners in 1979, 80 and 81 the tournament was taken over by Michel Duguet of France who won the tournament 5 times in 7 years, while finishing second twice in that period. Duguet also set various championship records by dropping just 12 points in 5 games, which is 99.71%. After winning the Elite World Championship for a 5th time he retired from Scrabble and took up contract bridge and became one of the best players in the world, competing in both the French national championships and the European team championships.

After Duguet's retirement the French domination of the championships continued, with in total 12 championships in a row being won by France. Indeed, France also took second place every year during that ran, apart from in 1990 when Christian Pierre of Belgium finished second. In 1991 it was Christian Pierre who won Belgium's first title since 1978 and continued to win the title a total of 5 times in 8 years, matching what Duguet did in the 1980s. In 2002 and 2003 Jean Pierre Hellebaut became the first Swiss winner of the tournament. In fact he was born in Belgium and had previously finished second in the Belgian national championship in 1991 but after moving to Switzerland, won the World Championship 2 years in a row, a feat only accomplished before that by Duguet and Pierre. Antonin Michel has since dominated the Elite World Championships, having won the tournament twice in 2005 and 2007 and having finished second in 2001 and 2006.

The pairs event has been mainly dominated by France; Michel Duguet holds the record with five titles while Antonin Michel and Franck Maniquant (also of France) are just behind with 4 titles. Two African players have won the title - Ndongo Samba Sylla and Mactar Sylla of Senegal - these two are in fact brothers.

The blitz is a relatively recent event, added in 2001 and 5 of the 8 championships have been won by Antonin Michel. The four other winners and Florian Lévy and Franck Maniquant of France, and Ndongo Samba Sylla and Mactar Sylla of Senegal.

The match play tournament known as le Championnat du monde de Scrabble classique was brought in during 2006 and has been systematically dominated by African players, showing that the traditional form of Scrabble is more popular in Africa than the duplicate one. In 2008 in Dakar, 7 of the top 10 players were African, the three exceptions being Pascal Astresses, Antonin Michel and Hervé Bohbot all from France. More recently, the 2015 event saw Africans claim six of the top 10 places, and in 2016 the top three players and seven of the top 10 were Africans.[ citation needed ]

List of winners of the Elite (duplicate individual) tournament

Antonin Michel, winner of the Elite tournament in 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2013. Antonin Michel 2003.jpg
Antonin Michel, winner of the Elite tournament in 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2013.
YearHost CityWinnerNationalityRunner-upNationality
1972 Flag of France.svg Cannes Hippolyte WoutersFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Sarah WolfowiczFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
1973 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Liège Agnès LempereurFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Dominique DarmstaedterFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
1974 Flag of Monaco.svg Monaco Marc SelisFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Dominique DarmstaedterFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
1975 Flag of Spain.svg Estepona Michel CharlemagneFlag of France.svg  France Marc SelisFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
1976 Flag of Tunisia.svg Djerba Marc SelisFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Michel CharlemagneFlag of France.svg  France
1977 Flag of France.svg Aix-les-Bains Jean-Marc BellotFlag of France.svg  France Michel PialatFlag of France.svg  France
1978 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Brussels Yvon DuvalFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Claude DelFlag of France.svg  France
1979 Flag of France.svg Vichy Benjamin HannunaFlag of France.svg  France Vincent LabbéFlag of France.svg  France
1980 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Liège Vincent LabbéFlag of France.svg  France Robert LaïkFlag of France.svg  France
1981 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Montreux Jacques-Henri MuraccioleFlag of France.svg  France Marc EsquerréFlag of France.svg  France
1982 Flag of Tunisia.svg Hammamet Michel Duguet Flag of France.svg  France Benjamin HannunaFlag of France.svg  France
1983 Flag of France.svg Grenoble Michel DuguetFlag of France.svg  France Frank PluvenFlag of France.svg  France
1984 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Montreal Benjamin HannunaFlag of France.svg  France Michel DuguetFlag of France.svg  France
1985 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Brussels Michel DuguetFlag of France.svg  France Claude DelFlag of France.svg  France
1986 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Lausanne Philippe BellostaFlag of France.svg  France Michel DuguetFlag of France.svg  France
1987 Flag of France.svg Metz Michel DuguetFlag of France.svg  France Philippe LorenzoFlag of France.svg  France
1988 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Quebec Michel DuguetFlag of France.svg  France Jean-Louis PallaviciniFlag of France.svg  France
1989 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Namur Paul LevartFlag of France.svg  France Marc TreiberFlag of France.svg  France
1990 Flag of Senegal.svg Dakar Marc TreiberFlag of France.svg  France Christian Pierre Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
1991 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Fleurier Christian PierreFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Paul LevartFlag of France.svg  France
1992 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Hull Christian PierreFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Emmanuel RivalanFlag of France.svg  France
1993 Flag of France.svg Saint-Malo Emmanuel RivalanFlag of France.svg  France Franck ManiquantFlag of France.svg  France
1994 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Libramont Christian PierreFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Eddy ClauwaertFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
1995 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Ovronnaz Jean-François LachaudFlag of France.svg  France Franck ManiquantFlag of France.svg  France
1996 Flag of France.svg Aix-les-Bains Christian PierreFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Nicolas GrelletFlag of France.svg  France
1997 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Saint-Hyacinthe Aurélien KermarrecFlag of France.svg  France Emmanuel RivalanFlag of France.svg  France
1998 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Brussels Christian PierreFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Franck ManiquantFlag of France.svg  France
1999 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Bulle Emmanuel RivalanFlag of France.svg  France Jean-François LachaudFlag of France.svg  France
2000 Flag of France.svg Paris Florian LévyFlag of France.svg  France Gérard BocconFlag of France.svg  France
2001 Flag of France.svg La Rochelle Franck ManiquantFlag of France.svg  France Antonin Michel and Emmanuel RivalanFlag of France.svg  France
2002 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Montreal Jean Pierre HellebautFlag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland Thierry ChincholleFlag of France.svg  France
2003 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Liège Jean Pierre HellebautFlag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland Christian PierreFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
2004 Flag of Morocco.svg Marrakech Germain Boulianne Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Franck ManiquantFlag of France.svg  France
2005 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Neuchâtel Antonin Michel Flag of France.svg  France Jean Pierre HellebautFlag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland
2006 Flag of France.svg Tours Pascal FritschFlag of France.svg  France Antonin MichelFlag of France.svg  France
2007 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Quebec Antonin Michel Flag of France.svg  France Christian PierreFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
2008 Flag of Senegal.svg Dakar Éric VenninFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Aurélien DelaruelleFlag of France.svg  France
2009 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Mons Hugo DelafontaineFlag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland Christian PierreFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
2010 Flag of France.svg Montpellier Antonin Michel Flag of France.svg  France Didier RoquesFlag of France.svg  France
2011 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Montreux Francis DesjardinsFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Antonin Michel Flag of France.svg  France
2012 Flag of France.svg Montauban David BovetFlag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland Étienne BudryFlag of France.svg  France
2013 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Rimouski Antonin MichelFlag of France.svg  France David BovetFlag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland
2014 Flag of France.svg Aix-les-Bains Hugo DelafontaineFlag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland Francis DesjardinsFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
2015 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Louvain-la-Neuve David BovetFlag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland Nigel Richards Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
2016 Flag of Morocco.svg Agadir Hugo DelafontaineFlag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland Arnaud Mulonda Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Democratic Republic of the Congo
2017 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Martigny Nigel Richards Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand Thierry ChincholleFlag of France.svg  France
2018 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mont-Tremblant Nigel RichardsFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand Arnaud Mulonda Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Democratic Republic of the Congo [1]
2019 Flag of France.svg La Rochelle Nigel RichardsFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand N'Dongo Samba Sylla Flag of Senegal.svg Senegal

List of winners of the Classique (matchplay) tournament

YearHost CityWinnerNationalityRunner-upNationality
2006 Flag of France.svg Tours Parfait MouandaFlag of the Republic of the Congo.svg  Republic of the Congo Henry-Marcel EngongeFlag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg  Democratic Republic of the Congo
2007 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Quebec Amar DiokhFlag of Senegal.svg  Senegal Edouard LebeauFlag of France.svg  France
2008 Flag of Senegal.svg Dakar Élisée PokaFlag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast Pascal AstressesFlag of France.svg  France
2009 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Mons Benjamin ValourFlag of France.svg  France Pierre-Olivier GeorgetFlag of France.svg  France
2010 Flag of France.svg Montpellier Christian CoustillasFlag of France.svg  France Gille SauzeFlag of France.svg  France
2011 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Montreux Jean-François RamelFlag of France.svg  France Julien AffatonFlag of Benin.svg  Benin
2012 Flag of France.svg Montauban Pierre-Olivier GeorgetFlag of France.svg  France Julien AffatonFlag of Benin.svg  Benin
2013 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Rimouski Christian CoustillasFlag of France.svg  France Julien AffatonFlag of Benin.svg  Benin
2014 Flag of France.svg Aix-les-Bains Julien AffatonFlag of Benin.svg  Benin Schélick Ilagou RekaweFlag of Gabon.svg  Gabon
2015 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Louvain-la-Neuve Nigel Richards Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand Schélick Ilagou RekaweFlag of Gabon.svg  Gabon
2016 Flag of Morocco.svg Agadir Abib AlabiFlag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast Gildas Ingrid MadelaFlag of Gabon.svg  Gabon
2017 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Martigny Benjamin ValourFlag of France.svg  France Belphégore Mpaga RéténoFlag of Gabon.svg  Gabon
2018 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mont-Tremblant Nigel Richards Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand Gueu Mathieu ZingbeFlag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast [2]
2019 Flag of France.svg La Rochelle Francis DesjardinsFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Élisée PokaFlag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast

References

  1. "FFSC - Ma Fiche".
  2. "Scrabble® classique".