It’s been a lightning-fast two days here at the World Barista Championships, but that the dust has settled, we know the 16 baristas moving onto the Semi-Final round taking place tomorrow, April 13th. We started Round One just 48 short hours ago with a total of 55 coffee professionals vying for a spot to the next round, but the competition was as stiff as it has ever been and the field had to be culled to a third its original size.
Now it’s about to get really real. Making the Semi-Finals is no small feet but the work is hardly over for these 18 baristas. To make it to the final six, they are going to have to tighten the screws on their already award-winning routines.
And making its triumphant return to the World Barista Championship, our much-loved Live Tweet coverage of each and every routine begins with the Semi-Final round. To say we are excited would be a significant understatement. And for more coverage of the World Barista Championship, the World Brewers Cup, and the Expo floor, make sure you are following @Sprudge on Instagram.
All of SprudgeLive’s 2019 competition coverage is made possible by Acaia, Baratza, Faema, Cafe Imports, Wilbur Curtis, Third Wave Water, Minor Figures, and Mahlkönig.
In 2019 SprudgeLive is home to the Digital Roasters Village, because it takes a village to cover a barista competition. The Digital Roasters Village features Camber Coffee, Verve Coffee, Partners Coffee, Intelligentsia Coffee, Rishi Tea, Kickapoo Coffee, Blue Bottle Coffee, Onyx Coffee Lab, Creation Coffee, Amavida, and Equator Coffees without whom this work would not be possible.
In no particular order…
Martha Grill, Octàvio Café, Brazil
Mikael Jasin, Common Grounds Coffee Roaster, Indonesia
Giacomo Vannelli, Vannelli Specialty Coffee, Italy
Dove Chen, Grey St Kitchen Cafe, New Zealand
Junior Vargas Otero, Gota Coffee, Austria
Jooyeon Jeon, Momos Coffee, South Korea
Michael Harris, Henry and Sons Co Inc., Philippines
Mathieu Theis, Mame, Switzerland
Carlos de la Torre, Cafe con Jiribilla, Mexico
Mathew Lewin, ONA Coffee, Australia
Matt Winton, Mame, Sweden
Wojtek Bialczak, Five Elephant Coffee, Germany
Michalis Dimitrakopoulos, The UnderDog, Greece
Konstantin Khramov, DoubleB Coffee and Tea, Russia
Maria Elena Rivera, Kaba Coffee Center/Franco Specialty Coffee Shop, Costa Rica
Cole Torode, Rosso Coffee Roasters, Canada
