Report and Results of FISTF/WASPA Los Angeles Open

A great day’s play was enjoyed by thirteen players at the FISTF/WASPA Los Angeles Open, and we very pleased to welcome Thomas and Trisha Baumeler from Switzerland, on tour in California for a month.

Perhaps fate dictated that Trisha and Thomas met together in the quarter-finals in a very tight family affair, with Thomas finally just edging the tie on shots.

In the final, USA no. 2 Dan Cranston could have hoped at half time that he had one hand on the title, as he raced into a 3-0 lead over Zach Walker. However, Zach showed yet again why currently his Subbuteo is a level apart in the USA, staging a 3-3 comeback with two minutes left, and scoring the winner five minutes into overtime. A great performance by both players.

Zach Walker (right), Los Angeles Open champion

The event was competitive and intense, but there was no yelling every time a goal was scored (103 goals) and the games conducted in a sporting manner. Thanks to everyone for taking part, and especially to the USA players Dan Cranston, Erik Haefke and Zach Walker, who each travelled over 3000 miles or over 1000 miles to participate in this event and the ASA Nationals yesterday.

We wish the event could have had more players. But in the USA (the third largest country in the world after Russia and Canada) we face enormous logistical issues in bringing together a substantial number of players from maybe 21 different playing States to play Subbuteo together.

Playing maybe 5-6 games on American Nationals day can mean 1000-3000 miles of air and car rental travel for participants not living in the host state. These isolation issues compound when we (as we did this year) look at sending teams to the World Cup and Champions League, not just the travel it takes but the cost for individuals.

The same can be said of playing Canada, Mexico or Brazil, something we’d love to do one day. In the future, sponsorship is the way to go. The potential here in the USA remains huge.
And at ground level, we’d like to welcome a new player who has joined the Southern California Subbuteo League whilst visiting the Nationals this week-end, Damir Vranjes. Welcome Damir.

(Report by Paul O'Donovan Rossa)

Tournament results

Group A

Erik Haefke 2-1 Thomas Baumeler
Cameron Tucker 0-6 Thomas Baumeler
Cameron Tucker 1-2 Erik Haefke

1. Erik Haefke P2 W2 D0 L0 F4 A2 Pts 6
2. Thomas Baumeler P2 W1 D0 L1 F7 A2 Pts 3
3. Cameron Tucker P2 W0 D0 L2 F1 A8 Pts 0

Group B

Paul O’Donovan Rossa 0-2 Trisha Baumeler
Steve Tucker 1-1 Paul O’Donovan Rossa
Trisha Baumeler 2-0 Steve Tucker

1. Trisha Baumeler P2 W2 D0 L0 F4 A0 Pts 6
2. Paul O’Donovan Rossa P2 W0 D1 L1 F1 A3 Pts 1
3. Steve Tucker P2 W0 D1 L1 F1 A3 Pts 1
Paul O’DR beat Steve Tucker 2-0 in shoot-out

Group C

Wayne Smith 4-0 Conan Mullen
Conan Mullen 0-2 Dan Cranston
Wayne Smith 1-3 Dan Cranston

1. Dan Cranston P2 W2 D0 L0 F5 A1 Pts 6
2. Wayne Smith P2 W1 D0 L1 F5 A3 Pts 3
3. Conan Mullen P2 W0 D0 L2 F0 A6 Pts 0

Group D

Varant Kurkeyerian 0-7 Zach Walker
Rob Tucker 7-1 Josh Tucker
Rob Tucker 0-6 Zach Walker
Varant Kurkeyerian 7-1 Josh Tucker
Zach Walker 6-6 Josh Tucker
Rob Tucker 0-1 Varant Kurkeyerian

1. Zach Walker P3 W2 D1 L0 F19 A6 Pts 7
2. Varant Kurkeyerian P3 W2 D0 L1 F9 A8 Pts 6
3. Rob Tucker P3 W1 D0 L2 F7 A8 Pts 3
4. Josh Tucker P2 W0 D1 L2 F8 A21 Pts 1

Swiss derby between the Baumeler, father and daughter

Quarter Finals
Erik Haefke 1-2 Paul O’Donovan Rossa
Wayne Smith 0-7 Zach Walker
Dan Cranston 7-0 Varant Kurkeyerian
Trisha Baumeler 0-0 Thomas Baumeler
Thomas Baumeler beat Trisha Baumeler 2-1 in shoot-out

Daniel Cranston vs Varant Kurkeyerian

Semi Finals
Paul O’Donovan Rossa 1-4 Zach Walker
Dan Cranston 2-1 Thomas Baumeler

Final
Daniel Cranston 3-4 Zach Walker (OT)

3rd/4th Place Play Off
Thomas Baumeler 3-0 Paul O'Donovan Rossa

FISTF/WASPA Los Angeles Open Champion 2014 – Zach Walker (Colorado)