Check out the updated photo gallery: 2009 World Champs Photo Gallery.
Yesterday, on Feb 28, 2009, in Bridgton, Maine, the 5th Annual Four Square World Championships once again drew 100+ in registered competitors for five major division titles.
Players ranged from as nearby in Maine as Belfast, Portland, Cape Elizabeth, and Bridgton itself. Players from Burlington, VT, and various upstate NY locales turned up. A strong contingent from Boston based Squarefour put on a great show. From even further reaches, players flew in from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Florida.
59 men and 39 women battled it out through two grueling elimination rounds and then in a heated finals round for the mens and womens divisions. When the dust settled, there were quite a few surprises.
Taking home the Senior Men's and Senior Women's World Champion titles were repeat winners Tommy Stockwell of Bridgton, ME, and Audrey Castro of Portland, ME.
New Men's World Champion Chris Glasser of Somerville, MA, took the title by only a single point over Ben Stockwell of Bridgton, ME, and only two points ahead of a three way tie for the third place seats. That's right, the five top scoring men in the final round were separated by only a three point spread.
Quite the opposite in the Women's World Championships, Justine Petrillo of Cambridge, MA, dominated the final round with a final score over 40% lead over the second place woman Christina Laverentz of Cambridge, MA.
Our mens and womens finalists were given the opportunity to nominate additional noteworthy players. The men selected Matthew Fishbein of Cape Elizabeth, ME, and the women selected Melissa Woodman of Foxboro, MA.
Special recognition was given to the scorekeepers Lou Dapas and Sean Dunbon, as well as extra recognition for Peter Lowell, the godfather of four square, who dreamed up this whole competition back in 2005.