SERBC: blanket coverage by dan kehn!
September 14, 2005 – 8:06 amstill more detailed notes by dan kehn on the finalists — the three he didn’t critique earlier. includes high praise indeed for mandy catron:
Technical notes: Mandy’s skills are precise and consistent. Seen from the stands, her technique was impeccable.
indeed, as you can see somewhat from my jerky video taken during her first-round routine. notice especially the finely tuned, deliberate and precise tamping and distribution technique. as noted in the live-blog session, mandy also had the confidence to tell the judges that her cappuccino shots were good, but could be better … and then proceeded to adjust the grind on the fly AND pause for a whole 90 seconds, at least, to tell the story behind her sigs. her routine was sharp, period.
mandy eventually finished fourth. which just goes to show you that what matters most in competition the spectators can’t sense — the taste of the drink itself. i wish there was a way to get a better idea. what sport/competition/event do you know of where those watching are completely clueless about the most weighty factor in winning? safe assertion: this is why barista competitions will never be televised. [grin]
