COVID-19 Resources for Competition Bodies

February 4, 2021 — See the latest update on the 2021 WCC Athens schedule here.

July 28, 2020 — Submit your suggestions to the adjusted judging protocol by using this link.

March 24, 2020 — Adjusted judging protocols have been released for use at Competition Body events. You can view those in the section below or at this link.

March 19, 2020 — We understand that Competition Bodies (CBs) may have many questions as the current global outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus affects their planned activities for the 2020 World Coffee Championship Competition Year and beyond. Our aim is to provide a centralized source on this page with relevant resources and answers to frequently asked questions, which will be regularly updated as more information becomes available. We have a number of immediate updates below to share with you right away, including important information on registered national champions, holding CB events, and WCE Rep requirements.

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Adjusted Judging Protocols for Competition Body Events

We are introducing adjusted judging protocols for Competition Body (CB) events in the current World Coffee Championship season, which aim to minimize cross-contamination during competition judging, while still considering how Head Judges will meaningfully interact with and support Sensory Judge panels – during competition, and in deliberation. These protocol adjustments have been developed from the suggestions of our WCE Certified Judges and Reps, who have been testing their effectiveness at recent events. 

Please note: Adjusted protocols are recommended to be used (at minimum) for all CB events, and should be announced to all competitors prior to competition dates, as soon as possible.

We welcome all CBs to use these protocols as a starting point for their championships. Every CB should also consider the latest official advice from their own region and input from other stakeholder groups. Official advice, as it pertains to health, safety, and event gatherings can be obtained through local governments and health advisories (amongst others). Protocols should be adjusted upon this advice, as may also come from other resources or individuals.

These new judging protocols are in an early phase. We appreciate all feedback and suggested improvements. As CBs utilize and implement these adjustments, please send us any best-practices to submit for inclusion with future updates to protocol.

Final judging protocols for use at future World Coffee Championships will be agreed upon by before the competitions, and communicated to all judges and competitors at a later date.

 

National Champion Participation at WCC Warsaw & Melbourne

With the recent date shift for the Warsaw and Melbourne events, we understand that some National Champions may have issues in participating at the new dates. We encourage you to reach out to your National Champions as soon as possible, to confirm their participation at the World Coffee Championships.

Planning Competition Body Events

We understand the concern around hosting events at this time. The situation with the coronavirus is changing very rapidly globally, with different areas experiencing different effects. Our recommendation is first and foremost to follow all guidelines from local health authorities. If those guidelines are not enough to inform your decision, we encourage everyone to err on the side of caution and do what they can to limit exposures. For the latest updates on SCA’s Covid-19 response, including a modified cupping protocol, please see the following page: https://sca.coffee/covid19 

WCE will be flexible and accommodating with any decisions that are necessary and want to support Competition Bodies as best we can, but please keep us updated.

WCE Reps at Competition Body Events

The COVID-19 outbreak has made global travel more complicated. Travelers may have restrictions imposed on them by various government entities or may be hesitant to travel due to the evolving situation. We know that this may make it difficult for Competition Bodies (CBs) to find WCE Representatives for their national championships. WCE wants to recognize that this situation may create unprecedented challenges for Competition Bodies. Therefore, if a CB is unable to find a WCE Rep for their championships, please let your Regional Community Director (RCD) know as soon as possible (find their contact information below). If no suitable Rep is available, WCE may allow the CB to run their championships without a WCE Rep present, and still be able to send their champions to compete at the World Coffee Championships. If your CB is having trouble confirming a WCE Rep, please inform WCE (info@wce2.flywheelsites.com) and your RCD as soon as possible, so that we can help determine the best solution available and ensure that your national champions are sanctioned.

  • Mansi Chokshi, Regional Community Director for the Americas – Email: mansic@sca.coffee
  • Kyonghee Shin, Regional Community Director for Asia-Pacific – Email: kyonghees@sca.coffee
  • Jackie Malone, Regional Community Director for Europe, Middle East, and Africa – Email: jackiem@sca.coffee