SHOWBAR AWARD 2

Updated: July 1, 2004

SHOWBAR AWARD 2
Vienna, Austria
May 24th & 25th 2004

By Erin Connelly

The Southern Comfort Showbar Award 2 was a an excellent show for the crowd. On finals night between the top eight Flair bartenders from the previous days qualifying round were dancers, a comedian, a saxophone player, and a singer.

The venue was an old train station which had been converted into a big warehouse. On this day it looked very festive with streamers, banners, giant Southern Comfort bottles and two huge TV screens so the people in the back wouldn’t miss the action.

There were competitors from 10 countries in total:
Argentina, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Sweden and USA.

Pictured right is 1st place winner Nino Drini.

The qualifying day was working Flair only and was held at a local night club called ‘Nachtschicht’ or ‘Night Shift’. With a casual setting and plenty of vodka Redbulls to go around. This was a great setting for the competitors to show their stuff and mingle afterwards.

Not only were the competitors a very diverse group, but the judges were a well known and respected bunch from all over. Fabio Milani (ITA) Ian Bartos (NL) Tug van den Bergh (UK) Philip Duff (IRL) Vasko Lalic (GER)

Tom Sipos was the man behind this entire event. I have to say I have never met a nicer guy. Not only has he been a Flair bartender since 1994, but he has also worked in Austria’s the first Flair bar. After a few years in Austria Tom took offers to work in foreign countries, like Czech Republic, Hungary, Switzerland and Germany. He is the founder of the Show Barkeeper Team Austria and co-founder of the Martinelli Team in Prague. As the FBA rep for Austria Tom was also the first to organize an international competition in Vienna.

At the end of the competition everyone left the huge event hall to go to a more cozy atmosphere in Tom’s new bar, just opened in March, The Office.

Q: What do you think was the best part of the whole event?
A: Bringing all those talented people to Vienna and getting them to know each other. Bringing Flair bartending a step closer to the Austrians, also motivating our bartenders. I love this game.

Q: Are you planning on having this competition every year?
A: Yes, next year there will be Southern Comfort Showbar Award 3.

Q: Any thoughts you may want to add for the Flair world to read?
A: for the crowd, to make them understand the judging. We should think of a way to give them more inside information, because many did not understand the results.

Final Results

1. Nino Drini, AUT
2. Neil Lowery, GB
3. Matthias Knorr, GER
4. Essie Numminen,SWE
5. Erin Connelly, USA
6. Anna Hilb, GER
7. Gabriele Maderna, ITA
8. Marco Corgnati, ITA