International

SELECTION

NZASP uses the following criteria to select teams to represent NZ at international tournaments…

RESULTS

NZ has historically done very well in international tournaments, especially considering our small population base.

Nigel Richards won the World Championship event in 2007, 2011 and 2013, and Alastair Richards (no relation) won it in 2021. Nigel has also won the French-language World Championships twice, as well as countless other major world events.

 Howard Warner has won the World Seniors Championship twice, and Joanne Craig once. Lewis Hawkins won several age-group titles in the World Youth Championships.

Nigel Richards – ‘greatest of all time’ in the world of Scrabble.	Alastair Richards won the Virtual Scrabble World Championships in 2021.

WESPA Championship (WESPAC)

Criteria for NZ Players.

Trans-Tasman Challenge

The TTC is held every two years. Hosting alternates between Australia and NZ. New Zealand last hosted the event in 2018, in Dunedin.

When held in NZ:
The top 12 New Zealand players are selected (cut-off date to be determined by NZASP). Australia also has 12 players.

When held in Australia:
New Zealand selects our top 10 players (cut-off date to be determined by NZASP). Australia has 16 players.

Regrettably, the last TTC, planned for Canberra in 2020 and again in 2021, was cancelled both times due to COVID-19.

Alchemist Cup

The 10-team, elite, international tournament was to have taken place in Penang, Malaysia, in December 2020.  New Zealand had a team of five players, including then world champion and world No 1 Nigel Richards, and current world champ Alastair Richards. Unfortunately the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Zealand had competed in the three previous editions of this event.