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2013 WORLD BARISTA CHAMPIONSHIP The city of Melbourne, Australia, boasts one of the most sophisticated coffee cultures in the world, so the 2013 World Barista Championship (WBC) taking place there was a delightfully easy fit. More than 50 national barista champions traveled from around the globe for their shot at the crown, along with hundreds of supporters and spectators who crowded the 1,200-seat bandstands surrounding the WBC stage for all four days of the competition. The WBC was held in conjunction with the relatively young but wildly popular Melbourne International Coffee Expo, which, though only in its second year, has already emerged as one of the can't-miss coffee events in the Southern Hemisphere for sure, but indeed on a global level. The World Coffee Events (WCE) organization—which oversees the WBC as well as the World Brewers Cup Championship (also held at MICE), and the World Latte Art Championship, World Coffee In Good Spirits Championship, World Cup Tasters Championship, and World Coffee Roasting Championship*—was thrilled to celebrate the 14th annual WBC, and, under the direction of WCE chair Carl Sara, it proved a tremendously successful event. PETE LICATA 56 ERIN MCCARTHY 62 2013 WBC IN PHOTOS 68 RAUL RODAS 72 As the exclusive media sponsor of the World Barista Championship, Barista Magazine celebrates this stellar venue for excellence in coffee craftsmanship every year with our WBC Commemorative Issue. In the following pages, you'll find a profile of WBC victor Pete Licata who hails from the United States; a photo essay of some of the most memorable moments from this year's event in Melbourne; an interview with outgoing WBC Champ Raul Rodas of Guatemala; and, for the first time ever, a feature about the World Brewers Cup Championship winner. When Erin McCarthy earned top honors in this fast-growing championship, we took the opportunity to truly celebrate the United States of America, as both champions of these esteemed events hailed from there. We hope you enjoy this extensive coverage, and we're already looking forward to the next World Barista Championship, which will be held in Rimini, Italy, in June of 2014. *The World Latte Art Championship, World Coffee In Good Spirits, World Cup Tasters Championship, and World Coffee Roasting Championship were held at the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe's annual World of Coffee event in Nice, France. For coverage and photos, see page 32 of this issue. www.baristamagazine.com 55