Rene Frotscher from Germany...

Very insulting to the Germans opening that went down reasonably well and follows with some "comedy" lines... then pen through note... vanishing ketchup bottle... a card trick... one or two nearly funny gags but not a winner on my score card... (I am having a Dale Carnegie morning)

Kiko Pastur from Spain..

Nice four ace production to music at start... then some nice, skillful card effects performed in a gentle manner. Didn't set the audience alight though... warm reaction at the end

Giacomo De Carlo from Italy...

For emotional involvement watch this man! Giacomo brought some football into his card magic!!

Yes really... a card act based around the world cup final between Italy and France which Italy won on penalties after Zidane was sent off...

Original and for a football nut like me entertaining...

Special award territory?

Johan Stahl from Sweden

Pen, Ball and Cup routines where things happen... to the pen and the ball and of course eventually the cup... but where is the emotional engagement?

Toto from Japan...

Great "bending" routine... then goes and does rubber band tricks just as I was getting to like him!

Fooled many of us with "open loading" style effects. Believe it or not he even vanished a thumb tip which reappeared (suction) stuck on his cheek...

Very visual five chosen cards springing out of the standing up against the glass on the table remotely effect.

Original and a prize winner despite a touch of "I fooled you dummies" presentation style...

Dynamo from England...

Lottery trick... a knock out wallet effect... his usual, seemingly hesistant and unrehearsed presentation style... a very popular young man.... he must win something surely?

Gary Charm from Hong Kong...

I don't think it is his real name...

Definitly has charm though...

Bit bitty, bottle production, roses, card tricks, bits with his mobile etc... even a moth production.

Could be in the reckoning....

Matthew Wright from England...

I hadn't seen this guy before but he has all the elements that I reckon you need for a successful magic competition act except, maybe, for the big, not seen before, surprise effect.

But his "Witches" script T and R card was well thought out and the effect smoothly performed and I liked it.

His standard cups and balls routine had good "in jokes" with magicians names and his overall character based set did it for me.

If I was the only judge he would be my winner so far...

Shawn Farquhar from Canada...

Purple suit as seen, act (with two strong effects) as seen...

He'll probably win...

Tatsuya Mishimagi from Japan...

His seated lady volunteer was asked to wear a "Princess" tiara and wave a fairy wand around a bit. Somewhat uncomfortable stuff.

Diminishing card case followed by diminishing cards... haven't seen that for sometime... then a one coin routine to music. Finished (and it's true) by diminishing himself to the size of a puppet. Not necessarily magically strong but brave and pretty funny!

Igor De Ruitz from Italy...

Acting/Character based performance of coins (with an Okito box).

Carefully scripted delivered in a rapid fire style... I found it hard to follow...

Kolos from Hungary...

Another competitor back from last year's competition.

No language problem as he performs to taped music.

Included linking jumbo cards and a two cup and ball routine.

Not bad and maybe, based on what has been on so far, in the running...

Woody Aragon from Spain...

Woody starts with a joke about his bad English... he learnt it from Lennart Green's dvds!

Card stuff follows based around dealing...

Nice personality...

Performing in a foregn language hampers the impact...

Not on my prize winning list (yet)...

Vittorio Belloni from Italy

Second on, coins and cards. Yep that means matrix.

Sitting down and doing matrix means a big coin production.

Now where can that have come from?

Not one of my winners....

Troy opens this year's competition...

Troy was a huge hit for me last year with his fresh approach , Michael Jackson impressions and his delighful personality.

This year he did "magic" behind a table including Cannibal Cards and a Teddy Bear production.

Not the impact he made last year...

Another Ron's Day Begins...

Early Arrivals...

The Magi start to gather at the Novotel in Euston for Ron's Day (actually a weekend these days but it will always be Ron's Day to me).