The 2015 championship was nothing short of a mammoth undertaking, with the event operating as a standalone affair for the first time. Renting a 3,000 square foot venue space and hiring food trucks, DJs and craft breweries to serve free beer allowed the competition to jump into top gear. And just as well, with a field of 35 competitors, a panel of 10 coffee industry judges and an audience of 500 spectators the night of April 9th was the biggest championship to date. The quietly spoken Lukas Zahradnik of Green Plantation Coffee in Slovakia progressed through all rounds, emerging triumphant.