Pete Licata – a career barista competitor hailing from Kansas City, USA – is your 2013 World Barista Champion! Mr. Licata competed in the 2013 WBC using a coffee grown by producer Arnulfo Leguizamo in the Huila Department of southwestern Colombia; this coffee was sourced for Pete by the team at Cafe Imports, and roasted by John Welsh at Parisi Coffee.
This victory on the world stage is the culmination of Pete’s long competition career, beginning with his first US regional appearance in 2006. Mr. Licata has competed previously about WBC; he was the 2011 USBC champion, and he placed second in the world at the 2011 WBC in Bogota. It’s been our pleasure to cover Pete Licata throughout his WBC run in 2013.
Many key details from Pete’s USBC win were carried over into his routine in Melbourne: the coffee, the cocktail-inspired signature beverage, and the focus on the many touchpoints traveled over a specialty coffee’s lifespan. Sprudge.com will have a complete breakdown of Pete’s routine in a forthcoming feature, including more of the stunning 2013 WBC photography of Eileen P. Kenny.
The top 3 from Melbourne:
1. Pete Licata, United States of America – 631 points overall.
2. Matthew Perger, Australia – 619 points overall.
3. William Hernandez, El Salvador – 596 points overall.
Rounding out the top 6:
4. Colin Harmon, 3FE, Ireland – 561.5 points overall.
5. Nick Clark, Flight Coffee, New Zealand – 540 points overall.
6. Francesco Sanapo, Italy – 535 points overall.
Watch for more Sprudge.com coverage from the 2013 World Barista Championship in the coming hours! Our coverage from Melbourne is made possible by direct support from Nuova Simonelli and the St. ALi family.
Original photography by Eileen P. Kenny for Sprudge.com