La Marzocco’s Crush the Rush competition is coming to Australia with Sydney and Melbourne each hosting the event on 21 and 28 November respectively.
Twenty teams of three baristas will have the chance to compete in time trials during the afternoon, with the best eight earning the opportunity to progress to the main event at night.
In the time trials, all teams will be provided the same beans and asked to complete the same order of drinks.
Teams that progress to the final round will be given eight minutes to dial-in and produce an espresso for a technical judge. The espresso must fit certain parameters including a 17 to 21-gram dose, 34 to 55-gram yield, and 20 to 30-second shot time.
The main event pits the top eight against each other in a knockout format. They will be required to produce eight drinks in a randomised order that will be adjudicated by a visual judge and a technical judge. The fastest team to complete the order wins.
The champions will win $1000, as well as a $1000 donation to their designated charity. Spectators can attend the event for free and food and drink will be included.
For more information, visit the Sydney or Melbourne pages.