New Pirate Houle Outsails all the Long-time Pirates!

Ahoy matey! Ye’ve come to hear the tale of the most infamous Pirate of the Cove, have ye? Then listen well! 69 individual pirates raised their battle flags to sail ‘round the cove this year and prove their might, with a total of 143 player starts across three Heats, the Semifinal and the Final, under the watchful eye of Pirate Captain Jen for the fourth year running.

Before hoisting their anchors, the Pirates of the Cove paid their respects to their former Captain Larry Lingle, who charted the seas for us in years past and was lost to us this year shortly before the tournament. In typical fashion the ruffians who sail these waters were sluggish to start, having lost their memory of the Pirate’s code to the fog of time. They needed a fair bit of knocking to set ‘em straight and keep them sailing at a good clip, but by the second Heat and through to the Final players were full sail with loaded cannons. Notably, one table in each round after the first may have traded their boats for airships, as they were finished in under an hour.

A total of 22 pirates qualified for the Semifinal with at least one victory under their belt, with Asa Furman, Hannah Manley, and Steve Worrel taking two wins apiece and seeming fierce competition for the next round. According to tradition, not all these pirates found their way back to the Cove in time for the Final bright and early in, so the Semifinal sat 20 rogues in five matches of four players each. Of those three fierce competitors moving from the Heats, only Hannah Manley secured herself a ship for the Final, along with Ben Collinson Sr (returning yet again!), Tyler Houle, Mark Smith, and the Captain’s own First Mate Vivian Otwell.

All five of these pirates were well familiar with the rules of engagement and agreed to set sail ahead of the appointed hour. When the echoes of the last cannon blast died away and the mist settled, these pirates found themselves appraised thusly; Fifth place to Hannah Manley, fourth to Mark Smith, 3rd place and a plaque to Ben Collinson Sr, 2nd and the same to Vivian Otwell, leaving the newcomer Tyler Houle standing as the most Infamous Pirate of the Cove. Annabelle Houde took second to him in the Semifinal, landing her the 6th place as a result.

Captain Jen has noted that 9am is less than a friendly time for Pirates and thus has decreed that moving forward the Semifinal and Final for Pirate’s Cove should take place on Saturday, of course not to conflict with the revelry of Facts in Five, for those pirates who like to sharpen their minds as well as their swords. Prepare well for 2026!