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Michael Jarman defeated 11 other finalists, including three-time champion Andrew “The Annihilator” Nga.
Michael Jarman took home a cash prize of $5,000. (Photo Credits: LinkedIn)
Michael Jarman, a financial modelling director from Canada, has won the World Spreadsheet Champion at the Microsoft Excel World Championships in Las Vegas.
The December 4 event, hosted at the vibrant HyperX Arena, saw the 30-year-old rise above 11 other finalists, including three-time champion Andrew “The Annihilator” Ngai, to take home the championship belt and a cash prize of $5,000 (Rs 4.24 lakh).
The competition was an electrifying e-sport experience. With flashing lights, booming speakers, and a crowd of enthusiasts, Excel was transformed from a workplace tool into a competitive spectacle.
The championship’s final challenge was modelled after the popular game World of Warcraft. Contestants had to track the experience points, earned gold, and other stats of a team of orcs during a simulated campaign. “I’m not a WoW player, but it was pretty cool,” Jarman told CBC News.
He was given an eight-page instruction manual to navigate the challenge.
Every five minutes, the lowest-scoring player was eliminated, ending in a high-stakes battle of wit and skill. Jarman’s win was a huge moment in his journey, which began in 2017 with his debut in competitive spreadsheeting.
Jarman’s preparation for the competition involved practicing old cases and applying his skills as the head of model development at Operis, a financial modelling firm. Opportunities to compete started early in the year, with qualifiers held monthly until October. The top contenders then advanced to the finals.
“That’s why I was so happy to win this one. All of the old big names are back, and it’s a fair fight,” Jarman told Canadian outlet Globe and Mail.
Founded in 2020 by Latvian Andrew Grigolyunovich, the Financial Modeling World Cup (FMWC) has turned Excel into an unexpected e-sport. The live event in Las Vegas aired on ESPN3 and featured hoodies, sweatbands, and untucked shirts – a far cry from conventional professional attire.
“It’s a weird niche, I’ll give you that,” admitted Jarman. However, the camaraderie among competitors was undeniable. For many, the event is more than a competition, it is a celebration of a shared passion that often goes unrecognized in the workplace.
Commentator Giles Male described the excitement: “Not only are you, for the first time, in a room with people that share your nerdy passion, you’re in Vegas, in an e-sports arena, looking around, going, ‘How on earth is this a thing?’” https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-microsoft-excel-world-champion-canadian/
