Carnival tie in Soca Monarch in TT

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad  – 57-year-old Austin Lyons return to competition did not result in him walking away with the coveted one million dollar (One TT dollar = US$0.16 cents) first prize in the Play Whe International Power Soca Monarch show as defending monarch Machel Montano put on a strong performance to share the winner’s prize.
Lyons, who uses the stage name, Super Blue, and a six time Soca Monarch, was clearly the crowd favourite with his tune Fantastic Friday but Montano dressed up as “Superman” used his tune Float to great effect, leaving the judges to declare a tie during the early hours of Saturday morning.
Lyons had last won the competition in 2000 and the showdown with Montano was billed as the teacher versus the student.
In third place of the competition held at the Hasley Crawford stadium on the outskirts of the capital was Rodney “Benjai” Le Blanc.
Trinidad and Tobago singers made it a clean sweep of the competition when Montano successfully defended his Digicel International Groovy Soca Monarch ahead of Neil Iwer George and Dexter “Blaxx” Stewart, who placed second and third respectively.
Gerard Weekes was on Friday night crowned 2013 King of Carnival with his portrayal, “Ai To Yujo No Yorokobi” (The Joy Of Friendship) from Brian Mac Farlane’s 2013 presentation Joy: The Finale, amassed 438 points.
But like Montano and Super Blue, he too had to share the spotlight with Ted Eustace who earned the same amount of points for his portrayal “Moko In Flames.”
Ronald Blaize’s “De Agony Of Human Bondage” from the presentation Brazil, Brazil by Legacy, took third with 421 points.
Mac Farlane, who plans to quit the mas arena after Carnival, celebrated again as his  production “Rakuen No Yorokobi” (The Joy Of Paradise) earned Charrisse Bovell her second successive Queen of Carnival title.
Bovell collected 429 points to finish ahead of Liselle Frauenfelder portrayal “Dania Wantam – The Dance Of Reconciliation” (413) and Kay Mason’s “From Darkness To Light” (406).
Meanwhile, the Carnival activities continue on Saturday night when Pan Trinbago celebrates the golden jubilee of panorama finals.
Defending champion Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars is after a hat-trick and the one million dollar first prize, but will face stiff competition from former winners Witco Desperadoes, Bp Renegades PETROTRIN Phase II Pan Groove, Republic Bank Exodus and PSC Silver Stars.
Other bands in the competition are Caribbean Airlines Invaders RBC Redemption Sound Setters and NLCB Fonclaire.