The irony is that Duran is one of the few players who refuses to take the knee before the start of a match when he spent most of his career kneeling.

Bloody hell! I never thought Duran would drop for a 37 degree angle. He actually pulled it off too! That's some liquid staring right there.

This makes me so excited for this years finals. Nicholas Joseph from Trinidad and Tobago vs Antoine Moreau from France, an up and coming youngster vs a veteran

John Duran was a good up and coming player who could have gone on to take the title but when they revised the rules and rule 42a introduced "A full face must be shown to an opponent" John was not only devestated but he never made it out of the qualifying heats again. such a shame. Nice to hear a reference to the legend that was Alan Gamble. ironically he was in the same class at school as my late father.

The internet has a lot to answer for the decline in this majestic sport. You can now stare with every corner of the globe without leaving your front room. Totally soulless. Gone is the charismatic charm of the face to face encounters of yester year. Incidentally the trophy was never recovered in '71. I officiated at that tournament in a junior capacity and can reveal that the IRA stole it and we suspect that its buried in a bog in Roscommon! On MI5 orders a replica was made and the dog story invented. Has anyone ever seen, in real life, this 'dog'!? I think not!!

Met Giggles Clifton in a lift once, a really nice bloke and happy to talk about his career

Stare Out is my favourite sport, and I can't understand why it hasn't achieved worldwide popularity! Of course this page is full of loonies like me! The first time I ever saw Stare Out, it was edited highlights, with commentary! Loved it ever since!

Take it you've never been to a staring match. The atmosphere is electric!

I heard that giggles Clifton now runs a staring gym in Bournemouth. Somewhat underfunded and almost forgotten. Really sad I think. You only have to look at the lack of UK competitors in this years olympic demonstration event. It makes me angry!

I met Giggles last year in Bournemouth, he was so sweet and took a photo with me and my mates, his 'reputation' is totally false. Sadly Mr. Jobby has died, but Giggles stayed in touch with his owner until the very end, the dog saw him 'like a father' apparently! RIP Jobby!

If Duran wasn't English, everyone would have called him a cheat and demand he not be allowed to compete. Hypocisy.

ive still got my 'giggles clifton world champion' t-shirt.

We need Duran's brilliant innovations. And we need staring under lights. It's these things that will bring in the kids to the sport. However the 37 degrees may have been a tactical error. When he comes up to 32 degrees he is much more formidable. Bing Sharples....legend.

love the laughing part :D

Amazing match. Just amazing. Wow.

Todot Strotengeimers Classic staring. A good read.

The Michael Todd of professional staring.

The Global Staring Federation have a list of rules covering every aspect of the sport and even give the exact dimensions of all pieces of equipment that can be used.Rule 14B clearly states that seats MUST be used by competitors directly facing each other.Rule 14C details the type of seats permitted and the materials they must be made from.This is quite clear!

Now that Zlatan has arrived in the UK, the long acknowledged home of Staring, when it was first played at Lards, back in the 1670s, could he be tempted away from the borefest that is soccer, into the limelight that is this wonderful sport? He is one awesome starer, and he would have this title in the bag, by 2018. Give him a season to get used to it, play himself in.

ahahaha ha ha ha ha. ah ha ha

Brilliant.

Met Giggles Clifton in a bar once, think he fancied me because he never took his eyes off me.

Giggles Clifton. A true pro. He beat the Booze. He beat gambling. He the Heroin. He beat world class opponents in every round on his way to the world title. Does he still run his pub in Bermondsey?.

You can always do it to people in newsagents. When they hand you your money, out stare them.

Giggles Clifton, lol!

THE TALL MAN

Ah I remember mimicing Duran's trademark stance as a young competitor, his rebellious style was groundbreaking at the time and can be credited for bringing so much younger interest into the sport. However, I have read he has fallen on bad times recently, it seems a lifetime of ketamine and chlamydia has caught up with him. My thoughts are with you Johnny.

Im amazed that the Judges allowed John Duran to sit that low, surely rule 1, and i quote, "players must exercise equality and sportsmanship at all times" applies here. I know that John is somewhat smaller than Nanak but he must be fair and get a chair that raises his eyes to the level of his opponents.

hilarious!

Quality!

They used to say that Anak’s turban helped him in contests. I’m not so sure. He was resolute in his style. Shame I never saw him live.

I'm sorry, but Duran's a joke. He takes liberties with the 40 degree rule and it's only because he's a top draw in the Indian cash-for-staring leagues that they let him get away with it.

haha, thanks for uploading this man...I wonder who pays for the first round of drinks in that quartet!

I've got some great staring cheats for the PS2 game but the PS3 game should be better. Superb graphics and you will be able toggle the starecam without going back to the menu. Class.

fantasy staring: helen keller vs. stevie wonder

Well...I'm not one to preach but as bing always said...a bird in the hand gathers no moss. A wiser word never uttered. The future of the sport lies with the people and Staring will be the winner. You sir, are a man of vision....unless you are a woman. Socks off...let's stare!!!!

My God! If only my recent death had not prevented me from replying to your last missive sooner: I would have perhaps agreed that socks may be a catalist;that Bing most certainly has had had had,& that all distractions are. May I congratulate you on your obvious and say that my own flourishes under a great protest. Few there are of us in the world. Let's stare

We are never going to see a truly international competition without neutral referees.

I need to re read the rules about degree drops, feel VAR is needed here because that looked too far in a single motion

Yeah, I guess you've never seen a staring athlete getting injured during a contest. That's brutal dude...

@bunnymanzimbo Victoria Road, behind the Aldi

Nanak was unfortunate to get Duran in the draw, never an easy opponent to face. Regardless of his less natural ability than others

What came first? Alan Partridge stalling for time with his laughing, or this?

I don't remember the original broadcasts having a laugh track, did they?

How many championships did Giggles Clifton win?

I don't get you lot. You go on about Duran's style, even suggest he be disqualified, but he's all we've got, he's the UK's only hope against yet another all Eastern Hemisphere Final. The commentator says he's "the only Briton to reach this stage of the Championships since 1993" and then slyly mentions up the drunken punch-up with Gazza in Belarus 97. You complain about the lack of homegrown staring talent, then go on about Duran's penchant for drink, drugs and sex with dwarfs. It makes me sick.

I'm not so sure. Duran's style goes against the spirit of staring.Using the table as a form of 'comfort blanket' is just not on. A true staring champion sits straight and looks you in the eye...man to man.Duran would do well to take a leaf out of Spatsky's book...a true champion if ever there was one.

where's Giggles Clifton?!!!

I think this great sport has been brought into disrepute by Duran here.The rules are quite clear regarding seating.Why should Duran be allowed to compete at this level without an official chair?

Few enough appreciate the Irony and all around arseness of the 'holimpics but with the support of Giggles,Sharples & Duran Duran Duran,I feel we will be sure to not make a differ ance. Stair. headspacepav is our leader.......................

@SteffanLlwyd you have put so much effort into that. and it isnt funny.

@SteffanLlwyd oh well. you tried hard. though it was awful.

This is not real sport.