WINSTON "GYPSY" PETERS comfortably cruised to victory to win the extempo calypso crown on Wednesday night at the Kaisorama Show at Kaiso House at Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain.

He topped a field of eight, who included five past extempo monarchs, but no female contestants this year.

While many others struggled and spluttered, Peters made it look easy, with a smooth flow of words that actually made sense to convey his arguments.

He is a past multiple winner, having won the extempo crown most recently in 2010, 2016 and 2017. He is also a former national calypso monarch.

Watching the show was a small but very appreciative audience, including President Christine Kangaloo and her husband Kerwyn Garcia.

The extempo contest was held alongside a freestyle contest – easily won by Anthony "Squeezy Rankin'" La Fleur – which involved a very fast-paced delivery of improvised ragga-style party tunes. Some commentators said the freestyle show energised the whole event and was just as alluring to spectators as the extempo.

Myron "Calypso Nite" Bruce kicked off the soloist first round of extempo, singing on the topic Too Many Cars on the Road. While he had a good stage presence, at times he laboured to squeeze in his words, and came across as merely competent.

Phillip "Black Sage" Murray, in all white, was exceptional. Singing on the topic Why Gypsy still Competing?, Murray was very comfortable onstage. With a very clear pattern of thought, matched by a very smooth flow of words, he had a great round one and was keenly applauded by the audience.

Hezekiah Joseph sang next, on the recent theme of an impolite WPC: So You Don't Know Where the Station is?

Nyol Manswell – the only contestant entering both extempo and freestyle contests – sang on the theme White-Collar Criminals.

[caption id="attachment_1062541" align="alignnone" width="753"] Myron B -[/caption]

Next was Peters singing on Inshan Ishmael and Cro Cro, where he sided with the calypsonian against the businessman, saying, "I telling you this thing/Forget Inshan/Cro Cro, boy, go and sing!"

Dione Diaz told the Prime Minister to stick around to fix issues like crime, on the topic Imagine Mr Rowley is on Vacation.

Brian London was amusing as he inserted a very fast rap delivery into his extempo to make his point on How Trinidadians Give Directions.

Joseph "Lingo" Vautor La Placeliere delivered smooth lyrics but disjointed thought patterns on: Is Camouflage Still Illegal?

Round two, an elimination, saw Murray versus Bruce singing on The Art of Double Entendre.

Then came Peters against Manswell on the topic Dimanche Gras, Who You Backing?

Murray was cool and calm, "Kitch was good in rhyme/When he told us a mountain he had to climb/But Mighty Sparrow gave us a treat/When he told us all saltfish sweet." He then got personal. "This fellow Myron B he taking a chance/He come here tonight in a tight, tight pants."

But then Murray himself seemingly took a chance, using the purported tightness of his rival's pants to make a quip about sexuality.