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On June 9th, the first-everย Starbucks Global Barista Championshipย kicks off in Las Vegas, pitting 12 top coffee pros from around the world against each other in latte art, blind tastings, storytelling, and high-pressure simulations. Representing Chicagoโs Reserve Roastery, 22-year-oldย Cali Hegemanย will be competing along with 11 other winners of Starbucks' regional and Reserve Roastery championships, where they beat out 84-thousand other baristas. Hegeman has spent the last 15 weeks living and breathing coffee in preparation for the global showdown, logging over 200 hours of extra training to perfect her craft. The finale will stream live onย YouTubeย as the top four compete in front of a buzzing crowd of 14-thousand Starbucks employees.