Each year, the Toastmasters International Convention culminates in the International Speech Contest, the final speech contest which crowns the World Champion of Public Speaking.

A panel of experienced Toastmasters judges evaluate nine contestants from different parts of the world, all of whom have advanced to the finals following a year-long process of elimination through club, area, district and semifinal competitions.

Criteria used in judging includes speech content, organization, voice quality and gestures.

Pictured right: 2012 World Champ Ryan Avery and International President John Lau.

2012   Ryan Avery, Portland, Oregon, United States
2011   Jock Elliott, Bongaree, QLD, Australia
2010   David Henderson, San Antonio, Texas
2009   Mark Hunter, Albany Creek, QLD, Australia
2008   LaShunda Rundles, Dallas, Texas
2007   Vikas Jhingran, Cambridge, Massachusetts
2006   Edward Hearn, Chicago, Illinois
2005   Lance Miller, Glendale, California
2004   Randy Harvey, Sherwood, Oregon
2003   Jim Key, Rowlett, Texas
2002   Dwayne Smith, Decatur, Georgia
2001   Darren LaCroix, Auburn, Massachusetts
2000   Ed Tate, Aurora, Colorado
1999   Craig Valentine, Ellicott City, Maryland
1998   Brett Rutledge, Auckland, New Zealand
1997   Willie Jones, Honolulu, Hawaii
1996   David Nottage, Auckland, New Zealand
1995   Mark Brown, Mount Vernon, New York
1994   Morgan McArthur, Idaho Falls, Idaho
1993   Otis Williams Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio
1992   Dana LaMon, Lancaster, California
1991   David Ross, Norman, Oklahoma
1990   David Brooks, Austin, Texas
1989   Don Johnson, Torrance, California
1988   Jerry Starke, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1987   Harold Patterson, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
1986   M. Arabella Bengson, Islington, Ont., Canada
1985   Marie C. Pyne, Ireland
1984   Joe Boyd, Bellingham, Washington
1983   Roy Fenstermaker, Downey, California
1982   Kenneth Bernard, Australia
1981   Jim Joelson, Reno, Nevada
1980   Jeff Young, Los Angeles, California
1979   Dick Caldwell, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
1978   Michael Aun II, Lexington, South Carolina
1977   Evelyn Jane Burgay, Springfield, Virginia
1976   William Johnson, Aberdeen, Maryland
1975   Andy McKay, Rochester, New York

1974   Bennie Powell, Los Angeles, California
1973   Charles W. Stewart, San Antonio, Texas
1972   Rudy Valle, Canoga Park, California
1971   Bert Angus, Transcona, Manitoba, Canada
1970   Stephen D. Boyd
1969   Dennis Nangers, Delano, California
1968   Grant R. Sheehan, Washington, D.C.
1967   Dale Smith, Goshen, Indiana
1966   Michael Yaconelli, San Diego, California
1965   John L. Nydegger, Lewiston, Idaho
1964   Anthony C.L. Bishop, Northridge, California
1963   Larry Beitel, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
1962   Robert Garton, Columbus, Indiana
1961   John J. Carver, Seattle, Washington
1960   Glenn E. Carroll, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
1959   Dean F. Berkeley, Bloomington, Indiana
1958   Edmund Shire
1957   Charles Jones, Fort Smith, Arkansas
1956   David Holmes Jr., Toledo, Ohio
1955   Charles W. Bryant, Tacoma, Washington
1954   Herbert Thompson, Wood River, Illinois
1953   Theodore B. Furlow, Long Beach, California
1952   George W. Armstrong, Omaha, Nebraska
1951   Albert Green, Jr., Seattle, Washington
1950   Charles Hilton, Mason City, Iowa
1949   Dalton McAllister, Fort Wayne, Indiana
1948   Robert Dellwo, Spokane, Washington
1947   Douglas Sherwin, Clearlake, Iowa
1946   Thor Myhre, Spokane, Washington
1945   NO CONVENTION
1944   NO CONVENTION
1943   Llyod Prante
1942   Cavett Robert, Phoenix, Arizona
1941   John McInnis
1940   David MacFarlane, Santa Monica, California
1939   William Roberts, Huntington Park, California
1938   Henry Wiens, Reedley, California