The Final Jeopardy question (3/20/2013) in the category “Europeana” was:

In the 16th century, the ancestors of the current President of France fled what is now this country.

Lauren Girard is the new champ after winning $24,400, in yesterday’s match. Today she takes on these two players: Jeff Weber, from Ridgewood, NJ and Jonathan Shulman, from San Diego, CA.

Lauren found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “Bases Loaded.” She was in second place with $1,600, $1,800 behind Jeff’s lead, and we didn’t even get to the first commercial yet! She bet it all and she was RIGHT.

Naval Forces Marianas is a combination of 2 bases on this island.
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WHAT IS GUAM?

Lauren finished in the lead with $5,400. Jeff was second with $4,200 and Jonathan was last with $1,800.

Lauren found the first Double Jeopardy Daily Double in “Traitors & Turncoats.” She was in the lead with $6,200, $2,000 more than Jeff in second place. She bet $2,000 and she was RIGHT.

Marshall Petain became a traitor to France when he collaborated with Hitler & formed a new government named for this city. show

WHAT IS VICHY?

Jeff found the last Daily Double in “Marine Mammals.” He had the lead now with $11,800, $1,200 more than Lauren in second place. He bet $2,000, and took a last second guess with penguins but that was WRONG.

The so-called earless types of these pinnipeds do have ears but no flaps covering the openings. show

WHAT ARE SEALS?

Lauren finished in the lead with $16,600. Jeff was next with $10,200 and Jonathan was in third place with $8,200.

Only ONE of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.

WHAT IS THE NETHERLANDS?

Wasn’t “Europeana” an odd name for the category? It could have been “Ancestry.” Whatever, the ancestors of François Hollande are assumed to have come to the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France in the 16th century from what was then known officially as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands (The Dutch Republic) Both English and French wikipedia mention his Dutch connection, although the information that his ancestors “fled” the country is considered doubtful. French wikipedia expands upon it with a genealogy page on their president. Dutch wikipedia doesn’t mention his roots. As for those who were thinking of Sarkozy, the clue would have been quite different — his father was born in Hungary.

Jonathan wrote down Spain. He bet $8,198.00, so he finished with $2.00.

Jeff thought it was the Czech Republic. That cost him every sou he had and he wound up with nothing.

Lauren got it right and bet $10,0000, prevailing once again. She won $26,600 today. That brought her 2-day total up to a very healthy $51,000. Nice work!