News
July 31, 2001

Grade 1 World Championships Draw Released

The order of play for the qualifying section of the Grade 1 World Pipe Band Championships has finally been released after an unusually long period of time since it was made in mid-July.

The delay was necessary due to the lateness of the Scottish Pipe Band Championships, held July 28, and the fact that results from that contest would impact the “league table” system for deciding which bands pre-qualify for the final.

The random draw is considered integral to a band’s chances of doing well, with most bands considering playing later to be an advantage.

Unofficial order of play for the Grade 1 qualifier, which starts at 8:50 a.m. at Glasgow Green, is as follows:

1. City of Washington
2. Grampian Police
3. Bucksburn & District
4. Alberta Caledonia
5. David Urquhart Travel
6. 78th Highlanders Halifax
7. Lothian & Borders Police
8. Queensland Police
9. Glasgow Skye
10. Toronto Police
11. Dysart & Dundonald
12. St. Laurence O’Toole
13. RUC

The RSPBA has confirmed that six bands from the MSR qualifying section will go through to the final.

Based on results from last year’s World’s and this year’s RSPBA major championships, the following bands get a free pass to the final round: Boghall & Bathgate, Field Marshal Montgomery, MacNaughton’s Vale of Atholl, ScottishPower, 78th Fraser Highlanders, Simon Fraser University, Shotts & Dykehead, Strathclyde Police.

With only 21 Grade 1 bands entered for the event, the contest will be one of the smallest in the last decade.

Oddsmakers put Field Marshal Montgomery at 2:1 to win the title; Boghall & Bathgate and Shotts & Dykehead both at 3:1; Simon Fraser University at 4:1; 78th Fraser Highlanders, ScottishPower at 6:1; McNaughton’s Vale of Atholl, Dysart & Dundonald, Strathclyde Police, Toronto Police at 10:1.

p|d

What do you think? We always want to hear from our readers, so please use our comment system to provide your thoughts!

Do you have news? Be sure to send your information to pipes|drums. We can’t report what we don’t know about! Please remember to support the businesses that advertise and make the not-for-profit p|d possible.

NO COMMENTS YET

Subscribers

Registration

Forgotten Password?