Updated: Line-up, streaming, judges confirmed for 41st Glenfiddich Championship
A plethora of double-wins by the world’s top solo pipers at the world’s top solo piping competitions meant that the organizers of this year’s Glenfiddich Piping Championship had to go down to third-prize-winners at qualifying events to assemble one of the richest fields in the 41-year history of the world’s most prestigious piping contest.
Glendiddich spokesperson Liz Maxwell confirmed to pipes|drums Magazine that the event will once again be streamed live with the National Piping Centre.
Those earning an invitation to this year’s Glenfiddich:
- Bruce Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Canada – winner of the Senior Piobaireachd at the Argyllshire Gathering
- Jack Lee, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada – third in the Clasp at the Northern Meeting
- Stuart Liddell, Inveraray, Scotland – winner of the Silver Star MSR at the Argyllshire Gathering; winner of the Masters at Piping Live!
- Willie McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland – second in the Silver Star MSR at the Argyllshire Gathering; second in the Silver Star MSR at the Northern Meeting
- Angus MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland – third in the Senior Piobaireachd at the Argyllshire Gathering
- Gordon McCready, Renfrew, Scotland – third in the Silver Star MSR at the Argyllshire Gathering
- Roddy MacLeod, Glasgow – winner of the Bratach Gorm at London
- Douglas Murray, Cupar, Scotland – winner of the Gold Medals at the Argyllshire Gathering and Northern Meeting
- Iain Speirs, Edinburgh – 2013 Glenfiddich Champion, winner of the Clasp at Inverness; overall champion at London
- Niall Stewart, Kyle of Lochalsh – winner of the Silver Star MSR at the Northern Meeting
Judges for the Piobaireachd are Colin MacLellan, William Wotherspoon and Andrew Wright. For the MSR are Malcolm McRae, Ronnie McShannon and John Wilson.
Bob Worrall will take the role of fear an tighe, or master of ceremonies.
Of note, Iain Speirs will be vying for his third-consecutive Glenfiddich Championship title, and Willie McCallum will go for his ninth overall win in his career, which would break his own record for most total championships gained.
It will be Gordon McCready’s first appearance at the competition.
The competition is held at the Great Hall of Blair Castle in Blair Atholl, Scotland, the ancestral home of the Duke of Atholl. The event has been sponsored from the beginning by William Grant & Sons, probably the biggest single corporate supporter of piping in history.
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