(Video) World’s finalists announced
Glasgow – August 12, 2016 – The 12 bands to qualify for the Grade 1 Final of the 2016 World Pipe Band Championships were determined at a very wet Glasgow Green today, with a total of 21 bands vying for the dozen places. Every band competed in a Medley and MSR event in groups of 11 and 10, using the same order-of-play in each contest.
Those going on to compete for the World Championship on Saturday, August 13, are, in alphabetical order:
- 78th Fraser Highlanders (Canada)
- Field Marshal Montgomery (Northern Ireland)
- Greater Glasgow Police Scotland (Scotland)
- Inveraray & District (Scotland)
- Manawatu Scottish (New Zealand)
- New Zealand Police (New Zealand)
- Police Scotland Fife (Scotland)
- ScottishPower (Scotland)
- Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (Scotland)
- Simon Fraser University (Canada)
- Spirit of Scotland (Scotland)
- St. Laurence O’Toole (Ireland)
Also competing, but not making the final were:
- 78th Highlanders (Halifax Citadel) (Canada)
- Bagad Cap Caval (Brittany)
- Bleary & District (Northern Ireland))
- Los Angeles Scots (USA)
- Ottawa Police Service (Canada)
- Peel Regional Police (Canada)
- Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (Scotland)
- Ravara (Northern Ireland)
- Vale of Atholl (Scotland)
Two panels of judges assessed each group once, swapping events:
Group 1 MSR and Group 2 Medley: Jim Campbell, Sam Young (piping); Ciaran Mordaunt (drumming); Nat Russell (ensemble)
Group 1 Medley and Group 2 MSR: George Wilson, Bill Garrett (piping); Mark Wilson (drumming); Peter Snaddon (ensemble)
The order of play for the Grade 1 Final:
- Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia
- Inveraray & District
- New Zealand Police
- SImon Fraser University
- Police Scotland Fife
- Spirit of Scotland
- Greater Glasgow Police
- St. Laurence O’Toole
- 78th Fraser Highlanders
- Manawatu Scottish
- Field Marshal Montgomery
- ScottishPower
Two bands from New Zealand in the final and neither was the RNZPBA Grade 1 champion this year. Canterbury Caledonian didn’t make the trip but that has to be seen as good news for their prospects next year. NZ clearly has something going at the Grade 1 level right now.