'Winter Storm' Competitions Underway in a Chilly Kansas City

Robert Wallace

7 years ago

The aptly named Winter Storm kicked off in Kansas City, Missouri, with a real winter storm biting at the heels of those flying and driving in from far-flung places, writes our Special Correspondent, perhaps none further than eight-time World Solo Drumming Champion Steven McWhirter. Steven arrived the ‘long way round’ from Australia.

Aside from the big names and celebrated champions, a record number of competitors (including a good number of Scots travellers) will pack out a close-knit gathering of hotels in the Country Club area of the city. The contingent from City of Dunedin Florida would have been feeling the precipitous drop in temperature no doubt. Inveraray is well represented and celebrated drummers like Gordon Brown of Boghall joins the faculty.

Of the senior contests, the Gold Medal will draw a big audience, particularly as it runs after the graded competitions. Those ‘larger’ events will be streamed live. The competition day will run from 8am (local), culminating in the awards ceremony at around 9pm.

The judges and faculty get to strut their stuff at a sell out Gala Concert on Saturday night. Workshops will be full of willing learners throughout Saturday. The contest and the concert will broadcast on Livestream from 2pm UK time. Here is the link.

The picture up top is of Alastair Lee, Jamie Troy, Alex Gandy, Andrew Carlisle and Andrew Lee at the 2017 Winter Storm event.
The draw in the 2018 Gold Medal Piobaireachd:
1 Nick Hudson, Texas
2 Matt Pantaleoni, St Louis
3 Derek Midgley, New Jersey
4 Andrew Carlisle, Pittsburgh
5 Alastair Lee, British Columbia
6 Andrew Lewis, St Paul
7 Jori Chisholm, Seattle
8 Ken Sutherland, California

Sarah Muir is pictured at the Argyllshire Gathering in 2016. Sarah has travelled from Glasgow to compete in Kansas

9 Ben McClamrock, Washington DC
10 Lyric Todkill, Texas
11 James Troy, Victoria BC
12 Andrew Donlon, Maryland
13 Sarah Muir, Glasgow
14 Matt MacIsaac, Ontario
Judges: Callum Beaumont, Colin MacLellan

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Two heats will be held in the Gold Medal Ceol Beag with prizewinners going forward to a final. The draw for Group A:
1 Teddy Keogh
2 Mary Wallace
3 Jeff Cullen
4 Bobby Durning
5 Ross Barker
6 Sarah Muir
7 Kevin McLean
8 Peter Skae
9 Joseph Stewart
10 Lyric Todkill
11 Matt MacIsaac
12 Sean Patrick Regan
13 Laureano Thomas-Sanchez
14 Ken Sutherland
15 Andy Wilson
16 James Dyson
17 Alastair Murray
18 Jamie Cuthill
19 Bill Peters
20 Dan Lyden
21 Andrew Carlisle
22 Matt Pantaleoni
23 Derek Midgley

The draw for the Gold Medal Ceol Beag Group B:
1 Kyle Rothschild-Mancinelli
2 Andrew Hutton
3 Campbell Webster
4 David McNally
5 Kenneth Liechti
6 Jori Chisholm
7 Jack Williamson
8 Alastair Lee
9 Austin Diepenhorst
10 Zephan Knichel
11 Robert Boyd

Northern Ireland’s Andy Wilson is another UK participant at Winter Storm

12 Ross Miller
13 Colin Armstrong
14 Andrew Walker
15 Ben McClamrock
16 John Lee
17 Nick Hudson
18 Lachie Dick
19 Ryan Balchuk
20 James Troy
21 Dylan Whittemore
22 Andrew Lewis
23 Andrew Hahn
24 Andrew Donlon
Judges: Ken Eller, Richard Parkes, Ian K MacDonald, Fred Morrison, Callum Beaumont, Stuart Liddell, Colin MacLellan

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