RSPBA publishes incorrect World’s Grade 1 overall result; SFU confirmed third, as announced
The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association published the full results from 2024 World Pipe Band Championships a few hours after the competition concluded at around 8 pm on August 17th.
However, the Overall Grade 1 result published online showed a discrepancy with what the association announced. St. Laurence O’Toole of Ireland finished third, and Canada’s Simon Fraser University was fourth, transposing what was announced by Chief Executive Colin Mulhern.
pipesdrums has confirmed with an RSPBA official who spoke on condition of anonymity that the result announced at the park is correct: SFU is third and SLOT fourth, the tie broken by combined ensemble rankings over all events, as per RSPBA rule 4.68.
The association issued an ambiguous statement on its Facebook page:
Worlds 2024 Results
Sorry to everyone seeking the detailed results on our website. We are experiencing a technical issue with winner order due to Ensemble Preference not differentiating.
All announced results are correct for all grades.
As pipes|drums first reported, Simon Fraser University accrued 18 ensemble points across the four Grade 1 events, while St. Laurence O’Toole amassed 24. Fewer points are better.
The RSPBA source confirmed, “SFU are third,” adding, “this situation has happened before.”
The third prize for SFU is the six-time World Champion band’s return to the top three for the first time since 2012.
Late on Sunday, August 17th, all World Championship results had been removed from the RSPBA’s website without explanation.
An honest critique.
I’ll start by saying I mean no offence – the RSPBA are a bunch of professional amateurs.
The results:
The results (48 hours after the championships ended) have yet to be uploaded. This used to be 30 mins a number of years ago. Bands are in the dark about where they placed.
Qualifying in the lower grades this year seemed to be a popularity contest, ensuring far-travelling bands got into the final despite poor performances – a good news story I’m sure, but this is a competition of performance.
At the top level, it seems to be a nod and a wink judging. Will the RSPBA be more transparent about objective judging?
Where is the money going?:
The bands have to pay to perform. They pay to park their bus. They pay to be affiliated. Families and the punters pay entry (20-odd quid!!! per adult to enter on Saturday). Even the extortionate caterer’s pay in.
The absurd about of on-the-beat security, HERAs fencing and police presence at this years WPBC was abhorrent, it was like airport security. The number of family members standing by the railings to listen to the results being called was tragic. I can bet insurance to run these events is shockingly expensive. But given all of that, there must be someone profiteering from this venture – who is it, and why them?
I hope for less cloak & dagger mystique, and more efficiency and transparency from the RSPBA and organisers going forward.
As some may be aware of Taylor Swifts three concerts in Vienna were cancelled on short notice after the police, with help from unnamed international govermental organisations, got wind of a bombplot. Arrest have been made.
In light of that I think the hightend security was called for and I applaud it. And bagsearching is standard procedure on any event these days.
I agree with the point about paying spectators not being very well served at the current Glasgow Green championships, compared with the much less formal and more relaxed set-up of years ago (sometimes less is more!) Still can’t get my head around the ban on bringing a plastic water bottle past security, though to be fair some of the security staff were a bit baffled by that one too.
However, disagree about the qualifiers in the lower grades. I listened to Heat one of 4B and both heats in 4A and I consider the judges were spot-on in the former and latter, as were the final results in both grades.