2018 UK Champions: St. Laurence O’Toole

Belfast – June 16, 2018 – St. Laurence O’Toole walked off winners of the 2018 United Kingdom Championships at Stormont, the second RSPBA major competition of the young season. This is the first major win for St. Laurence O’Toole since their victory at the European Championships in 2016. MacKenzie Caledonian took first place in Grade 2, marking the first Grade 2 championship win for the band.

The relative accessibility of Belfast made travel to the contest a little easier, and the Grade 1 and Grade 2 events attracted Dowco Triumph Street of Vancouver and Worcester Kiltie of Massachusetts. With Denny & Dunipace Gleneagles also returning to Grade 1, the contest increased by two from the British Campionships in May.

Grade 1 (MSR, 16 competed)
1st St. Laurence O’Toole (1,2,1,3)
2nd Inveraray & District (ens.pref.) (3,3,2,1)
3rd Field Marshal Montgomery (2,1,4,2)
4th ScottishPower (5,6,3,4)
5th Police Scotland Fife (4,5,5,5)
6th Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (6,4,7,9)
Judges: Bill Garrett, Alan Ronaldson (piping); Gordon Craig (drumming); Peter Snaddon (ensemble)

Grade 2 (Medley 14 competed)
1st MacKenzie Caledonian (2,1,4,1)
2nd Closkelt (1,2,3,5)
3rd Worcester Kiltie (5,3,7,2)
4th Ravara (3,5,2,9)
5th Manorcunningham (6,4,6,8)
6th Kilchoman Distillery Isle of Islay (7,6,5,7)
Drumming: New Ross & District
Judges: Colin Moffett, Tom Brown (piping); Mark Wilson (drumming); Jennifer Hutcheon (ensemble)