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A SECOND SPECTACULAR DAY AT COWAL HIGHLAND GATHERING

Written by on 26/08/2016

FRIDAY END

Cowal Highland Gathering crowds enjoyed a Second spectacular day of the Cowal Highland Gathering

Visitors to the Cowal Highland Gathering today had a taste of why the event is billed as the world’s most spectacular Highland Games.

The crowds who gathered in Dunoon were treated to a feast of top quality Highland Dancing, piping and heavy athletics as well as a variety of other entertainment.

From the start of the very first event, there was never a dull moment with hundreds of top quality dancers, pipers and athletes battling it out for coveted Cowal Highland Gathering honours.

Those who arrived early were spoiled for choice, with the Scottish Highland Dancing Championships and the senior A and B Grades solo piping competitions as well as the junior solo piping competitions all taking place before lunch.

The Local Juvenile Solo Piping competition also took place in the morning, as did the Burgh Cup Competition for solo piping.

In the Scottish dancing championships, The May G Falconer Trophy awarded to the best Male Dancer in any of the Scottish Championships Events 8 to 15 was awarded to Cameron Walker from Denny.

The May Falconer Memorial Trophy awarded to the best Scottish Dancer (resident) in Events 8 to 15 was awarded to Eilidh Gammons from Helensburgh who scored a maximum 352 points

In the senior solo piping, top honours went to Andrew Lee from British Columbia, who walked off with the coveted Grade A championship title.

In second and third places in the Grade A competition were Nick Hudson from Pennsylvania and Stuart Easton from Manawatu-Whariganui respectively.

In the Grade B contest, the results were Callum Harper from Ontario (champion), Graham Mullholand from Dunkeld (second) and Ben McClamrock (third).

In the junior section, Euan McNab from Dunoon emerged triumphant winning the Burgh Cup.

The Cowal inter-school sports competition also took place in the morning, with the crowd in fine voice as they roared the youngsters on.

At lunch time, the popular Classic Car Display in the Alexandra Parade car park in the town proved a hit with locals and visitors alike.

In the afternoon, the stage was set for the first of the ever-popular heavy athletics competitions, with some of the world’s top athletes throwing their weight around in a bid to be crowned Cowal Highland Gathering champion.

The Senior Grade C solo piping contest was also held, with Steven Gray from Lockerbie|
going home with the silverware.

Cowal Highland Gathering chair Ronnie Cairns said he’s very happy with the way the event is progressing.

It’s been a fantastic first two days. As always the atmosphere has been brilliant, and the crowds have been treated to some top quality competition,” he said.

The first two days have gone as well as we could have hoped – with even the weather doing its bit! And the fun’s by no means over for the day, as we’ve still got the Gig at the Gathering – one of our newest and most popular elements, headlined by the world famous Skipinnish, with Heron Valley and Trail West in support – to come.

If last year’s anything to go by, those fortunate enough to have tickets are in for a fantastic night out. Let’s hope they all make it back to the showground tomorrow for what is traditionally the flagship day for this wonderful event, with a feast of dancing, piping and athletics as well as the Cowal Hill Race and a vast array of additional entertainment.

If you haven’t already got a ticket, I would urge you to come down to the stadium tomorrow and get a taste of what is always one of the most exciting days in the Highland Games calendar.”

Craig Anderson Managing Director of Scottish Salmon Company said: “We are really proud to be involved with such an important and uplifting celebration of Scottish culture.

Each year the event gets better and better, offering a spectacular array of world-class athletics, Highland dancing and traditional pipe bands.

We’re enjoying our role as part of the Food Zone this year and I would urge anyone heading to the event on Saturday to go along to one of our interactive food demos to sample our finest sea loch fresh Scottish salmon.”

A full list of the results of all today’s action will be posted on the Gathering website as soon as possible and Dunoon Community Radio Presenter Flly and her Gathering broadcasting team will bring you up to date first thing tomorrow.


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