ARTICLES

Pontins championships 2001:
First section review and dodgy predictions

4BarsRest will be there to try and provide coverage of the weekends action. We we will be providing a retrospective look at each performance in the Championship class and our own judgement on each of the performances within 24 hours of the contest.

We will try and get the full results of all the sections to you as soon as possible.

The Adjudication Panel consists of:
Derek Broadbent, John Maines, David Read, Stanley Lippeatt, Major Peter Parkes and Goff Richards.

The Competing Bands:

All Sections are subject to a pre–draw (details not available at the present time).

First Section:
Test Piece: Purcell Variations (Kenneth Downie)

Saturday 27th October.

ASDA Stocksbridge: (D. Renshaw)
Bedworth Brass: (M. West)
Blackburn and Darwen: (E. Landon)
Bolden Colliery: (R. Wallace)
Chapletown Silver: (A. Dennis)
Haydock Ogden Travel: (I. Brownbill)
Ibstock Brick: (P. Northey)
Jackfield (Elcock Reisen): (C. Lewis)
Lydmet Lydney: (W. Ruston)
Nottingham City Transport: (M. Heathfield)
Pemberton Old: (R. Evans)
Pennine Brass: (I. Porthouse)
Peter Hawke Garages Lindley: (M. Jowett)
Poole Borough: (P. Randall)
Sherbourne Town: (A. McRae)
Tongwynlais Temperance: (C. Hogg)
Totnes: (T. Treharne)
United Co-op Crewe: (J. Sparkes)
Unity Brass (MUFS): (D. Blakeson)
Vernon Building Society Poynton: (M. Obermuller)
Wakefield Metropolitan Brass: (B. Dyson)
Welwyn Garden City: (D. Stokes)

First Section Review:

Looking at the lists of bands that will have to play Kenneth Downie’s “Purcell Variations”, two main contenders immediately jump out at you as the favourites to take the title.

ASDA Stocksbridge are the First Section National Champions, after taking the title at Preston and will be travelling with high expectations of adding the First Section title to go with the two top section titles they won here in 1994 and 1995.   They are a band on good form and will be difficult to beat.

Meanwhile, the French Open Champions Pennine Brass will be hoping to improve on their 4^th place at the Nationals and will surely be the main challengers to ASDA Stocksbridge for the title.   Both bands will be playing in the top section in Yorkshire next year and on recent form, both won’t struggle.

The only other band to have played at the First Section National Finals and to make the trip here are United Co-op (Crewe) who came 8^th at Preston and 2^nd at the Area and they should also feature highly.

Of the other bands, Jackfield (Elcock Reisen) were 5^th here last year and 3^rd at the Regional while Blackburn and Darwen were 6^th and 5^th respectively, so both will be hoping to feature further up the prize list. Others like Totnes who came 7^th and 7^th at the Area and Nottingham City Transport who came 10^th and 6^th at the Area will also be putting in a strong challenge. Peter Hawke Lindley who came 9^th in the top section here last year drop down a section and should also put up a strong show as they came 4^th behind ASDA and Pennine at the Yorkshire Regionals, whilst Chapletown came third at the same contest.  

The other competitors come from just about all over the country and some should travel in hope rather than expectation.   The First Section is the most difficult section of them all to get out of, and many of the remaining bands are seasoned competitors rather than seasoned prize winners.  

Wakefield Metropolitan came 11^th at the Area in Yorkshire, whilst Unity Brass came 4^th and Ibstock Brick came 10^th in the Midlands.   Bedworth Brass competed in the Second Section here last year and came 4^th and then came 16^th at the Area in the First Section, whilst Bolden came 7^th at the Northern Area.

Welwyn Garden City travel on the back of 4^th place in the London Areas, whilst Tongwynlais came 7^th in Wales, Sherbourne came 9^th, Lydmet Lydney 4^th and Poole Borough 5^th in the West.   Poynton will be hoping to repeat their triumph of 1993 again and came 10^th at the North West Area, whilst Pemberton Old came 8^th and Haydock Ogden Travel came 4^th at the same contest.

4BR PREDICTION:

The most difficult one of the lot this to predict, but we think we won’t be too far away with the main favourites, whilst the other prizes may be up for grabs.   It’s ASDA again for us, with Pennine close behind and Crewe taking the third place on the rostrum. The rest is up for grabs.

4BR Prediction:

ASDA Stocksbridge
Pennine Brass
United Co-op (Crewe)
Blackburn and Darwen
Pemberton Old
Peter Hawke Lindley

Dark Horses: Chapletown Silver

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