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Rankings: End of year/January update

The final World of Brass – 4barsrest Rankings for 2008 confirm Cory as the world’s leading band, following a year that saw it win the European Championship for the first time in 28 years.

Cory band logo
 

In addition, Cory won the Brass in Concert Championships for the first time ever. The World of Brass Rankings Trophy was presented a on 13th December at the band’s concert with Honley Male Voice Choir in Huddersfield Town Hall, where Dr. Robert Childs was the recipient of the glass globe for the second year in succession.

Cory was also the band that picked up the most points during 2008, while the highest new entry into the top 200 in 2007 was Stockholm Brass Band, which performed superbly at both the European and Swedish championships.

The contests taking place since the last update were:

North Wales BBA – won by Beaumaris
Durham BBA – won by Felling.

To view all the ranked bands, go to:

www.4barsrest.com/rankings/default.asp

Moving into 2009

As we enter 2009, the four bands at the top are a long way ahead of the rest, and their performances at the major contests especially will likely determine which of them will end next year at the top, unless, of course, Brighouse and Rastrick, Leyland, Stavanger, Fairey, Brass Band Willebroek or Carlton Main Frickley Colliery can pull off a few shocks and infiltrate what has become a very elite group over the past two or three years.

2008 was a good year for...

2007 2008 Band Total +/-

1, 1, Cory, 1,633.71, 351.97
3, 3, Foden’s, 1,399.21, 241.43
17, 7, Stavanger, 427.08, 229.05
2, 2, Grimethorpe Colliery, 1,475.14, 202.93
32, 21, Brass Band Fribourg, 113.18, 65.06
7, 6, Leyland, 446.22, 55.60
47, 25, Buizingen, 70.91, 43.85
126, 35, Aeolus, 45.12, 38.67
19, 16, Kirkintilloch, 201.23, 38.37
13, 10, Carlton Main Frickley Colliery, 287.38, 38.34
96, 36, EYMS, 42.54, 32.60
26, 23, Eikanger-Bjørsvik, 89.67, 31.69
50, 29, Manger Musikklag, 56.14, 30.22
63, 34, Redbridge Brass, 46.29, 27.63
107, 38, Festival Brass Band, 35.41, 27.04
39, 26, Brass Band 13 Etoiles, 65.48, 25.75
15, 13, Tredegar, 249.21, 24.96
22, 19, BTM, 131.69, 22.82
10, 8, Fairey, 362.70, 21.95
25, 24, Mount Charles, 77.93, 19.38

And a bad year for...

2007 — 2008 — Band — Points — +/-

6,11, YBS, 266.13, -234.45
5, 5, Brighouse and Rastrick, 632.69, -148.28
8, 14, Scottish Co-op, 240.94, -143.75
9, 15, Whitburn, 239.17, -115.83
14, 17, Rothwell Temperance, 167.35, -61.86
20, 22, Reg Vardy, 110.01, -34.55
29, 46, Fountain City Brass Band, 26.41, -27.22
34, 61, SWT Woodfalls, 19.75, -25.69
23, 32, Brisbane Excelsior, 51.58, -24.66
12, 12, Desford Colliery, 265.60, -22.24
18, 18, Hepworth (Cookson Homes), 152.38, -21.17
41, 69, Unison Kinneil, 17.79, -18.06
35, 47, Camborne Town, 25.60, -17.71
24, 31, Brass Band Oberösterreich, 53.41, -16.20
21, 20, Flowers, 120.87, -15.25
31, 41, Fishburn, 33.88, -14.43
30, 39, Brass Band of Central Florida, 35.25, -13.94
57, 96, Chicago Brass Band, 9.09, -13.30
37, 44, Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel, 26.86, -13.00
42, 53, Staffordshire, 22.61, -12.54

Ten best new entries

Ranking — Band — Points

63. Stockholm Brass Band Sweden, 19.52
77. Jaren Hornmusikkforening Norway, 14.22
98. Point of Ayr Wales, 8.45
104. Kirkbymoorside Town North, 7.80
111. Ascot Park Hotel of Invercargill New Zealand, 7.36
129. Helston Town West, 5.99
130. Brassband Limburg Netherlands, 5.96
131. Warringah Concert Brass Australia, 5.92
134. Haslingden & Helmshore North West, 5.70
149 Bayerische Brassband Akademie (3BA) Germany 4.65

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