Gourock Games make the grade
2017 Gourock Highland Games
The Gourock Highland Games is set to be an international affair.
For, among the heavy athletes performing in the traditional Highland Games will be Pete Hart, originally from New Zealand. The 2017 overall winner Polish born Lucas Wenta returns to defend his trophy at the event which starts the Scottish Highland Games season.
The heavy-athletes will be competing in a range of activities including the caber toss and lifting the Kempock Stane.
Building on last year’s history making attendance by Grade one pipe bands, the Gourock Highland Games will once again showcase the pinnacle of Scottish pipe bands with seven already registered to perform.
The bands, who compete at the highest competition level, will be at event which takes place on Sunday 13 May at Battery Park in Inverclyde.
The seven bands competing in the Grade One competing in arena number one are: Scottish Power; Glasgow Police Pipe Band; Johnstone; Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia; Inveraray and District; Glasgow Skye and Police Fife Scotland.
A further 20 pipe bands from across Scotland are signed up to compete at the Games across a range of grades and drum major competitions.
The Gourock Highland Games will also host the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA) Glasgow and West of Scotland branch competition which is being held outside of its traditional home of Shotts for only the second time.
Inverclyde Provost, Martin Brennan, said: “Gourock Highland Games holds a unique position in Scotland as it traditionally marks the start of the Scottish season. Having so many grade one bands in competition is a fantastic chance for visitors to see some of the top performing bands in the country as we celebrate the start of the Highland Games and Piping season for 2018."
Alongside the pipe band competitions and traditional highland games, the event also hosts the West of Scotland Highland Dance Championships and mini highland games involving local schoolchildren. The mini Highland Games event is organised with support from Inverclyde Active Schools.
The event will also play host to the 'come and try sports' event with a range of free sports activities run by the Gourock Community Sports Hub. Fairground rides, children’s activities, vintage fire engines and a wide range of food and community stalls add to the entertainment for people of all ages.
Chieftain Rhys McCole
The Chieftain for the 62nd Gourock Highland Games is boxer Rhys McCole - the youngest ever Chieftain.
The 16 year old is a champion boxer and a member of the SportScotland and Young Scot’s Young People’s Sports Panel as well as being an ambassador for Inverclyde for the Year of Young People 2018.
Rhys said: “Being Chieftain of the Gourock Highland Games is a great privilege and something I will cherish forever. I am greatly honoured and looking forward to a great day, hopefully with good weather. It is a great opportunity to promote the young people of Inverclyde and the Year of Young People.”
Gourock Highland Games is organised by Inverclyde Council and supported by partners River Clyde Homes, Inverclyde Active Schools, Taste Inverclyde, Riverside Inverclyde and Gourock Community Sports Hub and Parkdean Resorts.
The piping competitions at Gourock Highland Games are run under the auspices of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA).
The Gourock Highland Games have teamed up with VisitScotland as an official member of the partner programme for Scotland’s Year of Young People 2018.
The Games open to the public at noon on Sunday 13 May and the event culminates with the Chieftain’s march past which is expected to start at 5.30pm. Find out more about the Gourock Highland Games on Facebook and Twitter.