THOUSANDS of people turned out to see newly crowned world champions Inveraray and District Pipe Band triumph at Cowal Highland Gathering on Saturday.

As well as beating Johnstone Pipe Band to the championship Grade 1 title, Inveraray drummer Liam Renton was named champion adult drum major. Oban High School Pipe Band took both the Novice Juvenile titles with George Watson’s College Pipe Band wining the Juvenile section.

Glasgow Skye Association won Grade 2 and Grade 2MSR while Kintyre Schools Pipe Band took Grade 3 and Wallacetown and District Pipe Band won Grade 3 MSR. Rothesay and District Pipe Band won Grade 4 and Lochryan Pipe Band won Grade 4MSR.

Saturday also saw the Argyllshire Highland Dancing competitions, with top honours going to the same trio who carried off the silverware last year. Helensburgh dancer Eilidh Gammons won in the Under 13 category, with her sister Catriona picking up the top prize in the Under 16s.

The winner of the 16 years and over section was Rhiannon Charles, also from Helensburgh.

Then came the biggest Highland Dancing competition in the world – the World Championship finals – with dancers from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the US pitting their skills against the best the UK has to offer.

In the end, it was Scotland’s Ellie Dalrymple from Tranent who emerged victorious in the World Juvenile (Under 16) finals, followed by Elise Cheyne from Ontario with Cyan Macleod, who had come all the way from Victoria in Australia, coming in third.

The trophy for best Scottish Juvenile Dancer went to Ellie and best Overseas Juvenile Dancer to Elise.

In the World Junior (Under 18) championship, last year’s Juvenile winner Erin Blair from California just held Scotland’s Michelle Gordon, with Sophie Dunn from Ontario coming third.

The best Scottish Junior Dancer was Michelle, with Erin picking up best Overseas Junior Dancer.

Rebecca Thow, originally from Aberdeen but now living in Alberta, beat reigning Adult World Champion Marielle Lesperance from Ontario. Scotland’s Candice Walker came in third. Rebecca also took home the Mary McHarg Quaich for best Overseas Adult Dancer. The cup for best Scottish Adult Dancer went to Candice.

In the International Heavy Athletics Team competition, Germany eventually carried off the trophy with Iceland coming runners up.

In the overall individual heavy athletics, Germany’s Daniel Dorow triumphed in the men’s competition, with Lucy Marshall from England winning the women’’s event.

Scotland’s Neil Elliott and Germany’s Sylvana Bomholt were crowned men’s and women’s caber toss champions respectively.

The wrestling this year featured 30 wrestlers from three countries – Scotland, Iceland and Germany.

The Female Open section was won by Scotland’s Katie McCulloch from Hamilton and the men’s Open competition was won by Iceland’s Gudmundur Stefan Gunnarsson.

The weight category winners were Sam McCrory (nine and a half stone) Ryan Ferrey (both the 11 and a half stone and 13 and a half stone categories) and Greg Neilson (15 and a half stone), all from Hamilton.