Two WGI Regionals in Europe next year

Winter Guard International has announced the addition of two international regional championship events to its 2014 event schedule in partnership with Color Guard Netherlands (CGN) and Winter Guard United Kingdom (WGUK).

This announcement comes after a yearlong effort to expand the international presence of WGI. Led by Executive Director Ron Nankervis, the organisation has made contact with multiple countries interested in bringing WGI-style competitive events to their homelands. WGI has sent representatives to China, Japan, England, Malaysia, Netherlands and Thailand exploring ideas and cultural differences to bring indoor color guard and marching percussion overseas.

On 22nd February Winter Guard United Kingdom will host the WGI United Kingdom Regional Championship at Fenton Leisure Centre in Stoke-on-Trent. WGUK Chair Nicola Garlick commented, "I am really pleased we are able to reintroduce an international event into our schedule for the forthcoming season and want to thank WGI for spearheading this new initiative to grow the cooperation throughout the activity."

1st March is the date Color Guard Netherlands will host the WGI Netherlands Regional Championship at Topsportcentrum in Almere, site of previous WGI events. “All of us at CGN are excited about the coming regional,” said Paul Doop, chairman of CGN. “We have years of experience organizing both the color guard and percussion regionals and we are all looking forward to host this great event in 2014. The WGI regional is always an event where existing friendships are strengthened and new ones made for life.”

Another very important component of both events will be educational clinics held in conjunction with the scheduled competition. Traveling United States judges will share information with their European counterparts in an effort broaden the international reach of WGI. Alan Thompson, chairman for the Marching and Performing Arts United Kingdom (MPAUK) said, “I see events and collaborations such as this as an integral part of continuing the ongoing training and development of both our units and judges as well as building the relationships between the associations for the good of the future of our activity.”

Plans include featuring the English and Dutch events on the WGI Fan Network, the first opportunity for US fans to follow color guard and percussion performances from Europe.