DCE Countdown (2) - 'It will be one big raffle!'

Next Saturday it will be time for the DCE Championships 2007. The contest for the European title promises to be more exciting than ever. In DCE Countdown we look ahead to 'Rotterdam' together with 'experts' from the world of Drum Corps. In this second instalment we talk to the widely read (and discussed) Jubal columnist AP.

Are you counting down the days to 29th September?

"I'm certainly counting down the days. How many days to go? No, I'm not that bad but I am really looking forward to it. I made sure I had that day off a long time ago. I can't wait. It's a fantastic program, which is very international. Our club is also very busy with the championships at the moment."

Will it be an exciting title contest?

"Of course it will be exciting. In my last column I was rather cynical about everyone saying that, but it is true. What is not exciting is that we already know it will be a top 5 or top 6. I'm convinced it will be neck and neck and that the top corps will only differ by one or two points.

I think it will be the same with the division of the captions and that they will all be divided among the top 5, which I think will include Jubal, Beatrix, Senators, Northern Star and Kidsgrove Scouts. This shows that the time has now passed when Jubal or Beatrix came in first or second with the rest coming in way behind. I don't think coming in fourth is anything to be ashamed of anymore; as was proved by Beatrix last year."

Who will win in the end?

"I think a British corps will win. Probably Senators or Northern Star. Why? Just a feeling I have. I also think DCE is ready for a non-Dutch corps to win for a change. Senators and Kidsgrove Scouts may well surprise me in Rotterdam. I haven't seen these corps yet so I'm really curious.

Another exciting possibility is that I think Jubal could win again. I would never had said this six months ago, but I think we have a good chance of becoming champions again. However, the exciting thing is that we could also easily become 5th or 6th. With everything coming in so close together it'll seem like one big raffle."

Do you expect any surprises?

"Millennium could well turn out to be a surprising outsider. It really is a fully-grown drum corps that could be a real contender.  I think they will fall short of the title, but they could be a promising talent in the years to come. They are a drum corps through and through and certainly deserve to have a place at the DCE Finals."

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