NAGCR 2003 Striking Competition, Pittsburgh

SCORING AND COMMENTS

6 Bell Call Change

Team 1: Phila 1 – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 47 Minutes

Quite a nice start settling into a good rhythm and into changes at row 15, well before time! Leading, for the most part, was very good with a few faults picked up here and there. Quite a big problem around 120 changes which resulted in many gaps and bells not knowing quite where to be. This took a while to recover from but settled again after 20 or so changes but another hiccup after 200 changes, although not quite as serious as the first, after that the band settled down to a nice finish.

Team 2: Phila 2– Peal Speed - 2 Hours 40 Minutes

Much steadier start, seemed like a team who had worked out a game plan. Changes started on the 17th change and progressed well for a time. Leading was very good and the tenor kept a good beat, faults caused initially by slower blows but the rest of the band accommodated this well. There was a more serious problem after 103 changes and the band really struggled to keep it together. They did recover and went on to a reasonable finish.

One bell did not stand.

Team 3: Pittsburgh – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 43 Minutes

Good positive start, went into changes at the 15th blow and good regular changes followed. Good leading in the main and the tenor kept a good beat. Some problems around change 70 but whenever hiccups occurred the band recovered well and the problems did not ever last too long. After five minutes the ringing really settled down with only minor faults occurring. A good effort.

8 Bell Call Change

Team 1: Phila 1 – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 52 Minutes

Settled down quickly and well rung for the first few changes. Into changes at the 23rd row. Started well with good leading and a good overall beat. However, after this the changes often became stretched out and bells struggled to know exactly where to ring. Patches of good ringing followed but some more stretching of the changes occurred causing more faults. Conductor was perhaps disappointed to have a long way back to rounds after the seven minutes were up. There was some good ringing towards the end but this was often spoilt by slow blows. A good effort by this team.

Team 2: Pittsburgh – Peal Speed – 2 Hours 45 Minutes

A great start, much quicker ringing than team no. 1 and I did wonder what would happen if there was an error, but for the most part that didn’t happen although some poor changes between rows 32 and 45, but recovered well from this. Some stretching out of the change later in the piece made it difficult for people to fit in. A very good patch around 160 changes set them up for a good finish but again problems about 213 – 230 changes took a long time to recover from but eventually was ok. A nice finish but again rather longer than required by the rules.

Team 3: Phila 3 – Peal Speed – 2 Hours 50 Minutes

Good confident start. Into changes at the 19th change and initially these were well rung. Got slightly slow around 65 to the 69 changes mark but the queens that followed were well rung. The test piece got slower after this and suffered as a result after the changes stretched out and bells ended up falling over themselves which made it very difficult to set a rhythm.

8 Bell Method

Team 1: North Georgia 1 – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 44 Minutes

Very good start to the test piece, bold positive ringing, minor faults through some erratic leading but overall very good. Tenor rung well. Problems occurred with a mistake around the 10th lead end, which took time to recover. The band did well to recover the original rhythmn and went on to finish well. Without the mistake this test piece would have been one of the best pieces today.

Team 2: Philly – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 57 Minutes

Band struggled to set a rhythmn that everybody was happy with. Changes often stretched out and the tenor was sometimes a fraction slow. Leading held out pretty well but a little hiccup around the 8th lead end, although quickly corrected, did further unsettle the ringing. Things did look up and the last 20 or so changes were well rung. A Good effort.

Team 3: Can/Am Clangers A – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 56 Minutes

A very quick practice by this team!

Band started very positively but seemed to have second thoughts after the first lead end and slowed up after that. It took to the first set of roll ups, which were well rung, get a beat going and after the second set of roll ups they really got into it and produced some very good stuff. The old insecurity returned near the end with a rather spread out finish – lots of promise here and with a little bit more belief would have been very good – well done.

Team 4: Washington – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 53 Minutes

Very good start to the test piece but again the band seemed to loose confidence, after a couple of leads on this occasion. The changes often extended causing the tenor lots of hard work to “contain” the change and some erratic leading didn’t help his cause. Got things back together towards the end with a few rows of very good stuff but again lost confidence which led to a slightly shaky finish. Pity, because when it was good it was very good.

Team 5: North Georgia 2 – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 44 Minutes

The first practice must have frightened them! For the test piece they set off at a very brisk pace that they maintained well. Blemishes that did occur were caused by some quick blows, but the rhythm that was set was very firm and so any small errors did not affect the overall touch. The tenor was well rung keeping a good beat but had to clip the heals of some strays in 7ths place! Well done this band.

Team 6: Can/Am Clangers B – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 58 Minutes

Band was never entirely happy with the speed of ringing and consistently picked up faults, particularly with quick blows in the middle of the change. Occasional quick and slow leads also didn’t help the overall feel of the ringing. Seemed to be keen to get to the end which resulted in a bit of a shaky finish. A good effort by the band though perhaps a slightly quicker speed would have been helpful.

6 Bell Method

Team 1: Can/Am Clangers A – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 50 Minutes

A good confident start, nice rounds and settled into a good rhythm, fine leading and very few faults. Going swimmingly with good first 120 rounds coming up well, very slight trip in the 4th lead of the final 120 then a more serious one 2 leads later. The latter mistake took time to recover from and band never quite got in the same rhythm after that although they finished well. Bad luck but the mistake cost you as this was generally good ringing.

Team 2: Can/Am Clangers B – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 42 Minutes

Good opening rounds and early changes well rung but then a trip causing a big fire up and the bells were stood up.

Restarted very quickly but the bands confidence was obviously shaken and never really lived up to he early promise. Leading was generally good but often hesitant blows caused problems to other bells and another shaky patch towards the end racked up more faults. Came back into rounds well. Disappointing as the test piece did show and could have rung better.

Team 3: Can/Am Clangers C – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 42 Minutes

Started with a lot of promise but once changes started this was spoilt by the stretching out of the change. Once again a couple of hesitations, particularly one in the 7th lead caused problems but the band recovered well and a good finish to the first 120. The second 120 started very well but was marred by two further errors, the earlier one in the 5th lead was over with fairly quickly but the next one really caused problems over 2 leads. A pity because some of the ringing was good.

Team 4: North Georgia Sliders – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 40 Minutes This team rang changes for their practice, which was worthwhile!

Another team suffering from a mistake. A good start again but not flowing perfectly, slight hesitations disturbing the rhythm, this was possibly due to nerves as some of the ringing was very good. Bad error around the 120 changes mark took a long time to recover from and another mistake later on, although recovered from quicker, unsettled the ringing quite a bit. Bad luck as this team were clearly trying hard.

Team 5: Philly 1 – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 46 Minutes

Another team that used the practice time allowed to ring some changes.

Good solid workmanlike performance, no major errors but again lacking the absolute polish, picking up faults with minor hesitations and some quick blows, tenor sometimes a fraction quick at backstroke. The band seemed a little surprised when the first 120 ended and rounds were hesitant and a slight hesitation in the first lead of the new 120 caused a few faults but was well dealt with. This band possibly needed a more relaxed atmosphere that a striking competition to produce its best but a good performance avoiding major errors.

Team 6: Marietta Big Chickens – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 32 Minutes

More practice changes – really catching on now!

First team that rang Minor, Plain Bob. Good positive start with tenor keeping a good fast beat; sometimes the pace could not quite be managed by the entire band. Not many sticky places but possibly one was avoided around the 130 change mark. Ringing speed up even more after 160 changes and despite minor faults being picked up a good positive finish with rounds coming up well. A good choice of method but perhaps a bit fast for some.

Team 7: Washington – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 41 Minutes

Another minor band. This team seemed to struggle to find the right speed, slower than team 6 and often the smaller bells struggled at the back, often being a bit quick. Some hesitant blows did not help maintain the rhythm, particularly in 3 / 4 around the middle of the test piece. I think with more practice this team could have done better, perhaps a slightly brisker speed would have been better. But, all things considered this was a well rung test piece with no major mistakes.

Team 8: North Georgia Stays – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 32 Minutes

Another well used practice time, ringing plain hunt, which often does help get a rhythm!

Another team ringing Minor. This band got stuck into this one. Fast speed again but the band much happier. Small faults picked up at the back, often with the smaller bells being too quick once again. Bit of an error around the 5th lead end which upset the rhythm and the recovery was not immediate. After the end of the first 120 though the ringing was very clean, Tenor and 5th keeping a good rhythm and overall a very good test piece – well done!

Team 9: Philly 2 – Peal Speed - 2 Hours 42 Minutes

Band didn’t quite get of to a perfect start with some inconsistent ringing, tenor initially quick at backstroke but soon got back into the right place. This helped the ringing improve and the first 120 came up well despite a slight hesitation near the end. The last 120 was fairly well rung and it was a pity that a slightly disappointing start spoilt the overall marks, a good effort though.

Alan Regin

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