THIS YEAR’S Cowal Gathering came to a thrilling close on Saturday afternoon and the event’s grand finale more than lived up to expectations with the 2025 World highland dancing champions crowned, with two of last year’s winners successfully
defending their titles.
Dancers from the UK, Australia, Canada, and the USA competed for international glory.
But it was last year’s World Juvenile Champion, Aisla Gocan-Wright from Ontario who once again retained her title along with World Junior Champion Eilidh Gammons from Helensburgh doing the same. The only change this year was World Adult Champion which went to Marielle Lesperance from Nova Scotia, a title won last year by Rebecca Thow from Aberdeen.
Marielle, (36), a previous eight time world champion and mother of two had to settle for second last year but on Saturday she made no mistake in clinching the title yet again and was also crowned Best Overseas Adult Dancer.
Meanwhile Eilidh Gammons bagged her third world title all before her 18th birthday successfully defending her World Junior Champion title before moving into the adult category next year. Eilidh also won best Scottish Junior Dancer.
Aisla Gocan-Wright successfully defended her World junior Champion title and was also crowned best Overseas Juvenile Dancer although she might not qualify for that title next year on account her family have relocated permanently to Dunoon from Canada.
The full results for the World Championships were:
World Juvenile Champion – Aisla Gocan-Wright from Ontario
2nd: Ellie Murgha from Queensland 3rd: Lucy McMaster from Carluke Best Scottish Juvenile Dancer was
Lucy McMaster
Best Overseas Juvenile Dancer was
Aisla Gocan-Wright
World Junior Champion – Eilidh
Gammons from Helensburgh
2nd: Katjana Bruinsma from Alberta 3rd: Maria Monk from Glasgow
Best Scottish Junior Dancer: Eilidh
Gammons from Helensburgh
Best Overseas Junior Dancer: Katjana
Bruinsma from Alberta
World Adult Champion – Marielle
Lesperance from Nova Scotia
2nd: Rebecca Thow from Aberdeen 3rd: Rosey Watt from Macduff
Best Overseas Adult Dancer: Marielle
Lesperance from Nova Scotia
Best Scottish Adult Dancer: Rebecca
Thow from Aberdeen
