WGI Completes Record-Breaking Season

By Chris Frick Featured Destinations Sport of the Arts World Championships, WGI, WGI Sport of the Arts, Winter Guard International

Seven full days of incredible performances, record crowds and record-breaking scores made the Winter Guard International (WGI) Sport of the Arts World Championships one for the history books.

Color Guard World Championships week started out windy and brisk but Mother Nature wasn’t done. Rains moved in during prelims and never left throughout the event. What used to be a sweltering hot UD Arena, where hand fans were in the air like moths near a flame, this championship required an umbrella.

Preliminary rounds were held in Dayton and two sites near Cincinnati. Scholastic A (SA) Class brought the most groups to the championships, with 132 competing groups in multiple rounds. All classes participated in prelims, semi-finals and finals events.

For the first time in WGI history, the 30 World Class Finalists performed to a sold-out crowd. The arena was electric and often, deafening. At times, the performers may have been unable to hear their soundtrack.

“The 2025 WGI season showed amazing growth, not only in the number of groups participating in all three divisions but also in program quality and performer achievement.”

– Bart Woodley, Director of Operations, Winter Guard International

Scores and final results for Color Guard World Championships can be found here.

Just five days later, after much confetti clean-up, the arena lit up again for Percussion and Winds.

The first day in UD Arena began with plenty of sunshine and the Scholastic World Concert groups followed by the marching Scholastic and Independent ensembles. From floating drums to horses, the sights and sounds from these performers were standard-setting. In the end, three record scores were achieved during the World Class Finals.

Ayala HS (CA) won the Scholastic World Class with a record 99.5 score.
Announced as the Independent World Class silver medalist, Rhythm X (IN) achieved a new record high score of 99.063.
Only a few minutes later, RCC (CA) broke a new Independent World Class scoring record and won the gold medal with a 99.163.

Scores and final results for Percussion World Championships can be found here.

Sunday morning temperatures rose a bit and made for a perfect end to the weekend, season and Winds Championships. The groups had participated in prelims the day before and all A Class groups also competed in semi-finals the same evening. Avon HS (IN) took home top honors in Scholastic World Class.

Scores and final results for Winds World Championships can be found here.

The 2026 WGI season will culminate with World Championships during the following dates:

WGI Color Guard World Championships – Thursday, April 9 – Saturday, April 11

WGI Percussion World Championships – Thursday, April 16 – Saturday, April 18

WGI Winds World Championships – Saturday, April 18 – Sunday, April 19

All finals will be held in the UD Arena.

WGI 2025 will be remembered for the electric, entertaining performances and record-breaking events. Hats off to the team at WGI for their outstanding execution of this international competition.