Phantom Regiment crowned DCI World Champions

Text and photo from dci.org

It was the closest of victories at the 2008 Drum Corps International World Championship Finals in Bloomington, Ind. By only 0.025 points, Phantom Regiment passed the Blue Devils to take the gold medal and their second Championship title. Phantom Regiment (98.125) moved forward one placement from Quarterfinals to Semifinals, and from Semifinals to Finals in their quest for the Championship trophy. The Blue Devils (2nd, 98.100) took the silver medal as they walked the yard-line tightropes of Memorial Stadium one final time, and the Cavaliers (3rd, 97.325) received the bronze after the thunder of their taiko drums faded into the cool and clear summer night.

Phantom Regiment’s Finals night performance was marked by infectious crowd energy, with calls of “I am Spartacus" coming from the stands during their competitive performance and again later during the awards ceremony. Phantom Regiment last captured a Championship title in 1996 when they tied the Blue Devils for the gold medal. This season marks their first outright Championship win, as well as a capstone achievement to their previous performances of “Spartacus” in 1981 and 1982.

“I’m so happy that we could light this crowd up,” said Will Pitts, Phantom Regiment’s conductor who aged out this season. Following their "Spartacus" theme through to the end, Pitts reported for the awards ceremony in an unusual way. Speared and usurped as conductor during the finale of Phantom’s field production, Pitts was dragged onto the field for the all-corps retreat, still playing possum, and was left under a death shroud in the middle of the drum major lineup. 

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