As we are now a month since the closing of the 28th edition of the Montreal fireworks competition, and as the Labor Day weekend is coming to a close, I thought that it would be appropriate for us to begin making predictions relating to the competitors of the 2013 season.

I am currently trying to devise a personal listing and will post it in the near future. In the meantime, for some preliminary thoughts pertaining to schedule structure, I suppose that we will have a return of a more conventional-type of schedule, including only Saturdays and Wednesdays, no August displays, and an earlier start to the competition. As for the participants of 2013, as always, it's difficult to say, but, at this point, I do suspect that Australia, Spain and China will make an appearance.

Other than that, tropical/equatorial Pacific surface and sub-surface waters have remained near-neutral for much of the Summer and showed appreciable signs of warming through July and August, with a similar pattern into September. Dynamical and statistical climate models have also recently shown stronger confidence in predicting the onset of a potentially (weak) El Nino event developing by the end of the Summer into early-Fall and persisting thereafter. The models also exhibited a gradual progression in El Nino intensity during the Fall and Winter months, possibly reaching moderate status by early-Winter. The presence of an El Nino offers a greater likelihood of a mostly mild/warm late-Fall and Winter throughout much of Canada (albeit some of this pattern is contingent on the Arctic and North Atlantic Oscillation variability), and though atmospheric conditions have been reflecting "neutral" tendencies (i.e. increased Atlantic tropical frequency, and enhanced convection over Indonesia), a gradual transition to El Nino-like patterns should unfold in the coming months. Some models show an increase in instability for the Fall and Winter, but the overall storm track and, therefore, total regional precipitation, remains uncertain.

In any case, what are YOUR predictions for the 2013 edition of the Montreal fireworks competition?

Trav.

I'm just trying to remember what "visitors" there were at the competition last year - as it's normally 2 years between a visit and a participation. It will be complicated in 2014 with the 30th anniversary edition too!

Paul.

Maybe U.K.'s Jubilee Fireworks will be in the competition next year. As always i'm waiting for RICASA to come back! Maybe Surex, I.P. Innovative and Pyrovision will all be back. I hope Dancing from china and intermede or Jacques Couturier from france joins the competition.

Vander

Maybe Vulcan will compete soon - I've seen various people from there in Montreal over the past couple of years. And you're right about Jubilee. With Benito Pagano competing again internationally, it would be nice to have IPON return to Montreal I wouldn't be surprised to see Zaragozana compete in Montreal soon too - their Zeus-winning display at Lac Leamy this year was definitely of a quality where it would play well in Montreal - beautiful products too. With all the TV publicity for GFA, I wonder if they would compete in Montreal again? I know Maude Furtado said that they have a space for a Jupiter award (though, of course, their Ampleman component do have a few Jupiters, just not a Gold one yet).

Definitely lots to speculate about, as well as a line-up for the 30th edition in 2014.

Paul.

Zaragozana and Vulcan would be great competitors. I'm sure a lot of people would be happy if IPON returns to montreal, although i would also love to see Pirotecnia Scarpato compete in Montreal! Not really a big fan of the shows done by GFA. It would also be interesting if there's another Japanese team competing next year.

Vander

After what is going to be nine years by next Summer, we're certainly overdue to see an IPON display, I think!

Trav.

Here are my predictions and, to some extent, my wishes for the 2013 schedule:

China: Pyromagic Productions Ltd
England: Pains Fireworks
Argentina: Cienfuegos
Australia: Foti's International Fireworks
Spain: Pirotecnia Igual
Canada: Royale Pyrotechnie
United States: Melrose Pyrotechnics
France: Brezac Artifices
Closing: Panzera S.A.S

I am assuming a season of nine displays (including a closing show), along with a start date sometime at the end of June. I also believe that we will return to a more "regular" schedule consisting solely of Saturdays and Wednesdays (initially with the usual three consecutive Saturdays), including one display possibly stretching into the very beginning of August (maybe the 3rd). However, if there is a tenth display, I am going to throw in Italy, with IPON SRL as the representing firm. Perhaps Germany may also make an appearance, too.

What we need now is to have ideal weather conditions for all competitiors, both during setup, and for the actual presentation times.

Any other thoughts on this? What kind of themes would you be interested in?

Trav.

I predict a 9-display line-up (including the closing display).

I guess it's likely that all Gold Jupiter winners since 2005 will be invited in 2014, so I predict that none of them will be part of the 2013 competition.

I think we are due for a third Swedish show from Göteberg Fyrverkeri Fabrik.

Fred

From what I have heard it will take a while until Goteborg comes back to Montreal. Hope Spain will be back with any of the caballers

Vander

Spain does not participate nearly as regularly as it used to, but it would certainly be wonderful to see Vicente Caballer to compete in Montreal again!

As much as I'd love to see Goteborg Fyrverkery Fabrik, I do concur that we would have to probably wait a little while longer before the Swedish team makes their graceful return to Montreal. Still, though, you never know!

Trav.

Out of curiosity, have there been any rumors circulating with respect to potential participants for the 2013 competition?

Trav.

I have a couple of hunches, but can't say too much. I do know IPON will not be here this year. I was chatting with Benito Pagano on Facebook and he's competing in Asia in March and hopes to come back to Montreal as soon as he can. His factory in Italy should be back in operation in the Spring, so that will help.

I'm sure we'll get some news soon!

In the meantime, watch this fabulous Italian display, courtesy of our friends Pyroworld who filmed it. Make sure you turn up the volume for the finale! https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Uj7XPM6t7X4

Paul.

It would be great if La Rosa comes to Montreal, but better if Scarpato represents Italy I wonder when the schedule will be announced! Hope there will be a lot of new firms as the regulars of Montreal before 2005 are slowly being replaced by newer firms in terms of innovation Would be nice to have Zaragozana, I.P., surex, pyrovision, and hanwha come back though. As for new firms I'd love to see Scarpato, Pyragric, Dancing, Jubilee, and Tamaya.

Vander

As IPON is not expected to participate in Montreal this year (as per Paul's posting), it would be appropriate for the team to return next Summer (2014), as it would mark 10 years since their last participation! That being said, should the 2014 season be devoted to only Gold Jupiter winners, as of 2005, then IPON may be a prospective competitor for 2015.

After viewing the video that Paul posted above of La Rosa Fireworks's display, I would more than love to see the Italian team's appearance at our own competition, at some point. It is quite evident as to how powerful/exciting the show was, as well as the good quality of the products (notably the variety of multi-breaks) exhitbited. The low-level sequences were also quite elaborate and supporting when present. And what a conclusion that was. The finale by La Rosa Fireworks really reminded me of some of those that were devised in the 1990's at our competition - vastly colorful, more than sufficiently enduring (it lasted nearly two full minutes, which is enough to have you stamping your feet wildly, lose your voice, and have your ears ring), widespread, and armed with a multitude of deafening salutes. Definitely worth it to watch at night, with the volume turned up accordingly.

Fortunately, there was ideal wind velocity to counter the damp conditions present at the time!

Trav.

Trav, IPON won the Gold Jupiter in 1997 so they could compete in an all-Gold competitor line up.

For lovers of salutes, here's an even more intense Italian (daylight) display with an out-of-control finale!

Thanks, again, to our friends at Pyroworld for filming this:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok8afHgazus
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ5lEahlmXA

Turn up the volume!!

Paul.