8:30pm Friday 26th September 2008
By Citizen newsdesk
Five fantastic free fireworks displays, four internationally renowned competitors, and one sparkling winner.
Forward Fireworks, representing China, wowed the judges with their practically flawless performance as the final entrants in the competition last Friday.
They beat off blazing competition from Scotland’s Blast Design, Germany’s Zink Feuerwerk and Firemaster Productions from Canada, to lift the trophy.
Speaking from the Forward Fireworks factory, based in Liuyang City in the Hunan Province of China, Harry Liu was delighted to hear that his designs had blasted his homeland to victory.
He said: “Thank you for the great news, we are delighted to have won this year’s competition and we are very proud of this achievement.
“It is very gratifying to know that so many people in Blackpool enjoyed our display.
“We loved Blackpool and will come back again."
Blackpool’s Promenade has welcomed more than a quarter of a million spectators to the four heats of the event, and the final display will drawn even more visitors to the Promenade as Blackpool’s first ‘Cultural Olympiad’ event, in celebration of London hosting the next Olympic Games in 2012, sets the skies above the Illuminations alight in a blaze of sound and colour.
Councillor Mrs Maxine Callow, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Tourism, said: “The World Fireworks Championships Blackpool have been a fantastic success again this year with thousands of visitors and residents coming to the Town Centre every Friday to enjoy this great family event.
“Congratulations go to not only the winning team from China, but to all the international competitors, who have all produced stunning displays.”
This Friday, 26 September, it is the turn of leading UK pyrotechnical team, Kimbolton Fireworks, who will mark the close of this year’s competition.
As event co-ordinators, Kimbolton Fireworks are not competing for the title, but we can be sure their display will be one to rival that of their winning Chinese counterparts.
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