Back-to-back
2 in a row
editions of this contest
CONTAGIOUS Q won here last time out too — 2 straight editions of this contest.
- 2017
- 2018
Marietta River City BBQ 2018
Jun 8–9, 2018 · Marietta, OH · 📍 922 Front St.( Washington County Fairgrounds)
CONTAGIOUS Q won Grand Champion at the Marietta River City BBQ on June 8, 2018 in Marietta, OH at 922 Front St.( Washington County Fairgrounds), scoring 695.9544 in a field of 11 teams. 270 SMOKERS took Reserve Grand Champion with 687.3716. Category winners: Chicken — CONTAGIOUS Q (175.4056); Pork Ribs — SMITTY'S REAL PIT BBQ (177.1544); Pork — CONTAGIOUS Q (175.4172); Brisket — CONTAGIOUS Q (175.4172). This is the 4th of 14 editions of this contest on record; the 2017 edition was won by CONTAGIOUS Q; the next was held in 2019.
The contest at a glance (read off the scored boards)
How the field scored
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
593.62
median 659.36
695.95 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 175.41
- Pork Ribs 177.15
- Pork 175.42
- Brisket 175.42
147.97
177.15
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2015 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Entries
11
4 judged meats
Top score
695.9544
Winning margin
8.5828
GC over RC
Field average
655.16
593.62695.95
median 659.36 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Chicken
5.1200 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
629.4628
593.62695.95
10th place overall
Field spread
102.3316
winner to last place
Double threats
7
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 50%
beats 50% of 4723 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
31%
5 of 16 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.69 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,575
avg power rating going in · stronger than 60% of contests
Storylines (6 found in this contest's numbers)
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
A hat-trick of category wins
3
category wins in a day
CONTAGIOUS Q won Chicken, Pork, Brisket — a hat-trick, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 1st
A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 14 tracked editions
SLIPPERY PETE'S BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 14 tracked editions.
- 2015
- 2019
Photo finishes
0.0112
closest of 6 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 7–8: CHILLIN N GRILLIN BBQ COMPANY edged CONVICTED PIGS BBQ by 0.0112. Chicken places 2–3: 270 SMOKERS edged HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO by 0.0116. Chicken places 4–5: FOOMANCHOO BBQ edged BRUTUS AND COMPANY by 0.0116.
- Chicken 7–8 · 0.0112
- Chicken 2–3 · 0.0116
- Chicken 4–5 · 0.0116
- Pork Ribs 8–9 · 0.0116
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
CONTAGIOUS Q took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 3 outright wins — their weakest board was pork ribs at 3rd.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 3rd
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 1st
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: CONTAGIOUS Q (won 2017).
- CONTAGIOUS Q · 2017
This contest's own records (1 in the KCBS record book)
Records held by every edition of this contest put together, not just this one afternoon.
Score curves (score by finishing position — steep cliffs mean a spread field, flat lines a knife fight)
Category showdown (top / average / median score per meat)
Score distribution
Biggest rating movers (power-rating points won and lost at this contest)
Did form hold? (pre-contest rating vs overall finish — ratings called it if the dots climb to the right)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 12, 2015 | Marietta, OH | Marietta, OH 43724 | 17 | 705.1432 | SLIPPERY PETE'S BBQ | 2 WORTHLESS NUTS, NATURAL BORN GRILLERS |
| Jun 10, 2016 | Marietta, OH | Marietta, OH | 20 | 695.3716 | SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ | FOOMANCHOO BBQ |
| Jun 9, 2017 | Marietta, OH | 922 Front St.( Washington County Fairgrounds) | 16 | 698.2400 | CONTAGIOUS Q | BROTHA K'S BOARBECUE |
| Jun 8, 2018 ← this one | Marietta, OH | 922 Front St.( Washington County Fairgrounds) | 11 | 695.9544 | CONTAGIOUS Q | 270 SMOKERS |
| Apr 26, 2019 | Marietta, OH | 922 Front St.( Washington County Fairgrounds) | 26 | 686.8228 | Slippery Pete's BBQ | SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ |
| Apr 23, 2021 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 29 | 695.9884 | Under the Radar | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS |
| Apr 29, 2022 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 25 | 698.8000 | Peace, Love & Smokiness | SmokinGhost BBQ |
| Apr 28, 2023 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 42 | 701.6800 | High on the Hog | UNDER THE RADAR |
| Apr 28, 2023 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 18 | 178.8572 | The BBQ Bus | — |
| Apr 26, 2024 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 13 | 705.6800 | Chunky BBQ | CONVICTED PIGS BBQ |
| Apr 26, 2024 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 6 | 180 | Chunky BBQ | — |
| Apr 25, 2025 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 10 | 702.8460 | Sailor Nicks BBQ | T & S BBQ |
| Apr 25, 2025 | Marietta, OH | — | — | — | — | — |
| Apr 24, 2026 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 15 | 696.5716 | Beer Time BBQ | Freedom Meat Repeat |
| Apr 24, 2026 | Marietta, OH | Washington County Fairgrounds | 11 | 176.5600 | Puddleduck BBQ | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 175.4056 | 170.2856 | 155.3484 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.1544 | 165.1200 | 151.9316 |
| Pork | 175.4172 | 168 | 157.0744 |
| Brisket | 175.4172 | 166.8344 | 154.2056 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
11 entries · top 695.9544 · median 659.3600
Chicken
11 entries · top 175.4056 · median 169.1084
Pork Ribs
11 entries · top 177.1544 · median 163.4060
Pork
11 entries · top 175.4172 · median 162.8456
Brisket
11 entries · top 175.4172 · median 166.2400