A statement win
21.7488
points clear of the field
Wider than 99% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The champion won by 21.7488 points — a wider margin than 99% of championships in the data.
Smoke on the Waters - The Return! 2026
Sep 19–20, 2026 · Devon, United Kingdom · UNITED KINGDOM
Reps: Angela Fishlock, Mark Fishlock
Bunch of Swines won Grand Champion at the Smoke on the Waters - The Return! 2026 on September 19, 2026 in Devon, EX37 9HZ, scoring 706.8344 in a field of 9 teams. BBQ Hot Yard took Reserve Grand Champion with 685.0856. Category winners: Chicken — Bunch of Swines (176.5600); Pork Ribs — Bunch of Swines (178.8572); Pork — BBQ Hot Yard (179.4400); Brisket — Bunch of Swines (177.7028).
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.
522.29
median 651.97
706.83 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 176.56
- Pork Ribs 178.86
- Pork 179.44
- Brisket 177.70
117.66
179.44
Entries
9
4 judged meats
Top score
706.8344
Winning margin
21.7488
GC over RC
Field average
636.41
522.29706.83
median 651.97 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Chicken
9.1544 pts across the top 5
Field spread
184.5488
winner to last place
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 9%
beats 91% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.81 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,555
avg power rating going in
Storylines (4 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
Bunch of Swines won Chicken, Pork Ribs, Brisket — a hat-trick, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Brisket 1st
Photo finishes
0.0116
decided the closest call
Chicken places 3–4: Grate Expectations edged Smoke on the Wild Side by 0.0116.
- Chicken 3–4 · 0.0116
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
Bunch of Swines took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 3 outright wins — their weakest board was pork at 2nd.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 2nd
- Brisket 1st
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)
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 176.5600 | 167.4056 | — |
| Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 166.2860 | — |
| Pork | 179.4400 | 163.9888 | — |
| Brisket | 177.7028 | 156.5600 | — |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
9 entries · top 706.8344 · median 651.9656
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bunch of Swines | |
| 2 | BBQ Hot Yard | |
| 3 | Smoke on the Wild Side | |
| 4 | Reservoir Hogs | |
| 5 | Grate Expectations | |
| 6 | Dimestore Cowboy BBQ | |
| 7 | Forks of the Fire BBQ Team | |
| 8 | Drum & Baste | |
| 9 | Chain Smokers |
Chicken
9 entries · top 176.5600 · median 167.4056
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bunch of Swines | |
| 2 | Reservoir Hogs | |
| 3 | Grate Expectations | |
| 4 | Smoke on the Wild Side | |
| 5 | BBQ Hot Yard | |
| 6 | Forks of the Fire BBQ Team | |
| 7 | Dimestore Cowboy BBQ | |
| 8 | Drum & Baste | |
| 9 | Chain Smokers |
Pork Ribs
9 entries · top 178.8572 · median 166.2860
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bunch of Swines | |
| 2 | BBQ Hot Yard | |
| 3 | Smoke on the Wild Side | |
| 4 | Grate Expectations | |
| 5 | Reservoir Hogs | |
| 6 | Dimestore Cowboy BBQ | |
| 7 | Forks of the Fire BBQ Team | |
| 8 | Drum & Baste | |
| 9 | Chain Smokers |
Pork
9 entries · top 179.4400 · median 163.9888
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BBQ Hot Yard | |
| 2 | Bunch of Swines | |
| 3 | Smoke on the Wild Side | |
| 4 | Grate Expectations | |
| 5 | Reservoir Hogs | |
| 6 | Dimestore Cowboy BBQ | |
| 7 | Drum & Baste | |
| 8 | Forks of the Fire BBQ Team | |
| 9 | Chain Smokers |
Brisket
9 entries · top 177.7028 · median 156.5600
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bunch of Swines | |
| 2 | Smoke on the Wild Side | |
| 3 | Reservoir Hogs | |
| 4 | BBQ Hot Yard | |
| 5 | Dimestore Cowboy BBQ | |
| 6 | Drum & Baste | |
| 7 | Forks of the Fire BBQ Team | |
| 8 | Grate Expectations | |
| 9 | Chain Smokers |