Scottish Mixed Doubles Success for Gina Aitken

Gina Aitken and new partner, Scott Andrews are currently World Number One in Mixed Doubles Curling.  Read that last sentence again!  I dare say that that's the first time such a sentence has been written about a member of Currie and Balerno Curling Club.

Unfortunately for Scott, he had pulled a hamstring, and although he felt that he was just about recovered, he took the sensible decision to rest it for the weekend, so regular substitute Duncan Menzies took his place in the team.  And how well Duncan  played in Scott's place.

Team Aitken/ Andrews went through their group session undefeated and thus qualified to miss the quarter-finals and go straight to the semis, where they came up against the strong pair of Waddell and Spence.

They were 5-4 up with hammer playing the eighth end and managed to score a one to win that game 6-4.

It was fitting that their final was against the reigning Scottish Mixed Doubles Champions and the only other undefeated team to date in the competition, Team Kingan/ Stirling.  Again, the first few ends were tight with the lead swinging one way and then the other.  A decisive stolen two in the fifth end, crucially holding their opponents to one shot in the sixth and then scoring another two in the seventh gave them a strong three-shot lead going into the final end, where they ran their opponents out of stones.

A great weekend's curling and many congratulations to Scott, Duncan and Gina on their success.

Successful on-ice Scottish Mixed Doubles Champions 2018-2019
Duncan Menzies and Gina Aitken





At the official presentation in the Braehead club room, it fell to Royal Caledonian Curling Club Ladies President and, of course, Gina's C&B clubmate, Margaret Nicol to present the prizes and trophy to the winning rink.  Many congratulations from everyone in C&B to Gina, Scottish Mixed Doubles Champion and World Number One!



Scottish Mixed Doubles Champions 2018-2019
(from left): Duncan Menzies, Royal Caledonian Curling Club Ladies President, Margaret Nicol,
Gina Aitken and Scott Andrews
(Thanks to Norman Nicol for this picture)

Success at the Farmers' Competition in Hamilton

Callum Harvey and C&B members, Brian Fleming, Andrew Galloway and John Steven had a fantastic Farmers Competition at the Lanarkshire Ice Rink in Hamilton They went through the competition undefeated and are pictured here with their winners' prizes.  Also appearing in the team as a substitute, but sadly not in the picture, was Rowena Steven.

Rowena has not reported on the share out of the prize hamper, but your correspondent hopes that her dad gave her the lot!



Team Harvey - Winners Farmers' Competition, Hamilton
(from left): Andrew Galloway, John Steven, Callum Harvey and Brian Fleming

Kirsty Barr and Emma Barr win the Lockerbie Under 21 Competition and the Asham Scottish Under 21 Title

Coach Andrew Barr, who does so much work for the Gogar Park Young Curlers Club, gives his final update of C&B junior members' successes.

Team Davie, including C&B Junior members Emma Barr and Kirsty Barr, retained their Lockerbie U21 trophy, a prestigious competition on the junior circuit.  In so doing, they secured the Asham Scottish Under-21 Slam competition.  They had played very strongly in the semi-final against one of their main rivals for the Scottish Junior Ladies Championship this season, team Beth Farmer and continued their fine form in the final against Team Bryce (with Jane Barr at lead)

Team Davie win the Lockerbie Under 21 Competition
(from left) Lisa Davie, Anna Skuse, Kirsty Barr and Emma Barr

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And for the record, here is a picture of the runners-up with C&B's own Jane Barr in the team.

Reserve Availability for 2019

Here is the first attempt at the reserve availability list.  The key dates when there may be difficulty - all eight teams are out - are as follows

4th January
1st February
15th March

Also look out for Saturday 2nd March.  That's the Tom Holmes competition.  Again, there are eight teams out playing.  If you are looking for a substitute on any of those nights, then I would suggest that the earlier you secure a substitute, the better.

Reserve Availability List

P - Already Playing                          N - Not able to play

Blank = worth a try

Reserve Members

04-Jan

11-Jan

18-Jan

25-Jan

01-Feb

08-Feb

15-Feb

22-Feb

01-Mar

02-Mar

08-Mar

15-Mar

20.10

18.00

18.00

20.10

18.00

20.10

18.00

20.10

18.00

16.15

20.10

18.00

Annie Fleming

David Aitken

Gavin Barr  (Glasgow)

N

N

Caitlin Penny

Kirsty Barr  Jnr

N

N

Richard Alexander

John Penny

Isobel Hannen

Megan Priestley

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

Barbara Wood

Jill Gillard

N

P

N

N

Douglas Burns (Inverness)

Jennifer Marshall

Andrew Cargill

P

N

Louise Edwards

N

N

N

N

N

Graeme Maguire

Graham Milne

David McHale

Julia Mackey

David Hogg

N

N

N

Kettle Trophy Final Results and League Table

Susan Kesley, Bob Barr, Norman Nicol and Susan MacFarlane Win the 2018-2019 Kettle Trophy

It has been a great first-half of the season competition in the C&B league competition and, as recently as four weeks ago, any one of four teams were still in the hunt.  The cream rose to the top, though.  Nothing less than a win would have done, because Kerry Clark was well ahead on ends.  Susan, Bob, Susan and substitute Eoin McCrossan did the business against Katie Wood's team, skipped in her absence by past-president Lois Copland.

Kerry Clark, Raymond Preston, Maggie Barry and Stuart Ronald win Harlaw Cup

There was nothing that Kerry and company could do on the last day of competition.  They set the target and could only hope that Susan slipped up, but slip up, she didn't!

Here's the final results grid

Team	1			2			3			4			5			6			7			8
	F	A	E	F	A	E	F	A	E	F	A	E	F	A	E	F	A	E	F	A	E	F	A	E
N Gunn				8	6	4	6	7	5	4	6	3	9	8	3	5	12	2	4	9	4	4	9	3
K Clark	6	8	4				6	5	5	12	2	7	7	10	3	9	5	5	7	4	5	12	1	7
J Steven	7	6	3	5	6	3				4	11	2	10	4	6	6	12	4	4	13	3	9	3	4
S Kesley	6	4	4	2	12	1	11	4	5				13	4	4	11	1	6	7	7	4	7	6	4
K Wood	8	9	5	10	7	4	4	10	2	4	13	3				3	9	1	8	8	3	7	4	3
J Barr	12	5	5	5	9	2	12	6	3	1	11	1	9	3	4				9	6	4	3	6	3
D Munro	9	4	4	4	7	2	13	4	4	7	7	3	8	8	4	6	9	3				9	2	5
M Wood	9	4	5	1	12	1	3	9	2	6	7	3	4	7	4	6	3	4	2	9	2

And the final League table, for the record

Position	Team	Played	Ends	Shots u/(d)	Shots scored	Points
1	S Kesley	7	28	19	57	11
2	K Clark	7	36	24	53	10
3	D Munro	7	25	15	56	8
4	J Barr	7	22	5	51	8
5	J Steven	7	25	-10	42	6
6	K Wood	7	21	-16	44	5
7	N Gunn	7	24	-17	40	4
8	M Wood	7	21	-20	31	4

Congratulations to Susan and her team - a great win in a tough competition.