| World Championship Silver Medallists return Club members might like to know that Annie Laird and her Silver medal team mates are due back in Edinburgh airport on Tuesday afternoon at 16.40 on flight BA 1448.
30 March 2010
|
| Silver Medal for
Annie A hard-fought final that went all the way to an extra end. It will be no consolation to the Scotland Ladies team that they come home with a Silver Medal - they will be gutted to have got so far, only to fail at the last hurdle. Many congratulations to the team for performing so well in Canada; there have been many magic moments for us to savour. A Silver Medal at this level is no disgrace, so congratulations to the team and especially to club member Annie Laird.
29 March 2010
|
First Scottish Title
for Louise Wood!
Many congratulations to Louise Wood who has won the Scottish Mixed Curling Championships with fiancé David Edwards and team mates Claire and Dillan Perras up in Aberdeen; with that victory they have earned the right to represent Scotland in the European Mixed Championships early next season. In the final, they came up against fellow Currie and Balerno CC member (and last year's champion) Colin Campbell who was playing with Duncan Fernie, Lynn Cameron and Michelle Silvera. Duncan replaced Tom Brewster in this team. Regular readers will recall that Colin is a member of the reigning European mixed curling champion team. In the final, Team Edwards looked to be on easy street in the early ends and were leading 7-0 after three ends. Believe it or not, Duncan and his team got it back to one-up playing the last! David took it down the extra end and when Duncan failed to draw the four foot, Dave Edwards and company were crowned champions.
29 March 2010
|
Scots reach the World
Final for the first time since Bismark!
Students of the game will know that Annie Laird, pictured here immediately after her historic win over Canada's Jennifer Jones, with team mates Kelly Wood, Eve Muirhead and Lorna Vevers, was in that final as well! Andrea Schoepp's German team next. The Scots lost to the Germans earlier in the week but have a good record against the veteran in other competitions, so here's hoping for only the second Gold Medal in Scottish Ladies World competitions.
28 March 2010
|
Annie
takes on The World!
Club member and Olympian Annie Laird finds herself occupying territory which she has visited before - namely the business end of a World Championship! We all remember the excitement that greeted her after Bismark when she returned to Scotland as a member of the victorious Team Lockhart, Gold Medal wrapped around her neck. At this year's Scottish, Jackie Lockhart injured her knee immediately before the final of the Championship and Annie was pitched onto the ice for the final. She has been leading for Team Muirhead this past week in the World Championships and, together with third Kelly Wood and second Lorna Vevers they find themselves in joint top spot on seven wins and one loss. They are almost certainly guaranteed a play-off spot. 24 March 2010
Update
The Scottish ladies lost their last two games to Russia and Canada and are in the sudden-death third v fourth play-off game on Friday evening.
25 March 2010
|
Becca Kesley reaches
the quarter finals of the Scottish Schools Championships
Becca Kesley skipped the Mary Erskine's school team to the quarter finals of the Scottish Schools Championships. There, the luck of the draw pitted her against the strong Merchiston Castle School team skipped by Grant Hamilton with his cousin, Hamilton McMillan at third. It was no consolation that the girls lost their game 8-4 to the eventual winners of the overall competition.
23 March 2010
|
February / March Club News
Another Coronation League Triumph Currie and Balerno CC won the Coronation League for the 25th time since the competition started in 1953 and for a third time in a row, reports club president, John Steven. The team was Brian Fleming (skip), John Steven (third), Dave Munro (second) and Bob Barr (lead). Substitutes have taken to the ice from time to time and include Andrew Galloway, Lois Copland, Rebecca Steven, Jim Cunningham and Ian Gibb. Third Place in The Province League - and just out the play-off! So near, yet so far! The club's Province League team of Kerry Barr, Andrew Galloway, Dave Munro and Shona Watt beat a strong Musketeers handily in their last game and continued to top the table by two points over Carrington, Watsonians and Gogar Park all whom still had to play one more game. The top two from league go forward to play a final, the winner of which gains the right to represent Midlothian Province at the National Finals later this year. Carrington had to win with 5 ends and 7 shots or 6 ends; Watsonians needed to win with 6 ends; Gogar Park had to win 7 ends and 9 shots or take all 8 ends. In other words, it wasn't looking too bad for Currie and Balerno! Believe it or not, the club was overhauled by both Carrington and Watsonians - both of whom won the requisite number of ends (the subject of a Stewards' Enquiry, I trust!) and had to be content with third place in the league. More Junior News Rebecca Steven was in the winning team in Gogar Park Young Curler's premier league competition, the Edington Trophy. In the Edinburgh School's Crabbie Trophy played at Murrayfield, Rebecca Kesley and Gina Aitken, representing Mary Erskine's, were runners-up in the competition. Caitlin Barr and Tasha Aitken have now returned from their adventures at the World Junior Curling Championships in Flims. Although they only managed two wins in the tournament, they should look back with tremendous pride on their Scottish Championship success and on the fact that they won the right to represent their country in an International Championship. They will have learned from this experience and will doubtless be back next season! 19 March 2010 |
Scots
Ladies Record their Second Win
As Mike Haggerty puts in his report on the match, it is a case of "too little, too late", but nonetheless, the Scots recorded a gutsy win over China and move up to two wins from eight matches. In a separate move, it looks like Rhona Martin and David Aitken have reunited the Scottish Champion team, so both Tasha and Caitlin were on the ice last night. I think that this was a positive move by the coaching team and hopefully the team will take confidence from their first win as a four in the competition. Sweden next. Big game, but hopefully, our girls will be up for it!
11 March 2010
|
Ladies lose a tight
game to Canada
Read Mike Haggerty's full report on the match here. What is obvious from his report is that the girls are playing with pride and commitment and at this stage, that is all that we can ask and to their credit. The Canadians had waltzed through the competition undefeated before today's game and had had some pretty easy wins on their way. The Scots took them all the way to the last stone of the last end and were obviously playing more like their old selves. Two more games to go - check out the times and scores on the official website. On Wednesday they face China and on Friday in their last game, it's Sweden. Two tough games, but both are winnable. Call me old-fashioned if you will, but I would like to see our Scottish Championship rink fight out these last two games as a team.
10 March 2010
|
First Win for the
Junior Ladies
Later than they would have wanted, I know, but at last there is some good news from Flims. The Scots look to have had a reasonably easy game against the French. It is not entirely clear, but it looks as if Anna Sloan, the alternate, threw fourth stones, with Lauren Gray skipping and throwing third stones, Claire MacDonald at second and Tasha Aitken at lead. Caitlin looks to have sat this game out. Canda next tomorrow. That could be a tough one! Here's hoping though.
8 March 2010
|
More from Flims
Unfortunately, it's not good news from Flims for our junior lady champions. This evening they lost to the USA and again, as in earlier games in this championship, they had the chance to win. They are now at the bottom of the league table on 0-5. What should be a highlight in their curling lives is turning into a really hard week for them and their coaching team. I am sure that they know that the club is right behind them in their last four games.
8 March 2010
|
Latest from Flims
After three rounds, Scotland are struggling and have yet to win a game. Their first game, as has already been reported was a heartbreaking 9-8 loss - with seven ends to go the Scots were 8-3 to the good. Their second game was against the strong Swiss team and though the first three ends were competitive, the game was lost in ends four, five and six where six shots were leaked to the opposition. Against the Russians in round three, the Scottish girls put on a spirited show, but always seemed to be slightly behind their opponents. The game was eventually conceded in the tenth end with the score at 6-4 in the Russians favour. The Scottish girls really need to get on the scoreboard in their next three games against the Germans (one win) and the USA (one win) tomorrow (Monday) and the French (no wins) on Tuesday afternoon. They then have some time off until facing pre-tournament favourites Canada (three wins) on Wednesday morning at 09.00 Swiss time. That could be a very big game indeed. The league table and linescores are here.
7 March 2010
|
Annie
Laird's Fairytale continues...!
Annie's astonishing second half of season 2009 - 2010 continues apace. As Dougie Donnelly said on the TV commentary this afternoon, she would have come to Perth this morning fully intent on a cosy seat watching the action. Instead she was pitched straight onto the ice and into the final of the Scottish Ladie Championship after an unfortunate knee injury sidelined Jackie Lockhart for the game. Annie has now won the last three Scottish Ladies Championships. She played for Gail Munro in 2008, for Eve Muirhead last season and is again on the ice with Eve this season, playing against her old skip. In her last end, she played a perfect draw to the top of the four foot round the guard and then executed - again to perfection - the most difficult shot a lead will ever be asked for, the tick shot. Her two stones set the end up nicely for Eve and indeed it was Annie's first stone that won them the game! Annie Laird - Scottish Champion 2010. She's black and blue from the self-inflicted pinchmarks. Tremendous!
7 March 2010
|
Scotland Ladies lose
their Opener against the Czech Republic
It is always difficult to report on a game from only the linescore - but the Scots will be mightily disappointed with their opening result. It looks like they let a six-shot lead after seven ends turn into a one-shot defeat. The card reads like a bit of a train crash in ends eight, nine and ten - they lost a three, then a two against the head, then a one against the head. Who knows what happened? Maybe there was a pick-up on a critical stone, or maybe they relaxed and let the other team back into the game. In any case, coach David Aitken has his work cut out for him. They have to put the disappointment behind them and prepare themselves for this evening's game against Switzerland's Manuela Siegrist, who had a tight win over Germany this morning.
6 March 2010
|
Web coverage from
World Junior Curling Championships
For those of you interested in following some of the games live from Flims, there is a better link than the one I posted earlier. Go to the WJCC 2010 site here for a full schedule of games covered. The Scottish ladies game versus Russia is scheduled to be webcast on Sunday 7 March at 14.00 CET. I whisked out the abacus and this translates to 13.00 UK time. As far as I can make out, this is the only one of the Scottish ladies games that is being webcast, though hopefully the commentators will keep us updated on the other games in the draw. As a matter of interest, the Scottish men's game versus Switzerland is being webcast on Monday at the same time. In the meantime, Scotland's game versus the Czech Republic will be coming to a close. If I can find a more up-to-date results site than this one I will post it.
6 March 2010
|
Caitlin and Tasha at the World Junior Curling Championships, Flims
Good luck to Caitlin Barr and Tasha Aitken, team mates in the Scotland team at the World Junior Ladies Curling Championships in Flims, Switzerland! They are pictured here alongside Lauren Gray, Claire MacDonald and David Aitken immediately after their win in the Scottish Junior Championships up in Aberdeen in February. Anna Sloan joins the team as fifth player.
Picture courtesy of Bob Cowan
It goes without saying that the whole club are right behind Caitlin and Tasha and wish them all the very best for what will be the experience of a lifetime for them.
5
March 2010
Kerry
Barr at the Columba Cream Scottish Ladies Championships
Picture courtesy of Bob Cowan
While
Caitlin is away in sunny Switzerland, big sister Kerry, pictured here playing
in an earlier round of the competition, is making a bold attempt on the
Scottish Ladies Championship in Perth.
She is playing third in Team Reid, skipped by Sarah Reid. Their front end is Barbara McFarlane and Laura Kirkpatrick. After a slow start in the league section (at one point they were on 0-3 with Gail Munro to play in the next round!), they won their last five games and play in the 3 v 4 play-off over the best of three games against Gillian Howard's team.
Thei first game is at 2.30pm on Friday, with the next one at 7.30pm. If a third game is needed, it will be at 9.00am on Saturday. The full draw is on the Royal Club website here.
Good luck to Kerry and her team mates this weekend!
Stop Press 1
She is playing third in Team Reid, skipped by Sarah Reid. Their front end is Barbara McFarlane and Laura Kirkpatrick. After a slow start in the league section (at one point they were on 0-3 with Gail Munro to play in the next round!), they won their last five games and play in the 3 v 4 play-off over the best of three games against Gillian Howard's team.
Thei first game is at 2.30pm on Friday, with the next one at 7.30pm. If a third game is needed, it will be at 9.00am on Saturday. The full draw is on the Royal Club website here.
Good luck to Kerry and her team mates this weekend!
Stop Press 1
In a pulsating first match, Kerry and her team mates recovered from 5-1 down after five ends to romp home 7-6 after the tenth.
A big four, followed by a stolen three secured their win in the second of three. She now goes ahead to the semi final against the loser of Eve Muirhead versus Gail Munro. The score in their match is one-all after two games played. The deciding match takes place on Saturday morning at 9.00am.
5 March 2010
Stop
Press 2
In their semi final match against Gail Munro, Kerry and her team mates found themselves 5-1 down after only three ends and, although it was still early in the game and time there was a-plenty, against a team of Gail's experience, it was always going to be a mountain that had to be climbed. In the end, the Munro team ended up fairly easy 10-5 winners. They it is then who go on and face Eve Muirhead in the final on Sunday.
In their semi final match against Gail Munro, Kerry and her team mates found themselves 5-1 down after only three ends and, although it was still early in the game and time there was a-plenty, against a team of Gail's experience, it was always going to be a mountain that had to be climbed. In the end, the Munro team ended up fairly easy 10-5 winners. They it is then who go on and face Eve Muirhead in the final on Sunday.
6 March 2010
Henderson Bishop Finals
Six
Currie and Balerno curlers are down in Lockerbie this week representing
Murrayfield. Susan Kesley, Jenny Barr, Morna Aitken, Margaret Jacks (pictured
here from left after their victory in the Murrayfield playdown) together with
Margaret Nicol are playing in the Murrayfield 1 team, while Shona Watt is
playing with her mother Barbara, Joyce McCluskey and Eleanor Denholm in
Murrayfield 2.
The event is an inter ice rink competition. Seventeen ice rinks are represented with Murrayfield, Inverness and Lanarkshire each having two teams. The competition is run in four sections of five - each team playing against all of the other teams in their section. The winners of each section progress straight through to semi finals at 9.30 on Thursday 25 February, the winners of which make their way through to the final at 1.30pm.
Murrayfield 1 have won two out of their three games to date and are sitting at the top of their league, although Inverness 2 remain undefeated and have already beaten our ladies. Murrayfield 2 has dropped two games and lie fourth in their section.
Ongoing results can be found on the RCCC site here.
Murrayfield 1 play Atholl at 9.00am on Wednesday in a "must win" game, while Murayfield 2 play Inverness 1 at 11.30am.
The event is an inter ice rink competition. Seventeen ice rinks are represented with Murrayfield, Inverness and Lanarkshire each having two teams. The competition is run in four sections of five - each team playing against all of the other teams in their section. The winners of each section progress straight through to semi finals at 9.30 on Thursday 25 February, the winners of which make their way through to the final at 1.30pm.
Murrayfield 1 have won two out of their three games to date and are sitting at the top of their league, although Inverness 2 remain undefeated and have already beaten our ladies. Murrayfield 2 has dropped two games and lie fourth in their section.
Ongoing results can be found on the RCCC site here.
Murrayfield 1 play Atholl at 9.00am on Wednesday in a "must win" game, while Murayfield 2 play Inverness 1 at 11.30am.
23
February 2010
Update
Murrayfield 1 beat Atholl in their last section game this morning and are now sitting on six points. They have qualified for the later stages of the competition - although whether they have qualified in the low or the high road depends upon the result of the Inverness 2 v Atholl game that is currently on ice. A win for Inverness 2 would secure their qualification for the high road and relegate our ladies to the B road. Results can be found here. Murrayfield 2 still have a chance to qualify for the low road and again it all depends on their section results as well as their own game. They are currently on the ice.
24 February 2010
13.00 |
Update 2 -
Murrayfield 1 reach the semi finals!
Atholl did the business for Murrayfield 1! They defeated the previously unbeaten Inverness 2 and prevented them getting the required number of ends to boot, so Susan Kesley, Jenny Barr, Morna Aitken, Margaret Jacks and Margaret Nicol progress to tomorrow morning's semi final in the High Road. At this stage, I am not sure which team of Kinross, Lockerbie or Ayr they face. Ayr look strong - they are skipped by former Scottish champion and Olympic Gold Medallist, Margaret Agnew (nee Morton) with former Scottish Mixed Champion Karen Strang at third. Gail Thomson and Anne Anderson (no relation I don't think!) at lead. Kinross are skipped by Mary Barr, with Dor Borthwick, Ena Stevenson and Joy Bowie. Lockerbie's team is made up of Moira Hastings, Anne Smith, Fiona Robson and Linda Smith. Good luck to Susan and her troops tomorrow morning! *STOP PRESS* The draw pitches Murrayfield 1 against Kinross tomorrow at 9.30am. For Bob Cowan's report and photos from the gala dinner this evening, see his website here. Murrayfield 2 just missed out on a qualifying place on ends. Bad luck to Shona and her team.
23 February 2010
11.45pm
Update 3 -
Murrayfield 1 lose to Kinross in the semi final
In what looks to have been a tight game for the first four ends, Murrayfield 1's gallant bid to win the Henderson Bishop came to a halt in their game against Kinross this morning. In the end, Kinross ran out fairly easy winners 9-4 after nine ends of a scheduled ten-end game. In the other semi-final, Ayr's unbeaten run came to an end against a strong Lockerbie outfit that now goes forward to the final at 1.30pm.
25 February 2010
1.00pm |
Annie takes to the ice
in Vancouver!
Picture courtesy of Bob Cowan
Annie
Laird, pictured here sweeping in the Scottish Championships with Kelly Wood,
the player she replaced tonight in the GB Olympic ladies curling win over the
Russian Federation, fulfilled a dream tonight and took to the ice. If you had
said to Annie a month ago that this would have been happening, she would have
laughed in your face and told you to behave yourself, yet here she is!
First, and important to say that all supporters wish Kelly a speedy recovery from whatever ails her. One person's misfortune is another's opportunity though - it has always been thus in sport - and Annie took to the ice early in the game when GB were already 5-1 up on their opponents. Her first stone was what the darts aficiandos amongst you might have described as "a sighter", but her second was a sweet-as-a-nut draw around a Russian guard to lie hidden.
The GB ladies team were imperious tonight and their performance made up for the disappointment that all will have felt when David Murdoch just failed with his last stone tap-back against the Swiss in the morning session. The ladies now sit on 2-1 - a position they would have taken if you had given it them at the start of the competition.
First, and important to say that all supporters wish Kelly a speedy recovery from whatever ails her. One person's misfortune is another's opportunity though - it has always been thus in sport - and Annie took to the ice early in the game when GB were already 5-1 up on their opponents. Her first stone was what the darts aficiandos amongst you might have described as "a sighter", but her second was a sweet-as-a-nut draw around a Russian guard to lie hidden.
The GB ladies team were imperious tonight and their performance made up for the disappointment that all will have felt when David Murdoch just failed with his last stone tap-back against the Swiss in the morning session. The ladies now sit on 2-1 - a position they would have taken if you had given it them at the start of the competition.
19
February 2010
Scottish Junior
Championships
Caitlin Barr and Tasha Aitken triumphant!
Caitlin Barr and Tasha Aitken triumphant!
Picture courtesy of Bob Cowan
Scottish Junior Champions 2010
From
a strictly unbiased Currie and Balerno viewpoint, the club had a number of its
junior members on show at the Scottish Junior Championships, held in Aberdeen
this past week. Some will have been happy with how things went and some will
feel that this was a week where potential was unfulfilled. For two members in
particular, Caitlin Barr and Tasha Aitken, pictured here together with team
mates Lauren Gray and Claire MacDonald and coach David Aitken, the weekend
turned into a dream come true! Finally, plans can be made for Flims and the
challenges that await at the World Junior Curling Championships. History will
record that these two members of our club are now Scottish Junior Curling
Champions. Their names sit comfortably alongside those of other Scottish Junior
Champion club members, names like Gillian Barr, Kerry Barr, Graeme Copland,
Annie Laird, Susan McLean and Katie Wood.
Rinkside
opinion had Caitlin and Tasha as the best front end on show in the ladies
competition. In their semi-final game on Sunday morning against Helen King, the
two of them were imperious and it was largely due to their great play that Team
Gray was able to dominate the game from the very first end. In the final
against fellow Gogar Park Young Curlers members, Jennifer Dodds and Mairi
Anderson, they again set the stall out early and enabled the Gray team to claw
back from a 2-0 deficit to a three shots victory by the conclusion of end nine.
Great
sweeping, good tactical awareness, clear communication and an obvious desire
from each of the team to support the others – it was a great team performance
and a well-deserved victory that reflects well on C and B. Read Kay Adams
report on the final on the RCCC site here.
Becca Kesley just misses out on semi final spot
Becca Kesley just misses out on semi final spot
Becca Kesley played third in Team Fleming and they never really seemed to recover their equilibrium from a poor start. That said, they found themselves right back in the competition when Helen King drew the pot lid with no backing to beat a surprisingly lacklustre Anna Sloan. This set up an organiser’s nightmare (though, to be fair, it cannot have been too much fun for those involved either!): a three-way tie for third place. A well-crafted three in last end of their night time game against Team Sloan set up a 7.30am Sunday morning game against Helen King. To be honest, this was a game that team Fleming probably felt they should have won. King was on fire though and although the game went all the way down the tenth, they had to steal and it was not to be.
Mairi
Girvan, playing second in Mhairi Baird’s team, had a great start to the
competition, managing to qualify for the finals. Things did not go well for
them after that until their last two games, both of which they won. Beating the
unbeaten Jennifer Dodds in the penultimate round was a particular highlight for
them.
Gina
Aitken also managed to skip a team through to the finals which was a great
achievement in itself. Gina finished on one win, but what a win it was! She
beat Helen King who, of course went on to cause such a sensation later in the
week.
Finally
in the ladies, Rebecca Steven and Karen Munro played in a team together and
managed a win in the pre-qualifying competition. Sadly for them, they lost
tight, tight games to eventual champion Lauren Gray and Mhairi Baird. So near,
yet so far!
After
a sparkling, undefeated Mens district playdowns in Ayr, there were high hopes
for Struan Wood and Ian Copland, playing in team McWilliam. The rubs just never
seemed to go their way though and they lost a succession of tight games that,
on another day, they might have won. Slackness in the middle part of many of
their games seemed to do for them, but they are a talented team and if they
stay together for next season, will still be in with a shout.
All
in all, seven junior lady members and two junior men competed in the final
stages of the Scottish Junior Championships 2010. I wonder if that is a club
record?
8
February 2010
Picture courtesy of Bob Cowan
In
case anyone has not heard the news, club member Annie Laird will become the
first Currie and Balerno member ever to represent Great Britain in a Winter
Olympic Games. Annie, a past World Champion and reigning Scottish Champion
(playing lead to Eve Muirhead last season), has been called into the Olympic
ladies team to replace Karen Addison.
It will be a hectic couple of weeks for Annie before she flies out with team mates Eve Muirhead, Jackie Lockhart, Kelly Wood and Lorna Vevers, together with coach Nancy Murdoch to Vancouver.
She is listed as Alternate. That does not just involve her in sitting with the coach watching the games! She will be involved in the thankless, but important task of stone-matching and will be at the ice rink long after most have gone home. She may not get a game, but she will be an integral part of GB's ladies curling team. Here's hoping that she comes home with another Gold Medal around her neck!
It will be a hectic couple of weeks for Annie before she flies out with team mates Eve Muirhead, Jackie Lockhart, Kelly Wood and Lorna Vevers, together with coach Nancy Murdoch to Vancouver.
She is listed as Alternate. That does not just involve her in sitting with the coach watching the games! She will be involved in the thankless, but important task of stone-matching and will be at the ice rink long after most have gone home. She may not get a game, but she will be an integral part of GB's ladies curling team. Here's hoping that she comes home with another Gold Medal around her neck!
31
January 2010
Province and
Coronation Updates
In the Province League, Currie and Balerno continue their splendid progress in the competition. In their fourth game of the league, John Steven reports that the club recorded a good win against Oxenfoord CC. Team members out that night were Kerry Barr, Andrew Galloway, Dave Munro and Shona Watt. The team now sits undefeated on four wins. In the Coronation League C and B won their January match and now sit atop the league, undefeated and with one game in hand over their neares rivals. It's all bubbling up nicely for February and March.
31 January 2010
|
Kerry Barr reaches the play-off stages of the Scottish Ladies Championship
Picture courtesy of Bob Cowan
Kerry
Barr, playing third to Sarah Reid and seen here in deep discussion with her
skip during their game versus Claire Milne on Friday morning, has reached the
top four of the Scottish Ladies Championships in Perth and thus progresses to
the play-off stages of the competition in Perth. The winners go on to represent
Scotland at the Ladies World Championships.
In her last game, she had to beat wee sister Caitlin along with Tasha Aitken, both playing in the Lauren Gray team, to ensure that she and her team mates moved into the play-offs. They won the game comfortably 9-3. Caitlin and Tasha had a disappointing weekend this weekend, but their big goal is the Scottish Junior Championships next weekend. In the page 3 v 4 play-off that Kerry and her team mates will play, they will be up against either Anna Sloan or Gillian Howard. the page play-off will be best of three and will take place on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 March. The winner of the page 3 v 4 play-off will then play the loser of the 1 v 2 play-off between Eve Muirhead and Gail Munro in a one-off semi final match, the winner of which will progress to the Scottish Ladies Championship final on Sunday 7 March. All games will be at Perth. I know that Kerry would appreciate all the club support she can get, so I will post the game times when I find them out. |
Scottish
Junior Championships
The finals of the Scottish Junior Championships take place in Curl Aberdeen from 3 – 7 February. As there are only 11 ladies teams entered in the competition this season, all received a bye straight through to the finals. A number of Currie and Balerno youngsters will be competing in the competition and many will fancy their chances for glory.
Caitlin
Barr (lead) and Tasha Aitken (second) have had an impressive season to date
playing with Lauren Gray (skip) and Claire McDonald (third). As has been
recorded elsewhere in the news section, they have managed to win their way
through to the winner’s enclosure a couple of times already this season and,
importantly, seem to have the indian sign on one of their big rivals, team
Anna Sloan. Caitlin and Tasha are playing in the Scottish Ladies
Championships up in Perth as I write and are currently sitting on four wins
and four losses.
Rebecca
Kesley plays third in another of the favourite teams in the Scottish Junior
Ladies competition. Her skip is talented Lockerbie curler, Hannah Fleming
(who has turned out for C and B at least once this season, as I know to my
cost!) and her other team mates are Alice Spence (second) and Abigail Brown
(lead). Like Caitlin and Tasha, Rebecca is playing in the Scottish Ladies
this weekend, but things are not going so well for the youngest team in the
competition and we shall say no more than that! They are playing against
Scotland's best though and have done well to get that far.
Rebecca
Steven is skipping her own rink this season and has Karen Munro playing
second in her rink. Gina Aitken is also skipping her own rink.
Finally,
Mairi Girvan is playing second in Mhairi Baird’s Murrayfield rink with
Jennifer Martin (third) and Rachel Hannen (lead).
For
the men, things were not so cut and dried. They had to go through the
nightmare of a district playdown on ice this side of tricky down in Ayr. Ian
Copland and Struan Wood, with team mates Jay McWilliam (skip) and Billy Sloan
(lead) managed an impressive unbeaten run of five games and qualified
comfortably from a tough section. Many commentators are giving them a good
chance come the finals. They have had a good season so far, including wins at
the Dunvegan in Murrayfield as well as the Kinross Classic. They were also
runners-up in the first mini-tour event of the season in Hamilton.
Winers
of both the Scottish Ladies and Mens Junior Championships have the honour of
going on to represent Scotland at the World Junior Championships in Flims,
Switzerland from 5 – 14 March.
Good luck to all in
Aberdeen.
28 January 2010
|
Swan Trophy
John Steven, Club President, reports that the
club reached the final of the competition for the tenth time in eleven
seasons – a truly remarkable record, especially when you look at some of the
other Edinburgh clubs with whom we have regularly crossed swords. Clubs like
Corstorphine, Oxenfoord, Carrington and Midlothian regularly put out good
teams to challenge C and B’s domination, but somehow, we seem to pull
through!
This season, Brian Fleming (skip), John Steven
(third), Bob Barr (second) and Joe Barry (lead) teamed up with Andrew Barr
(skip), Andrew Galloway (third), Dave Munro (second) and Caitlin Barr (lead)
to record the club’s sixth success in the trophy’s final – this season.
Their semi final was a one sided affair with Brian's team winning 17-1, though Andrew Barr's game was much closer. The final against Oxenfoord CC was an extremely tight game as the scoreline will demonstrate. After two ends Brian's game was tied at 2-2 while Andrew was 1-0 down; after four ends Brian was still tied after swapping ones at 3-3 and Andrew had managed to get on the board with a score again tied – this time at 1-1; in the 5th, Brian took a 1 and Andrew dropped a one, so the score remained stubbornly at peels going down the 6th
Maybe the 6th ends were it all swung C
and B’s way. Things were looking good for the opposition early doors in
Brian’s game, but he managed to winkle a two out of nowhere and Andrew got
things back to peels in his game. A steal for Brian in the 7th and
a blank for Andrew meant that the club was three-up coming home – by no means
a guaranteed winning score, but a cushion nonetheless. Oxenfoord went for the
big gamble in the last ends but sadly for them, it was not to be and another
famous win was in the record books. down the 8th.
President John Steven spoke for the club at the presentation ceremony up in the ECC club rooms. He told the gathering that when Oxenfoord CC had won the trophy for the first time in 1976, Willie Sanderson presented the trophy to Jimmy Sanderson Snr. In 2010, Jimmy’s great grand-daughter, Caitlin Barr was in the winning team, albeit playing for a different club! Just to finish off the perfect day, Reporting Scotland were filming in the rink at the time the final games were being played and a number of the victorious team found themselves TV stars as well as stars on the ice.
28 January 2010
|
Caitlin
Barr and Tasha Aitken win the Murdoch Trophy at the Lockerbie Junior
Invitation
There
were a number of Currie and Balerno juniors on show in the Lockerbie Junior
Invitation tournament at the weekend – in fact, John Steven reports that in
section B of the ladies draw, five teams out of the six had Currie and
Balerno representation! So how did they all do?
Rebecca
Kesley, who has been having something of a stellar season so far, had a quiet
weekend, winning three out of her five games and not qualifying for the
play-off stage. This is anecdotal, but I wonder if that is not a first in junior
ladies competitions this year for Rebecca – not making at least the play-off
stages?
Rebecca
Steven and Karen Munro played together and managed two wins out of five; they
were disappointed not to win a third game. Fiona Munro was in another team,
but only managed one win out of five.
Gina
Aitken skipped her rink to a semi final spot before losing out to Jennifer
Dodds. Gina is having a good season and this is not the first time that she
and her team mates have challenged at the later stages of a competition.
Meanwhile,
in the other semi final of a very strong ladies competition, Caitlin Barr and
Tasha Aitken (third) were playing with Lauren Gray and substitute Megan
Priestley (second); they took on Anna Sloan’s much-fancied team and, not for
the first time this season, accounted for them. This set up a Dodds versus
Gray final. According to Bob Cowan’s report on the game, Caitlin and Tasha were always up, leading 4-1
at the halfway stage and they ran out fairly easy winners in the end.
|
Picture courtesy of Bob Cowan
From left Megan Priestley, Tasha Aitken, Marion Murdoch
(presenting), Lauren Gray and Caitlin Barr.
22 December 2009
|
Scottish
Championships Men's Qualifiers
Meanwhile, up in Perth, Ian Copland and Struan Wood, playing with Jay McWilliam and Billy Sloan and Graeme Copland, playing with Jamie Dick, John Hamilton and Andrew Craigie, were competing in the Scottish Championships Men's Qualifiers. Colin Campbell is also competing in the championships as lead to Pete Loudon. Graeme and company had a mixed weekend, losing their first two games against a local rink, skipped by Graham Shaw and Tom Brewster's strong rink before coming up against brother Colin Dick. This really was a "must-win" game and the elder brother duly delivered. Another good win against Mark Fraser set up their final game against former World Champion, Hammy McMillan. This was a game that went to an extra end and, to be honest, was a game that they could have won. Sadly for them, when Jamie's last stone hung wide, the chance to put Hammy under pressure evaporated and they sit on a 2-3 record. Ian and Colin had a tough weekend, but enjoyed a good win against Paul Stevenson. They could and should have won their last game against Glen Muirhead, having led it from the start. A silly three was conceded late in the game and, although they played well to take the game to an extra end, they were disappointed to lose the game. They take a 1-3 record to the next weekend. Colin Campbell is on a 3-2 record and will be disappointed as he and team mates Logan Gray, Richard Woods and Pete Loudon dropped a couple of games (against Paul Stevenson and David Mundell) that they would have marked down as potential wins when they looked at the draw. All to play for at the next qualifying weekend in Perth from 15 - 17 January 2010.
22 December 2009
|
Currie
and Balerno Curlers at the Duddingston Points
In 1809, with mad King George III on the throne and 25 years before the abolition of slavery, the curlers of Duddingston struck a medal for their newly invented points competition. It has been played for continuously since then despite a small hiccough of 77 years when the original medal went missing! To mark the bicentenary of the Duddingston medal, the oldest points trophy in the world, the club invited curlers from across Scotland to compete for the venerable gong this year. Currie and Balerno, with their proud tradition of extending Duddingston's original three disciplines to ten, was one of the clubs invited. It was only right that C and B should send the cream of their curlers to this auspicious event and so Jim Cunningham, Margaret Nicol and Joe Barry were duly dispatched! At least, in Jim, we had a previous winner of the medal back in 1991. Wearing our commerative badges and with glasses of port and mounds of sweeties available for the contestants, the competition ran like clockwork under the jocular guidance of president Roddy Watson. Strike, in-wick, draw, guard and raise were the disciplines used and Hamish Lorrain-Smith of the Musketeers club, with a score of 25/40, will be the latest name to be added to the long, long list of winners, the first of whom would have had his name inscribed at a time when Napoleon was rampaging round Europe and Lord Nelson was the hero of the age with his victory at Trafalgar. Joe Barry
18 December 2009
|
Suzie Law stars for England at the European Championships |
Picture courtesy of Bob Cowan
Suzie Law in action at the recent European Championships
Club
member, Suzie Law, seen here playing in England's match against Scotland and
fresh from her Bronze Medal success at the recent European Mixed Championships,
played a full part in England's challenge at the recent European Curling
Championships in Aberdeen. Sadly for Suzie and her team mates, things did not
go as they would have hoped, but nevertheless, it is always an honour to pull
on your country's jersey, so congratulations from all at Currie and Balerno CC.
16 December 2009
Graeme Copland wins the
Braehead Open
Picture courtesy of Corinne Shand
Graeme
is pictured here on the left with his team mates Hamilton McMillan, Sandy
Gilmour and Ross Paterson.
In an exciting final game against Graham Shedden, Graeme, playing lead to former Scottish junior championship-winning team mates, Ross Paterson and Sandy Gilmour, along with Hamilton McMillan, prevailed.
Two-up, playing the second last end, Graeme and his mates gave up a two to go down the last peels with hammer. A nervy last stone draw to the four foot from Ross secured the win for the Edinburgh team.
In an exciting final game against Graham Shedden, Graeme, playing lead to former Scottish junior championship-winning team mates, Ross Paterson and Sandy Gilmour, along with Hamilton McMillan, prevailed.
Two-up, playing the second last end, Graeme and his mates gave up a two to go down the last peels with hammer. A nervy last stone draw to the four foot from Ross secured the win for the Edinburgh team.
16
December 2009
Province,
Coronation and Swan December updates
November
was a relatively quiet month for Currie and Balerno on the Province front and
there were no Swan Trophy fixtures. As far as the Swan is concerned, the club
will play its semi final tie on 8 January 2010.
The
third of the club’s Province League games was a big one against another
undefeated team in the league, Gogar Park curling club. Gogar had a strong team
out on the ice, Bob Kelly (skip), John Hamilton (third), second (and Currie and
Balerno club member!) Niall Gunn and lead Sean Murphy. Currie and Balerno’s
team was Kerry Barr (skip), Andrew Galloway (third), John Steven (second) and
Dave Munro (lead). The game was nip and tuck for the first three ends and
Currie and Balerno took a 2-1 advantage into end four. Andrew played a super
freeze to a Gogar stone on the button that Bob Kelly could not remove and the
result was a 3-1 advantage going into end five.
Gogar
took a one in end five and Currie and Balerno matched it in the important 6th
end. Two up with two to play – C and B would have taken that at the start of
the game! End seven was a predictably defensive effort from the C and B team
and they were largely successful in keeping the front clear before an
unexpected miss from Bob Kelly suddenly turned things around. Kerry went onto
the offensive and guarded her counter in the house. Another miss from the Gogar
skip and the club was now 5-2 ahead playing the last end. When Bob missed an
almost impossible angle run-back triple with his last, it was another steal for
Currie and Balerno and an unlikely (in scoring terms!) 6-2 victory.
This
was a massive win for the club over its nearest rival. The margin of the
victory was splendid and, of course, an all-important six ends were added to
our league total of ends as well as two points for the win. Congratulations to
the team, whose next game is on 21 January.
In the Coronation league Currie and Balerno remain top on shots up; we are unbeaten after six rounds with 4 wins and 2 draws and a game in hand over the rest of the teams. This league resumes after the Christmas break (with apologies, by the way, to any Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, Druids, devotees of Hare Krishna, Atheists, Plymouth Brethren, Jehovah’s Witnesses – or anyone else who does not celebrate Christmas)
In the Coronation league Currie and Balerno remain top on shots up; we are unbeaten after six rounds with 4 wins and 2 draws and a game in hand over the rest of the teams. This league resumes after the Christmas break (with apologies, by the way, to any Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, Druids, devotees of Hare Krishna, Atheists, Plymouth Brethren, Jehovah’s Witnesses – or anyone else who does not celebrate Christmas)
But
“Season’s Greetings”? – I ask you!
Thanks, by the way, to
Brother John Steven for the update.
9
December 2009
Henderson Bishop Edinburgh Playdowns
Four happy Currie and Balerno CC curlers receive the Edinburgh playdown trophy after a hard week's curling. From left, Susan Kesley, Jenny Barr, Morna Aitken and Margaret Jacks. Margaret Nicol, who played in every other round, is missing from the picture. The five-woman team was as reported earlier. Jenny skipped Morna, Margaret Jacks and Margaret Nicol in Monday's game. Susan skipped the team (without Jenny) in Tuesday's game. Jenny skipped on Wednesday and Susan on Thursday. The final was on Friday 4 December and, as Margaret Nicol was in Inverness, Susan skipped Jenny, Morna and Margaret Jacks against Barbara Watt. It was a kind of C and B-fest, as Shona was playing in the opposition rink! Both teams had already qualified in any case. The Henderson Bishop finals are in Lockerbie in February and the same five plan to rotate themselves again. Watch this space!
8 December 2009
|
A
busy weekend...!
It has been a busy
weekend for Currie and Balerno curlers and no mistake! First of all, three
teams were on club representative duty. All three acquitted themselves well,
although pride of place goes to the ladies who represented us in the Henderson
Bishop Edinburgh playdowns.
Henderson Bishop playdowns
Morna
Aitken, Jenny Barr, Margaret Jacks, Susan Kesley and Margaret Nicol went on to
win their final game in the knock-out competition, thus winning the
competition. They had already qualified after their semi final win. If I get a
picture of the winning team, I will post it here later.
McMillan
Hotels double rinks competition
For
the second year running, Currie and Balerno had qualified from Murrayfield to
represent Edinburgh at this new competition, aimed at club curlers not involved
in the final stages of the Scottish Championships. Two teams travelled down to
Stranraer, with the goal of improving on their semi-final placing last season.
They
found themselves in a difficult section with last year’s winners of the
competition, Coldstream CC, the strong Reform CC from Greenacres and
Inverkeithing CC from Fife. Currie and Balerno 1, skipped by Brian Fleming,
with Andrew Galloway, Dave Munro and Lois Copland got off to a great start and
ended up winning their game handsomely. Currie and Balerno 2, with Niall Gunn
(skip), John Steven (vice), Robin Copland (second) and Raymond Preston (lead)
found themselves four down with two ends to play. A great hit around a guard
for three from Niall got them back into the game and a steal at the last end
secured a somewhat breathless draw.
Two
good wins followed that opening game and the two teams progressed confidently
to their Sunday morning semi final clash against Kilsyth CC. C and B 2 got off
to a good start taking an early two and a positive lead. The team had their
chances as the game progressed, but could never get away from their opponents
and, although leading by one shot after a splendid three in the seventh end,
lost a two going for a steal and the win in the last end. C and B 1 always
seemed to be up against it against a strong Kilsyth 1 team. Again, they had
managed to build up a good end in the eighth before a strike that ran wide and
ended up jamming the target stone against one of their two counters in the
rink. A big end was now off the cards and their game also fizzled out
disappointingly.
Kilsyth
went on to win the competition after only six ends played in both games against
a disappointing Cadder CC performance, so perhaps the club’s performance should
not be too harshly judged against that criterion.
A great competition
though that we should continue to support.
Scottish Championship pre-qualifiers
Three
of our younger members had a nervous weekend at the Galleon, Kilmarnock, trying
to qualify for the Scottish qualifying playdowns that start later this month.
Ian Copland and Struan Wood, playing with Jay McWilliam and Billy Morton found
themselves in the same section of five teams as the team skipped Jamie Dick and
including the third of the Currie and Balerno members, Graeme Copland.
Ian
and Struan opened with a fairly convincing win against former World Senior
champion Keith Prentice and his team. They followed that up with a tight couple
of wins against Struan Macnee and Jamie Dick and did not need to play their
last game. This was a great performance for the boys.
Graeme also won his two
opening games against Struan Macnee and Andy Cameron before losing a tight game
against Jay. This left his team mates and him with a real nerve-jangler against
Keith Prentice – upon which, it is fair to say, their whole season depended!
They responded to the pressure and played well to record a good win. Graeme
therefore joins his brother Ian and Struan in the Scottish Qualifying competition.
It will be played over two weekends – 18 to 20 December and 15 to 17 January
2010.
7
December 2009
Edinburgh International Curling Championships
Picture courtesy of Bob Cowan
From left, Colin Campbell, Richard Woods, Logan Gray and Pete Loudon with the Berne Bear.
From left, Colin Campbell, Richard Woods, Logan Gray and Pete Loudon with the Berne Bear.
Two Currie and Balerno members, Graeme Copland and Colin Campbell competed
in the Edinburgh International Curling Championships last weekend.
Graeme, playing with Jamie Dick, John Hamilton and Andrew Craigie, had a disappointing weekend, winning two games out of five. They will feel that they should have won four out of five, to be fair and will be especially disappointed that they contrived to lose to Warwick Smith, despite holding a three shot lead with two ends to play.
Colin Campbell, on the other hand, fought his way to the final of the competition and ran reigning the World and European Curling Champions, Team Murdoch, extremely close - taking the game to an extra end. Colin has joined Team Loudon this season and plays his competitive curling with Pete Loudon, Logan Gray and Richard Woods.
Graeme, playing with Jamie Dick, John Hamilton and Andrew Craigie, had a disappointing weekend, winning two games out of five. They will feel that they should have won four out of five, to be fair and will be especially disappointed that they contrived to lose to Warwick Smith, despite holding a three shot lead with two ends to play.
Colin Campbell, on the other hand, fought his way to the final of the competition and ran reigning the World and European Curling Champions, Team Murdoch, extremely close - taking the game to an extra end. Colin has joined Team Loudon this season and plays his competitive curling with Pete Loudon, Logan Gray and Richard Woods.
3
December 2009
Henderson Bishop
Throughout this week, a five-person team of Susan Kesley, Jenny Barr, Morna Aitken, Margaret Jacks and Margaret Nicol have fought their way through to the final game of the Henderson Bishop Edinburgh Playdown. They have already qualified for the final playdowns. The final game is on Friday afternoon at 12.30.
3 December 2009
|
Graeme Copland
reaches final of Galleon Mini Tour
Ultimately, this was a disappointing weekend for Graeme - playing with his regular team of Jamie Dick (skip), John Hamilton (third) and Andrew Craigie from Inverness. In order to qualify for the district playdowns of the Scottish Championship and miss the tough pre-qualifying stages, they needed to win all their games (and thus the competition). They had already dropped a bit of a silly game against Graham Shaw in the round-robin, so even had they won the final, they would have missed out on one of the qualifying spots. Two good knock-out wins against Alan Manuel and Hammy McMillan set up a final against the local favourites, skipped by David Mundell. If truth be told, they were one up coming home and had the hammer, so really, they should have won the game. A missed last draw gave Mundell the steal of two and the competition. Interestingly, earlier on in the competition, Ian Copland and Struan Wood inflicted David's only defeat. Ian, Struan and their team mates also missed out on Scottish district qualification after a disappointing weekend for them and only one win. Caitlin Barr and Tasha Aitken shine in Aberdeen Meanwhile, the Scottish Ladies Championship was taking place in Aberdeen. Becca Kesley, who has had a magnificent start to the season with her team, found the going tough and did not manage a win. They must not lose heart though and keep their focus on their main goal for the season - the Scottish Junior Championship. Caitlin Barr and Tasha Aitken, playing front end for Lauren Gray had a successful weekend and lie 4= in the table - just one game behind Eve Muirhead's Olympic sqaud and immediate past Scottish Champion, Gail Munro. They recorded a couple of great wins against Claire Milne and Sarah Reid. Sarah, of course, has Kerry Barr playing third. They had not such a good weekend, but are still not out of things.
22 November 2009
|
ROK 28th Junior
Highland International, Inverness
This is an annual event that became a member of the new European Junior Champions Tour last season. As such, it attracts many teams from Europe as well as the top Scottish Junior teams. Younger members of Currie and Balerno CC were again to the fore in the competition andalthough the boys did not do so well this weekend, the ladies performed admirably, came through some really tough games and three of them contested the final - a fantastic achievement. Becca Kesley and her team are having a stellar start to this season and ended up winning the competition. Caitlin Barr and Tasha Aitken reached the final, defeating Anna Sloan's strong team in the semi final. Bob Cowan's Skip Cottage Blog has a full report on the weekend plus pictures. You can find it here.
16 November 2009
|
Club
teams progress in external Competitions
The club teams in the various ice rink and Province competitions have been beavering away this past month and John Steven has alerted me to their progress. Swan Trophy
This
is a “Double Rink” competition – in other words, the club is represented by
two teams whose scores against their opposition are combined to give an
overall result of the match. In the quarter-finals, Currie and Balerno CC
beat Penicuik CC in both the games to progress through to the semi-finals.
The
teams are:
Brian
Fleming, John Steven, Andrew Galloway and Joe Barry;
Andrew
Barr, Kerry Barr, Bob Barr and Lois Copland.
Province League
So
far, Kerry Barr, John Steven, Dave Munro and Lois Copland have played one
game against Watsons. Currie and Balerno won the game 5-4.
Coronation League
Currie
and Balerno have played three matches so far and have won two and drawn one.
The
team has varied over the three rounds; Brian Fleming has skipped all the
games to date and has been supported by Bob Barr, Lois Copland, Jim
Cunningham and Dave Munro.
Jackson Trophy
This
is the champion of champions competition named for one of the finest curlers
that Edinburgh ever produced, the late W K Jackson. Invitations are sent to
all of the previous season’s Murrayfield competition winners and Currie and
Balerno had won the competition in the previous two seasons, so were gunning
for a hat trick!
Unfortunately, this
season’s team of John Steven, Kerry Barr, Dave Munro and Margaret Jacks just
failed in their bid, losing out in a tight game to Midcalder CC, 7-6.
Watch out for a further update at the end of November.
2 November 2009
|
| Scottish Ladies
Pre-qualifier Competition Tasha Aitken, Caitlin Barr, Kerry Barr and Becca Kesley have had a busy weekend in Perth competing in the Scottish Ladies Pre-qualifier competition. The top six teams out of eight qualified. Competing teams were split into two sections of four and the top three from each qualified for the Scottish Ladies Championships proper. All four successfully completed their ordeal. Kerry, playing in Sarah Reid's team found herself in a play-off situation - three teams were tied on one win each. The won the draw shot challenge, so managed to qualify without playing a tie-break game. Becca Kesley, playing with Hannah Fleming was in the same draw-shot challenge but successfully negotiated their play-off game against Jennifer Dodds and her rink. Caitlin and Tasha, although only managing to win one game, nevertheless qualified as Jude McFarlane was winless in their section. All four will compete in the first rounds of the Scottish Ladies Championships in Aberdeen from 19 - 22 November.
1 November 2009
|
Ian Copland and Struan Wood win the Gogar Salver
Former C and B member Fred Prain presents the Gogar Salver to Jay McWilliam, Ian Copland, Struan Wood and Billy Morton
Ian Copland and Struan Wood, together with team mates Jay McWilliam and Billy Morton, continued their great start to the season with a victory in the resurrected Gogar Salver - now an Under-21 Competition and sponsored by great curling enthusiast, Bill Roy. Here, they receive the trophy from Fred Prain.
The following weekend, the boys flew to Norway to compete in the season's first of the Under 21 Champions Tour Events. They qualified from their group but lost out in the quarter final to Oskar Eriksson, the 2007 Swedish Junior Champion and World Junior Silver Medallist.
30
October 2009
Lockerbie
Mini Tour
Although Kerry Barr did not take part in the weekend, her team mates Sarah Reid, Barbara McFarlane and Laura Kirkpatrick, together with substitute Jen Priestley, managed to win the Lockerbie Mini Tour to add to their victory in the Hamilton Mini Tour event. Kerry and her team mates are overall winners of the 2009 Mini Tour - good preparation for the Gold League pre-qualifying competition from 31 October - 1 November.
Becca Kesley will also be taking part in the pre-qualifying competition, playing for Team Fleming.
They clash at 3.15pm on Saturday afternoon and the competition is at Dewars Rink in Perth.
Good luck to both!
Although Kerry Barr did not take part in the weekend, her team mates Sarah Reid, Barbara McFarlane and Laura Kirkpatrick, together with substitute Jen Priestley, managed to win the Lockerbie Mini Tour to add to their victory in the Hamilton Mini Tour event. Kerry and her team mates are overall winners of the 2009 Mini Tour - good preparation for the Gold League pre-qualifying competition from 31 October - 1 November.
Becca Kesley will also be taking part in the pre-qualifying competition, playing for Team Fleming.
They clash at 3.15pm on Saturday afternoon and the competition is at Dewars Rink in Perth.
Good luck to both!
30 October 2009
Kinross Junior Classic
The second of the season's Under 21 weekends took place this weekend and Currie and Balerno CC youngsters were again to the fore. I am not going to be picky; allowing for the waiting list as well, no fewer than nine of our members took part in the competition and three ended up on the winning teams, Ian Copland, Rebecca Kesley and Struan Wood.
In addition, Rebecca Steven skipped her team, including second Karen Munro, to a semi-final spot and winner of the Under 18 prize. Mairi Girvan also competed in the semi-finals. Tasha Aitken and Caitlin Barr were a shot away from reaching the semi-finals.
A splendid performance from all of them!
The second of the season's Under 21 weekends took place this weekend and Currie and Balerno CC youngsters were again to the fore. I am not going to be picky; allowing for the waiting list as well, no fewer than nine of our members took part in the competition and three ended up on the winning teams, Ian Copland, Rebecca Kesley and Struan Wood.
In addition, Rebecca Steven skipped her team, including second Karen Munro, to a semi-final spot and winner of the Under 18 prize. Mairi Girvan also competed in the semi-finals. Tasha Aitken and Caitlin Barr were a shot away from reaching the semi-finals.
A splendid performance from all of them!
Ian Copland and Struan Wood
Picture courtesy of Bob Cowan
The presentation picture (from left): Billy Morton
(Lead), Struan Wood (Second), Ian Copland (Third) and Jay McWilliam with the
President of Kinross Young Curlers, Hamish Geyer
Ian and Struan, with their team mates Jay McWilliam
(skip) and Billy Morton (Lead), continued their great form from last week, but
this time went one place better and won the boys event.
Again, they accounted for some top-notch opposition, including a couple of National Academy teams. They had a tight semi-final against two of last season's Scottish Junior Champions, Ally Fraser and Steven Mitchell. A nice hit and stay with Jay's last stone, secured their place in the final.
They had already played and beaten Michael Reid in their round-robin section game. The final was an understandably nervy affair, but our lads kept their cool and stretched away in the latter part of the game to secure a great win.
For Ian, this was his second victory in the competition, having won it two years ago playing lead to Lindsay Gray.
Again, they accounted for some top-notch opposition, including a couple of National Academy teams. They had a tight semi-final against two of last season's Scottish Junior Champions, Ally Fraser and Steven Mitchell. A nice hit and stay with Jay's last stone, secured their place in the final.
They had already played and beaten Michael Reid in their round-robin section game. The final was an understandably nervy affair, but our lads kept their cool and stretched away in the latter part of the game to secure a great win.
For Ian, this was his second victory in the competition, having won it two years ago playing lead to Lindsay Gray.
Rebecca Kesley
Here, Rebecca and her team mates receive their trophy and prizes from Steven Kerr, Manager of Kinross Ice Rink. From left, Steven Kerr, Hannah Fleming (Skip), Rebecca (Third), Alice Spence (Second) and Abi Brown (Lead).
Rebecca is in a strong-looking line up this year. Along with the Anna Sloan and Lauren Gray teams, they will be favourites for the Scottish Junior Ladies Under 21 Championships in February.
In their final, they faced Jennifer Dodds, a fellow member of Gogar Park Young Curlers. The game was tight, but swung in the Fleming team's favour on a couple of near misses from Jennifer and a fine last take out by Hannah around a guard at full speed when all she could see from the hack was half the Dodds counter in the four foot.
Here, Rebecca and her team mates receive their trophy and prizes from Steven Kerr, Manager of Kinross Ice Rink. From left, Steven Kerr, Hannah Fleming (Skip), Rebecca (Third), Alice Spence (Second) and Abi Brown (Lead).
Rebecca is in a strong-looking line up this year. Along with the Anna Sloan and Lauren Gray teams, they will be favourites for the Scottish Junior Ladies Under 21 Championships in February.
In their final, they faced Jennifer Dodds, a fellow member of Gogar Park Young Curlers. The game was tight, but swung in the Fleming team's favour on a couple of near misses from Jennifer and a fine last take out by Hannah around a guard at full speed when all she could see from the hack was half the Dodds counter in the four foot.
Picture courtesy of Bob Cowan
Steven Kerr presents Hannah Fleming, Becca Kesley, Alice Spence and Abi Brown with their winner's trophy
12 October 2009
Louise Wood and David
Edwards
In case you have not heard, Louise Wood has become engaged to David Edwards. Many congratulations to both.
In a separate development, Barbara Wood has announced that she is staying on at her job "for the foreseeable future". No reasons were given.
In case you have not heard, Louise Wood has become engaged to David Edwards. Many congratulations to both.
In a separate development, Barbara Wood has announced that she is staying on at her job "for the foreseeable future". No reasons were given.
12
October 2009
Success at the European Mixed Curling Championships
Picture courtesy of Curling Promo, Prague
Colin judges Michelle's stone with Lynn Cameron
Currie
and Balerno can bask in some reflected glory this morning as not one, but two
of our members have come home with medals - and in two different teams!
Colin Campbell, seen here marshalling a Michelle Silvera stone with Lynn Cameron, played in Tom Brewster's winning Scotland rink and won their Gold Medals in a really good final performance against a strong Denmark team. They ran out 5 - 1 winners. Colin already has a World Junior Bronze Medal in his locker, so appearing on the podium at International events is becoming something of a habit!
Meanwhile, Suzie Law, playing for England, had a great run in the competition before losing out in a tight semi-final to Denmark. She and her team mates went on to win their play-off game against the Czech Republic, so Suzie returns with another International Medal to add to her World Junior Gold - this time it is a Bronze from the European Mixed Curling Championships.
Congratulations to them both on sterling performances in Prague.
Colin Campbell, seen here marshalling a Michelle Silvera stone with Lynn Cameron, played in Tom Brewster's winning Scotland rink and won their Gold Medals in a really good final performance against a strong Denmark team. They ran out 5 - 1 winners. Colin already has a World Junior Bronze Medal in his locker, so appearing on the podium at International events is becoming something of a habit!
Meanwhile, Suzie Law, playing for England, had a great run in the competition before losing out in a tight semi-final to Denmark. She and her team mates went on to win their play-off game against the Czech Republic, so Suzie returns with another International Medal to add to her World Junior Gold - this time it is a Bronze from the European Mixed Curling Championships.
Congratulations to them both on sterling performances in Prague.
5
October 2009
Hamilton Mini Tour
Many younger members of the club took part in the Hamilton Mini Tour Event this weekend. There were some highlights!
Many younger members of the club took part in the Hamilton Mini Tour Event this weekend. There were some highlights!
Picture courtesy of Bob Cowan
Kerry Barr
Kerry, playing with Sarah Reid, Barbara McFarlane
and Laura Kirkpatrick, are hoping to repeat their Mini Tour success of last
season, when they won the overall competition. They got off to a near perfect
start by winning the first of the two weekend events at Hamilton and nearly had
a perfect 5-0 record were it not for a slightly overplayed attempted hit with
Sarah’s last stone of the weekend against Gillian Howard’s team (skipped by Kay
Adams).
Here Kerry and Sarah
watch a Gillian Howard stone being guided into the house by Kay Adams.
5
October 2009
Mairi Girvan
Picture courtesy of Bob Cowan
Mairi throwing a stone earlier in the season
Mairi throwing a stone earlier in the season
This
season, Mairi is playing with fellow Gogar Park Young Curlers member Mhairi
Baird, Rachel Hannen and Jennifer Martin. They have already reached the final
of the
Greenacres Junior Masters, losing out to Gina Aitken and her team.
The mini tour is a step up in class and the girls had not won a game when they stepped onto the ice on Sunday morning to play former Scottish Junior Champion, Gillian Howard and her team of Kay Adams (reigning World Junior Champion), Lynsey Spence and Sarah McIntyre (three-time and reigning World Junior Champion).
The youngsters took a six off the more experienced team early on in the game and then sealed their victory with a three later on, forcing Gillian to shake hands, 9 - 3 down.
They went on in their second game to play reigning World Junior Champion, Anna Sloan and her experienced team but, buoyed by their earlier success, they repeated their feat to make Sunday a very special day indeed!
They now lie 3= in the overall competition.
The picture shows Mairi delivering in the final of the Greenacres Junior Masters competition earlier this season.
The mini tour is a step up in class and the girls had not won a game when they stepped onto the ice on Sunday morning to play former Scottish Junior Champion, Gillian Howard and her team of Kay Adams (reigning World Junior Champion), Lynsey Spence and Sarah McIntyre (three-time and reigning World Junior Champion).
The youngsters took a six off the more experienced team early on in the game and then sealed their victory with a three later on, forcing Gillian to shake hands, 9 - 3 down.
They went on in their second game to play reigning World Junior Champion, Anna Sloan and her experienced team but, buoyed by their earlier success, they repeated their feat to make Sunday a very special day indeed!
They now lie 3= in the overall competition.
The picture shows Mairi delivering in the final of the Greenacres Junior Masters competition earlier this season.
5 October 2009
Tasha Aitken and Caitlin Barr
Tasha and Caitlin sweep
This
season, Tasha and Caitlin are playing in Lauren Gray's team and find themselves
amongst the favourites for the Scottish Junior Championship in February.
Perhaps their fiercest competition comes from Anna Sloan's strong team, so
their early-season meeting on Friday night in Hamilton was a game to watch!
It was nip and tuck throughout and eventually boiled down to Anna's last stone - a difficult hit and stick that needed to be perfect if she was to win the game. Sadly for her, her stone bounced out of the rings and the early spoils went to the Gray team. Well done Caitlin and Tasha!
They only managed one other win over the weekend, so find themselves in a big pile up on two wins and 3 losses in the overall event.
It was nip and tuck throughout and eventually boiled down to Anna's last stone - a difficult hit and stick that needed to be perfect if she was to win the game. Sadly for her, her stone bounced out of the rings and the early spoils went to the Gray team. Well done Caitlin and Tasha!
They only managed one other win over the weekend, so find themselves in a big pile up on two wins and 3 losses in the overall event.
5
October 2009
Ian Copland and Struan Wood
Ian, Jay, Billy and Struan discuss an important stone
Picture courtesy of Bob Cowan
Ian
and Struan, playing again this season with Jay McWilliam and Billy Morton had a
fantastic weekend in Hamilton, reaching the final of the event and taking quite
a few scalps on their way!
In the early rounds, they beat their junior rival, Colin Dick, before reaching the quarter finals, where they met Hamilton McMillan and the semis, where they conquered a strong-looking rink skipped by Hugh Thomson.
In the final, they were two up with two ends to play against Paul Stevenson and really should have won the game. Some canny play by Paul's rink in the seventh allowed them to score a big three and Jay just failed to roll in for a two in the eighth that would have sealed the game for them.
Although there was a lot of action out front in the extra end, the youngsters just could not get the killer stone in around all the guards and lost out in a tight final game.
In the early rounds, they beat their junior rival, Colin Dick, before reaching the quarter finals, where they met Hamilton McMillan and the semis, where they conquered a strong-looking rink skipped by Hugh Thomson.
In the final, they were two up with two ends to play against Paul Stevenson and really should have won the game. Some canny play by Paul's rink in the seventh allowed them to score a big three and Jay just failed to roll in for a two in the eighth that would have sealed the game for them.
Although there was a lot of action out front in the extra end, the youngsters just could not get the killer stone in around all the guards and lost out in a tight final game.
They
will have been disappointed to get so near, only to fall at the last hurdle,
but nevertheless, this was a great performance that bodes well for the upcoming
season.
In the picture, Ian, Jay, Billy and Struan discuss a crucial stone in the final.
In the picture, Ian, Jay, Billy and Struan discuss a crucial stone in the final.
5 October 2009
Member Colin Campbell represents Scotland in the European Mixed Curling Championship.
 Michelle Silvera, Colin Campbell, Lynn Cameron and Tom Brewster
Picture courtesy of Bob Cowan
Club member Colin Campbell won the Scottish Mixed Curling Championship at the
end of last season as a member of Team Brewster.
He and his team mates, Tom Brewster, Lynne Cameron Michelle Silvera and fifth player, Kim Brewster are currently representing Scotland at the European Curling Championships in Prague. The Scottish team are currently on 3 wins and 1 loss (to Marco Uusipaavalniemi's strong Finnish team). They are well on-course for the play-offs.
28 September 2009
Update
Scotland are now on 4 wins and 1 loss. Their game on Wednesday morning will be webcast live at 9.00am
29 September 2009
Update
Scotland have won the European Mixed Championships, so club member Colin Campbell returns to Scotland with a Gold Medal from the Championships! Suzie Law was representing England in the competition and, in a wonderful performance, becomes a member of the very first English curling team ever to come back from a major curling Championship with a medal. The English team came third. Suzie herself has "previous" when it comes to International Championships! She is a World Junior. Gold Medallist.
2 October 2009
|
Kerry Barr stars in
Oslo
Kerry Barr is playing in a competitive looking rink this season, skipped by Sarah Reid, with Barbara McFarlane at second and Laura Kirkpatrick at lead. All are past and multiple Scottish Junior Champions. Sarah, Kerry and Barbara have also won Gold Medals at the World Junior Championships. This weekend, they were mixing with the very best curlers in the world in Oslo. They recorded four splendid wins, including a memorable one against Jennifer Jones, reigning Canadian Champions and past World Champions. They also came up against Dordi Nordby and recorded a great win there as well. They reached the quarter finals of the competition before losing out to a local Norwegian team skipped by Kristin Skaslien. A great performance that bodes well for the season.
28 September 2009
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