🥌Indoor Grand Match 2025🥌

 On the 15th of November, over 1000 curlers from all over Scotland took to the ice in 12 ice rinks to compete in the Grand Match.

The Grand Match was first held in 1847 in Penicuik when it was played outside. It was played outside for many years, with some 2400 players at the last 3 (thats 300 rinks!). It was a battle of North vs South.

Unfortunately, global warming and new health and safety rules meant to would be nearly impossible for an outdoor event of this scale to be held on a frozen lake and so the last Grand Match outside was played in 1979 on the Lake of Menteith.

In 2000, the Royal Caledonian Curling Club initiated an indoor version to be held across Scotland, in temperature-controlled ice rinks with nice safe ice. It was so popular that it was decided that it would take place every 5 years. Unfortunately, with the Covid pandemic taking hold in 2020, the Grand Match was cancelled for that year and there was a little uncertainty if it would be held again.

Luckily for all curlers, the RCCC made it happen in 2025, with the support of 12 ice rinks and many curlers (and a sponsor of Ambassador Cruise Line). North vs South, all for the love of the game. The games were played over 3 sessions.

Currie and Balerno had 2 teams out, one having an early start to play away in Aberdeen at 10am and a home team playing at Murrayfield. Both teams won their games for the South, which were added to the running total and after all games were finished and scores totaled, the South took the victory for the 5th time!

Here are a selection of pictures taken at Curl Aberdeen by one of the C&B teams:

Selfie with Father and Daughter (Photo credit: Karen Munro).

Selfie with our opposition, Banchory Curling Club (Photo credit: Karen Munro).

Jen and Betty taking a well deserved rest (Photo credit: Karen Munro).

Selfie with the team (Photo credit: Karen Munro).

The traditional stacking of the brooms at the 4th end (Photo credit: Curl Aberdeen).

The traditional 'dram' (whisky or Irn Bru) after the broom stacking (Photo credit: Curl Aberdeen).