Skip Cottage Curling

Team Lesley Young

2012-01-28T05:51:00.001Z

Team Lesley Young

The skip has all the difficult decisions to make!

Lesley Young, skip.

Louise Joiner, 3rd.

Hayley Duff, 2nd.

Beth Dandie, lead.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Team Duncan Menzies

2012-01-28T04:06:00.000Z

Team Duncan Menzies

That's Duncan Menzies in charge of the head, with Bruce Mouat behind.

Duncan Menzies, skip.

Stuart Taylor, 3rd.

Robert Fawns, 2nd.

Angus Dowell, lead.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Team Andrew Neilson

2012-01-28T03:48:00.000Z

Team Andrew Neilson

Mark Guthrie, lead.

Graeme Allan, 2nd.

Ross Whyte, 3rd.

Andrew Neilson, skip.

Ross and Andrew watch behind Daryl Russell.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Team Gregor Cannon (aka Team Scott Wilson)

2012-01-28T03:43:00.000Z

Team Gregor Cannon

Gregor Cannon, skip.

Bobbie Lammie, 3rd.

Scott Wilson, 2nd. The team is in his name in the programme.

Euan Kyle, lead.

Gregor again.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Team Ruairidh Greenwood

2012-01-28T01:26:00.000Z

Team Ruairidh Greenwood

Calum Greenwood, lead.

Craig Waddell, 2nd.

Scott Fraser, 3rd.

Ruairidh Greenwood, skip.

Always good to see a skip happy in his work. Ruairidh, here with Blair Fraser.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Team Mhairi Paul

2012-01-28T01:00:00.000Z

Team Mhairi Paul

Mhairi Paul, skip.

Kirsty Sloan, 3rd.

Lynne Paul, 2nd.

Zoe Jackson, lead.

Lynne and Zoe sweep Kirsty's stone.

Here's Mhairi in the head behind Maggie Wilson.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Scottish Juniors: Women 6

2012-01-27T22:13:00.003Z

The top three teams have been decided, with one round to play. Hannah Fleming, Jennifer Dodds and Hazel Smith are all on five wins and one loss, after tonight's sixth round robin game at Curl Aberdeen, and cannot now be caught by any of the other five teams.

What remains to be decided though is the order in which they will finish the preliminary rounds. Smith and Dodds play against each other tomorrow. Fleming faces the young Mhairi Paul team, whose coach, Marion Murdoch, set Hannah and her girls on the road (what seems) MANY years ago!

The top two teams after the round robin play a Page 1-2, the loser drops to the 'semifinal' to meet the third placed team, and the winner of that game plays the winner of the Page 1-2 for the title.

Find all the results and standings here.

More team photos online during the night!

Scottish Juniors: Men Round 7

2012-01-27T19:09:00.004Z

There are still two undefeated teams in the junior men's competition at Curl Aberdeen. In the early evening game, Jay McWilliam's side beat Gregor Cannon's team, quite easily as it turned out.

Kyle Smith had a tougher match against Bruce Mouat, but the Smith team came through that. With Smith and McWilliam now both on six wins, this sets up the Page 1-2, even with two rounds still to play.

The battle is still on to see who will be the third placed qualifier. The Blair Fraser team is chasing, on four wins and three losses, Blair drawing the eight foot with last stone for his win this evening against Ruairidh Greenwood.

Find all the results on the Royal Club website here.

Scottish Juniors: Women 5

2012-01-27T15:16:00.007Z

Four teams were on the same three wins, one loss record, going into the fifth round of the Scottish Junior Women's Championship at Curl Aberdeen today. Lesley Young and Hazel Smith met each other. Hazel was two up coming home, without, and managed to defend her position.

Both Jennifer Dodds and Hannah Fleming won their games too, so now three teams are on four wins from five games. Two rounds to go.

All the results are here.

Claire Dagen, 20 today! All together now, here.

Top photo shows Lesley Young in the head, with Hazel Smith behind. Photo © Skip Cottage

Scottish Juniors: Men Round 6

2012-01-27T10:44:00.008Z

There were two undefeated teams going into this morning's games at Curl Aberdeen. Jay McWilliam's side were held for eight ends by the Ruairidh Greenwood team, before landing a three in the ninth, and that was the game. You can find all the results and standings on the Royal Club website here.

The Kyle Smith side were always in command in their game against Blair Fraser. The photo above shows Kyle Waddell and Thomas Muirhead on Kerr Drummond's stone.

Five wins each then for McWilliam and Smith. They meet tomorrow morning. Top three teams after the eight game round robin qualify for the playoffs. The top two teams will meet in a Page 1-2 game. The winner goes to the final. The loser drops in to a 'semifinal' with the third placed team. The winner of that goes to the final too.

Time for a caption pic. This from the Mouat v Menzies game this morning. How about, "I've never see a pound coin disappear down the hole so completely."

or

"I think it's a curling stone!"

or

"Looking for a very small umpire."

Your turn.

Pics © Skip Cottage

Team Blair Fraser

2012-01-27T04:18:00.001Z

It was good to see Thomas Sloan (above) back in action on the ice and in fine fettle after his accident earlier in the season. (Where did he get these eyes?)

Anyway, I had hoped I might be able to get some pics of all the competitors on the ice this weekend. I did this last year at the Juniors, and it provides a record of the competition. This year there are some old faces, and some new ones too.

You can find all the photos I took a year ago if you search back in the archives on the right. Has anyone aged?

I've made a start this year, but unfortunately, the internet access has been problematic at Curl Aberdeen (please, please, please get things fixed) and my earlier posts yesterday were courtesy of a different computer than my own, one of the 'lucky ones' who could get connected. Thanks, Colin Campbell.

Of course, I can always post from back in the hotel, which is what I'm doing now. Team photos then may well be delivered overnight, or even next week when the event is all over. Let's see how it goes over the next few days.

Team Blair Fraser

Struan Wood plays lead for Team Blair Fraser.

Hamilton McMillan was at second stones yesterday.

Thomas Sloan was third.

Blair Fraser, skip.

Blair in the head in the game against the Bruce Mouat team. That's Bruce in front.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Team Jay McWilliam

2012-01-27T02:43:00.002Z

Team Jay McWilliam

Billy Morton plays lead stones.

Jay McWilliam skips, but throws second stones.

Colin Dick is at third.

Grant Hardie throws last stones for the team.

Here's Jay in charge of the head, with Gary Cannell and Daryl Russell behind.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Team Hannah Fleming

2012-01-27T01:37:00.003Z

Team Hannah Fleming

Hannah watches her stone, with Mhairi Baird behind.

Abi Brown, lead.

Alice Spence, second.

Lauren Gray, third.

Hannah Fleming, skip.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Team Jennifer Dodds

2012-01-27T00:51:00.001Z

Team Jennifer Dodds

Jennifer in characteristic pose!

Mhairi Baird, lead.

Vicky Wright, second.

Becca Kesley, third.

Jennifer Dodds, skip.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Team Jennifer Martin

2012-01-27T00:50:00.002Z

Team Jennifer Martin

Here's Jennifer Martin in the head, with Hazel Smith behind.

Mhairi Anderson, lead.

Fiona Telfer, second.

Tasha Aitken, third.

Jennifer Martin, skip.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Scottish Juniors: Women 4

2012-01-26T23:20:00.000Z

Could the Jennifer Dodds team make it four wins in a row at the Scottish Junior Championships at Curl Aberdeen, and be the only undefeated team? They were against the Maggie Wilson team, who had lost earlier at an extra end. Tonight's game went to an extra too, but this time Maggie's team came through, stealing a single. Team Dodds = three wins, one loss.

That's Jennifer and Maggie in the head in the photo above. In the background is umpire Glenda Barrowman. Alan Stanfield always says that the umpires wear black so they can be inconspicuous and blend into the background. I guess the camouflage umpire's uniform at Curl Aberdeen should be cream coloured! Just an observation. (And a fine job they do too!)

Hannah Fleming and her team, who had also had an extra end loss earlier in the day, made amends by a quick victory over Lesley Young's side, that one all over in six ends. Fleming and Young are now both on three wins and one loss, the same as Team Dodds, AND the Hazel Smith team, who beat Jennifer Martin tonight for their third win.

The top three teams on completion of the seven game round robin will be involved in the playoff stages.

All the results and standings are here.

(Apologies if my posts from Aberdeen are a bit erratic. Problems with Internet access. Who would be a blogger? See frustrations! See grumpy! See the need for an IT tech who knows his way around wireless networks!)

Photos © Skip Cottage

Scottish Juniors: Men Round 5

2012-01-26T19:18:00.004Z

There were two undefeated teams going into the fifth round of the Scottish Junior Men's Championship at Curl Aberdeen this afternoon, those skipped by Jay McWilliam and Kyle Smith. Both of these teams have already had their bye in this nine team round robin.

That's Gary Cannell in the photo above trying his best. With one of his team off the ice feeling unwell, the three man side were no match for Jay, who is playing second stones for Team McWilliam. Grant Hardie is throwing fourth stones, Colin Dick the third stones, and Billy Morton is lead. The game was over early.

Kyle Smith's team gave their opposition a four shot start but came back to win, stealing two at the tenth against the Andrew Neilson side.

All the results are here.

Photo © Skip Cottage. More pics later.

Scottish Juniors: Women 3

2012-01-26T14:28:00.010Z

Well, I've finally made it to Curl Aberdeen where the Scottish Junior Championships are underway. I've been watching the women's third round of games. Going into this, three teams were undefeated, Young, Fleming and Dodds.

The Lesley Young team had two wins on the board this afternoon before their game against Maggie Wilson. That's Lesley in the top photo with Lauren Baxter, who plays the last stone for Team Wilson. And above is Lesley throwing, with Beth Dandie and Hailey Duff. You can find all the results on the Royal Club website here.

Who won? It went to an extra, with Team Wilson having the hammer. Lauren had a difficult draw to win, but didn't make it.

Hannah Fleming and Jennifer Dodds were both undefeated when they met today. Hannah's team held the advantage for most of the game, but Jennifer's team stole the last to set up an extra end in this game too. Hannah had to draw the one foot with her last stone in the eleventh, and was inches short.

Exciting stuff.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Schools at Murrayfield

2012-01-26T00:16:00.001Z

The Scottish Schools' Curling Championship is yet a ways off, March 16-18. Local qualifying competitions are taking place before them. The James Young Trophy is awarded to the team which goes through to the finals from Murrayfield and that has just been won by Kelso High School, the team skipped by Cameron Bryce.

Runners-up were Mary Erskine School, skipped by Naomi Brown, which also qualifies for the finals, which are also at Murrayfield, in March.

Top L-R: Lorna Shaw, Neil Sutherland, Cameron Bryce (skip), Callum Potts and Amy Bryce. Photo courtesy of James Buchanan.

8-Ender at the Yara

2012-01-25T15:54:00.005Z

Congratulations to Robin Niven and his Kinross rink who scored an 8-Ender in the Yara Farmers' Curling Championship at Perth today. It's thought to be only the third time this has occurred in the tournament's twenty-nine year history. I believe the last time was in 2007, see here.

As is customary, the team which lost the eight is not named, and as such the 'Rhona Martin Try Harder Award' is awarded anonymously.

You can find all the results from the 'Yara' here.

Above: Yara's Alan Wood (centre) with (L-R) Robin Niven, Mike Niven, Jim Stewart and David Niven. Photo courtesy of Louis Flood.

Entries Wanted for Dumfries Events

2012-01-25T11:12:00.003Z

It seems funny to be already looking forward to the end of the season, or indeed to next season. For our competitive junior curlers, the year will be over come Monday for all bar a few, once the Scottish Junior Championships, currently underway at Curl Aberdeen (see here), are over.

Those that didn't make it to Aberdeen may well already be thinking of the next curling year, and perhaps planning for one last fun event this season, the Dumfries Junior International for the Globe Trophy. Graham Sloan has been in touch to say that there are still a few places for the event, March 30 - April 1.

There are also places for the Speed Pairs, which has an interesting new format, three stones each with timed fifty-five minute games. The event is not restricted to juniors. £50 to enter, and winners take home £300. So are there any speedy curlers out there who are free on February 11 and 12? If so contact Graham. Find his email and phone numbers here.

US Tourists on their way to Scotland

2012-01-25T00:26:00.001Z

The Herries Maxwell trophy is at stake again, and the twenty American curlers who will be trying to win it, are on their way. They fly out of Newark Airport tomorrow, arriving in Scotland on Friday, and over the next three weeks will compete in the following rinks: Lanarkshire, Dumfries, Lockerbie, Stranraer, Galleon, Ayr, Greenacres, Braehead, Waterfront, Stirling, Perth, Kirkcaldy, Kinross, Forfar, Dundee, Curl Aberdeen, Elgin, Inverness, Borders and Murrayfield. The tourists depart Edinburgh on Monday, February 20.

Scotland holds the trophy after the win in the US five years ago. Highest up cumulative score over nearly 150 games decides the winners!

Results will be posted on the Royal Club website here, but the tourists already have an active website and blog here, where you can find out about them, and follow their progress. I'm looking forward to meeting some 'old friends' who are in the party.

Welcome to Scotland, and 'Good Curling' to the visitors! Hugh Templeton (Kirkcowan CC) and Robert Stewart (Oxenfoord CC) share the Tour Courier duties.

An Invitation to Senior Curlers

2012-01-24T10:07:00.005Z

The curlers of Stroud CC in Ontario want to extend an invitation to fellow senior curlers worldwide to join them for a week of curling and fellowship. Curlers may enter on an individual basis and are welcome regardless of their curling experience and ability. This is not a competition but a chance to share in the joy of curling.

They are looking for twenty curlers to come to their community October 31 - November 7, and the invitation extends to non-curlers who wish to accompany their spouse or partner. Curlers must be 50 years of age or older.

All participants would be responsible for their own travel costs to Canada but to help offset some of the expenses of this experience club members will provide home-stay hosting and evening meals hosted by league members. A registration fee of $150 (Cdn) will be charged per person. Registration includes a banquet ticket, five breakfasts, four lunches, tours and local transportation. Transportation will also be provided to and from the airport. The closest international airport is Toronto Pearson.

And I would think that this would be a week to remember! You can find more details in a download file from the bottom of this page, and that includes the contact details for organiser Sherry Armstrong.

Scottish Junior Championships

2012-01-23T19:40:00.003Z

The competitions that will decide which of our Under-21 teams will carry Scotland's colours in Oestersund, Sweden, at the World Juniors, begin tomorrow (Tuesday). The first rounds in the junior men's event are at 19.00 in Curl Aberdeen. Nine teams qualified from the preliminary event at Ayr (see here), to make a very open competition this year. I'm hopeless at predictions at the best of times, so I'll see on Sunday who makes the final, then I'll pick the winner!

The girls' event begins on Wednesday at 12.30. Eight teams are in the draw, with the Hannah Fleming team the firm favourites.

I'm looking to see some of the play later in the week. In the meantime I'll be following the results on the Royal Club website here. The draws and team lineups can be downloaded from this page too.

Women in Black: Glynhill 2012

2012-01-23T14:18:00.008Z

It was good to learn that the title sponsors of the Glynhill Ladies International are up for another couple of years. Hopefully the Russians will continue to support the event, not to mention their support of the local retail economy.

Here are some Monday ramblings and photos from me about the competition.

Not that I need an excuse to show another photo of Anna Sidorova, but may I use her to illustrate a problem with naming teams on results pages from competitions. Anna did not play in 'Team Sidorova' which was shown as such on the results pages from the event (see here). She skipped the Ziablikova team. So, any student of the game, looking back at the archives from fifty years in the future, will see that Sidorova got through to the semifinals of the Glynhill Ladies International 2012. She didn't. Liudmila Privikova skipped the Russian team that was in the semifinals.

The problem exists for those who follow the sport from their computers, and for those in charge of results pages. The Royal Club website shows today that Duncan Menzies qualified for the Co-operative Funeralcare Scottish Championship. No he didn't. He was in Innsbruck wearing a Team GB top. His team, skipped by Murray Young, got through (and well done to them).

It just goes to show that you cannot believe everything you read on the Web.

For example, some seem to think that the Bond Girls were really at Braehead location scouting for Three Days in January. I have to confess that I'm not sure they were, but I think that Marissa, Cindy, Jennifer and Donna (and their support) had a great time, made many friends, and added an extra dimension to the competition. I have a hunch that curling in Southern California may well be the winner in the long term.

At the Glynhill, there's the main event, and this year there was a consolation event. For the teams that failed to qualify for either of these there was of course the 'shopping event', sponsored by Primark. Are these the winners, above?

Sabina Kraupp got the 'GLI individual shopper of the weekend' award.

You can add your own caption to my favourite pic from yesterday. Ekaterina Galkina and Nkeiruka Ezekh.

Silvana Tirinzoni in the semifinal against Team Jaggi. Not that I have favourites, but I secretly had my fingers crossed that Team Tirinzoni would get through. Simply because they had blue tops. I could see what was going to happen ...

... that the final matchup would be that the 'team in black' would be up against the 'team in black'.

You may think that it didn't matter. But it did. The Braehead Curling Development Group and the GLI Organising Committee were trialling webcasts from the event. A few years back I was with David Edwards when he was doing similar. Both teams were wearing dark coloured uniforms. And what was on the screen was lots of black blobs sliding around. Difficult to commentate on, and not enjoyable to watch. All gist to the 'colourful curling' campaign of course, but yesterday, as I watched a great final, it all seemed so dark. And the Braehead rink is not the brightest lit at the best of times.

That's Norman Cathcart above doing an ET impression as he works the channel changer.

Michele Jaggi and Mirjam Ott.

Michele Jaggi is in the head, and Nicole Schwagli and Marisa Winkelhausen are the sweepers.

Mirjam Ott delivers.

Carmen Kung and Janine Greiner sweep their skip's stone.

Michelle in the head. Her sister Stephanie, who plays second stones, took the head for skip's stones.

Mirjam's experience contributed a huge amount to her team's win in the final.

Good team this, and I suspect we will be hearing a lot more of these Bern girls in the future. L-R: Michele Jaggi, Marisa Winkelhausen, Stephanie Jaggi and Nicole Schwagli.

Another podium pic of Mirjam, Carmen, Carmen and Janine.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Another 'Oops' at Four Nations

2012-01-23T10:20:00.010Z

John Brown has a full report of the Four Nations here. By all accounts it was a great weekend, and I certainly enjoyed spending Saturday at the Greenacres Rink.

Gill Daley has sent all the presentation pics and these are attached to John's report - just click on the Toothy Tales link on the right.

Controversy? After last year, one would hope not. But I grimaced when I read that the Tom Ballantyne trophy had failed to appear at Greenacres. This is the most prestigious of the trophies played for, Scotland v England, contested by five men's teams aside. And won again by Scotland. Well done guys!

Last year in Kent, it was the only trophy that Scotland won. It has been in the Royal Club care since then. So why wasn't it at Greenacres to be presented yesterday?

Explanations include:

1. Somebody just forgot.
2. It's been stolen.
3. They couldn't find the key to the vault where it is securely stored.
4. It was considered too risky to transport it through Glasgow for risk of carjacking.
5. There's no insurance for the trophy to be displayed.
6. It was left on a table after the Royal Club AGM and is in a cupboard somewhere.
7. It has been melted down and sold for scrap to swell Royal Club's coffers.

I'll leave it to you to decide which of the above is the most likely!

Above is what the trophy looks like. Let me know if you find it anywhere! Pic © Skip Cottage.

A 'special mention' for this Scots side who contributed the highest aggregate score against their opposition (+ 16 over two games). L-R: Alan Chalmers, David Wright, Graeme Maguire and Hamish Lorrain-Smith (skip). Photo © Gill Daley.

Scottish Men's Qualifiers

2012-01-23T08:13:00.001Z

The second leg of the qualifying competition for the Co-operative Funeralcare Scottish Men's Curling Championship was at the Dewar's Rinks in Perth this weekend.

In section A, the John Hamilton and Ewan MacDonald teams came through, and there was a three way tie for the third place in the rankings. Two rounds of tiebreakers saw the Duncan Menzies team (Murray Young, skip, Stuart Taylor, Cammy Smith and Angus Dowell), as the third qualifiers. Duncan himself was in Innsbruck at the WYOG.

Sandy Reid, runners-up last year, did not qualify.

Section A results are all here.

In Section B the qualifiers were David Smith, Jay McWilliam and David Murdoch. And in Section C, Logan Gray topped the rankings with eight straight wins. Graeme Black and David Edwards were the other qualifiers from C.

Section B and C results are here.

These nine teams will join Tom Brewster's team for the finals, February 13-19, at the Dewar's Rinks.

Four Nations Headlines

2012-01-22T20:09:00.003Z

John Brown, who is (amongst other things) the keeper of the archive of Four Nations' competition results, has been in touch with the headlines from this weekend at Greenacres.

Scotland 55 England 51 (men)
Scotland 16 England 12 (women)
Wales 43 Scotland 24
Scotland 30 Ireland 17
England 28 Wales 24
Ireland 29 England 28
Ireland 25 Wales 24

A full report will follow.

WYOG: Mixed Doubles Winners

2012-01-22T19:30:00.002Z

Leslie Ingram-Brown reports that Germany's Nicole Muskatewitz with Switzerland's Michael Brunner beat the Korea/Norway pair of Kim Eunbi and Martin Sesaker in the final of the Winter Youth Olympic Games Mixed Doubles.

The Russian Federation and USA pairing of Marina Verenich and Korey Dropkin won the bronze medals.

See the results, read more about the event, and browse photo galleries, here.

Photo © Leslie Ingram-Brown

Glynhill Winners

2012-01-22T15:53:00.005Z

Mirjam Ott, Carmen Schafer, Carmen Kung and Janine Greiner won the Glynhill Ladies International at Braehead today, defeating Michele Jaggi, Marisa Winkelhausen, Stephani Jaggi and Nicole Schwagli in a final which went to the last stone.

The Jaggi team, which won the Bernese Ladies Cup last weekend, stole a two in the fourth when Mirjam feathered a guard with her last stone trying to come around to the opposition shot, and had their noses in front. But Team Ott came back strongly and were two up playing the last. Still, the Davos skip had to play her last stone with the opposition lying two when she went to play. Mirjam's shot was perfectly played.

All the results from the competition are here.

Photo © Skip Cottage. L-R: Mirjam Ott, Carmen Schafer, Carmen Kung and Janine Greiner. More photos later, probably tomorrow.

Glynhill Semifinals

2012-01-22T13:40:00.002Z

Michele Jaggi's team took a six in the first end against Silvana Tirinzoni's side, and that semifinal was over early! All the scores are here.

Mirjam Ott took a four in end four against Liudmila Privikova's Russian side to break that game open, with the score at 6-3. Lucy took a single at the fifth and stole the sixth and seventh. Mirjam had to make her last stone of the game to win, and she did. It would be an all Swiss final.

The consolation event final was a walkover for the Anna Hasselborg team when their opposition withdrew.

Photo © Skip Cottage

Glynhill Quarters

2012-01-22T11:01:00.005Z

All the results are here.

Eve Muirhead's team lost out to Silvana Tirinzoni's Swiss side this morning. Mirjam Ott is also through to the semis. Michele Jaggi got past Jonna McManus's young Swedes to make it three out of three for Swiss rinks in the semifinals.

In the battle of the Russians, Liudmila Privivkova, skipping the Anna Sidorova team, edged past Anna Sidorova, skipping the Olga Ziablikova entry, at the last stone. With the scores tied, Anna's last stone of the game, a draw to the four foot with backing, was overswept, and Lucy stole the win.

In the Consolation Event, Gail Munro's team were beaten at the last stone by Anna Hasselborg, and Sarah Reid's team, leading by a shot in the last end, had the game snatched from them when Linda Klimova (Czech Republic) played an angled raise takeout, removing the Scottish counter, to score two and win the tie.

Liudmila Privikova and Anna Sidorova in a Russian battle this morning.

Photo © Skip Cottage

Glynhill Casting Report

2012-01-22T07:45:00.011Z

The serious stuff first of all. This morning's quarterfinals are:

Muirhead v Tirinzoni
Ott v Kamp
McManus v Jaggi
Sidorova v Ziablikova

Last year's winners, the Anna Hasselborg team are in the (new this year) Consolation Event against Gail Munro, and Klimova meets Reid in this event too.

All the results can be found here.

Now of course, to the sub plot of the weekend. You will remember the Bond Girls, who are here to check out locations for the new film Three Days in January, see here.

Cindy Wood from the Bond Girls team, above, co-opted umpires Robin Shand and Colin Melrose to help her whittle down the applicants for new Bond Girls to star in the curling scenes in the upcoming production. The auditions took place last night at the Glynhill Hotel.

Now, I've had a quick look at a draft script. The Russians are no longer the 'baddies' of course, and we'll see many of them on the ice in the new film. Apparently on the dark side of the new thriller are the Gogar Park Willy Bankers who have amassed huge sums stealing from ordinary people over the years and are now reviled throughout the community. Their latest ploy has been to kidnap a panda from Edinburgh Zoo.

A glamourous MI7 operative has rescued the panda and is hiding with it in the Braehead Shopping Complex. And here's where the curling scene comes in. It gets loose and is chased into the Braehead Curling Rink where an international competition is underway.

Jennifer Martin's team impressed last night. As did coach Colin Morrison who looks set to get the part of a Willy Banker!

How could you have a curling scene without Team Muirhead.

Daniela Driendl made a big effort in front of the cameras last night, and were quickly awarded a second audition.

Finnish glamour easily impressed.

Didn't Kerry Barr's team brush up well! The judging panel were impressed.

Linn Githmark (third from left) may even get a starring role in the new film as the undercover MI7 agent, and panda enthusiast.

Team Munro helped out. No white cats auditioned last night, but Mhairi Baird's brown moggie called Barry could well get a part as it likes to be stroked!

The Jackie Lockhart team performed well in front of the camera, and Jackie's rendition of Lady in Red impressed the casters! She's good with cars too, it seems

Diamond Lil's team got into the act last night, and - would you believe it - have made it through to the second round of casting.

Karen Cromar is to be Miss Moneypenny - she's the treasurer of the Glynhill event organising committee.

I can reveal though, that Bond's love interest is to be Liudmila Privivkova! Did you ever doubt it? There's a scene, apparently, where Lucy and her mother Olga are hiding in Glasgow's new Riverside transport museum - in a Coronation tram car - as the baddies storm the building. James Bond comes to the rescue of course, and the three escape along the Clydeside Expressway in a 1953 Triumph Mayflower hijacked from the museum.

I just can't wait ....

Photos © Skip Cottage.

WYOG: Mixed Doubles Update

2012-01-21T17:37:00.005Z

Duncan Menzies and Taylor Anderson (USA) are in the quarterfinals of the Mixed Doubles at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Austria. Leslie Ingram-Brown reports:

Most British support went home after the Mixed Team competition but those that were still here (Isobel and Isobel) made plenty of noise in supporting Taylor Anderson and Duncan Menzies in their Mixed Doubles second round game at the Messe Halle, Innsbruck, against Estonia's Kerli Zirk and Sweden's Rasmus Wrana.

The game was tied 4-4 coming home but USA/GBR had the advantage of the hammer. With the skips last stones to play Zirk came onto a shot in the four foot and rocked her shooter behind a bundle of guards. But there was still a side stone on the edge of the four foot which could be used and both Menzies and Anderson agreed it was the wick and curl in to win which was the shot. Sitting on the hack Anderson cooly threw her stone - perfect weight, perfect line and a hit and roll fit to win any game. Final score 6-4.

After the game, and on that winning shot, Taylor said, "I was watching Duncan's face. His jaw dropped and I thought I had missed. I was terrified."

They now play the Japan/Korea pairing of Mako Tamakuma and Minhyeon Yoo."

Added later. Duncan and Taylor lost that one.

Earlier Rachel Hannen lost out in her game. All the scores are here.

Top photo by Leslie Ingram-Brown.

More Four Nations

2012-01-21T16:54:00.011Z

The Four Nations is a unique event on the curling calendar, and I've had a great day at Greenacres meeting old friends and making some new ones. Here are some more photos from this afternoon.

The Four Nations continues tomorrow. I'll be back on station at Braehead tomorrow, but hopefully we'll have all the results from the Four Nations competitions on the blog early next week.

Ireland v Wales (mixed). The Irish last stone.

Ireland (yellow) is three up, and here's the position with one Welsh stone to come.

Michael and Chris deliberate long and hard ....

... and Chris goes to play his final stone.

Good stone too, a Rhona Martin flop into shot position for a count of three, and a tied game!

England v Ireland (women). Kirsty Balfour calls line, with Louise Kerr behind.

Here's a more flattering pic of Kirsty.

Scotland's Kate Adams.

Nicola is saying, "You know, Michael, your team will look good in Loudmouths!"

Welsh power sweeping with Lesley Carol and Heather Russell on Laura Beever's stone.

It was a Wales v Scotland (women) tie. RCCC Board Member Kay Gibb is throwing. The sweepers are Joyce Young and Elspeth Burton. (Scotland came second in this one. I'm sworn to secrecy on the score!)

Lindsay McKenna and Laura Beever. "I've injured myself already!" or "Wow, that must have cost him a packet." More captions available on request.

Clive Thomson demonstrates the precursor to the no-backswing delivery!

"It will be along any minute." Joyce Young and Elspeth Burton.

"Nope. We should have brought the car!"

Michael Yuille

Thinking time with Laura, Lindsay and Heather.

More Elspeth.

Chris Wells.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Four Nations

2012-01-21T11:34:00.009Z

'Well played!" Michael McCreadie.

Shelly English, Tom Paterson, Lauren Baxter - the flag raising team!

Michael was skipping and playing third stones for this Scottish team in an Sco v Eng tie.

Hamish Lorraine-Smith, and some nice trousers!

Andrew Tanner welcomes the competitors. The Welsh Curling Association is hosting the event.

Michael Sutherland

Ken McColl

It took a while before the Scots got started in this one!

You would think the Irish were losing!

Good style from John Brown.

Who brought the Welsh dragon?

Dawn Watson delivers with Jan Howard and Liz Paul as the sweepers.

England v Scotland women.

Royal Club President (back right) representing Scotland in this match against England for the Tom Ballantyne trophy.

Photos © Skip Cottage

The Four Nations

2012-01-21T09:20:00.007Z

It's Saturday, so it must be Greenacres!

The Four Nations competitions are just underway at 09.00 at the Renfrewshire rink, hosted this season by the Welsh Curling Association. On the ice (above) are two games of Wales v England (mixed), one of of Scotland v Ireland (women), and one Scotland v Ireland (men). That's the competitors in these games above.

Through in the annex, Scotland's first two games in the men's five match Tom Ballantyne Trophy are underway against England.

Photo © Skip Cottage. Click on the image to see larger size. More later.

Mixed Doubles at WYOG

2012-01-20T19:37:00.006Z

The mixed doubles competition at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck got underway today. Thomas Muirhead and Mizuki Kitaguchi (Japan), and Angharad Ward and Markus Skogvold (Norway), went out in the first round.

But Rachel Hannen, playing with the Czech Republic's Marek Cernovsky won their first round tie.

Leslie Ingram-Brown reports, "At the Youth Winter Olympic Games the GBR/Czech Republic pairing of Rachel Hannen and Marek Cernovsky came throught their first round game against the Italy/New Zealand pairing of Denise Pimpini and David Weyer 8-5.

Rachel was in particuarly good form playing a dead draw for two in the second end to balance out the two taken by the ITA/NZL pairing in the opening end. Steals of a single and a pair in the next two ends and it was 5-2 for Hannen and Cernovsky. But back came the opposition, taking three shots over the fifth and sixth ends to tie the score 5-5.

Seventh end and Rachel played a push back for two with the best still to come in the final end where, when facing three shots, Rachel, with her last stone, played a perfect draw on the outturn to face the opposition stones. With no shot apparent Italy tried an angled raise in the hope that it would disgorge the shot and perhaps they would lie two for a peel. GBR/CZE lay one for an 8-5 victory.

In the final session to-day GBR skip Duncan Menzies has been paired with USA's Taylor Anderson against the NZL/Switzerland line-up of Eleanor Adviento and Romano Meier."

You can find all the results here.

ADDED LATER: Duncan and Taylor won their game at an extra end!

Top: Marek and Rachel watch as Denise Pimpini has the head. Photo © Leslie Ingram-Brown.

More Glynhill Impressions

2012-01-20T17:31:00.008Z

Here are some more photos from the Glynhill Ladies International at Braehead, from this afternoon's sessions. All the results are here.

Ian Addison, on the left, is Chairman of the Organising Committee. Bruce Harley is the rink manager.

Norway's Linn Githmark

Marlene Albrecht throws last stones for the Binia Feltscher team.

Darah Reid delivers, with Rachael Simms ready to sweep.

Daniela Driendl

Anna Sidorova

The Bond Girls check out a new Jaguar - courtesy of Taggarts, one of the sponsors of the Glynhill event this year. Could this be Bond's car for Three Days in January, see here?

Liudmila Privivkova

Ekaterina Antonova

Pia Hasselborg knitting me my new curling sweater? (See here)

Photos © Skip Cottage

Glynhill Impressions

2012-01-20T11:57:00.007Z

Right, here are some first impressions from this morning at the Braehead Rink where the Glynhill Ladies International is underway. You can find all the results here.

Above: Finland's Oona Kauste is in the head, watched behind by Jackie Lockhart and Karen Kennedy.

Jennifer Martin and Jonna McManus.

Good to see Jennifer Morrison on the ice again, substituting today in the Jennifer Martin team.

Happy volunteers, Nanette Davidson and Meta Ecclestone.

Jennifer Marshall was called up to play for Sweden's Team Kamp.

Latvia's alternate Una Grava. See 2012. See technology.

Chief Umpire Robin Shand is having nightmares about Russian women ...

... You see, Liudmila Privivkova is skipping the Anna Sidorova entry .....

... and Anna Sidorova is skipping the Olga Ziablikova team. Here she is in the head against Anna Hasselborg.

Caption required for this team Hasselborg discussion!

Swedish curlers are not prone to exaggeration, but, "Honestly, it was THIS BIG!"

Iveta Janatova was playing last stones for Team Hajkova from the Czech Republic.

Extra points if you can identify who is the 'Russian Curler of the Day'. (Answer below)

Rhiann Macleod and Caitlin Barr, front end of the Kerry Barr team.

Here's their skip Kerry Barr.

Two young curlers, Vicky Wright and Mhairi Baird, are getting in some ice time before next week's Scottish Junior Championships, as Gail Munro's front end.

* Alexandra Saitova is the RotD.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Glynhill Ladies International

2012-01-20T07:18:00.011Z

The Glynhill Ladies International is about to begin, at 08.00 Friday morning. Blogger is on station to report on significant happenings!

It was good to meet old friends at last night's practice sessions. Mikael Hasselborg played for Sweden at the 1985 Air Canada Silver Broom in Glasgow's Kelvin Hall. Here coaching the Anna Hasselborg team, last year's winners.

Here's Lucy! Liudmila Privivkova.

Annie Laird will be substituting in the Eve Muirhead team with Anna Sloan taking over skipping duties, and Vicky Adams and Claire Hamilton, until their skip arrives back from her Athlete Role Model duties at the Winter Youth Olympic Games.

Marissa Messier

... and the other Bond Girls from California.

Just don't say she looks like her mum! Jennifer Martin.

This young Czech team will be competing in the World Junior Championships in Oestersund. Zuzana Hajkova is the skip. Here with their coach Karel Kubeska. Colourful, or what!

Find all the results and linescores from today at the event website here.

The Braehead Curling Development Group and the Glynhill Organising committee are planning to stream the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final this weekend. These games are on Sunday 22 at 8.30am, 11.30am and 2pm.

The streaming can be accessed directly (go here) or through the Glynhill website. There is no charge.

This link shows some of the other games that may be streamed, though these games may not have commentary.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Teams Arrive For Glynhill International

2012-01-19T12:13:00.004Z

The teams are arriving for the Glynhill Ladies International, the only women's Curling Champions Tour event to be held in Scotland.

Above: The Russian Squad are met at Glasgow Airport. Photo courtesy of Hugh Stewart. Olga Ziablikova and Anna Sidorova are listed as the skips. Anna's team current lead the CCT standings.

The event programme team photos are all here.

Which reminds me. The AGM of the Lucy Fan Club will be held at Braehead at some point during the weekend!

Pic © Hugh Stewart

Thursday's Smile

2012-01-19T10:36:00.006Z

Have a look at Tom Brewster in action during last weekend's World Financial Group Continental Cup. Team Brewster is representing Team World and is up against Jeff Stoughton.

Here's a shot which will bring a smile to your face today. Or just click on the image.

Brewster's team won the game 7-6.

The clip is from TSN's coverage of the event.

The Weekend Ahead

2012-01-19T09:18:00.005Z

There's lots of curling on offer this weekend. The youngsters will be having fun at the Mixed Doubles competition at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck. Follow that here.

The qualifiers for the Co-operative Funeralcare Scottish Men's Curling Championship continue at the Dewar's Rink in Perth. The results from Section A will be here, first games 13.15 tomorrow (Friday). Results from Sections B and C are here. Games in these sections begin at 10.00 tomorrow.

The Glynhill Ladies International begins first thing on Friday morning at the Braehead rink. There are twenty-four teams in four sections, with two teams qualifying from each for Sunday's quarterfinals. The event regulations are different this year, see here. No extra ends - it's three points for a win, and one for a draw. And NO tiebreakers will be played. Priorities correct - everyone gets to attend Saturday evening's dinner - or not? You decide. Find the draw and results on the official website here.

Hosted by the Welsh Curling Association this time, the Four Nations is at the Greenacres rink with lots of different events to be decided over Saturday and Sunday. Unlike last year, there is no controversy about Scotland's representation. It will be good to see again many of those who travelled to Fenton's Rink last January. Play starts at 09.00 Saturday.

Last year, Michael McCreadie received the Tom Ballantyne trophy from ECA President Alison Arthur. The Scottish men won the trophy which is presented for the England v Scotland men's matches over five games. More memories here.

Photo © Skip Cottage

WYOG Mixed Doubles Pairings

2012-01-19T00:20:00.001Z

The Mixed Doubles competition at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck begins tomorrow (Friday). It will be held as a straight knockout, with thirty-two teams starting out in the first round.

The pairings have been announced, see here. The teams have been seeded, based on the final standings in the Mixed Team curling competition and consist of one male and one female curler, from different nations.

Team GB curlers have been paired as follows:

- Mizuki Kitaguchi (Japan) with Thomas Muirhead

- Angharad Ward with Markus Skogvold (Norway)

- Rachel Hannen with Marek Cernovsky (Czech Republic)

- Taylor Anderson (USA) with Duncan Menzies

Great fun!

WYOG Update: Switzerland Win Gold

2012-01-18T19:27:00.005Z

Switzerland won Gold, Italy got Silver, and Canada, Bronze, at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck.

Leslie Ingram-Brown reports:

"Congratulations to Team Switzerland, Michael Brunner (skip), Elena Stern, Romano Meier and Lisa Gisler, who claimed the gold medal at the first Youth Winter Olympic Games defeating Italy's Amos Mosaner, Denise Pimpini, Alessandro Zoppi and Arianna Losano 6-4.

It all came down to the last end with Italy requiring two shots for an extra end and three shots for the win.

Switzerland's Meier made the first mistake, a silent take-out but then with the whole house to draw to Meier with his second stone attempted draw almost hit the hack. From then on Switzerland controlled the end and when Mosaner came to throw his first stone, needing to be in the house he too was heavy, and the gold medal went to Swizerland.

In the Bronze Medal playoff again the game went into the last end with Canada up by one shot. Canadian skip Thomas Scoffin played a perfect freeze with his second stone to lie. Swedish skip Rasmus Wrana went for the draw. With all four Swedish players in action their stone for the extra end finished a matter of inches away and Scoffin, Corryn Brown, Derek Oryniak and Emily Gray had won the Bronze Medal."

GOLD MEDAL
SUI * 2020 101X = 6
ITA 0102 010X = 4

BRONZE MEDAL
CAN 1020 1101 = 6
SWE * 0103 0000 = 4

The scores are all here.

Top photo: Switzerland - Gold

Silver - Italy

Bronze - Canada.

The mascot presentation photos are © Leslie Ingram-Brown.

Italy and Switzerland in WYOG Final

2012-01-18T16:10:00.007Z

It's finals day at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck. In this morning's quarterfinals, Canada beat the Czech Republic, and Italy beat the USA. Sweden whitewashed Norway, and Switzerland defeated Japan.

Leslie Ingram-Brown reports from Austria on the semifinals:

"After two one sided semifinals Switzerland and Italy will vie for the gold medals at the first Youth Winter Olympic Games at the Messe Halle, Innsbruck.

Against Sweden, Swiss skip Michael Brunner was never behind, taking a three in the first end with a draw, and a two in the third with a chap and lie. In the fifth Sweden's Rasmus Wrana caught a short guard drawing against four leaving Brunner a draw for five. Sixth and Sweden missed on the chance of two shots, counted only one and the game was over.

As USA found this morning Italy are on a mean streak and when Canada's Thomas Scoffin, with the hammer, wrecked on a short guard to drop a three in the fourth end and go down 6-1 to Amos Mosaner, Italy had closed, but not quite locked, the door and were staring at a place in the final. In the fifth and sixth ends the teams exchanged singles and when Scoffin failed to make any use of the last stone in the seventh, allowing Italy to steal a shot and lead 8-2, the Canadians conceded.

It is now Switzerland against Italy for the gold/silver medals and Sweden against Canada for the Bronze."

QUARTERFINAL LINESCORES:

CZE * 2010 0210 = 6
CAN 0203 2000 = 7

ITA * 0014 0200 = 7
USA 0000 2031 = 6

SWE * 0002 2213 = 10
NOR 0000 0000 = 0

SUI * 0000 0301 = 4
JPN 0011 0010 = 3

SEMIFINALS:

SUI * 3020 50XX = 10
SWE 0102 01XX = 4

ITA * 2013 011X = 8
CAN 0100 100X = 2

Find all the results, reports and photo galleries here.

Wheels at Hamilton

2012-01-18T10:48:00.005Z

I looked in to the Lanarkshire Ice Rink, Hamilton, yesterday, to catch some of the play in the Lanarkshire Wheelchair International. Eight teams were competing in the two-day competition, which finishes today. Here are a few photos which hopefully will give a flavour of the competition.

Team Germany

Neil Hogg

Aileen Neilson

Local curler Robert McPherson, who is in the SWCA Spokes Development Squad this season, was playing yesterday with Aileen Neilson, Tom Killin and Angie Malone, three of the Scotland team who will be competing at the World Wheelchair Curling Championship in Chuncheon City, South Korea, February 18-25.

National Coach Tony Zummack at the mid game break with Aileen, Robert, Angie and Tom.

Gregor Ewan, who is in the Scotland team for Korea, and Stewart Pimblett.

Sweden in action.

Skip Jalle Jugnell explains a point to the coach.

Jim Gault, also bound for Korea.

Team Norway

Tom is saying, "Come closer, Aileen, and I'll tell you the punch line."

Photos © Skip Cottage

Three Days in January

2012-01-18T00:03:00.004Z

Well, the secret can now be revealed. Three Days in January is the name of the new James Bond film, which will start production once Skyfall is released later this year. Much of the film is to be shot in Scotland.

The Braehead curling rink is to be turned over for the casting of film extras this weekend. I hear the producer wants girls that can really curl for this new film, unlike the feeble attempts on top of Piz Gloria in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Apparently some of the best women curlers in Europe and Scotland are trying out for the parts. Details are here.

It's all a bit sketchy at the moment. Several undercover Hollywood agents (I believe) slipped into Scotland from Los Angeles on Monday, by way of Paris. Following a tip off, I lay in wait for the arrival of the group at Edinburgh airport. But would I recognise them? I stood with a sign that simply said 'Bond Girls' which I hoped they might recognise. My word, did I get some funny looks from passengers and others in the International Arrivals Hall.

Really I needn't have worried. There was no mistaking that Hollywood was coming to Scotland when the party of four women, two men, a baby, and a pink broom bag appeared past Immigration.

Marissa Messier, Cindy Wood, Jennifer Gamboa and Donna Umali Mendoza would not admit to me why they are REALLY in Scotland. They SAY they are here to play in the Glynhill Ladies International, but they don't know I'm revealing my doubts about them on the blog tonight. I am convinced they are doing research for the new Bond film.

The casting of more Bond girls may be just one of their priorities. They are also location scouting. Some of the group have been checking out glamorous places in and around Edinburgh which might feature in the new film. Locations like Dalhousie Castle, a 13th century fortress set within acres of wooded parkland on the banks of the river Esk, with a spa, and a library with a extensive collection of books where you can have a drink from the ‘secret bar’ next to the open fire. Yes, that has to be one of the film locations.

And Renfrew is definitely on the list.

Who will be the next James Bond though? I think I know. Two of the LA group, and the baby, were headed for Inverness to meet up with Olympian Ewan MacDonald. Move over, Daniel Craig, Hollywood is returning to the Scottish option, so successful with Sean Connery. I have no doubt that if Ewan gets the part there will not be the controversy there was when Daniel Craig was cast as Bond for Casino Royale. As long as he can say, "My name is Bond, James Bond," in an Inverness accent.

I believe that Edith Loudon may be taking over from Judi Dench as M.

What about the villains? I've no idea, but wait, who are the umpires at the Glynhill? And do we need a white cat?

Casting starts at 08.00 on Friday, January 20, and the best curlers, if not the Bond Girls of the future, will be on view in the final which is scheduled for Sunday, January 22, at 14.30.

More on this story as it evolves over the weekend.

L-R: Marissa Messier, Cindy Wood, Jennifer Gamboa and Donna Umali Mendoza at Edinburgh airport. My research has revealed:

Marissa is named after (or may actually be) a Playboy bunny and produces 'behind the scenes' material for Walt Disney Studios. Or is this a cover?

Cindy says, "I have a small sewing business." Don't believe a word of it. She's also a left handed Canadian.

Jennifer is good with money. Other people's. Husband Matt (or is it Luke, John, or Peter) is also a curler, with Team Zissou, but I think he's really the team's bodyguard.

Donna, an assistant editor, actually admits to wanting to write a film script about curling! She's brought her husband Paul, Team Zissou skip, to help her 'research'. Or is he really the new film's producer? Their six month old baby Bond girl (Leianna) is already a world traveller, and is to help with casting. Apparently the new James Bond has got to be good with babies!

Ewan MacDonald. Could he be the new Bond?

Pics © Skip Cottage

WYOG: End of Round Robins

2012-01-17T19:12:00.006Z

Duncan Menzies, Angharad Ward, Thomas Muirhead and Rachel Hannen easily won their final game of the Winter Youth Olympic Games at Innsbruck, against the home nation Austria. The teams shook hands after just six ends, with the score at 9-1 in Team GB's favour. This game should have been Team GB's first, but that round of games was cancelled and rearranged for today. However, with just three wins from their seven games, the GB curlers now have only the Mixed Doubles to look forward to.

After the final round robin game Duncan said, "I played this game far more aggressively and the result highlights this. Perhaps if I had been more aggressive earlier in the competition results may have been different."

Elsewhere in the Red section, with Sweden, Canada and Japan already through to the quarterfinals, the fourth qualification spot was decided when Amos Mosaner's Italy overcame Russia's Mikail Vaskov 7-3.

In the Blue section, the qualifiers were USA, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. The fourth place will depend on the outcome of a tiebreaker between Norway and China.

The quarterfinals, semis, final and bronze medal games are all tomorrow (Wednesday). Find all the results and standings here.

Thanks to Leslie Ingram-Brown for being the blog's eyes and ears in Innsbruck, and for sending today's information and photographs.

GB third player, Angharad Ward.

Korey Dropkin skipped the USA team, the only side to go undefeated through the round robins.

Derek Brown is the USCA's High Performance Director.

Photos © Leslie Ingram-Brown

The Curling Sweater

2012-01-17T12:19:00.006Z

You are a REAL curling fan if you know of the Weakerthans. What do you mean you don't? Go here immediately. "Right off, no never ever never ever!"

John K Samson formed the group, and is the lead vocalist and plays guitar. He is also a curler, and has a sense of humour! Check him out in the Vimeo vid (here) as he enthuses of the delights of the curling sweater! "A nod to functional fashion." Wonderful, wonderful.

All in aid of the Manitoba Music Rocks Charity Curling Bonspiel on February 12 at Winnipeg's Granite Club, see here.

Now then, the day I describe my collection of knitting patterns for curling sweaters is getting closer!

Lanarkshire Wheelchair Curling International

2012-01-17T12:01:00.000Z

Teams from Norway, Sweden and Germany are competing in the second Lanarkshire Wheelchair Curling International. Eight teams are in the event, which runs today and tomorrow and is organised by the South Lanarkshire Wheelchair Curling Club. The final is scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday) at 2 pm.

WYOG: GB v Russia

2012-01-17T10:18:00.007Z

Team GB beat Russia at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck this morning, but the victory has come too late as they cannot now reach the quarterfinals.

Leslie Ingram-Brown reports from Austria:

"For Duncan Menzies' Team GB it was the first of possibly two vital games at the Youth Winter Olympic Games Curling here at the Messe Hall in Innsbruck. The question was, could Duncan, Angharad Ward, Thomas Muirhead and Rachel Hannen pull the rabbit out of the hat and make it to tiebreak games for qualification to the knockout stages.

Lying second and third shots at the first, Duncan tried a difficult takeout with last stone at the first on the Russia shot stone but gave up a one against the head. In the second end there were so many stones in the house and with GBR lying shot it was almost impossible to count a second, so the game was tied 1-1 after Duncan's attempted hit and roll failed.

Third end and Russian Federation skip Mikhail Vaskov had a raise hit for one and in the fourth Duncan had a free draw for a two. GBR led 3-2 at the break.

On the next sheet Austria were playing Italy. GBR needed Austria to win but the score after four ends was not encouraging as Italy led 4-1.

In the fifth Russia lay two shots as Duncan played his last stone of the end, a raise double take-out. It was perfect and GBR lay three. Vaskov attempted a raise to the GBR shot stone but was slightly heavy and by a matter of inches GBR had the first steal of the game to lead 4-2.

In the sixth, Vaskov hit on the nose trying to blank the end: 4-3.

Seventh end and Menzies had an open draw for two to lead 6-3 into the last end.

Meanwhile Italy had just defeated Austria 6-3 which means the final game for GBR against Austria this afternoon will be played for pride only.

Eighth and final end saw GBR keeping the house clear, and when Vaskov was wide and heavy with his attempted split to lie two in the hope of an extra, the gloves came off and the game conceded with GBR 6-3 winners without throwing their last stone of the end.

In the postponed opening game due to the power failure last Friday night, Italy play Russia with the winner qualifying for the quarterfinals. Sweden, Canada and Japan are now qualified. There will be no tiebreak games in the Red Section.

After the game, Duncan said on reflection on the games earlier in the competition, "We struggled with the ice, the weight and the curl as we are not used to the big finishes on the stones.""

GBR * 0102 102X = 6
RUS 1010 010X = 3

SCORES: Sweden 6 Germany 4, Canada 9 Japan 4, Italy 6 Austria 3, Great Britain 6 Russia 3.

STANDINGS: 5/1 Sweden, 4/2 Canada, Japan, 3/3 Italy, Russian Federation, 2/4 Austria, Great Britain, 1/5 Germany.

All the results can be found here.

Top photo: Skips in the house, Duncan Menzies and Mikhail Vaskov.

Royal Club President Pat Edington and Performance Director Dave Crosbee sit with Team GB supporters.

GB lead Rachel Hannen.

Photos © Leslie Ingram-Brown

English Mixed Doubles

2012-01-17T00:08:00.000Z

Could John Sharp win his FOURTH English Mixed Doubles title? How did he get on with his new partner in the event? Who will be representing England when the World Mixed Doubles is held in Erzurum, Turkey, April 23-29?

Find out the answers to all these questions in a new Toothy Tale from John Brown here, or click on the link on the right.

WYOG: GB v Italy

2012-01-16T20:16:00.005Z

Leslie Ingram-Brown reports from Austria:

"It was Game 5 for GBR at the curling event of the Winter Youth Olympic Games at the Innsbruck Mess Halle, and Duncan Menzies, Angharad Ward, Thomas Muirhead and Rachel Hannen were desperate to open their account with a win over Italy's Amos Mosaner.

Mosaner won the right of the last stone at the first end on the Last Stone Draw. GBR lay two shots when the Italian skip played his last stone takeout on the shot stone but finished up playing the double, running himself and leaving his biter as shot. End two and GBR blanked. Third end and Mosaner wrecked on a guard allowing Duncan to draw for three. In the fourth Mosaner drew the second shot after Duncan had hit and run out when needing to stick in the house.

Fifth and on a measure Great Britain was awarded the single shot. Sixth and Mosaner played a great shot, an angled raise take-out for two shots to lead 5-4. Under pressure in the seventh, Mosaner missed his final stone hit allowing Menzies to draw for two and a one shot lead into the final end.

With skip's final stones to come in the eighth Duncan faced three Italian counters and chose to draw and try and get cover behind an opposition stone in the six foot. But his stone hung slightly wide and sat mostly open for Mosaner to hit for game. But the Italian skip was far too heavy, the stone ran straight and although it hit the GBR stone it rocked onto a counter behind the tee for shot. It was game to GBR 7-5.

So, it is all down to tomorrow. Duncan said, "We still have a chance (to qualify) if we win both our games and a couple of other results go in our favour. We have to play Russia and Austria and this win will give us a boost."

To explain it all is not that easy but let's put it this way; Canada has to play Germany and Japan, and Russia faces Great Britain and Italy. Both these teams are two points clear of GBR. With Russia up first GBR must win. A loss and GBR interest in this first of two curling competitions is over."

ITA* 1002 0200 = 5
GBR 0030 1021 = 7

RESULTS Red Section Round 5: Russia 8 Austria 5, Great Britain 7 Italy 5, Japan 9 Germany 2, Sweden 6 Canada 5 (Extra end)

Standings after five games: 4/1 Japan, Sweden, 3/2 Canada, Russia, 2/3 Austria, Italy, 1/4 Germany, Great Britain.

In the Blue Section, the USA, Switzerland and the Czech Republic have already secured qualification for the quarterfinals with one round remaining. Blue Standings after Six Rounds: 6/0 USA, 5/1 Switzerland, 4/2 Czech Republic, 3/3 China, 2/4 New Zealand, Norway, 1/5 Estonia, Korea.

All the results can be found here.

Photo of Duncan Menzies is © Leslie Ingram-Brown

A mystery solved

2012-01-16T13:22:00.003Z

You may remember that back in September last year, I was asked to help find out something about the origins of a curling print that had been found at a car boot sale, see here.

David B Smith has solved the mystery, and the story is on the Curling History Blog here. I think you will enjoy learning about Curling on the Speed River and the artist Evan Macdonald.

WYOG: GB v Japan

2012-01-16T11:40:00.007Z

Leslie Ingram-Brown reports from Austria:

"GBR played Japan this morning in a game Duncan Menzies, Angharad Ward, Thomas Muirhead and Rachel Hannen knew they had to win if they were to retain any interest in these Winter Youth Olympic Games here in Innsbruck. It all started well with Duncan outdrawing Japanese skip Shingo Usui for the last stone advantage in the first end.

In the opening end it was Japan who looked they might steal as Duncan came up short with his draw and Usui hit to lie two shots, but with last stone Duncan made the perfect tee draw for one. Japan replied with a draw for a single in the second. Great Britain blanked the third and fourth retaining the hammer into the break, with the score at 1-1.

In the fifth they came out playing strongly dominating the end and with last stone, again, Duncan came up with the perfect draw for two and GBR led 3-1. Sixth and an error by Duncan removing his own shot when trying to take out the Japanese second shot left Usui with a straight draw for two. But GBR were showing their bottle and at the seventh it was Duncan who again made his last stone count with a perfect hit for two, and a 5-3 lead into the final end.

GBR was in a bit of trouble as Japan lay the two for a tie with skips' last stones to come. Duncan went for the takeout and removed one stone meaning an extra end at the worst if Japan made the draw. It was made.

Into an extra end. Whereas earlier in the game, shots were simple, now they seemed that bit harder. The front of the house was covered and Japan lay two shots as Duncan threw his first stone which was a thin takeout which opened up the four foot for a last stone draw if necessary.

Japan went to draw the top of the four on the right handers out turn but finished just behind the tee. Duncan had to draw for the win but instead of following the Japanese stone he went for his inturn draw, slipped past the Japaneses stones on the INSIDE and it was another defeat for GBR.

After the game on talking about the extra end Duncan said, " You can't predict a miss. It just happens." And with his last stone draw on reflection, "I just didn't take enough ice."

Canada, Japan and Sweden lead the Group on three wins and one loss. This afternoon GBR play Italy who defeated Germany this morning to stand on two wins."

JPN 0100 0202 2 = 7
GBR * 1000 2020 0 = 5

SCORES: Canada 7 Russia 1, Italy 9 Germany 3, Sweden 7 Austria 5, Japan 7 Great Britain 5 (Extra end).

Top photo: Duncan Menzies © Leslie Ingram-Brown.

British Olympic Association director of sport Sir Clive Woodward, Gordon Muirhead (Thomas's father) and Mike Hay (BOA's performance manager for winter sports) watch the game. I wonder what they were thinking! Photo © Leslie Ingram-Brown.

Team World Wins Con Cup

2012-01-16T07:49:00.005Z

Team World, which included the Tom Brewster and Eve Muirhead teams, won the World Financial Group's Continental Cup yesterday. Going into the last men's skins game, worth fifty-five points, Thomas Ulsrud's side only needed one point to secure victory, and this was accomplished when they won the skin on the third end. The Norwegian side went on to win the game against Jeff Stoughton 35-20.

A full report of the game, and a photo of the winning side, can be found here. You can watch games again from this page - eleven 'videos on demand' are listed on the menu on the right of the page.

Each player on Team World, including David Hay, the Team Captain, will receive around £1,600 as their share of the winnings.

Scottish Qualifiers Update

2012-01-15T21:48:00.004Z

Logan Gray and his team of Alasdair Guthrie, Steven Mitchell and Sandy Gilmour are undefeated after four games in the Co-operative Funeralcare Scottish Curling Championship qualifiers at the Dewar's Centre in Perth. They top Section C after beating the David Edwards team this evening, the latter now with just one win from three games.

David Smith's team are undefeated after three games in Section B ...

... although David Murdoch has lost one of the three games his team has played. That was to Jay McWilliam's junior side who finish the first weekend on three wins and one loss.

All the results from Sections B and C are here.

John Hamilton, Ewan MacDonald and Struan Macnee jointly head Section A, all with three wins and one loss. Last season's runners-up, the Sandy Reid team, are on two wins and two losses. Section A results are here.

Thanks to Hugh Stewart for the three photos above.

Just one more ....

It is good to see new faces in the qualifiers, especially this 'men in blue' team, competing for the first time. In the photo above third player Quentin Russell (Lothian and Borders Police) has delivered, with lead Steve Warden (Grampian Police) and second Dougie Telfer (Central Police) at the ready. Graeme MacKenna (Northern Constabulary) is the skip in the house. This is the first time in the 38 years of the Scottish Police Curling Association that they have entered a team in the Scottish Championship. They have yet to record their first win though, in Section A. This photo is courtesy of Ewan Ramage.

The qualifying competition continues next Friday. The top three from each section qualify for the finals.

Update from Bern

2012-01-15T19:42:00.003Z

An update from Bern where two Scottish teams were competing in the Bernese Ladies' Cup this weekend. Hannah Fleming's team lost three straight and found themselves in the Consolation Cup where they won their first game, but lost their second. The Sarah Reid team won two and lost three in the main competition and also dropped to the consolation event.

There, Sarah and her team of Lorna Vevers, Rachael Sims and Barbara McPake won five games in a row, beating Chelsea Carey's Canadians in the final. A ten game weekend, how about that as practice for next week's Glynhill? A well done is in order!

The main competition was won by Michele Jaggi's local team who defeated Canada 1 (Jennifer Jones) 5-3. All the results are here.

The Curling Champions Tour website is here.

WYOG: GB v Canada

2012-01-15T18:14:00.006Z

Leslie Ingram-Brown reports from the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Austria:

"The game we were all waiting for ended up as an anti-climax as Canada's Thomas Scoffin made this a one-horse race for six ends in beating Duncan Menzies, Angharad Ward, Thomas Muirhead and Rachel Hannen 8-2 in six ends.

First end and Scoffin drew for a single. Canada piled on the rpessure in the second and with last stone Menzies faced three shots. The option taken was to try a raise on the out turn but he only made third shot.

GBR blanked the third but early on in the fourth got into trouble which piled up as the end progressed with Menzies facing four shots with his last stone draw which was light. The signs were ominous as the GBR team struggled with their weight and Canada were fully in control of the game.

With last stone in the fifth Menzies hit and lay for 2 but was still 2-7 down with a minimum of six ends to play.

In the sixth again Canada forced the play and had the chance of counting a second four shots but for once the Canadian skip played it badly and counted only one shot. This was enough for the GBR Team who conceded.

After the game Duncan said, "We were all struggling with our weight control and time after time Canada were putting us under pressure. That was our worst game and we now have to win the rest of our games. The team can definately get better but we have to pull it all together and hope it gets better."

There were results this afternoon which certainly help the GBR position in that Sweden lost to Italy 7-5 and Russia beat Japan 6-5. Austria beat Germany at an extra end taking seven shots in the ninth end. The GBR Group now has five teams on two wins and one loss - Austria, Canada, Japan, Russia and Sweden. GBR is two points behind and if they can win their remaining four games could still qualify but probably by the use of a tiebreak or tiebreak games.

GBR play Japan and Italy to-morrow."

Thanks Leslie.

CAN * 1204 01XX = 8
GBR 0000 20XX = 2

The results can be found here (although this site let me down today) or as a download from the official website here.

The top photo shows Angharad Ward delivering with Rachel Hannen and Thomas Muirhead ready to sweep. Photo © Leslie Ingram-Brown.

WYOG: GB v Germany

2012-01-15T10:50:00.002Z

Leslie Ingram-Brown reports from Austria:

"Duncan Menzies, Angharad Ward, Thomas Muirhead and Rachel Hannen suffered a second consecutive defeat at the hands of Daniel Rothballer's Germany 5-4 at an extra end in their Round Robin Red Group Schedule Game 3 here in Innsbruck this morning at the Youth Winter Olympic Games.

With the hammer Germany blanked the first end and then hit and stayed for a single in the second when trying to make a second blank end. Duncan drew for two shots in the third and Rothballer missed on a chance for two shots in the fourth. Game was tied 2-2 at the break.

Fifth and Duncan had to hit on the nose for a single. GBR was in trouble in the sixth and, facing three with his last stone, Duncan played a double but Rothballer drew for two to lead 4-3.

GBR blanked the seventh and in the eighth had stones lying around the tee in the four foot and were lying shot to secure an extra end minimum. Duncan attempted an almost impossible shot with last stone of the end but came up short. It was 4-4 and into an extra end.

Ninth end and Thomas Muirhead played a draw round a front guard to lie. A series of guards and one miss and some half shots from Germany and GBR lay two shots with skips last stones to come. Duncan tried to guard again. First shot was half into the four foot and well covered, but his guard was light in weight and collected a huge final draw leaving a route into the house for Rothballer. The German skip laid the stone beautifully and with a little persuasion from his sweepers made the shot.

Duncan said afterwards, "The team played well but we never really put two really good shots together which allowed the opposition back into the game." In true sporting manner Duncan also acknowledged the fine draw made by his opponent to win at the extra end.

With Japan defeating Austria at an extra end and Sweden winning over Russia, Japan and Russia are the two unbeaten teams in the Red Group.

Next game up for GBR is Canada later today."

GBR 0020 1001 = 4

GER * 0101 0200 1 = 5

SCORES Red Section Game 3: Sweden 5 Russia 3, Canada 6 Italy 0, Japan 7 Austria 5 (Extra end), Germany 5 Great Britain 4 (Extra end)

All the other results are here.

Top photo: Thomas Muirhead delivers, with Rachel Hannen and Angharad Ward the sweepers.

Above: German skip Daniel Rothballer.

Photos © Leslie Ingram-Brown.

Continental Cup Update

2012-01-15T09:08:00.005Z

Team World leads Team North America by 170 points to 120 at the World Financial Group Continental Cup in Langley, British Columbia. Read the Day 3 update here.

There are just two games to be played in the competition, but there are 55 points at stake in each. Don't ask me why. It's simply a nonsense that the results in the final two games could cancel out everything that has gone before in three days of play. Ryder Cup this is not. Team World has not lost one of the nine previous rounds in a variety of disciplines.

Anyway, Team World’s Bingyu Wang meets North America’s Stefanie Lawton in the Women’s Skins and in the Men’s Skins game Norway’s Team Ulsrud will play for Team World against Canada’s Jeff Stoughton for Team North America. Team World needs to score just thirty-one points to reach the 201 needed for the win.

I've enjoyed the webcasts from the event, and you can watch the key games here. And there are lots of photos in galleries on the WCF website here.

WYOG: GB v Sweden

2012-01-14T18:00:00.008Z

Leslie Ingram-Brown reports from the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, "This morning's game having been cancelled due to the power cut during the night, Round 2 Red Group was to be the first outing for Duncan Menzies, Angharad Ward, Thomas Muirhead and Rachel Hannen taking on Sweden's Rasmus Wrana.

What should be remembered is that Wrana is an experienced skip at junior level. Indeed it is his team, which includes second Jordan Wahlin, which will be representing Sweden at the World Juniors' at Ostersund in March having defeated Oskar Eriksson's 'dream team' in the final of the Swedish Junior Championship.

The first end opened poorly for GBR and with Sweden lying shots in the house Wrana played a well controlled hit, raise and take-out with his final stone for four shots. Had Menzies played the wrong shot, maybe, but hindsight is a great thing and later after the game he said as much.

Second end and GBR got on the board with Menzies drawing for a single against two and in the third Wrana had a very rare miss and it was a steal of only a single shot, which as it turned out, was the only steal of the game.

The fourth and fifth ends were played strongly by GBR but on both occasions Wrana saved Sweden and the scoreline did not bulge with two blank ends being recorded.

Sixth end was saved for GBR by Menzies as he drew second against three shots. Wrana attempted draw for two shots was just heavy to the four foot. In the seventh Menzies hit for two and at 4-5 GBR were back in the game with an end to go.

In the eighth end Menzies drew to lie two but Sweden played a perfect tap for a single shot and the 6-4 victory.

Afterwards Menzies was not too disheartened. On the first end he blamed himself saying, "Perhaps I played the wrong shot." He was full of praise for Wrana. "He kept Sweden in the

game laying really good shots to blank (ends) four and five. The ice and stones were fine."

Tomorrow Team GB plays Germany and Canada.

The surprise result of this afternoon was Austria's stunning 6-5 win over Canada with their skip Mathias Grener drawing for the win after Canada had failed with a simple double takeout at the back of the house to ensure at least an extra end."

SWE * 4000 0101 = 6

GBR 0110 0020 = 4

Red Group Round 2: Austria 6 Canada 5, Japan 5 Italy 3, Sweden 6 Great Britain 4, Russia 6 Germany 4.

All the other results can be found here.

Top photo: Duncan Menzies delivers, Rachel Hannen and Thomas Muirhead are the sweepers.

World Curling Federation President Kate Caithness seeks a Norwegian view on the appropriateness of Loudmouth jackets as the official uniform for WCF representatives. (Other captions are available).

Ice techs Wayne Cubbon (left) and Mark Shurek had extra work to do today, after the loss of the plant overnight.

In action from the Blue Section, New Zealand third Eleanor Adviento is in charge of the head, being watched by Switzerland's Michael Brunner and Elena Stern. The Swiss won this one.

Photos courtesy of Leslie Ingram-Brown

WYOG Opening Ceremony

2012-01-14T11:46:00.006Z

Here's a link with a short video of the opening ceremony of the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck. Look out for comments from Duncan Menzies and Thomas Muirhead.

I note that there is to be some coverage of the WYOG on television, in the form of a daily 60min highlights programme on BBC Red Button, at 1900 GMT.

The official website is here. The best page to find the curling results should be here.

I was interested to read IOC President Jacques Rogge's comments, here, on how he had originally wanted to have no national anthems or symbols at the Youth Olympic Games.

Let's not forget that the curlers are just a part of Team GB. Here is an official YouTube video of the team being kitted out in London earlier this week - gives a flavour of what goes on 'behind the scenes' in making it all happen.

Team GB curling. L-R: Duncan Menzies, Angharad Ward, Thomas Muirhead, Rachel Hannen, Brad Askew (coach). Photo by Leslie Ingram-Brown.

Ice Melts in Innsbruck

2012-01-14T09:49:00.004Z

Team GB was due on the ice at 09.00 this morning for their first game against Austria at the Winter Youth Olympic Games. That session has been rescheduled.

An official communication, issued at 08.00, reads "Red Group Session 1 rescheduled.

The Red Group Session 1, planned start time on 14 Jan 2012 at 9:00, has been rescheduled. The new date and start time is 17 Jan 2012 at 16:00.

The Blue Group Session 1 will still take place as scheduled on 14 Jan 2012 at 12:30.

An electrical issue during the night caused some melting of the ice. Technicians have fixed the problem."

This means that Duncan, Angharad, Thomas and Rachel will have their first game in the competition against Sweden this afternoon.

Eve's Quadruple at Con Cup

2012-01-14T00:06:00.002Z

Eve Muirhead and Fredrik Lindstrom won their Mixed Doubles game yesterday at the World Financial Group Continental Cup. I was tickled to be able to watch the game online (from this page), and witnessed Eve making a quadruple takeout. Sweet, it was. I hope that piece of video gets saved for posterity. The Team World pairing defeated Ben Hebert and Stefanie Lawton, Eve having to make a pressure last stone hit for the win.

During the webcast there were glimpses of Anna Sloan and Greg Drummond who won their MDs tie too.

All the results can be found here.

If you are a fan of the Royal Club's Your Curler, you may be interested in comparisons with the Canadian Curling Association supported daily newspaper from the Continental Cup in Langley, the Morning Cup. You can download the first two editions from this page. High quality indeed, as expected from any publication with Larry Wood's input.

I noted one the Canadian Curling Association's 'Start Curling' adverts which ran during one of the breaks on the TSN feed. It's available to watch on YouTube here, and there's other similar adverts, all designed to get Canadian television viewers curling, here and here.

Now write an essay on the cultural differences between Scots and Canadians!

Part 1 of 2 at Perth

2012-01-13T10:20:00.006Z

Twenty-nine teams have entered for this year's Scottish Men's Curling Championship. All bar one of these will be on the ice this weekend at the Dewar's Centre in Perth attempting to qualify for the The Co-operative Funeralcare finals next month. The exception is the Tom Brewster team, the Scottish Champions, competing in Canada, who get a bye to the finals. There are two sections of nine teams, and one of ten. The qualifying competition is spread over two weekends, this one and the next, with the top three teams from each section going forward.

See here for the draw and results for Section A and here for Sections B and C.

It is open entry, still, for the Scottish. Any four curlers can enter, and there is a real mix, as always. To the outside observer - and we Scots do like the underdog - it will be interesting to see if any of the unfunded teams can beat the favourites. And of course those involved in the 'performance programmes', see here, will be hoping that all the money and effort that has been spent on these favoured teams will be rewarded with good performances. The teams skipped by David Murdoch and Tom Brewster are in the World Class Performance Programme Podium Squad this season. I've already mentioned that Tom's team gets a bye to the finals. Team Murdoch is in Section B which also includes Jay McWilliam's junior side, which is supported in the WCPP Performance Squad. David Edwards and Logan Gray, the other two teams in the Performance Squad, are both in Section C.

Ally Fraser's team, a Royal Club Academy GOLD supported team, see here, is in Section C. Kyle Smith's team, similarly supported, is in Section B. Kyle's main focus is the Scottish Junior Championship of course and the team will be without third player Thomas Muirhead who is competing in the Winter Youth Olympic games. It is good to see the junior teams in the draw for the Scottish. All about getting experience, of course. Gary Cannell's junior side, a Royal Club Academy SILVER team, is in Section A and will face Sandy Reid, last year's Scottish runner's-up, as well as the Ewan MacDonald side which brings lots of experience to the party. As does the David Smith team in Section B.

Bruce Mouat's junior side is in Section C and the Duncan Menzies team is in Section A, although Duncan himself is in Austria skipping Team GB at the Winter Youth Olympic Games.

Will there be surprises and upsets at Perth in the qualifiers? I wonder.

Con Cup Update

2012-01-12T17:57:00.006Z

As I write this at 6pm, I'm watching the TSN webcast of the World Financial Group's Continental Cup. It's online here, complete with adverts. The featured game is Team World's Anette Norberg v Stefanie Lawton, representing Team North America. It's good to have this, and it will be interesting to see how robust the webcast is over my home broadband.

And if you want a smile, have a read at these articles, here and here, in the Canadian media. I couldn't have written a better post on April 1 myself. Splendid stuff.

Top: Screenshot of the webcast from my computer.

All Set for Youth Olympics

2012-01-12T00:05:00.001Z

The ice is ready! The inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games get underway tomorrow, January 13, with the mixed curling competition beginning on Saturday, and running through to Wednesday 18. The sixteen teams taking part are from Austria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.

The GB team is Duncan Menzies, Angharad Ward, Thomas Muirhead and Rachel Hannen. Brad Askew is their coach.

It looks as if the competition will be played as two round robins, Red and Blue sections, with the top four from each progressing to quarterfinals. From the information on this page, Team GB plays Austria in its first game. Also in the Red Section are Sweden, Germany, Canada, Japan, Italy and Russia.

After the mixed event, a mixed doubles competition will take place from January 20-22. This will involve one male and one female athlete, from different countries, playing together as a team. The teams will be determined by the athlete's position within their team and their nation's overall position following the mixed competition. It's the very first 'International Curling Blind Date'. I just love the idea! Seriously though, it's the first real showcase for mixed doubles curling outside of the sport's own community. It will be interesting to see what media coverage it gets.

In addition to the competitions, athletes will be taking part in a wider cultural exchange programme at the Winter Youth Olympic Games. While sports participation is at the heart of the Games, uniquely, they also aim to allow athletes to step away from their own fields of play and learn something about the culture of competitors from other parts of the world, as well as becoming involved in Olympic-themed education programmes. Athletes will also be able given the opportunity to learn from senior professionals within their discipline, through the Athlete Role Model Programme. Olympians Eve Muirhead (Great Britain) and Uli Kapp (Germany) will be sharing their experiences and offering advice in personal sessions throughout the event with all of the athletes.

As I find out the best links for results and other coverage of the curling, I'll post the information here. The official website is here.

Top: The curling rink that has been constructed within the Innsbruck Exhibition Centre. Photo courtesy of Brad Askew. Team GB had its first look at this yesterday.

Above: Angharad Ward, Thomas Muirhead, Duncan Menzies and Rachel Hannen looking very smart in their Team GB travelling kit. Photo courtesy of Brad Askew.

The Swan at Murrayfield

2012-01-11T15:23:00.003Z

Are you planning to help Edinburgh Curling Club celebrate its 100th birthday? I hope so.

Robin Copland looks back to when the Haymarket rink was opened in February 1912, and to a competition that began then, and continues to this day. Go here, or click on the Behind the Glass link on the right.

Scots in Bern

2012-01-11T10:02:00.004Z

Bern, Switzerland, is the venue for the next women's event on the Curling Champions Tour. The Sarah Reid and Hannah Fleming teams are in the lineup for this thirty-two team triple knockout, the Bern Ladies' Cup. Sarah Reid, Rachael Simms, Lorna Vevers and Barbara McPake are first of the two Performance Squad teams on the ice, on Friday morning at 08.00. Hannah Fleming, Lauren Gray, Alice Spence and Abi Brown are on the other end of the draw, and have their first game at 10.30.

The event website is here, and the draw/results page is here.

This is the first of two big weekends for the women as the Tour rolls on to the Glynhill Ladies International at Braehead the following weekend, January 20-22.

Progress Slow at Kinross

2012-01-11T09:13:00.003Z

I should have been in Kinross last night. A meeting had been called to update members of the Kinross Curling Trust on the progress on work undertaken on the proposed new facility since December, see here.

But the meeting was cancelled.

I asked Trust Chairman Bob Tait what was the reason for the cancellation. He responded, "The meeting date was set in anticipation the Trustees could present a complete package to fund construction. This has proved to be optimistic as despite our best efforts discussions are still continuing with banks, other Trusts, potential sponsors, members, Perth and Kinross Council and MSPs.

Very frustrating and disappointing for all concerned about the future of curling in Kinross currently enjoyed by 1000 or so players. While we are used to wading through the car park, seeing buckets on the ice to collect water penetrating the roof is a fairly worrying development with potentially serious consequences."

The next milestone in the long-running saga will be the Trust's AGM. A date has yet to be set, but is likely to be towards the end of next month.

Webcasting of Continental Cup

2012-01-10T13:00:00.004Z

No sooner than I had a moan about the lack of television coverage of the World Financial Group's Continental Cup in Europe, see here, I learn that the World Curling Federation is to stream action from Langley, British Columbia, on its own website, in partnership with TSN. The link is here.

Good news, and something to look forward to.

Well Done to Castlefield Primary

2012-01-10T11:49:00.005Z

If I ask friends to list all the curling rinks in Scotland, which, do you think, is usually the last to be mentioned? Or another question. Which of Scotland's curling rinks presents the sport most obviously to the general public? The answer in both cases is East Kilbride, the rink being in the centre of the shopping mall. Hence I was delighted to receive this story from Jim Morrison.

Jim writes, "Each year at East Kilbride Ice Rink the volunteer coaches arrange for around thirty local schools to participate in the Curling's Cool programme. Over 500 primary 5/6 children are introduced to curling and encouraged to follow up the experience by joining the local 'After School' club.

Such was the interest aroused in parents by watching from the Shopping Centre viewing galleries and food courts that the centre management volunteered to provide a trophy if a competiton could be arranged amongst the participating schools. Always up for a challenge, an extra session was added to the Curling's Cool programme which allowed the coaches time to pick out promising newcomers and form them into school teams, all with the enthusiastic help of the schools involved.

The result, after an elimination process, Wednesday, December 21, saw forty kids take to the ice in their first proper game watched over by ten rather anxious coaches.

Castlefield Primary, the eventual winners are shown above with the other semifinalists and the event is now part of the East Kilbride rink's schools' programme."

Well done to the winning team, and to all the competitors. Great story, Jim, thank you. We sometimes forget all the good work that goes on in introducing young people to our sport through the Curling's Cool programme.

Photo courtesy of Jim Morrison

2012 Continental Cup

2012-01-10T10:34:00.006Z

The Tom Brewster and Eve Muirhead teams are in Canada to compete for Team World at the World Financial Group Continental Cup. The event gets underway in Langley, British Columbia, on Thursday. The schedule can be found here.

Team World comprises Brewster, Niklas Edin and Thomas Ulsrud, alongside Muirhead, Anette Norberg and Bingyu Wang. They are up against Team North America, the best in Canada and the USA. Team photos are all here.

The competition gets a lot of coverage on the other side of the pond, and the enthusiasm can be felt in this piece. But as I've said ad naseum on this blog, the whole thing continues to leave me cold. It is a made for television event, that cannot be seen on television in Scotland or in Europe. Go figure.

There's a little promotional video on YouTube here. We've 'Gotta Be There'!

Still, there's no doubt that the teams taking part in it have a good time, and it helps their bank balances. So, good luck to them. Team World were second last time, in a one-sided competition, so it's upwards and onwards!

By the way, Team Brewster's participation in the Continental Cup has resulted in them avoiding the qualifying competition for the Co-operative Funeralcare Scottish Men's Championship, over the next two weekends at Perth. Nine teams will come forward from three sections, to meet Team Brewster, the current Scottish Champions, in the finals, February 13-19, also at the Dewar's Centre.

Vic Moran

2012-01-10T09:24:00.005Z

I am sad to learn of the death of former Scottish Champion Vic Moran.

Vic played second with Colin Hamilton, Bob Kelly, Colin Barr and Trevor Dodds (alternate) in the 1994 World Curling Championship in Oberstdorf.

The photo shows Vic, on the right, with (L-R) Colin Barr, Colin Hamilton and Bob Kelly, after they won the Bell's Scottish Championship at the Summit Centre, Glasgow. It is from the April 1994 Scottish Curler, photographer unknown.

New Sponsorship for Scottish Championships

2012-01-09T18:21:00.004Z

The Royal Club has announced that The Co-operative Funeralcare is to be the title sponsor of the Scottish Curling Championships for the next three years, see here.

Now, you know me. I say things as I see them. In my opinion, this really is an inappropriate sponsorship deal. I'm sorry.

Part of me says that it's great that the Royal Club has obtained sponsorship for its two main competitions. Competitive curling these days is a sport played by all ages, and by young people in particular. It is my own priority to highlight this on the Skip Cottage Curling blog, as you well know. It has taken fifty years for the sport to dispel the 'game for old men' image, which was the case when I started to play in the 1960s. The Royal Club's Area Development Officer network is geared to getting primary schoolkids involved in the sport. Which is great. But now?

The Co-operative Funeralcare Scottish Curling Championships are to be televised and webcast from the Dewar's Centre, Perth, February 13-19, no doubt with the sponsor's logos prominent.

As a Royal Club member, it just strikes me that death is not an image I want to have associated with a youthful, vibrant competition. It just seems inappropriate, however much we are all going to need a funeral director's services in the future.

Marketing? What do I know?

Scottish Wheelchair Team Selection

2012-01-09T13:18:00.003Z

The Scottish team for the World Wheelchair Curling Championship has been selected, see here. Aileen Neilson, Angie Malone, Gregor Ewan, Jim Gault and Tom Killin will compete in Chuncheon City, South Korea, February 18-25. National Coach is Tony Zummack.

Scotland won silver medals last time, see here. Jim Gault is new to the squad for Korea.

The ten countries competing in Chuncheon City are the host nation Korea, Canada, Scotland, Norway, Russia, China, Sweden and USA, Italy and Slovakia.

The world event will be the second to count towards qualification for the Paralympic Curling in Sochi in 2014. That event will have ten teams. Russia, as host, receives an automatic entry and so nine places remain up for grabs. Scotland, which gathers the GB points, already has accumulated ten points, by virtue of last season's silver place finish.

There's more about the 2012 world competition on the World Curling Federation website here, including a photo of the venue. The schedule of play is available to download. I see that the Scots will have China and Norway on the opening day.

And since I'm talking about wheelchair curling, I was delighted to see that Chris Daws has picked up the baton from Eric Eales and has a new wheelchair curling blog here.

Action from Junior Club Challenge at Murrayfield

2012-01-09T10:30:00.009Z

I've already posted that Stranraer won the Junior Club Challenge at Murrayfield yesterday, see here. Royal Club President, Pat Edington, presented the trophy, and that photo is now on the Royal Club website, here. All the results and the league standings are here.

Below are a few photos and comments from my visit yesterday.

Vicky Wright skipped one of the Stranraer teams.

Here are the others in the team. Gregor Cannon and Alison Fyfe sweep Calum Lammie's stone.

"There she goes again, flashing these big eyes at me!" Vicky Wright and Gregor Cannon.

Ian Kirkpatrick skipped the other Stranraer side.

Here's his team. L-R: Jodie Milroy, Euan Kyle and Bobbie Lammie.

This one is crying out for a caption. How about, "What's the weather like up there?"

Euan Kyle and Jodie Milroy.

Bobbie Lammie. "It's easier to hit the high notes when you're young!"

Jennifer Dodds skipped one of the Gogar teams, and came close.

Mairi Girvan and Becca Kesley.

Gogar's Bruce Mouat.

Bruce encourages Rowena Kerr and Colin Mouat.

A 'well done' should go to the two Hamilton teams who were only a couple of ends away from winning the trophy. This is the Craig Waddell team in action. Jamie Allan has delivered, and that's Heather MacDonald and Connor Ballantyne ready to sweep.

The other Hamilton side was skipped by Greg Allan, with (L-R) Mhairi Strang, Scott Gibson and David Williamson.

Congratulations to Greenacres whose teams topped Division 2 to ensure promotion to Division 1 next season. Here brother and sister Stuart and Jennifer Marshall have a frank exchange on team tactics!

James Carswell encourages Peter Dagen and George McConnell.

James and Gary Cannell (Braehead).

Catriona Fergus and Laura Yuill sweep for their Braehead team. Definitely the 'best dressed' club.

Consolation to Perth, who finished bottom of Division 2. That's Robin Brydone's stone being looked after by Angus Martin and Polly Lightbody.

"Now Angus, just close your eyes and concentrate. Visualise that triple takeout." Angus Dowell and Thomas Halder from Forfar. Last year's winners did manage to avoid relegation from Division 1. It will be Stirling and Dumfries who will go down.

Photos © Skip Cottage. As usual, please let me know if I've got any names wrong.

Update from Taarnby

2012-01-08T23:44:00.006Z

Congratulations to Italy whose junior men and junior women's sides won their competitions at the European Junior Challenge in Taarnby, and will now compete in the World Juniors in Oestersund, Sweden, in March. The story is here, with photos of the winning teams.

A 'well done' to Anna Fowler and her English team who made it to the top three in the girls' event, before losing out to Denmark in the 'semifinal'.

Stranraer Wins Junior Club Challenge

2012-01-08T21:48:00.007Z

As of last Thursday, Stranraer young curlers thought they would be playing off in Division 2 of the Junior Club Challenge, and attempting to gain promotion. However, the Galleon side withdrew from Division 1, and Stranraer were promoted to take their place before the competition got underway at the Murrayfield rink. And they came out on top! That's the two winning Stranraer teams above. Ian Kirkpatrick skipped one team with Bobby Lammie, Jodie Milroy and Euan Kyle, and Vicky Wright skipped the other with Gregor Cannon, Callum Lammie and Alison Fyfe.

It was all very exciting and it could not have been closer. Going into the final round today, three clubs were still in contention, Hamilton 1, Stranraer and Gogar 1. These last two were against each other. Had Gogar won both games, they might well have been champions. If Stranraer won both, they were certainly the champs. But the result was split. Stranraer won one game, Gogar the other. That took the Stranraer side to twelve points.

While this was going on, the two Hamilton teams were both winning against Stirling, and the Hamilton club also finished on the same points as Stranraer. It went to ends to decide, and Stranraer were the champions by just two ends.

I think it all goes to show the high standard of the juniors. Forfar, winners last year, pulled themselves out of the relegation zone and finished on ten points, the same as Gogar 1. Greenacres topped Division 2.

The results are all here.

I have some photos from today's play and I'll try have these on the blog before noon tomorrow, once I've had time to look through them!

Top photo, Back, L-R: Jodie Milroy, Gregor Cannon, Vicky Wright, Ian Kirkpatrick, Alison Fyfe. Front: Bobbie Lammie, Calum Lammie, Euan Kyle. Photo © Skip Cottage.

Seniors Qualifying Update

2012-01-08T21:12:00.006Z

The 'headline story' is that the current Scottish Seniors Champions, the Ken Horton team, failed to get through from the qualifying competition at Forfar. In a small section with just five teams, Ken, Gordon Butler, Angus Storrie and Eddie Binks won two and lost two and don't progress to the Scottish Senior Championship finals at the Lanarkshire Ice Rink, February 7-12.

So, who did get through? The six qualifiers from Forfar are Craig Hamilton and Billy Nairn, Gary Macfarlane and David Hardie (the latter after a three way tie for second place in their section), and Greig Henderson and Graeme Adam.

And from Greenacres the qualifiers are Gordon Crawford and Keith Prentice (the latter after a three way tie for second place in their section), Donnie Stark and Alastair McIntyre (the latter after a three way tie for second place in their section), and Willie Jamieson and Jim Hogg.

All the results are here and here.

Former Scottish and World Seniors' champ Keith Prentice (on left) is through again to the Seniors' finals. Here he is talking options with longtime third Lockhart Steele. Good to see Lockhart back on the ice again having been sidelined with injury earlier in the season. This photo from yesterday © Skip Cottage.

Mercure Perth Masters Update

2012-01-08T20:52:00.004Z

This great pic of Canada's Mike McEwen comes courtesy of blogally Tom Brydone, and his new lens, a present from Santa! Jealous, me? Never. Thanks, Tom.

McEwen skipped his team to the Mercure Perth Masters title, for the second year in a row!

Here's the team, L-R, Mike McEwen, BJ Neufield, Matt Wozniak and Denni Neufield. The Canadians beat Thomas Ulsrud's Norwegian side in the final.

All the scores, the story of the final, and other photos can be found on the official website here.

I rather liked this photo of the two skips smiling in the final!

Photos © Tom Brydone

Rink Takes Shape in Innsbruck

2012-01-08T00:15:00.000Z

The ice has been painted, as progress is made in building the rink in the Innsbruck Exhibition Centre where the curling events at the Winter Youth Olympic Games will be played. Thanks to Ted Edmunds, who is a volunteer at the event, for this update. Ted's first post is here.

The Youth Olympic Village has been officially opened, see here.

The GB Team flies out to Austria on Tuesday.

Photo © Ted Edmunds

A Blogger's Saturday Night

2012-01-07T18:14:00.009Z

My travels took me to the Greenacres Rink today, just to check up on the Scottish Seniors Qualifiers. This was a good game, above. Mike Dick, skipping the Colin Hamilton team, was against John Stevenson, and it went to an extra end. In the pic above, John and third William Byers discuss options, with Trevor Dodds and Mike Dick behind.

Colin has stepped aside after a health scare recently. Still, he was at the rink, with Elaine, keeping the Royal Club's results service up to date, see here. Keep well, Colin, and I hope you will be back on the ice with an 'all clear' soon.

Actually, I was really at Greenacres to give my old friend and Behind the Glass blogger, Robin Copland, some support, as he was standing in for Colin in Team Hamilton. Here he is, ready to sweep with Colin Baxter on Mike Dick's stone.

Robin wasn't the only old friend at Greenacres today. I should say that I'm defining 'old friend' as those whose curling roots are in the Crossmyloof rink in the 1960s and 70s. Willie Jamieson above has always been one of the sport's biggest characters. He was keen to point out that he's beginning to catch up on 'new' technology and has embraced split-timing, and also, if you look closely, the fancy specs that allow you to peer over your nose at the broom.

And here is Willie's team. Gordie Kennedy has thrown, another 'old friend' David 'The Trousers' Kelly is next to the stone, sweeping with David McGann.

So are any of 'my' teams going to qualify for the finals? It's a bit early to say, both Team Hamilton and Team Jamieson having lost some and won some. Follow the tables here.

Of course, the first thing I had to do tonight when I got home was to check how other 'old friends' were doing in the other qualifying sections at Forfar, see here. Current champions, skipped by Ken Horton, had played two, won one, lost one, and in a small section of five, really have to win their two remaining games. Watch this space.

My old skip, Graeme Adam, having teamed up with Bob Kelly this season, seemed to be going well, undefeated after three.

A blogger's curiosity is never satisfied, so the next stop was to the Mercure Perth Masters' website. I found that the Claudio Pescia and Brad Gushue teams were through to the playoffs from the A Road. Thomas Ulsrud, Niklas Edin, Tom Brewster and Mike McEwen were fighting it out from B. The David Murdoch and David Edwards teams were clinging on to their last lives in the C Road. It will be an interesting evening at Perth as tomorrow's quarterfinal lineup is decided.

If you go on to the Masters' website check out the little news features on the menu bar on the left.

Clare Carswell, who blogged the Perth Masters event last year, has switched her allegiance to Twitter these days, and has been tweeting away from Perth. Because of Clare I now know a little about audioboo.fm. (Do keep up, Bob!) I live and learn. Click here to listen to young curlers Kyle Smith and Thomas Muirhead being interviewed by Clare this morning. Great stuff.

And talking of young curlers, you can find the progress of the Junior Club Challenge at Murrayfield here. It looks as if Forfar YC, Division 1 winners last year, won't be making it two in a row, and indeed are in the relegation zone as I write this. If all goes well, I might just make it to Edinburgh tomorrow to see what happens.

I was pleased to see that the English girls made it to the playoffs at the European Junior Challenge in Taarnby. They play Denmark to see who will face Italy in the decider. The Challenge all winds up tomorrow with one men's team and one women's team going forward to the World Junior Championships in Oestersund, Sweden. The results are all here.

Who will have home country advantage in Oestersund? I had my tea watching a webcast of the last couple of ends of the Swedish Junior Ladies' Championship, on Curlingkanalen, screenshot above. Wonderful. I find (reliable) webcasting really is a bit of modern magic.

A curling blogger's work, it seems, is never done. Fun though!

Photos © Skip Cottage

Mercure Perth Masters

2012-01-07T00:09:00.001Z

The Mercure Perth Masters was well underway when I visited the Dewar's Rinks yesterday. Some great curling on view. The event website for results is here.

So what cropped up in front of my lens? That's the Mike McEwen team above.

The Logan Gray team kidnap an attractive blond to be their mascot. Who is she? Read on.

Colin Campbell and Scott Macleod work on David Edwards's stone.

David Murdoch has his woes this weekend.

With Ross Paterson sidelined because of illness, Tom Pendreigh (on the right) was recruited to play, here lining up with Richard Woods on their skip's stone. I innocently asked Tom if he might be the oldest on the ice. "Yes," was the answer. Oops.

Murdoch went down in this game against Finland's Rantamaki.

It's always a delight to watch Niklas Edin and his Swedish team.

Steve Laycock's Canadians.

David Hay (left) is now Chairman of the Board at Dewar's, having taken over last month from Bill Duncan.

Ally Fraser's team was just edged by Mike McEwen's side.

McEwen is defending the title his team won here last year.

Ewan MacDonald in fine voice.

Euan Byers and Pete Loudon look somewhat concerned.

"Size doesn't matter." Oh yes, it does. Team MacDonald, sponsored by GIANT Insurance.

This was the reason for Team MacDonald's concern. They were up against the European Champions, skipped by Thomas Ulsrud. Thomas made his last stone count to win this one.

Tracy Sanderson is her name, and she is the General Manager for the UK and European arm of Loudmouth Golf. This is a rather special grouping then, as it was Ulsrud's Norwegian team which introduced the colourful pants to the curling world at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010. And so the 'colourful curling' revolution began.

Photos © Skip Cottage

A Volunteer's View from the WYOG

2012-01-06T18:02:00.004Z

Ted Edmunds, a young freelance journalist based in Stirling, applied to be a volunteer at the Winter Youth Olympic Games back in the summer, indicating that curling was his preferred winter sport. He was thrilled to be invited to go out early to Innsbruck and be a member of the ice crew. He saw my blog post about the event (here) where I said that I had been unable to find anything on the official website about the curling rink that is being constructed within the Innsbruck Exhibition Centre (above) for the curling competitions. He quickly offered to help. Here's what he writes today:

"While the official volunteer period doesn't begin until the 10th, the ice crew have been busy since Wednesday morning getting the ice ready for the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games.

Situated near the centre of Innsbruck, surrounded by imposing snow covered mountains, the Innsbruck Exhibition Centre is going to feature four sheets for the two competitions that begin at 9am local time on Saturday, January 14 - Day 2 of YOG competition. Practice ice for the teams is the day before; Friday 13th ... Team GB's more superstitious players take note!

The team of volunteers is being led by Canadians Wayne Cubbon and Mark Shurek and German Joachim Fritz - all vastly experienced, engaging and good company for the twelve hours we spent on the ice yesterday (Thursday).

As I write, another flood is being put on and we are preparing the painting equipment either for use tonight or first thing tomorrow morning. For the more aesthetically minded, the houses are going to be green and blue as they were in Vancouver 2010.

The stones for the competition have already seen use at two World Championships: the 2010 men’s in Italy and last year’s women’s in Denmark.

Decoration and banners are being added all the time and the facilities here seem excellent. The food and hospitality afforded to the volunteers so far has been flawless – hot meals, friendly conversation and help whenever we need it."

Thanks Ted. I'm sure all who read the blog regularly will enjoy hearing more of your experiences at the WYOG.

Top photo: Outside the IEC. Apparently there has been plenty of fresh snow since this was taken.

Work goes on inside the curling hall.

Ted spotted these from the bus from the airport. Naturally, he had to go back for a closer look!

All copy and pictures © Ted Edmunds, 2012.

Entries Wanted for British Open

2012-01-06T00:22:00.002Z

Logan Gray has been in touch to say that the organisers are still looking for a few entries for the 2012 British Open Curling Championships which will take place at The Peak, Stirling, Monday, January 30 - Thursday, February 2.

The format of the competition will be six sections of four teams playing a round robin. The winners from each section and two highest up qualifiers from the round robin games go through to the knockout stages.

Teams can be any four curlers, ladies, gents, mixed, juniors, seniors, and wheelchairs.

The winning rink will receive a cash prize of £600 and the runners-up, £300. The entry fee is £120 per team. This guarantees a minimum of three games and up to seven games for those reaching the final. All games will be played afternoon and evening ice, starting from 3.30 pm.

Contact The Peak if you and your team would like to take part.

Flying Visit to Taarnby

2012-01-05T19:40:00.002Z

John Brown made a flying visit today to the European Junior Challenge currently underway at Taarnby, and describes that in a new Toothy Tale here, or click on the link on the right.

In the Open Air

2012-01-05T10:35:00.005Z

It bills itself as the World's Greatest Open Air Curling Tournament. The forty-fourth Coppa Romana will be held January 8-11, in Silvaplana, in the east of Switzerland. Seventy-six teams are lined up for this year's event, see here. I'm just hoping that the photo on the programme cover (above) is not an example of a new style of curling team uniform. That might indeed be taking 'colourful curling' a step too far.

Or maybe not.

Seriously, there are lots of photos from last year's event here, and I've even discovered some video of the 2010 competition here. Looks like great fun.

I know what you're thinking. "What about Scotland's Grand Match?" This was last held of course in 1979. Certainly, the conditions were such that the Match could have been held in each of the last two years, but, as has been discussed fully, the necessary permits and permissions were not in place then, and the opportunities passed by. This year, according to Royal Club Board Member Trevor Dodds, featured on national television, everything is in place should conditions be right this season for the Match to go ahead on Piper Dam.

I cannot confirm this. Yes, the Royal Club's Grand Match Committee met on November 15, 2011, see here, but the minutes of this meeting 'will be posted once they have been ratified'! Ratifying minutes is a long and difficult task, apparently part of our governing body's policy to ensure that members don't learn in a timely fashion what it is doing. Shame, really.

Not that it makes much difference, as this mild winter passes by. Time yet of course, although the latest date that a Grand Match has ever been held was on February 15, see here.

New Behind the Glass

2012-01-04T10:56:00.003Z

Robin Copland has a new post in Behind the Glass today, with his take on the Senior Championships. He's not playing this year... Or is he? Read the story here.

The weekend in prospect

2012-01-04T00:23:00.002Z

A busy weekend is ahead! First games in the Mercure Perth Masters are tomorrow (Thursday) at the Dewar's Rinks in Perth. The Curling Champions Tour event has a first class lineup as usual, with sixteen foreign rinks and sixteen domestic sides in the thirty-two team triple knockout. Eight teams progress to Sunday's playoffs.

The event website for draw and results is here. £6,000 is on offer for the winning team, with a total £17,000 in the prize pot. Mike McEwen's Canadians won last time, see here, and they are back in Scotland for the 2012 event.

Elsewhere around the country, thirty-three men's teams have entered for this season's Scottish Senior Men's Championship. In this weekend's qualifiers, sixteen teams will play at Forfar Indoor Sports in three sections and seventeen at the Greenacres rink, again in three sections. The top two teams in each section qualify for the Scottish Senior Finals which are at Lanarkshire Ice Rink, February 8-12. The holders, skipped by Ken Horton, are in the draw at Forfar. Follow the results here and here.

The Junior Club Challenge is at Murrayfield on Saturday and Sunday. Each junior club side is represented by two teams. Some strong junior clubs field more that one squad of two teams. Division 1 and Division 2 both play off this weekend. The six clubs in Division 1 are Forfar, Gogar Park 1, Hamilton 1, Dumfries, Stirling and Galleon. Forfar topped the league last year, see here, when the event was held at Ayr. The bottom two clubs after the weekend's play will be relegated to Division 2.

Division 2 includes Gogar Park 2, Greenacres, Stranraer, Perth, Hamilton 2 and Braehead. They are fighting for promotion (the top two) and to avoid relegation ( the bottom two).

The results will be on the Royal Club website here.

Division 3 playoffs are scheduled for February 25-26 at the Dumfries Ice Bowl.

European Junior Challenge

2012-01-03T09:44:00.004Z

The European Junior Challenge begins today at the Taarnby Rink in Copenhagen. Fifteen junior men's teams will play in two sections to find ONE team which will go forward to the World Junior Championships, in Oestersund, Sweden, March 3-11. Nine junior ladies' teams will fight it out, again for just one qualifier.

Scotland is not involved in the Taarnby qualifiers, having finished fifth in the men's and first in the women's at the World Junior Championships at Perth last season. The standard of the European junior B teams (if I can call them that) gets better every year, and the competitions in Taarnby will be hard fought. I'll be following the fortunes of the two English squads who I met recently at Lockerbie, see here.

Find the draw on this website, and the results should be here.

Anna Fowler skips the English junior ladies' team. Here she is in action at Lockerbie last month. Naomi Robinson is the sweeper. Photo © Skip Cottage.

The Wheelchair Curling Blog

2012-01-02T10:06:00.008Z

Those of you who follow wheelchair curling will know of the wheelchaircurling.com website and the associated Wheelchair Curling Blog. The blog has been one of the sites I check every day. For six years now, Eric Eales has had his fingers on the pulse of this branch of our sport. I am sorry to learn that Eric has posted for the last time, and although the sites remain online for archive purposes, Eric has confirmed he will not be posting again. His last post is here.

Eric began the website as a forum for his ideas about how the sport might grow to become a viable winter recreation choice for Canadian wheelchair users. It soon became much more than this. Not least, Eric became the sport's unofficial archivist.

Eric was instrumental in organising the first ever international cashspiel for wheelchair curlers in 2005, which the Great Britain squad attended. Although he was not able to compete himself, he championed the sport at every turn, and he wasn't afraid to state his views, even if these did not always prove popular with those in power.

For example, he wrote to me yesterday, "I fear Paralympics inclusion has on balance been destructive to the viability of the sport. It has cemented a format unsuitable for wheelchair participation as well as providing a rationale for governing bodies to spend most of their resources on a handful of privileged 'high performance' athletes at the expense of attempting to offer curling to general wheelchair users in the same way as clubs, at least here in Canada, offer the experience to the general public.

No-one outside of an elite group of wealthy sponsors, high performance coaches, governing bureaucrats and the high performance athletes and their immediate families, cares about medals for more than a couple of weeks per quadrennial - what a waste when with support of community coaches all wheelchair users could be given a reason to get out of the house in the winter."

Eric was supportive about the structures we have here in Scotland, citing particularly the activities of the South Lanarkshire WCC, and often was talking about things over here, even before I was aware of them!

Wheelchair curling needs a voice. Thank you Eric for all you have done to promote the sport and every wish for success in whatever you turn your energies to now.

2012

2012-01-01T10:50:00.003Z

May I wish everyone a happy, healthy (and colourful) 2012, on and off the ice!

My plan - health and wealth permitting - is for Skip Cottage Curling to continue to provide news and views on the curling world, on a daily basis, though to the end of the season. If YOU have something that you think others should know about, then please let me know. My email is in the contact page above.

Thanks to Ian Taylor for this photo of four colourful participants at the U-17 event at Forfar Indoor Sports last week. L-R: Jack Brisbane, David Kane, George McConnell and Grant Barr. Captions are invited!

Curling on the tram lines

2011-12-30T14:22:00.006Z

The end of the year. Role on 2012! Actually, it's just fourteen days until the Winter Youth Olympics begin in Innsbruck, with one thousand athletes from seventy countries. The official website has lots about the Youth Olympic Torch Relay, but I cannot find anything (yet) about the curling rink that is being constructed within the Innsbruck Exhibition Centre for the curling competitions.

Make sure you watch what the volunteers got up to in a Freeze Flashmob video - on the home page of the official website, or externally here. One does get the impression that everyone at the Games is set for a good time! There's even a song, 'This is our Time', but there's no curling in the video (on YouTube here), so perhaps curling has not yet 'arrived' for EMA, the fifteen-year old Austrian singer? Europop fans can hear her performing live, here. And again here, with Yoggi, the Games' official mascot.

Samsung is a 'Worldwide Olympic Partner'. They have a 'Wake Up It's Everyone's Youth Olympic Games' campaign for the Innsbruck event, see here. They have a couple of 'Watch how we YOG' videos - the link is on the right of the page. One is a hilarious take on curling, and if you like that, the speed skating will probably bring a smile to your face too. The videos are also on YouTube here and here.

Of course, it you are of my generation and if all this emphasis on youth just makes you tired, then you may well appreciate the simple joys of collecting curling memorabilia. David B Smith has an alternate suggestion to collecting full size curling stones. Go here. Now, where's my spoon.

Hopefully the weather will be kind to those involved in the curling in George Square, Glasgow, tomorrow, see here.

And that just leaves me to say to all blogallies, thank you for your support in 2011, and I wish you all a 'Happy New Year'!

Last Word from Forfar

2011-12-28T21:21:00.003Z

Whilst the U17 event, and the Slam, were working towards their exciting conclusions at Forfar today, in the three sheeter the Festive Under 13s competition was underway. Above, Jim Keillor with the winning team. L-R: Callum Wood (2nd), Adam Keron (skip), Blair Butchart (lead) and Ewan Barr (3rd). Well done!

Runners-up were Ryan Barron (skip), Jane Neill, Adam MacDiarmid and Campbell White.

Photo of the day! This is Jodie Duff, the 'hot shots' champ, with 24 points, ahead of Craig Barr (18 points) and Gavin Hay (14). Out of shot is Jodie's proud dad John, what with Jodie's success in one part of the rink and other daughter Hailey playing the low road final in the other!

Parents at Forfar today and yesterday, award yourselves medals. These 'young junior' events depend on your support. To be there to congratulate, to be there to console, but really, just to be there! Can't happen without you. Thank you.

Pics © Skip Cottage.

More from Forfar

2011-12-28T19:49:00.012Z

The James Carswell team won the Forfar U17 competition earlier today, and they are also the U17 Slam winners - deservedly so, having previously won at Perth and Greenacres. Three events, three wins. Top show.

But I'm sure the boys won't mind me giving a special mention to the team they beat in today's final at Forfar. That's them above, L-R, Rachel Hannen, Rachael Halliday, Lauren McIntyre and Alison Fyfe. Their performance yesterday got them a bye to the semifinal, where they came from behind to count three in the last end against the Gregor Cannon team, and in so doing they scuppered the chances of Team Cannon winning the Slam. Spare a thought for Gregor Cannon, Bobby Lammie, Connor Ballantyne and Christopher Henry - they would be absolutely gutted. So near.

The girls would start the final as the underdogs, and indeed when James and his team got their noses in front 3-0 after two ends some wondered if the eight-end final would be a one-sided affair. Rachel, Rachael, Lauren and Alison had other ideas!

They had an incentive. If they beat the boys in the final, they would overtake the Katie Murray team on points, they would be best girls' team in the Slam, and they would be going to the World Curling Federation junior summer camp. Second place at Forfar would not be good enough.

The girls took one at the third, then stole twos at the next two ends, to lead 5-3 after five. They then dropped a big four, before taking a single in the seventh.

Even the hard working front end could do nothing in the eighth as they needed to steal.

It wasn't to be, and Rachel and her team were the runners-up on the day.

Top curler is Rachel Hannen. The genes are strong, as those who know her mother Izzie and grandmother Isobel (Torrance)! Off to Innsbruck in a couple of weeks to the Winter Youth Olympic Games.

Take nothing away from the Carswell team. Here Peter and George work on Ben's stone.

Would you believe that James still has another year in the U17s if he choses to play next season!

"Steady, George, the bus will be along on this sheet at any moment!"

Well done to James, George, Ben and Peter. Good job.

And on other sheets, Andrew Neilson and Lesley Young contested the low road final.

Team Neilson won this one. Duncan Menzies presented the prizes to John Ballantyne, Andrew Neilson, Graeme Allan and Mark Guthrie.

And here are the Slam girls winners. L-R: Katie Murray, Sophie Jackson, Gayle Allan, Amy Bryce and Kirsty Morton, who played at Perth and Lockerbie but retired injured having come second in a fight with a bull. True!

Katie and her team watched semis and final today with everything crossed hoping their points total would see them through as the best girls' team, and indeed it did, just. You know, the Under-17 Slam has been a success on many levels, and seeing the many girls' teams playing against the boys, and getting stronger because of it, gives me a lot of satisfaction. It can only get even better thanks to the Royal Club's Talent Programme, and the new U-14 Slam.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Winners at Forfar

2011-12-28T17:24:00.004Z

Congratulations to James Carswell, George McConnell, Ben Bremner and Peter Dagen who won the Forfar Under-17 event today, and in so doing secured the U17 Slam title. The Carswell team beat Rachel Hannen, Rachael Halliday, Lauren McIntyre and Alison Fyfe in the final which was only decided in the last end. It could not have been any more exciting. A special mention to the girls, who are going to be my 'Team of the Two Days after Boxing Day'.

Had they won, Team Hannen would have taken the Girls' Slam. They didn't, so that title will go to Katie Murray, Sophie Jackson, Gayle Allan and Kirsty Morton with Amy Bryce, alternate, whose record on points over three events just pipped Rachel and her team. So close! The Slam prizes are to be presented later in the season.

All the scores are here.

More story and more pics later - not sure how much later, it may even be tomorrow.

Above: Duncan Menzies, who will skip Team GB in the curling event at the Winter Youth Olympic Games next month, presents the replica solid silver, immensely valuable, Forfar U17 trophy, to L-R James, George, Ben and Peter. Photo © Skip Cottage.