I missed this last week, but I note that the British Olympic Association has announced the 2009 Olympic Athlete of the Year Winners. These awards were introduced in 2005 to mark the BOA’s Centenary Year and the success of London being awarded the 2012 Olympic Games. The BOA presented a trophy to each of the thirty-three summer and winter Olympic sports for them to award on an annual basis to their top performing athlete of the year.Ewan MacDonald, third player in David Murdoch's Team GB, receives the curling award for 2009.
The full list of athletes which have been awarded the BOA Olympic Athlete of the Year trophy can be found here.
Talking of Vancouver 2010, the names of the competitors that have been confirmed for the upcoming Olympics are listed (or will be listed) on the World Curling Federation website here. Many of the women's teams are in the draw for the Glynhill Ladies Invitation, at Braehead, January 15-17, including USA, China and Japan as well as the best of the Europeans.
The draw for the Glynhill event has been made (see here), and a space had been left for the recently declared Canadian Olympic reps, the Cheryl Bernard team. However, that side has indicated that it is unable to take part. My own view is that it is their loss, as it would have been a chance to suss out their Vancouver opposition. Disappointed as the organisers may be that no other Canadian team is able to come to Scotland, there is now a vacant place in the lineup, and the offer to play will go out to the teams on the reserve list.
No word yet on which clubs or local curling teams are in the mix to get on to the ice with the Russian girls, see here. One Lucy fan club member has even sent a letter to Santa!
The photo of Ewan is © Skip Cottage and is from the Le Gruyere European Curling Championships in Aberdeen.
