Some of Europe's top wheechair curling teams will share the ice at the Dewar's Centre, Perth, next week, with the best of Scotland's ABs. Scottish Institute of Sport head wheelchair curling coach and GB Paralympic coach Tom Pendreigh, above with Team GB, has organised an international event to give the squad more competition practice in the lull before they head out for the Paralympics in Vancouver, March 12-21.What better stage could there be for such an event! The round robin stages of the Bruadar Scottish Men's Curling Championship begin on Wednesday, January 27, David Murdoch joining the nine teams which got through the qualifiers last weekend. That draw is here.
The women complete the remaining games of their double round robin in the Columba Cream Scottish Ladies' Championship next week at Perth too, beginning on Thursday 28th. The draw is here.
The wheelchair curlers will be on the ice from Friday 29th. I don't have the draw yet, but I understand that Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway will be sending teams, and that teams from the SWCA performance squad will take part, as well as Team GB.
I know that many fans of the game have never seen the wheelies in action, and I think they may be in for a surprise. More details as I get them.
(Added later. The draw can be found here.)
L-R Michael McCreadie, Angie Malone, Tom Killin, Jim Sellar and Aileen Neilson, with their coach Tom Pendreigh. Pic by Bob.