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Showing posts with label British Open Wheelchair Curling Championship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label British Open Wheelchair Curling Championship. Show all posts

Monday, November 28, 2011

Wheels at the Galleon

On Saturday, I had some photos from the British Open Wheelchair Championship at the Galleon, see here. Margaret Cathcart has sent this update on how the competition concluded.

She writes, " The British Open which was played at the Galleon from Friday, November 25 to Sunday, November 27 was a truly British affair. Peter Knapper and his team from Wales, and Stewart Pimblett and his team from England, along with two National Squad teams, skipped by Aileen Neilson and Gregor Ewan, were part of a field of ten teams.

In the round robin, there was a mixture of close and one-sided games. Both National Squad teams suffered a defeat which made the last round robin games very interesting as to who would qualify for the semifinals. Rosemary Lenton and her team of Jim Sellar, Robert McPherson and David Morgan finished the round robin undefeated to meet Paul Webster and his team of Alex Harvey, Gordon Rainey and Angela Higson. Gregor Ewan, with Jim Gault, Ian Donaldson and Gill Keith, topped his section to meet Aileen Neilson and her team of Tom Killin, Bill Masterton and Angie Malone, a National Squad team clash.

Team Lenton against Team Webster was a very close game which came down to the last stone when Rosemary Lenton’s draw was just a touch too heavy, allowing Team Webster a place in the final. In the other semifinal, Team Ewan was impressive and in command all the way against Team Neilson and comfortably won the other final place.

In the 3/4 playoff game Team Neilson gained revenge over Team Lenton for the defeat in the round robin.

In the final Team Webster stole a single at the first end but Team Ewan kept up the impressive play and took the next four ends and a comfortable lead to secure the British Open title. Gregor and Jim, sporting their trademark ‘Blues Brothers’ trilbies, were delighted to be taking the trophy back up the road to Elgin, having been part of last year’s winning team.

As always at wheelchair curling events the atmosphere was friendly and all games were played in the true spirit of the sport.

SWCA Chair Judy Mackenzie presented the Kate Caithness Trophy and prizes and thanked all the on ice helpers, the ice and catering staff of the Galleon and umpires Robin Shand and Colin Melrose for all their help. On behalf of the winning team, Gill Keith thanked all those involved in running the event."

Top: Judy Mackenzie with the winners, L-R, Gill Keith, Ian Donaldson, Jim Gault and Gregor Ewan. Photo courtesy of Robin Turner.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

A Two Rink Day

I continue to be amazed at the variety our sport of curling brings to my life, and to this blog! Yes, I've been following some of the best teams in Scotland and in Europe competing at the Edinburgh International. Today, the following was done online, and watching this evening's webcast. Excellent that was, too.

I had an eye further afield, to Nanjing, China, where in front of a home crowd at the Olympic Sports Center, the Chinese men, skipped by Rui Liu, beat New Zealand (skip - expat Scot Peter de Boer) 5-2. In the women’s final, Bingyu Wang led her Chinese team to their fifth championship title, winning 11-3 against Korea (skip Ji-Sun Kim). All four of these teams gained their places in their respective World Championships. You can read more on this here.

At home, I visited both the Galleon Centre and the Greenacres rink today, both quite different venues, and quite different events. The Galleon was hosting the British Open Wheelchair Curling Championship. I've posted a few photos from this event below, to give you a flavour, and you can follow the results of the playoffs tomorrow here.

Later at Greenacres, I enjoyed the bustle of a packed rink as twenty-four under-17 teams contested the Baljaffray Trophy. Photos from this visit will go up tomorrow (hopefully), once I get some time to sort through the negatives! All the results though are here.

Our top skip Aileen Neilson did not have it all her own way this morning as her team of Tom Killin, Bill Masterton and Angie Malone lost to Rosemary Lenton's side, but they have still qualified for tomorrow's semifinals. "Nice hat, Aileen!"

Here's Angie, braced by Tom, with Jim Sellar, David Morgan and Robert McPherson, from the Lenton team, behind. "Er... Nice hat, Angie!"

And here's Rosemary, braced by Robert.

Here's Bill in action too.

Gordon Rainey, braced by Alec Harvie.

Murray and Evelyn Cran.

Stephen McGarry, braced by Jeff Ward.

Gregor Ewan and Jim Gault. Scary business this wheelchair curling, let me tell you!

Mike McKenzie suggests to Jackie Cayton what they'll be doing next!

I was happy with this shot of Angie and Tom.

Now, I have a wee story about these 'new faces', L-R: Stephen McGarry, Jeff Ward, Stewart Pimblett and Paula Longrigg hail from the north of England, and travel to Kelso for their curling. They have come into wheelchair curling from other sports, and are fiercely competitive. They are on a steep learning curve of course. They really need two things. Some sponsorship to help with their travel expenses in particular. And a coach who can help them towards their competitive goals - which have to be representing England of course. Are their any blogallies from south of the border who might be able to offer help?

Photos © Skip Cottage

Thursday, December 02, 2010

British Open

I have this photo of the winners of the British Open Wheelchair Curling Championship at Kilmarnock's Galleon Centre last weekend. Gregor Ewan and his team of Mike McKenzie, Jim Gault and Jackie Cayton beat Aileen Neilson, Ian Donaldson, Michael McCreadie and Gerald Pocock in the final. The report on the event is here.

Photo is courtesy of Gregor Ewan

Sunday, October 04, 2009

Team GB top at Kinross

The Great Britain team of Michael McCreadie, Aileen Neilson, Tom Killin and Angie Malone fought off a determined team of Bill Masterton, Jim Elliott, Ian Donaldson and Jim Taylor to win the British Open Wheelchair Curling Championship in style today.

It was a high class final with the BC Team having to pull out all the stops and manufacture some excellent shots right from the first end where they developed a two with the hammer after being under pressure from the off. From there they tried to keep the game tidy and force the Taylor team away from their aggressive style of play. They stole three consecutive ends to go down the fifth end 5-0 ahead... and they were well on their way to taking the Caithness cup home.

(Thanks to Tom Pendreigh for the detail in this report)

Pic of Michael McCreadie © Skip Cottage. More from Saturday here.

British Open Wheelchair Curling Championships

Michael McCreadie, skip of GB 1, with teammate Tom Killin behind, together watch the run of the stone at the British Open Wheelchair Curling Championships at Kinross yesterday.

Murray Cran discusses options with third player Craig Carter

Jill Mathieson

Karen Gauld, with Evelyn Cran as her buddy

Two more members of GB 1 - Angie Malone delivering, with Aileen Neilson

Jim Elliot, Ian Donaldson and Bill Masterton in discussion

Tom Killin, with Angie Malone

Rosemary Lenton was skipping GB 2

Mo Simpson

Jim Sellar played third for GB2 with Jackie Cayton and Gill Keith

Good to see Louise Dodd on the ice again

My favourite photo of the day! 'Life at an angle' with Tom Killin, Michael McCreadie and Angie Malone

All the results are here.

Pics © Skip Cottage

Thursday, October 01, 2009

Wheels on ice at Kinross

Michael McCreadie, Aileen Neison, Tom Killin and Angie Malone (above) were just about to take to the ice when I met them at the Dewar's Rink in Perth yesterday. They are four of the five members of the GB wheelchair curling team for the 2010 Paralympics (the other is Jim Sellar) and were about to play their first game amongst the AB teams in the Perth Super League. Good match practice, I would suggest, for the British Open Wheelchair Curling Championship at Kinross in which they are competing this weekend.

That event has eight teams and gets underway on Saturday, with the semifinals scheduled for 10.00 on Sunday. The draw can be downloaded from here as a pdf file.

Elsewhere, sixteen men's teams and six women's teams take part in the first of the RCCC Mini Tour events at the Lanarkshire Ice Rink, Hamilton. Play begins at 6.30 pm tomorrow (Friday). The draw is online here.

The Men’s Curling Champions Tour moves to Basel in Switzerland. First games are tomorrow (Friday), with the semifinals not until Monday. Thirty-two teams from twelve different countries play in a triple knockout. The current Tour leader is Thomas Ulsrud of Norway. Team GB, skipped by David Murdoch, are in the mix this weekend too, as is Pete Loudon's side, with all the top European teams. The results should be here.

Last but not least, did you notice that Alan MacDougall, Lana Watson, Andrew Reed and Suzie law, representing England, have gone undefeated through their section at the European Mixed Curling Championship in Prague. All the results are here. Denmark, Scotland and England are through to Saturday's semifinals, with the fourth semifinalist team to come from the playoffs involving Germany, the Czech Republic and Russia.

Scotland will play the team that comes through the playoffs, and England will meet Denmark, as Kay Adams explains here.

Pic © Skip Cottage