Winners at Lockerbie

Well done to Anna Sloan, Lauren Gray, Alice Spence and Abi Brown who won the Lockerbie Junior Invitation event today. Anna was skipping in the place of Hannah Fleming. The team beat Katie Murray, Laura Ritchie, Sophie Jackson and Amy Bryce in the final.

Above L-R: Alice Spence, Lauren Gray, Marion Murdoch presenting, Anna Sloan and Abi Brown.

Congratulations to Blair Fraser's team which won the junior men's competition, defeating Stuart Marshall (skip), Thomas Halder, James Carswell and Grant Barr in the final.

All the results are here.

Above: Marion presents the trophy to (L-R) Hamilton McMillan (alternate), Struan Wood (lead), Thomas Sloan (skip and third stones), Blair Fraser (fourth) and Craig Waddell (second).

Photos © Skip Cottage

Lockerbie Junior Invitation Saturday

A warm welcome to this young Netherlands team. L-R: Wouter Gosgens, Laurens Hoekman, Floyd Koelewyn, Ezra Wiebe and Diederick Bontebal.

How have they been faring at the Lockerbie Junior Invitation? The results are all here.

Skip Diederick Bontebal.

The GB team were looking good in their blues today. L-R: Duncan Menzies, Angharad Ward, Thomas Muirhead and Rachel Hannen. They were playing in a men's section and this afternoon saw them against Ben Fowler's English team. No pressure for Angharad then! No problems either, as Team GB won that encounter.

Angharad is in the hack, with Rachel and Thomas her sweepers.

And here's Duncan.

So, what else wafted in front of the lens today?

Ross Whyte

Ross has teamed up with Robin Brydone from Perth for this weekend, together with Kerr Sands and Zack Stewart. Here Robin and Ross watch behind Thomas Sloan, who was skipping and leading for the Blair Fraser team.

Here's Blair.

Here's three of the Gary Cannell team. L-R: Daryl Russell, Gary, and Fraser Thomson. Fraser is having a 'wee nap'!

"What? Me sleeping? Never!"

Jamie Fraser delivers, Daryl and Fraser ready to sweep.

Jennifer Dodds

Murray Young

I wonder if I should mention to Lesley Young that sliding with your tongue out might be considered impolite in some cultures?

Actually, here is a little photo essay dedicated to Lesley, entitled, 'Life at an Angle'! The evidence?

First submission.

Second submission, with third player Louise Joiner.

Final evidence!

"Aaww, skip, it wisne ma fault!"

Elspeth Lean

Kirsty Sloan and Naomi Whyte are on Eilidh Templeton's stone ...

... and this could be their skip Hazel Smith. She's just shy!

Mhairi Baird

Anna Fowler joins in to help Lauren Pearce and Hettie Garnier get by the guard.

Struan Wood

I think Struan is explaining to me that 'two weight' is between the hog and the front of the house. Or maybe not!

Maggie Wilson encourages Claire Dagen and substitute for today, local curler Ella Paul.

Grant Barr can always be identified anywhere in the rink. Here he is ready to sweep with James Carswell on skip Stuart Marshall's stone. Thomas Halder is in the house.

All photos © Skip Cottage. Let me know if any names are wrong.

Lockerbie Junior Invitation Friday

English visitors to the Lockerbie Junior Invitation this weekend included Ben Fowler's side. L-R: Ben Fowler (skip), Harry Mallows, Ben Alexander, Olly Kendal and Conor Simpson.

Anna Fowler has brought her girls' team to Lockerbie too. L-R: Hetty Garnier, Anna Fowler, Lauren Pearce and Lucy Sparks. Naomi Robinson (not pictured) is the other in the squad.

Both English sides will be trying to qualify for the World Junior Championships at the European Junior Curling Challenge in the Taarnby rink, Copenhagen, January 3-8, 2012.

Here is the English side in action.

Lauren Baxter

Lauren Gray

Kimberley Smith, in the head for her skip Tasha Aitken's stone, watched behind by Karen Munro and Jennifer Marshall.

Beth Dandie and Hailey Duff

Laura Ritchie, third for the Katie Murray team, contemplates life, the universe, and everything!

Brad Askew was watching his charges for the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Austria next month.

And here they are in action. Skip Duncan Menzies hurries to help sweepers Rachel Hannen and Angharad Ward on Thomas Muirhead's stone. The mixed team are playing in the junior men's event, and lost their first game against Ross Whyte.

Daniel Robson and Ryan McCormick, with Cameron McNay in the head.

Fiona Telfer

That's Struan Wood and Hamilton McMillan sweeping hard. Thomas Sloan was in the head. Good to see him back on the ice after his accident.

Photos © Skip Cottage. More tomorrow.

Good and Bad News

The bad news from this weekend is that the first of three Under-14 Slam events will NOT go ahead at Stranraer on Saturday. Royal Club development manager for clubs and juniors, Judith McFarlane, had hoped to get at least ten teams willing to compete, but I understand that this threshold was not reached, and so the event has been cancelled.

Hopefully, the remaining U-14 events at Braehead, February 18, and at Curl Aberdeen, March 3, will receive support.

That leaves me free to concentrate on the junior competition at Lockerbie, my local rink. This has a bigger entry than last year, with many supported teams encouraged to take part, see here. I looked in at the rink this morning to learn that there has been a couple of call offs, and twenty-two teams will compete in four sections. Play gets underway at 2.30 tomorrow afternoon.

Duncan Menzies (above) and his team won the junior men's trophy last year, see here. This weekend he skips his GB team of Angharad Ward, Thomas Muirhead and Rachel Hannen as part of their preparations for the first Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria, next month.

Duncan's photo is © Skip Cottage

Impressions of the Lockerbie finals

Here are a few photos from the two finals at Lockerbie yesterday. The winners pics are already online here. I should also mention that Konstantin Kaempf's German side won the 3-4 game over Bruce Mouat's team. The Gina Aitken and Hannah Fleming teams shared the 3-4 spoils in the girls competition.

The Duncan Menzies team - Angus Dowell, Robert Fawns and Stuart Taylor.

Here's skip Duncan Menzies.

It was a good weekend for the Stuart Marshall team, with Andrew Grieve, James Carswell and Frazer Keil.

Here's Stuart.

The skips in the head.

Hurrying hard!

Pre-final entertainment was a match between Lockerbie and District Rotary Club and Thornhill Rotary. Matt Murdoch (successfully) skipped the local team.... whilst keeping his eye on the finals in his capacity as the chief umpire. See multitasking!

It was good to see Eve Muirhead on the ice with her junior team. The Scottish Junior Championships are at Curl Aberdeen, January 12-16.

Helen King and Eve matched up for the second time yesterday. Both close games.

Helen with her third Hazel Smith.

"Don't look now Rhiann, but here's that creepy old guy with his camera again!" Rhiann Macleod and Vicki Adams.

Helen King

I'm convinced that dentists should sponsor curling teams!

Thirds in the house. Anna Sloan and Hazel Smith.

Photos @ Skip Cottage