National Masters Qualifiers

The qualifiers for the National Masters to be held at Greenacres, March 3-6, have now been decided. The league tables after this week's competition at Greenacres, see here, show that the following teams have come through: Jim Bryson, Euan Hay, Ian Dykes, Bob Parry, Bobby Rae, Michael Sutherland, George Kerr, Ritchie Stewart, Alastair MacNish, Jimmy Johnson, Jim Stevenson and David Robertson. The team list is here.

A qualifying competition was not needed in the women's event. The entry list is here.

National Masters

My second stop in a busy day yesterday was at Greenacres, where the qualifying competition for the men's National Masters Championship is underway. Thirty teams are playing in six sections. The standings can be found here. The defending champs, skipped by Bobby Rae, were looking good to go through again this season when I saw them in action yesterday.

More Masters

I always enjoy returning to the Greenacres rink where I spent so much time in the 1980s. Yesterday I made it there to see the semifinals and finals of the National Masters competitions, for the over 60s. I didn't take too many photos, but here are just a few from the final session to give a flavour of the event.

Top photo is from the men's final. That's Ian Simpson and Wullie Scott on Alan Hempseed's stone. The Ritchie Knox team finished in second place on the day.

Matt Murdoch and David Carlisle on Ritchie Strawhorn's stone.

And in the house, there's Bobby Rae and Matt Murdoch behind, with Ritchie Knox watching the line.

Ritchie and Alan. Definitely a caption competition photo!

Isobel Waddell is already the skip of our Scottish Senior Champions and heading for Chelyabinsk next month. She was hoping to add the Masters title yesterday, and came very close.

Here Isobel joins her sweepers, Edna Nelson and Elma McCulloch on Alison Reekie's stone.

Elma is in charge of the house as Anne Airey and Margaret Gibb watch behind.

Margaret Withycombe and Margaret Gibb work hard on Sheila Black's stone. Anne Airey skipped and led for the team, and Margaret played last stones. Extremely well too, a perfect raise to win the semifinal against the Fiona Turnbull team was the shot of the day.

All the linescores are here.

Photos © Skip Cottage

National Masters

The Anne Airey team won the National Masters Championship at Greenacres today, beating Isobel Waddell's side in a close final. The linescore is here.

L-R: Margaret Gibb (fourth), Anne Airey (lead and skip), Margaret Withycombe (3rd), Sheila Black (2nd).

Bobby Rae's team beat the Ritchie Knox side in a onesided men's final. The linescore is here.

L-R: Ritchie Strawhorn (2nd), David Carlisle (lead), Bobby Rae (skip), Matt Murdoch (3rd).

Pics © Skip Cottage