More from Forfar

The James Carswell team won the Forfar U17 competition earlier today, and they are also the U17 Slam winners - deservedly so, having previously won at Perth and Greenacres. Three events, three wins. Top show.

But I'm sure the boys won't mind me giving a special mention to the team they beat in today's final at Forfar. That's them above, L-R, Rachel Hannen, Rachael Halliday, Lauren McIntyre and Alison Fyfe. Their performance yesterday got them a bye to the semifinal, where they came from behind to count three in the last end against the Gregor Cannon team, and in so doing they scuppered the chances of Team Cannon winning the Slam. Spare a thought for Gregor Cannon, Bobby Lammie, Connor Ballantyne and Christopher Henry - they would be absolutely gutted. So near.

The girls would start the final as the underdogs, and indeed when James and his team got their noses in front 3-0 after two ends some wondered if the eight-end final would be a one-sided affair. Rachel, Rachael, Lauren and Alison had other ideas!

They had an incentive. If they beat the boys in the final, they would overtake the Katie Murray team on points, they would be best girls' team in the Slam, and they would be going to the World Curling Federation junior summer camp. Second place at Forfar would not be good enough.

The girls took one at the third, then stole twos at the next two ends, to lead 5-3 after five. They then dropped a big four, before taking a single in the seventh.

Even the hard working front end could do nothing in the eighth as they needed to steal.

It wasn't to be, and Rachel and her team were the runners-up on the day.

Top curler is Rachel Hannen. The genes are strong, as those who know her mother Izzie and grandmother Isobel (Torrance)! Off to Innsbruck in a couple of weeks to the Winter Youth Olympic Games.

Take nothing away from the Carswell team. Here Peter and George work on Ben's stone.

Would you believe that James still has another year in the U17s if he choses to play next season!

"Steady, George, the bus will be along on this sheet at any moment!"

Well done to James, George, Ben and Peter. Good job.

And on other sheets, Andrew Neilson and Lesley Young contested the low road final.

Team Neilson won this one. Duncan Menzies presented the prizes to John Ballantyne, Andrew Neilson, Graeme Allan and Mark Guthrie.

And here are the Slam girls winners. L-R: Katie Murray, Sophie Jackson, Gayle Allan, Amy Bryce and Kirsty Morton, who played at Perth and Lockerbie but retired injured having come second in a fight with a bull. True!

Katie and her team watched semis and final today with everything crossed hoping their points total would see them through as the best girls' team, and indeed it did, just. You know, the Under-17 Slam has been a success on many levels, and seeing the many girls' teams playing against the boys, and getting stronger because of it, gives me a lot of satisfaction. It can only get even better thanks to the Royal Club's Talent Programme, and the new U-14 Slam.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Forfar Under-17s

What is the final venue in the sequence Perth, Lockerbie, Greenacres, Hamilton ..............? It is of course Forfar, as the Forfar Indoor Sports curling rink hosts the last of the Under-17 events today (Tuesday) and tomorrow.

I've seen a little of all the 'U17 Slam' competitions this season, and what a successful series this is. The rink at Forfar today was bursting at the seams with twenty-two teams, and coaches, parents and friends. Just a wonderful atmosphere.

As I write this, the overall Slam winners are yet to be decided. The team with the best record in three competitions will get, as their prize, the opportunity to attend the World Curling Federation's Junior Camp in Fuessen, as will the best girls' team. We'll find out tomorrow who these will be. The current standings after four events can be downloaded from this page.

The format of these competitions has been six sections of four teams, playing three six-end games on the first day. The top team in each section goes forward to a high road, the best two on points and ends getting byes to the semifinals. The other four play two 'quarterfinals'. Second placed teams in each section play off in a separate low road.

This evening, Rachel Hannen and her team of Rachael Halliday, Lauren McIntyre and Alison Fyfe, and Bruce Mouat with Angus Dowell, Calum Greenwood and Thomas Halder, were the teams straight through to the high road semis. Gregor Cannon, Bobby Lammie, Connor Ballantyne and Christopher Henry were up against Alastair Mitchell, Andrew Morton, Jack Brisbane and John Graham in one quarterfinal, and James Carswell, George McConnell, Ben Bremner and Peter Dagen faced James Baird, David Baird, Simon Wood and Calum McLean in the other.

Find out how these games went, and all the other results, including the low road, here.

Lanarkshire Under-17

I dropped in to the Lanarkshire Ice Rink, Hamilton, yesterday to see a little of the play in the Under-17 event there, the fourth of the Royal Club U17 Slam competitions. Twenty-four teams on the ice!

You can find all the scores here.

That's Gregor Cannon above.

Mhairi Paul is in the head, Lynn Paul and Kirsty Sloan the sweepers.

Zack Stewart gets down to it behind Karina Aitken.

This is the Ross Whyte team in action. Chris Howat is behind the hair, Zack Stewart is nearest the stone and Fraser Kingan is the other sweeper.

Amy MacDonald is in the hack, with Eilidh ready to sweep. The team were all the way from Elgin to compete at Hamilton.

"Don't look now guys, but that stalker is on to us again!" Says Amy Bryce with teammates Neil Sutherland, Callum Potts and Cameron Bryce from Kelso.

Here's another of Cameron.

Jenni Cannon and Rachel Mills are the sweepers being supervised by Lauren Morgan.

Katie Wright and Lauren Morgan watch behind Euan Polea.

Rachael McInally and Ross McIntyre

Callum Kinnear and Kerr Sands are ready on skip Robin Brydone's stone.

Rachel Hannen

Rachael Halliday and Lauren McIntyre sweep Alison Fyfe's stone. The Rachel Hannen team.

Photos © Skip Cottage. As usual, let me know if you find any mistakes on names.

What else is happening?

Attention may well be on what's happening in Moscow, but domestic curling goes on as normal! In particular this weekend...

The Under-17 slam series has reached Hamilton. Twenty-four U-17 teams play in six sections over Saturday and Sunday at the Lanarkshire Ice Rink. The results will be on the Royal Club website here.

The Scottish Mixed Doubles Championship is at Murrayfield, with just thirteen pairs taking part. First games are on Friday afternoon. Results will be here. The winners get the opportunity to represent Scotland in Erzurum, Eastern Anatolia, Turkey, the venue for the World Mixed Doubles Championship, Monday, April 23 to Sunday, April 29, 2012.