Aberdeen Winners

Albert Middler, Royal Club Area Representative, and Claire McLaren, Ladies' Branch President, with the winners of the Aberdeen leg of the Women's Tour. L-R: Mhairi Baird, Susan Kesley, Vicky Wright and Jennifer Dodds, skip.

The runners-up in the final at Aberdeen, the Hannah Fleming team, were clear winners overall of the Tour, and they will receive the Colin Galbraith trophy from Jeanette and Colin Galbraith during the Scottish Championships later in the season.

Photo © Skip Cottage

Finalists at Curl Aberdeen

Final time at the Curl Aberdeen Women's Tour event today. Here are the combatants:

The Jennifer Dodds team had topped Section B. L-R: Mhairi Baird, Susan Kesley, Vicky Wright, Jennifer Dodds.

The overall Tour title already in the bag, Hannah Fleming's side was looking to make it a double after their win at Forfar. L-R: Abi Brown, Alice Spence, Lauren Gray, Hannah Fleming.

Here are a few photos from the final to give you a flavour of the day.

The skips in the final. Hannah Fleming and Jennifer Dodds.

Lauren delivers, with Abi and Alice ready to sweep.

Susan and Mhairi sweep Vicky's stone.

Abi Brown

Alice Spence

Mhairi Baird

Susan Kesley was throwing second stones for Team Dodds.

And taking the head for her skip's stones.

Intense concentration from Vicky, playing third stones for the Dodds team.

Lauren is third player with the Fleming team.

Jennifer Dodds

Hannah Fleming

So, who won? It was 3-2 for Dodds after five, then two blank ends as Hannah looked for the two she needed. The last end was a classic. Lots of stones in play. Hannah was just short with an attempted freeze with her first, leaving her opposition lying shot. Jennifer guarded, and Hannah had a chance to tie the game with her last. She was good on weight, but the stone needed to curl an inch more. Team Dodds stole the end, and the game!

All the scores are here.

Photos © Skip Cottage. Presentation pic to come.

Women's Tour Update

Good to see Hazel Smith back on the ice with her team this morning at the Women's Tour at Curl Aberdeen. That's her above delivering with her front end Eilidh Templeton and Louise Mansion (who missed out in the Front End Union Roll of Honour yesterday, here.)

The team were beaten by Judith McFarlane's side this morning....

.... which meant that the qualifier from Section B depended on the outcome of the Hazel Smith v Jennifer Dodds game this afternoon. That finished as a tie, and it will be Jennifer and her team which will play the final later.

All the results are here.

On the other side of the draw, Hannah Fleming just needed to get past the Gina Aitken team, which again had Katy Richardson as skip in Gina's absence through injury. Team Fleming won this, and will play in the final later.

Just a contender for 'Photo of the Season', here's Susan Kesley, coach to the Jennifer Dodds' team, and pulled in to play today as substitute for daughter Becca who is unwell. Captions are welcome, but I'll kick off with, "I'm doing my praying mantis impersonation for Children in Need."

Photos © Skip Cottage

Front End Focus

As a fully paid up member of the Front End Union myself, I thought it about time we celebrated the hard workers on each team. So here are a few more pics from the Women's Tour at Curl Aberdeen today. Above are Mhairi Baird and Vicky Wright, front end for Team Jennifer Dodds.

Rowena Kerr and Rachel Hannen were front end for Katy and Margaret Richardson today. (Usually the Gina Aitken team).

Claire Dagen and Kirsten Brown, front end for Maggie Wilson today.

Lesley Young's front end Beth Dandie and Hailey Duff are enjoying their job in this pic!

Mhairi Anderson and Fiona Telfer work on skip Jennifer Martin's stone, Tasha Aitken in the house.

The Rebecca Steven front end, Elspeth Lean and Karen Munro.

Jill Donald and Fiona Steele, front end for Judith McFarlane.

The Kate Adams front end, Elspeth Johnston and Jill Florence. Apparently Jill is giving Elspeth directions so they can join all the youngsters on their night out on the town in Tiger Tiger. "You just turn left off Market Street."

"No, straight down Union Street, you can't miss it."

"No, I'm pretty sure it's off Market Street."

"Last time I was there, I met a guy, he was this tall!" (Other captions are available.)

The Team Barr and Team Fleming front ends were featured in an earlier post, here. The Team Smith front end had a bye this afternoon.

Photos © Skip Cottage

Big Game at Aberdeen

Hannah Fleming v Kerry Barr was always going to be a key game at the Woman's Tour. Both teams in the same section, and both with a chance of winning the Colin Galbraith trophy. First, Kerry and her team of Helen King, Rhiann Macleod and Caitlin Barr had to get past Hannah, Lauren Gray, Alice Spence and Abi Brown when they met this afternoon.

The game went to the very last stone. Tied score. Kerry with the hammer. When Hannah guarded her shot in the four foot perfectly - no easy play on the good swinging ice - Kerry was left with a draw on the other hand. She played it well enough, it was looked after well enough, but just didn't cut the four foot by enough... for the win. Hannah's team stole the end and the game.

All the results are here.

Kerry Barr delivers with Rhiann and Caitlin at the ready.

Abi and Alice

Helen King

The game had absolutely no passion whatsoever! NOT. Lauren Gray.

Hannah delivers, with Abi and Alice ready to sweep.

Rhiann encourages her sweepers.

"Mmmmmmmm!"

Photos © Skip Cottage

Sickness Parade at Aberdeen

It's the second leg of the Women's Tour at Curl Aberdeen this weekend. Perhaps I should start by listing those injured, ill and missing in action. Sarah Reid's side has had to withdraw completely. That has left a gap in Section B, with the five remaining teams each getting a bye, and a chance for some practice.

That's Maggie Wilson above. Her team is under strength this weekend, Lauren Baxter sidelined with a pulled muscle.

Hannah Fleming has started the weekend well with two wins, here against Jennifer Martin. All the results are here. Team Fleming won the first leg at Forfar.

Kerry Barr has her own team at this event, having been substituting for Sarah Reid recently.

Front end Rhiann Macleod and Caitlin Barr working hard.

Kerry's team faced Lesley Young's side this morning. Here Louise Joiner and Lesley ponder strategy. The front end are Beth Dandie and Hailey Duff. The Forfar youngsters gave a good account of themselves.

Lesley and Kerry.

Gina Aitken is injured too, and that brought coach Margaret Richardson into the team this weekend. Katy Richardson has moved up to skip, which allowed me this shot of mother and daughter working things out in their game this morning against Rebecca Steven. Rowena Kerr and Rachel Hannen are the front end.

Here's Rebecca. Her team is Jennifer Marshall, Karen Munro and Elspeth Lean.

Kate Adams was against Hazel Smith's team. But Hazel has been sidelined too with a shoulder injury, and Naomi Whyte was in the head this morning.

Here are the others in Kate's team - Elspeth Johnston, Jill Florence and Catherine Dodds.

Judith McFarlane was against Jennifer Dodds this morning. Jennifer was a man down - Becca Kesley was ill. Vicky Wright and Mhairi Baird had extra work to do! Judith's team is Cathryn Guthrie, Jill Donald and Fiona Steele.

Photos © Skip Cottage

On the road again

I'm back on the r0ad again this weekend (with fingers crossed), the second leg of the Women's Tour at Curl Aberdeen my target. Aside from the competition itself, the Colin Galbraith trophy is on offer for the best team from the two events, the first, at Forfar, having been won by Hannah Fleming and her team, see here. You will be able to find the Aberdeen results here.

Two teams which have travelled a long way this week to compete at the top level are those skipped by Eve Muirhead and Jackie Lochart. Both are in Brantford, Ontario, for the Sun Life Classic. This has a top class field, with six international teams and twenty-six Canadian sides. Triple knockout format, you can follow the results here.

The Province Championships are at Greenacres.

The Royal Club website has a comprehensive preview of the weekend here.

Women's Tour Final at Forfar

Here is Hannah Fleming and her team, the winners of the Royal Club's Women's Tour, first leg, at Forfar today.

Hannah's team got the jump in front in the fourth end, scoring four to go 4-2 in front. Hazel's side fought on, but were still two down at 6-4 in the eighth. A fine clearance from Hannah with her first ensured that it would be Team Fleming who would be receiving the winner's prizes.

All scores are here.

The presentation group. L-R: Jill Donald (representing Forfar Indoor Sports), Hannah Fleming, Lauren Gray, Alice Spence, Abi Brown and Judith McFarlane (Tour organiser, representing the Royal Club). Photo © Skip Cottage