World Seniors: Report 6

Leslie Ingram-Brown reports from Saint Paul:

"Linda Young, Maggie Scott, Hazel Swankie and Fiona de Vries were well beaten by Canada's Christine Jurgenson in the Scots' seventh round robin game here in St Paul, Minnesota. The game opened with Canada taking a one with the hammer at the first end and stealing a two in the second. But then Young gifted a further one in the third by pushing through the shot stone when attempting the draw for two. A steal of another one in the fourth saw Canada with a 5-0 lead.

Young made her draw for a single in the fifth but lost a further three shots in six and seven and it was all over.

The Scots are not yet out of these Championships. Canada still top the league on 7-0, followed by Switzerland 5-1 and USA 5-2, with Scotland and Sweden on 4-3. It is going to be tight for the semifinal spots. The Scots have the USA, Ireland and Russia to play, in that order."

The official website is here.

Photo of Maggie Scott is courtesy of Leslie Ingram-Brown.

World Seniors: Report 5

In the women's event at the World Seniors Curling Championship Linda Young, Maggie Scott, Hazel Swankie and Fiona de Vries beat Wendy Becker's New Zealand team, their fourth consecutive win. Scotland is in joint second in the rankings with Switzerland and the USA. Canada is unbeaten on six wins.

The Scots have still to play Canada, Ireland and Russia.

Ken Horton, Gordon Butler, Angus Storrie and Eddie Binks were against undefeated USA in Draw 14 of the men's event.

The teams were tied 2-2 after four ends but Scotland lost seven shots in the next three ends. USA have now qualified for the quarter finals. Scotland and Japan are on three wins and in joint second place behind. These two teams play tonight.

The official website is here.

Photo of Linda Young is courtesy of Leslie Ingram-Brown. Thanks also to Leslie for the information.

World Seniors: Report 4

At the World Senior Curling Championships in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Ken Horton's Scottish quartet of Gordon Butler, Angus Storrie and Eddie Binks made it a fourth win in beating Hungary's Andras Rokusfalvy 10-1 in six ends.

Scotland opened with a four and Hungary replied with a single in the second, which was to be their only scoring end as Scotland went 1,1,2,2 for a 10-1 lead and the game.

Linda Young, Maggie Scott, Hazel Swankie and Fiona de Vries made it three wins in a row when the Scots defeated the Czech Republic's Lenka Safrankova 7-2 in seven ends. They led most of the way when they picked up a three in the seventh it was all over. The Scots have now played five, won three and lost two.

I'm finding the WCF results and standings helpful although they may not be immediately up to date. Here for the men, and here for the women. To see a summary of the results to date, click on DRAW on the right hand side bar.

Thanks to Leslie Ingram-Brown for the information feed.

Senior friends

I've been watching how the other 'home nations' are doing at the World Senior Championships in Saint Paul. Above L-R: Michael Sutherland, Tommy Campbell, John Summers and Phil Barton. John Brown is the English men's coach and I'm sure he'll have a Toothy Tale or two in due course once he's discharged his duties in Minnesota. The English men are in the same section as the Scots and the teams are due to play on Thursday, the last game in the section. I found the standings here, which show that in three games the English have won one and lost two.

I had a photo of the English women earlier. They opened well against Scotland, but have lost three games since, see here.

L-R: Peter Wilson, David Whyte, Tony Tierney and David Hume. The Irish are working away in their section, see here.

L-R: Marie O'Kane, Carolyn Hibberd, Louise Kerr and Gillian Drury recorded their first win today for Ireland, defeating Russia 11-1. JohnJo Kenny (coach to the team this week) was telling me recently about the new sponsorship that the Irish have for their senior teams from Albert Bartlett.

L-R: Chris Wells, Hugh Meikle, Michael Yuille and Stewart Cairns. The Welsh have won one and lost three, see the rankings here. Wales just failed to beat Ireland in their tie today in a game which went to an extra end. Ireland won at the last stone when Chris Wells, throwing last stones for Wales, only just missed an outwick double on two Irish stones.

Photos, and info, are courtesy of Leslie Ingram-Brown

World Seniors: Report 3

Leslie Ingram-Brown reports from the USA:

At the World Senior Women's Championship at the St Paul Curling Club, Minnesota, Scotland's Linda Young, Maggie Scott, Hazel Swankie and Fiona de Vries recorded their first win in Round 3 by defeating Switzerland's Chantel Forrer 7-6 in a game that went to the last stone. There was never more than a shot separating the teams as they entered the eighth end with the Scots being one shot back at 5-6 and Switzerland very much the favourites to win as they held the last stone advantage. Lying the first and third shots, with Switzerland the second, Young very bravely threw the draw, but was slightly overswept and finished inside the four foot. If Forrer hit on the nose, the Swiss would win the game. But from the outset the Swiss skip was tight and her stone hit a front guard. To the relief of the Scots, their coach, and the small band of supporters, it was a first win to be recorded.

In the fourth round the Scots got their second win, this time against Sweden's Ingrid Meldahl, in another game which went to the last stone. The score was tied 3-3 after seven. With Scotland lying one, Meldahl tried to freeze on the shot but was slightly wide and lay in the open. Young hit and rolled in towards the centre to lie two shots but was fully open. Meldahl went for the hit and lie, was tight, and only caught about half of the first shot and rolled away. Scotland had won 4-3.

You can find all the results and standings here.

World Seniors: Report 2

Thanks to Leslie Ingram-Brown for this photo of the Scots in action in Saint Paul. Leslie also sends the following:

"Ken Horton, Gordon Butler, Angus Storrie and Eddie Binks take today off from playing the World Seniors knowing that they have two wins from two games already notched onto the leader board having defeated France's St Pierre et Michelon team skipped by Christophe Lehuenen 8-2 in the early evening session Sunday.

Linda Young's Scottish women meanwhile were suffering their second successive defeat 6-5 to Japan's Erikjo Igarashi."

All the results can be found here.

Photo courtesy of Leslie Ingram-Brown.

World Seniors: Report 1

Ken Horton's team won their opening game at the World Seniors Curling Championship in Saint Paul, Minnesota, today. They beat the Netherlands, skipped by Wim Neeleman, 6-2. You can find all the results on the official website here.

Here is the Scottish team. L-R: Ken Horton, Gordon Butler, Angus Storrie, Eddie Binks.

Scotland's women (L-R above: Linda Young, Maggie Scott, Hazel Swankie and Fiona de Vries) were against England, with Susan Young playing last stones, in their first game. The English finished 6-3 in front after taking the first six ends with singles to go 6-0 up before Scotland got on the board.

L-R: Susan Young (fourth), Jean Robinson, Alison Barr and Sandra Moorcroft (lead and skip).

Photos and report are courtesy of Leslie Ingram-Brown.