Hogmanay Curling

You may have read over the summer that Glasgow has scrapped plans for its Hogmanay party this year. Here's one article with an opinion on this.

However, the summer announcement did mention - intriguingly - that there would be curling in the city's George Square this year, in the family party that will finish at 10pm. The 'come and try' last year was a great success, see here, and Glasgow City Council obviously liked what happened then.

The Royal Club's Development Manager Judith McFarlane has confirmed that she is keen to be involved again. She says, "After the success of curling at Glasgow’s Hogmanay Celebrations last year, Glasgow Life and Royal Club are keen to continue to offer curling at George Square. Discussions have commenced with regard to the possibility of a Try Curling session during the festive period. Curling is likely to feature again at Glasgow’s Hogmanay Party which will be taking on a different approach and will be held during the day with a focus on families. Curling at George Square surrounded by Christmas lights with music playing and lots of smiles from the people around is an amazing experience. It provides a great opportunity to showcase and promote curling and I, for one, hope this becomes an annual occurrence!"

Let's hope Judith's discussions bear fruit.

There's a fabulous video here which shows what can be done. Or click on the image below. Did you know that curling featured in Red Square in Moscow last year? See if you recognise any of the competitors. (Bear with it, the curling comes in after about four minutes of the video.)

Curling... Moscow... Red Square. Great fun. Has to be seen to be believed. Enjoy!

Curling under an open sky

Over the past year, I've had correspondence with Alice Mansell about dollies and other aspects of outside curling! She represents a group of curlers from the San Francisco Bay Area Curling Club who were looking forward to organising an outdoor bonspiel at a seasonal rink in Palo Alto, California. Well, it did happen!

Alice writes, "I studied your Skip Cottage and Curling History blogs to see how to curl outdoors. Painted up some tee-markers, screwed nails into a redwood board for a tee-ringer, and booked evening ice time at Palo Alto's Winter Lodge. On January 8, 2011, three brave club souls loaded up cold rocks from the fridge at our San Jose ice area plus hacks, brooms, pebblers, and sliders. After about 30 minutes of work, we had the Palo Alto rink ready for play with curlers led onto the ice by the Los Gatos and Monte Sereno Police Pipe and Drums playing 'Scotland the Brave.

The photo above is of Alice with Rob H, the winner of the first Draw the Button contest. Around 88 learners took part.

Action in Palo Alto, and a dolly!

Instruction underway.

Alice says, "At dinner of pizza and beer near the rink afterwards, several club members made plans to run a funspiel in Palo Alto and also find some natural ice in the Sierra Nevada mountains where ice fishermen report several feet of ice most years on lakes close to highways.

Keep your fingers crossed for us we can get enough stones up the hills to curl on Big Outdoor Ice and I'll cross my fingers you'll have a Grand Match this Winter."

More photos here.

Thanks Alice. Great to know about the enthusiasm for curling in California.

Of course, back here in Scotland, Judith McFarlane, our Royal Club Development Manager headed up an effort to showcase our sport during the Hogmanay celebrations in Glasgow's George Square. Ice technicians George Munro and John Heron from the Waterfront turned the temporary skating rink into two lanes of high quality curling ice in a short time and, by all accounts, did a fantastic job.

The curling come and try proved to be extremely popular with more demand than could be catered for in the four hours. Between 7 and 11 pm, some 170 were introduced to the sport, with the music continuing on the George Square stage. Many of those who participated were from abroad! Apparently, the atmosphere was simply buzzing with the outdoor curling providing a real spectacle for the 5000 party-goers.

I think a big 'well done' is due to Judith and her helpers who made this happen.

The two photos below are courtesy of Glasgow Life. More here.

Curling in George Square, Hogmanay, 2010.

Glasgow's Miles Better, or what.

It's looking more and more like the chance for a Grand match this season may be slipping away. However, if you fancy a wee trip you could always sign up for the WORLD POND CURLING BONSPIEL, February 4-6, 2011. This is scheduled to be held in the 1000 Islands on the Beautiful St. Lawrence River in 'Gorgeous Gananoque', see here, or click on the image above.

According to the blurb it will be 'one Rock'n Roll of a time'.