Trash Talking

With the per-christmas resurgence of our Young Teams there was a great deal of optimism on display, especially on our 'social media' feed. (Doesn't that sound modern!).  The two young teams leading the Rennie League and Sandy leading the Wingate League was obviously a concern to the 'Oldies' who managed to muster two strong teams for the grudge challenge.
The final results show one game to each side.  In the first game Team Nicoll (Sandy) took on Team Munro (Dave).  Dave started strongly taking a 4 in the second end, unfortunately he was only able to squeeze another single end to finish the night with a score of 5.  Cunning play by Dave and his boys (men) ensured that Sandy was restricted to low scoring ends himself and the Oldies entered the final end 5 - 4 leaders.  Sandy, aided by Lorna Nicoll, Ali Harvey and Becky Culverwell stepped up their game (maybe they were getting hungry) and stole a 3 to run out winners 7 - 5 and giving first blood to the 'Young' side.
Meanwhile Team Pate (James) took on Team Lindsey.  It would appear that this team of 'Oldies' had pent up aggression to work out.  Not only did this game manage eight ends (cf. six ends in the other game) but James Pate, James Logan, Shelagh Main/Elinor Logan and Ian Donald, kept their concentration and consistently scored good ends.  The final score was 13 - 5.
The aggregate score shows a win of 18 - 12 for the Old.
This completes the hat trick with the Old winning for the third year in a row.  The last Junior win was in 2013/2014.
In a return to an old tradition, the players then moved on to enjoy a Chinese meal in Edinburgh.

The Next Generation

The Wingate is being led by 'Young' Sandy while the Rennie is being led by sister Lindsey and Rowena. 
Next up - Young v Old   ......just saying !

Wingate @ 50% (plus a little bit)

At the halfway mark Sandy is unbeaten and Willie is snapping (shouting?) at his heels.  The rest of the teams have some work to do.
Without any urging from this blog, they obviously took this on board and last nights game saw absolutely no changes in the leader board EXCEPT, both the top two teams were beaten by Team Logan and Team Munro.  Although the positions in the league haven't changed the points have closed up, making the rest of the season look a more uncomfortable for the 'big two'.

Rennie @ 50%

Sibling rivalry was clearly on display with last nights clash of the Young Ones.
Not only was Lindsey skipping against sister Lorna but they were backed up with Ali Harvey v brother Callum and Douglas Pate against sister Emma... oh yes, Karen Munro was also involved.
Courtesy of a big 5 in the third end gave big Sis Lindsey, Callum and Douglas a 5 - 3 win and bragging rights !
This leaves Team McConnell sitting at the top of the table with three wins out of four games.  The Young Ones are currently topping and tailing the league at the half way mark.
The other three teams are all sitting on two wins with Team Pate in second, one end up on the other two teams. Squad Morgan Nicoll is in third by dint of having a score of +9 shots up, while Teams Pate and Baird are on -1 and -3 respectively. 
The second half of the league should be interesting !

EL Knockout - Round 1

Congratulations to Sandy, Lindsey, Colin and Paula who successfully navigated the 'good guys' to a convincing 12 - 5 win over local rivals Aberlady.
The Draw has been updated on the Fixtures Tab, above.

Welcome Julia

*** NEW MEMBER ALERT***
Please note that Julia Mackey has recently come over here from Canada on a 2 year contract
It is nearly 10 years since Margaret played with us and I remember how much she shook up some of the establishment (Willie in particular springs to mind!)
Julia is an accomplished curler who is comfortable playing in any rink position. She played a game for Aberlady last night and I quote 'is very good'
It is nearly 10 years since Margaret, our last Canadian visitor played with us and I remember how much she shook up some of the establishment (Willie in particular springs to mind!)

Please let us make her feel welcome and give her every chance to play games as a reserve, maybe we can persuade her to become a rink player (skip?) next year !
Her details are as follows:-
Julia Mackey
Julia DOT mackey AT hotmail DOT ca
She only has a Canadian mobile number just now but hopes to have a UK mobile in the next week or so.

Updates - Points and Waldie

Firstly, apologies for the late arrival of the Points Results - below and on results tab.
Special congratulations go to Richard Taylor who almost doubled his previous best score !
Secondly, well done to our Waldie Griffiths players, they scores one crushing win and one extremely close game against Lanarkshire. Unfortunately our other East Lothian teams didn't fair so well with another close game and crushing defeat meaning that East Lothian Province lost by 2 shots over four games.

Swan - Rnd 1

Well done to Willie Kerr and James Logan who piloted their teams to wins against East Linton in the first round of the Swan.  Team Kerr edged their game 9 - 8 despite only winning two ends.  Their huge score of 6 in the penultimate end  definitely helped.
Team Logan, in contrast restricted the opposition to only one end and took a comfortable win of 14 - 2.  This makes the aggregate scores a win for Haddington by 23 shots to 10.
The semi-final (and final?) will take place on the 4th of January and will be against either Penicuik or Currie & Balerno

Another family one-two

This years points saw a great turn out of 13 players (the best since 2011) so a big congratulations are due to the convenor. 
With that size of a field they did exceptionally well to get through 8 exercises.  Despite missing out on the 'Draw through the port', no less than 5 players equaled or beat their own personal records.
Dave Munro suffered the usual nightmare of the previous years winner meaning that he played first and gave everyone else (that was paying attention) valuable information on how the ice was behaving.  In contrast, James L should have profited from this by playing last but instead he was always rushing (and setting up the next end, to keep the momentum going, for Dave)
We have to congratulate Sandy Nicoll for winning and moving in to second in the all time list and to sis, Lindsey McConnell who gets her 'current' name on the medal for the sixth year in a row aas the Ladies Winner.

East Lothian Draws and Representatives

The draws for all the East Lothian Competitions have now taken place and can be found on the Fixtures tab.
Congratulations also to Susan S, Hugh, Elinor, Colin B, Andy A, Sandy, Graeme, Morgan, John G, Roy, Ian and Frances Donald who have been selected for East Lothian Teams in various external competitions.  The rinks can be found on the East Lothian Province website

Skins

In the absence of our Rennie Winner The Andy Aberdein squad was anchored by Willie Kerr.
Despite the constant refrain that 'It is easier to win a skin by stealing than playing with the hammer' the game got under way in the usual utter confusion with only the skips and Graeme having any clue as to the rules.  Richard Taylor (Dave Munro's lead) therefore after winning the toss elected to play with the hammer !!!
A good decision, as it turned out, as Team Munro took the first 'skin'.  Our rules allow a skip losing a skin to elect to 'steal or hammer' and Willie chose again to steal.  For anyone following the above statements, they will get a flavour of the game by knowing that Willie chose to try and steal every end that followed !
Dave was assisted by some spectacular shots from Willie (wait a minute, is he not on the other side) Kerr.
It should be added that the only 'skin' not won was in the final end, with Team Munro winning all of them 'with the hammer'. So Dave Munro assisted by Graeme Maguire, Hamish Logan and Richard Taylor helped Dave successfully defend the Skins Trophy.

The game was obviously being appreciated by the gallery who were even filming some shots !
Thanks to Dave Wyllie for providing evidence of an excellent shot by the winning skip.

Rennie - Father v Daughter Challenge

With James Pate being unavailable third, Willie Kerr stepped up to the mark to compete against Rowena.  To add to Willie's confidence Rowena was a player short but she, together with Daniel Peart and supersub Kate Hall (John Good's granddaughter) got off to a great start taking the first two ends.  Thereafter, singles were traded until the sixth end where Team Daughter (sorry Daniel) took a big 4 for an 8 - 2 lead.  Celebrations were obviously in order because they allowed Team Dad to strike back in the last with their own 4, making the final score 8 - 6
Team Daughter 1 - 0 Team Dad

Meanwhile
It was Nicoll v Nicoll (well McConnell) - again
Morgan was playing slow and steady, while Lindsey was hammering any errors made by her dad.  Up to the penultimate end Team Dad were taking regular ones and twos meanwhile Team Daughter (Sorry Callum) were taking fewer ends but they were threes and fours.  With the score after six ends at 8 - 4 celebrations were obviously in order (sound familiar!!) and Team Dad were 'allowed' a 3 in the final end, making the final score 8 - 7.
Team Daughter 2 - 0 Team Dad

Could this have been a dress rehearsal for the Young v Old Challenge still to come???

Opening Bonspiel

And so, with Graeme (The writer) being safely away playing on his motorbike, the Opening Bonspiel took place.  I have the result cards and am not ashamed to make up, what I think happened on the night.
The Vice Presidents game saw Willie, still in his distinctive two tone shoes take on John Good and his deadly band (Any band is deadly with Dave Munro playing lead!).  While his shoes were still cooling down Willie gave away two shots at the first end.  With his shoes now down to temperature he then took 5 shots from the next two ends before settling down to swapping scores.  Team Kerr went into the final end 7 - 5 up but the might of John Good's squad (I Donald, R Taylor and D Munro) squeezed a 3 out of the final end to take the game 8 - 7.
Meanwhile President, James Logan took on Team A,B,C led by Andy Aberdein.  This game was an edgy affair with singles being exchanged through the first five ends giving Team A,B,C a 3 - 2 lead.  The President started thinking about dinner and the less experienced chargers slipped in to take a 4.  Team Logan, despite their best efforts could only strike back with a 2 in the final end leaving Team Aberdein, consisting of Andy (A), Roy Black (B), Susan Culverwell (C) and Jeff Lewis (who I would like to think was deputising for someone with a D surname!) the 7 - 4 winners.
Congratulations to All.

........ and we are off !

With a new ice rink at our disposal the season commenced with the first Rennie Games.
Only one of our members forgot the early season opener and everyone noticed that the sheets are now numbered left to right!
Both games were tight in their own way and both only ended up playing 6 ends (note to self - and others-, must play quicker)
James Pate and Karen swapped big ends with 3's and 4's figuring on the card and the game was eventually decided by a single shot, courtesy of James's four in the final end.
The other game featured Colin and Morgan (in absentia) .  The ice was fairly straight to begin with and the game got off with the teams swapping 2's, thereafter it was one way traffic with colin scoring singles in the remaining ends to take a 6 - 2 win.

Next up - The Drinks Party and the Opening Bonspiel (!)

Season 18/19 News and Housekeeping

The Syllabus should be with you all in a couple of days but if you are keen, you can find it on the Fixtures tab (above).
Also on the fixtures tab are the draws/dates for all our 'outside' competitons.
NB. the draw for the Province Competitions has not yet taken place but the opposition will be added in due course.
PLEASE NOTE:- To go with our 'NEW' ice rink are new session times.  These only relate to Thursdays and Fridays.  The session times for Monday to Wednesday has not been changed.
Also, in order to eliminate Friday ice, we have had to accept some weekend ice (mostly Sunday).
It is particularly import and that you know WHEN you are playing, so please be careful, it will be very easy to get conmfused (or even confused).

Grassroots Coach of the Year

© Scottish Curling / Tom Brydone

OK, even I think that the shirt was maybe a mistake !

The Rennie Decider

A happy Andy Aberdein

On a cold Wednesday night at 9.30 two teams assembled at Murrayfield to 'duke out' the delayed Rennie title decider.  In the end, the win went to Team Aberdein, consisting of Andy Aberdein, Willie Kerr, Simon Kesley and Paule Arnott.    Andy Aberdein is a deserved champion as he has led the competition from the very first round.  Unfortunately the Club Dinner is tomorrow, so there will be no time to get the Rennie Quaich engraved in time.  Although credit goes to Team Nicoll, who fought back well to take the game to the final round.  Third place goes to Rowena Kerr's team, who ended equal on points with Morgan but lose out on second spot on ends.

The other postponed game between Colin Baird's team and Team Pate was abandoned as no-one felt it necessary to turn up at 9.30pm for a game without significance.  The result has been indicated as a peel.

2 March Game postponed

Tonight's Rennie title decided has been postponed due to weather.
This should ramp up the tension nicely.
Alternative date will be published when decided.

2 March - snow report

WARNING - Murrayfield is officially closed until  2.30 today BUT there has been no snow clearance in the car park and 'flood walls' have acted as snow fences. The condition crossing the bridge is unknown and the skating rink is closed all day.
I suspect that our 5.30 game may be cancelled but will try and update later.

Rennie - Title Decider - Build Up

With only 1 fixture left we see the table toppers, Andy and Morgan, facing off against each other in the title decider.  Both are faltering with the finishing tape getting closer, while the 'Youngsters' have finally got into their stride, although a bit to late.
In the last nights games, a member of Morgan's rink (OK it was me) was heard to say that there are nights when you lose but feel that you have played ok, this was NOT one of those nights.  All four players were definitely sub-par in their 8 - 3 loss to Karen's rink.  Karen, although finishing bottom has taken a win and a peel from her last two games and both of these were against the two title contenders.  Our other young team led by Rowena was also winning last night with an 8 - 6 score against Colin's rink.  Rowena is also finished her campaign and will finish in third place.
The various teams are now neatly back into the positions that they occupied back in December at the half way point.
Andy now leads Morgan by 1 point, so the winner of next weeks sudden death game, will be the champion.  (A peel would also seal the deal for Andy).  Andy's last result was a peel against the bottom of the table team, while Morgan's team comes into the crunch game off the back of defeats to both the 'young' teams.

The Swan Trophy

Congratulations to our teams led by Morgan Nicoll (in stead of James Logan) and Willie Kerr.  The record books show that the last time we won this prestigious trophy was back in 1964.  After this years final the record books will STILL show that the last time that we won was 1964 !
In the semi-finals we secured two relatively comfortable wins against Corstorphine to qualify for an early lunch andslot in the final.  Meanwhile Penicuik were taking Currie and Balerno to the wire. In the end C&B had just enough juice to squeeze through.
Despite our best efforts to rush them back onto the ice, they took their time recovering before heading onto the ice for a very cagey final.  After two ends the aggregate scores were tied at 1 - 1, with two (deliberately) blanked ends.  The scores ebbed and flowed however in the second last end a superb draw and tap back from Robin Copland secured a big score of 4 and the result was beyond rescue.  (Although a fall back in the last end denied Willie a 4).  For the record the final aggregate score was 16 - 6 but this does not come close to describing the run of play.
So, Congratulations again to Willie Kerr, Sandy Nicoll, Graeme Maguire, Shelagh Main and to Morgan Nicoll, James Pate, John Good and Andy Aberdein who ALL made C&B have to fight for their win.
The last time we competed in the final was 2013 when we came up short against Corstorphine.

EL Bonspiel 2018

Move over Haddington 1......  Haddington 2 is here !
A slightly smaller field of 10 teams were mustered at Murrayfield for the annual bonspiel which was held in the usual good spirits.  Despite a 'blue light' injury to Pam Clark, Vice-President of Aberlady during the first game (She was released from hospital that night and hopes to be back on the ice with her new scalp staples next week!) the first round was keenly contested.  The defending champions, Haddington 1, started off with a peel against the remnants of the Aberlady team but it was Haddington 2 that went into pole position with a score of +5.

l-r  Richard Taylor, Ali Harvey, Willie Kerr, Dave Munro (skip)

After a break for soup and sandwiches, they took to the ice with the top billed match being the two leaders, Haddington 2 and Athelstaneford 1 (on a score of +4).  Haddington got off to a great start and looked 'nailed in' for the overall win until in the final end the wheels came off the bus and Athelstaneford bounced back with a 4. This was still not enough to derail Haddington 2.
We therefore issue our congratulations to Haddington 2 and, over post match drinks, watched President Dave Munro present himself and his team the ELCO Cup and associated silverware.
Congratulations are also due to Yester 1 who came in 3 shots behind for second place and an extremely creditable third place went to the 3 man Aberlady team, who were a further 1 shot behind.

President v Vice 2018

With President James Logan still on skiing duties, Joe Barry stepped in (OK he came into the rink for another game that wasn't scheduled and was press-ganged into making up the numbers) to lead one of the President's teams, the other being led by Dave Munro, (making it an all C&B led President's team).  The Vice president, Willie Kerr led a shorthanded team and was assisted by Morgan.
Courtesy of some big scores Morgan was leading the Munro squad 7 - 1 after three ends (Overall 8 - 3 to the VP).  Dave then regained his form and brought his game back level after  five, meanwhile Joe was easing ahead of Willie giving the overall lead back to the (absent) President by 11 - 9.  Morgan managed a 3 in the sixth to reduce the Vice President's deficit to 1.
The final end saw Morgan restrict Dave to a single taking their game 10 - 8 leaving Willie needing a 3 to win.  Willie, with the hammer saw Joe's last shot come up short leaving him sitting with the necessary 3.  As he returned up the ice to play his last stone numerous voiced were heard to shout "DON'T DO IT WILLIE").  Foreheads were slapped and eyes were shut as he was given 'extremely' wide ice.  Fortunately sense prevailed and Willie played wide, light and with the wrong handle.
So with a chorus of clucking and wing flapping coming from the President's men (and women), Willie 'Two Tone' Kerr was acclaimed as the winner of the President's Cup.

Wingate - Final Update

With 1 round to go Dave, this years winner (already) decided that his rink was safe in the hands of his Deputy Graeme and sub Becky to take on the absent James Logan.  Team Logan was being led by Lindsey.  Graeme's team of Colin and Richard were keen to point out that they did not want to lose their undefeated record.  All round it was a tough game with neither skips setting the world alight (having both failed to make either of their stones in the first end) Eventually, due in no small part to one big end, Team Munro survived with their record still intact.
Meanwhile Sandy and Willie slugged it out for control of the middle order with Willie coming out the victor.  This result gives them the same championship points but Team Kerr leapfrog Team Nicoll Jnr by dint of having taken 2 more ends over the season.
The top of the table is now consolidated by Team Munro who will seek to maintain their record against Team Nicoll while James Logan's band of warriors, who have secured relegation will be up against Team Kerr to try and regain some respectability.  The battle for the middle order will spice these games up with only 2 ends separating Willie and Sandy.

Strathcona Cup 2018 - An Invitation

Strathcona Cup Canadian Tour to Scotland 2018

The Canadians are HERE!

In January the Canadian Strathcona Cup Team arrive in Scotland to play for the Strathcona Cup, the oldest trophy in International Curling.

It is the grandest and likely the most valuable trophy in curling. It rarely leaves the vaults. It was specially commissioned by Lord Strathcona for the first Canadian tour to Scotland in 1909. (for more info and photos go to :- strathconacup100.ca ).

As a young man of 18, Donald Smith, (later to become Lord Strathcona) set out from Forres to work for the Hudson Bay Company eventually rising to the top. He made his fortune in trading, banking and investment and was a major investor in the Canadian Pacific Railway. He is famous for hammering in the last golden spike on completion of the transcontinental railway in 1855 at Craigellachie, B.C. He became an MP in the Canadian Government and was instrumental in forming the ‘Mounties’. Latterly he was appointed as the High Commissioner for Canada to Great Britain and entered the House of Lords as Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal.

His handsome trophy is all about bringing together the Scots who developed the game and the Canadians who have made curling one of their National sports.

It is unique in that it is a tour played Nationwide over a number of weeks where curlers of both countries have the opportunity to represent their country in the spirit and camaraderie that is the essence of the game.

It all started in 1902 when the RCCC decided to accept a long standing invitation to send a team of Scottish Curlers to Canada to further the special relationship of the international curling fraternity. A team of 22 worthy Scottish Curlers were duly chosen from the four Curling Areas of Scotland. Taking their own stones with them, they set out to play in January 1903 on a 2 month tour, including ocean and rail travel, from Halifax to Winnipeg, ending in a mini tour to the USA from Minneapolis to New York.

Such was the effusive praise from the Canadians of the success of this Tour, the RCCC invited the Canadians to send a team to Scotland and that such a Tour should coincide with the year that Lord Strathcona, with his unique honourable status in both countries, was the RCCC President in 1909. The Canadians sent curlers from every Province in the country, even one from Dawson City in the Yukon who started his journey to Scotland on a sled!

The enthusiasm for this event has carried on over the years and is now played for every 5 years alternating between Scotland and Canada. Every point in every game counts and is recorded, so competition is fierce right to the last stone played by every rink. Pride is very much at stake. Scotland won on the last Tour to Canada in 2013 by 2876 shots to 2621, to even it up at 11 matches all since 1903!

The Canadians arrive at Murrayfield on 30^th January to play their final games over 4 days against teams selected to represent their Provinces so these matches may be crucial to the overall result.

Even If you are not one of the 80 Edinburgh Area curlers selected to challenge for the Cup this time, please come along to welcome the Canadians and give your support on any of the days from 30^th January to 2^nd February.