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.