Ohm that was soooo close. A topsy-turvy game against France went to an extra end after the the teams were tied at eight all after eight ends. The Irish team tried to get a shot buried behind cover put time and time again it was a foot heavy. But the French left the door open for us and John’s last stone draw got a feather off a front stone to roll onto the top of the French shot, then agonisingly just  roll off it again to leave the French with the game.

We played well especially in the second half after a team talk from coach PJ Wilson. Keeping me on my in turn for the first stone was the key as I can bury stones on that side.

The ice was noticeably heavier on one side and remembering, or forgetting, to put a bit more running on the stones down that side got us into bother when losing the second three.

We are both in good fettle for the games ahead. Christine has travelled down to join john’s ever growing supporters club – his sister and her family have been cheering us on and were left with shredded nerves at the end of that one.

Two games tomorrow to look forward too – gosh this is fun!

Ireland 4 China 9

It was all going so well in our first mixed doubles game at the world championships until the seventh end where we made a compete Horlicks.

After losing a one at the first John Furey had two superb shots in the second, getting shots right behind guards and once we were on the board we settled down. The ice was much quicker than at yesterday morning’s practice when a draw was 2.60!

There was a loss of two in the third and my last draw in the forth stopped an inch short, but we got a two in the fifth, should have been a three but I was woefully short with my last draw. 

We played a good end in the sixth to force a one but ran into all sorts of problems at the next end when my first stone was too heavy and, as you cant hit until the playing of the fourth stone their shot shone that I knocked out was replaced. That put us on the back foot and with the Chinese lying three when I went to play my last stone, I was left trying to hit  a quarter stone of the second shot stone on to the shot stone and spin them both out to just lose a one. It drew too much and raised their shot onto our stone on the back four foot to lose a four. Damn.

Ah well, as Scarlett said to Rhett, “tomorrow is another day”. Next up – the French.

Game 1 v Sweden

After 10 successive wins in their previous world championship the team had to suffer their first loss sometime.

This morning they managed that in style! A slow start saw the team 3 down after 2 ends and the only retaliation was a single at the 3rd. Chasing the game a 5 was then lost. The next 2 ends were played out with Ireland scoring singles in both before offering handshakes to the impressive Swedes,who were bronze medallists in 2012 in Tårnby.

Game 2 is tonight v Netherlands and a positive reaction is required to get the show started.

My (much) younger self – with hair !!

Name – John Furey
Age – 46
Occupation – Software Stuff

Earlier curling related memory – I remember a skip calling an impossible draw for me to perform against six or so stones in the house, through a couple of staggered single stone width ports. I made it and just remember everyone been dumb-founded, including the skip who called the original shot. It was possibly the first time i thought, hey this sport’s not bad.

Favourite curling destination and why – Karlstad, a nice wooden cottage in the woods and a foot of snow outside. Absolutely lovely.

How do you relax away from work (and curling) – Playing violin.

The person you most admire, alive or dead, and why – I was lucky enough to meet with tech uber guru Donald Norman back in the 90s. One of the things he said at the time was that mobile computing was the next big thing. I’ve been doing mobile computing ever since.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity – I’m turning into a twitcher as a by-product of my youngest son – Ari. I can now distinguish between Collared Doves and Chaffinches.

What’s your guiltiest pleasure – Occasional raids on the kid’s sweetie box. Generally happens after nine at night.

What is your favourite word – In terms of usage, the definite article.

What’s your biggest fear  – I don’t do heights.

Last gig you went to – Does Nicola Benedetti do gigs?

The film you can watch time and time again – Groundhog Day, there’s even some very satisfying self-referential integrity about watching it over and over again.

What are you best at – You’ll notice that my profile is last up. That’s because I’m super good at procrastination. However once I manage to start something I’m ok.

The sport you won’t watch – Ice Hockey. I can’t follow the puck. So all I see is human dodgems on ice.

And finally, what did you have for breakfast – Porridge (with cinnamon) and coffee.

Always the bridesmaid!

Name –­ Louise Kerr
Age ­- 54
Occupation -­ Journalist

Earliest curling related memory ­-
Outdoors – During the Arctic winter of 1963, my parents took three-year-old me with them to Elrig Loch for an afternoon’s curling with Mochrum Curling Club. There were some older kids there ice skating, so a wooden box and a bit of rope were found from somewhere and Sandra Jesson spent the afternoon towing me round and round the loch. When the sun went down and everyone was packing up to go home they remembered me. My father tried to lift me out of the box but my backside was frozen to the bottom.
Indoors – Before Stranraer Ice Rink opened in 1970, going to the old Ayr Ice Rink when Mochrum were playing and spending the three-hour session skating on the little rink cordoned off at the end of the curling rink (it was an ice hockey stadium). I just loved the cold atmosphere, the feel of the ice under my feet and the unique sound of the stones rumbling down the sheet.

Favourite curling destination and why – Garmish-Partenkirchen. I just loved the place – especially after the snow came. It was magical. Curling in the old 1936 Olympic Stadium was a bit special too. German engineering at its best.

How do you relax away from work (and curling) – Hacking out on my loan horse Tara and being a world class couch potato.

The person you most admire, alive or dead, and why – Ernest Shackleton. If you know the story of Shackleton rescuing all his men from the Antarctic in 1916, you realise you would follow him anywhere and trust him with your life.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity – The First World War.

What’s your guiltiest pleasure – A silk pillowcase to sleep on – a la Nigella.

What is your favourite word – Has to be ‘allegedly’. It can keep reporters in a job.

What’s your biggest fear – Forgetting to write allegedly or falling off a very high building. All that time to think on the way down.

Last gig you went to – Donny and Marie Osmond in the SECC, February 2013.

The film you can watch time and time again – A Man For All Seasons. The battle of wills between Henry VIII and Sir Thomas More over the King’s order to his clergy to break with the Catholic Church . Paul Scofield won an Oscar for his performance as More and no wonder. “I am the King’s loyal servant but God’s first”, said More. Henry chopped his head off.

What are you best at – Two things. Baking a Christmas Cake and setting a fire.

The sport you won’t watch – Any motor sport.

And finally, what did you have for breakfast – Fresh orange juice, black filter coffee and a Star Bar.

drawing by member of Gourock Curling Club who did portraits of all members and made them into a book to raise funds for Rotary!

Name – David Whyte
Age – 58 (I know – I can’t believe it either!)
Occupation – C.A./Charity Director

Three things you really like?
1.Skiing.
2.That moment before you fall asleep after a hard day.
3. Golfing after 9 on a sunny evening in June or July with nobody else about.

Three things that really annoy you?
1. Litter/Graffiti
2. Car drivers who jump queues then try to cut in
3. Skivers at work

Three things from your ‘bucket list’?
1. Visit New Zealand (and Australia)
2. See AC/DC live
3. Ski powder in Whistler

What was the last film you saw? Argo

And the last book you read? Philomena by Martin Sixsmith

Give us a playlist of five of your favourite songs (and artists)
1. Addicted to Love – Robert Palmer
2. Things my Father Said – Black Stone Cherry
3. Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin
4. Chances Are – Vonda Sheppard and Robert Downey Jnr
5. Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd

And one song you never want to hear again? Shadduppayourface – Joe Dolce

What would be your specialist subject on Mastermind? Tony Tierney’s joke repertoire – know them by heart.

What’s your favourite meal? Prawn Cocktail, Pasta Carbonarra and tablet ice cream with toffee sauce.

Washed down by? Koppaberg pear cider

Tell us something about yourself that will surprise people? The moment we won the Worlds in Tårnby, I jumped on JohnJo and wrapped my legs around him – Want to do it again !!!!!

You can save one prized possession. What is it? Gold Medal

What keeps you awake at night? People who snore!

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? If you have something to say, say nothing – should have remembered it before I did this profile.

Name – JohnJo Kenny
Age – 53
Occupation – Realtor

Earlier curling related memory – On a snowbound winters day circa 1972 when the entire UK sporting programme was wiped out there suddenly appeared this weird sport on the t.v. Highlights of the Canadian curling championships. A roaring crowd and all these long haired young (ish) guys in fancy, bright outfits wielding these fascinating ( and noisy) broomsticks. It looked fascinating and I was captivated. Then several years later when a curling rink opened in my home town I couldn’t wait to go in. It took me a long time to recover from the image that greeted me. A host of local farmers and shopkeepers (in slightly more conservative dress code than the Canadian’s I had witnessed).. propelling these granite blocks across what,to all intents and purposes, looked like an asbestos barn with an ice floor. And no roaring crowd what’s more. A few weeks later a local worthy kitted me out with a slider and the ubiquitous (in these days) knee pad. The worthy slid a stone perfectly down the ice and told me to do the same. I followed his down and with my very first stone I played a perfect in-turn ” chap and lie.” Mind you I didn’t realise at that point that my next successful in-turn hit and stick wouldn’t come along until 1997!

Favourite curling destination and why – Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria. Great place. Great people. Good memories ( qualifying for worlds).

The person you most admire, alive or dead, and why – Easy… My mother followed by my father. Too many reasons to list.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity – American politics.

What’s your guiltiest pleasure – Chinese curries

What is your favourite word – Turquoise.

What’s your biggest fear – The emergence of a strong SFBT ( society for banning turquoise)

Last gig you went to – Steve J Ward, my nephew…( check him out!)

The film you can watch time and time again – Cinema Paradiso….and I do. The edited clips sequence at the end gets me every time. Brilliant.

Something we might not know about you – I was once car jacked by an armed robber and then on escaping and returning to my office was jumped on by a dozen ” enthusiastic ” policemen who thought I’d been the bandits getaway driver. Try explaining that to the neighbouring businesses.

The sport you won’t watch – Motor sport of any type.

And finally, what did you have for breakfast – 2 coffees ( de-caff) and a cranberry cereal bar.

Name – David (Alan Alan Alan) Hume
Age – “O M G I didn’t realise you were that old” – PJ Wilson’s reaction when completing the entry for the 2011 World Seniors, in Minneapolis. So it’s that, plus three.
Occupation – Mostly retired – but occasional semi-professional tree hugger

Three things you really like?

• To see the family all really happy at a family party
• To watch the sunrise in a beautiful remote place, or more realistically the sunset with Julia
• and a bottle of really good white wine
• To drive the par three 5th

Three things that really annoy you?

• Idiotic signs on the M8 e.g. telling me to make sure my windscreen is clear. How on earth could I read the sign if it wasn’t
• Litter louts
• Skips that are rude to weak players (that would be Curling skips not the sort that Litter Louts should make friends with)

Three things from your ‘bucket list’ – There’s aaaaaa hole in ma bucket dear Lisa dear Lisa

What was the last film you saw? The Railway Man

And the last book you read? The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay – highly recommended

Give us a playlist of five of your favourite songs (and artists) – These are Not necessarily favourites but music that marks a point in my life

• Mozart’s Turkish Rhonda – my late mother on the piano
• You’d better move on – The Rolling Stones
• Una Paloma Blanca – Highveld Radio, Johannesburg
• Sailing by – Ronald Binge – BBC late night shipping forecast
• Sultans of Swing – Dire Straits

And one song you never want to hear again? Merry Christmas Everybody – Slade

What would be your specialist subject on Mastermind? – Guided tours of Copenhagen (ask the team!)

What’s your favourite meal? – Pre gold medal pasta

Washed down by? Happy beers later

Tell us something about yourself that will surprise people? – Drinking a pint of Guinness standing on my head. This used to be my party trick until I broke my neck.

You can save one prized possession. What is it? – My memory

What keeps you awake at night? My grandchildren

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? “Don’t swerve for anything smaller than a pig” By my grandfather on driving in Ireland.