Peter makes final of Final Weekend

 Margaret, Lauren, Murray, Peter, Janet McMillan presenting, Robert, Murray, Gail and Cat

Margaret, Lauren, Murray, Peter, Janet McMillan presenting, Robert, Murray, Gail and Cat

Congratuations to Ireland’s Peter Wilson who, with his team of Murray McWilliam, Lauren Morgan and Margaret MacAuley, made it to the final of the Dalrymple Cup at Stranraer Ice Rink.

Peter and his team, who qualified for the ‘final weekend’ as the runners-up in the ICA Stranraer weekend, were beaten in the final by Robert Clark, Gail Thomson, Murray Stevenson and Cat Eccles. Ironically, both teams came out of the same section, with Robert Clark only making the quarter-finals  after his name was drawn out of the hat containing the seven section runners-up! Pete topped the section, of course.

Other ICA curlers  taking part in the Dalrymple Cup were PJ Wilson, Johnjo Kenny, Gillian Russell, Tony and Charlotte Tierney, Ross and Alison Barr, Fiona Turnbull and Louise Kerr.

Winning skip’s tribute to team

The skip of the new Irish Mixed Champions,

James Russell, took time out from his Uni studies to look back over a very successful weekend on the ice:
Photo Credit: WCF / Pierre-Marie Gabioud

Photo Credit: WCF / Pierre-Marie Gabioud

James said: “First of all, we would like to thank the ICA for organising such a well run and enjoyable competition. Thanks must also go to Alistair Fyfe for being our umpire in the light of John Burns being unable to attend, I think he was fair to all teams throughout the weekend and allowed us to get on with it. The Ice Bowl in Dumfries for allowing us to stage the competition and providing us with great ice as per usual. Also thanks are to go to all competitors, the competition was really close and even though we were undefeated it really could have gone any way. It goes to show the strength and depth we now have in our association that every game went down to the wire and were a real treat to watch, it shows we are moving in the right direction and its exciting what future competitions might bring. Finally I have to thank my team of Ailsa, Craig, and Alison, who played fantastically all weekend and ultimately made me look good. As a skip all you can ask for is that your team gives you the opportunity to make your shot at the end of an end to seal the deal, and they did that tirelessly end after end right up to the last stone of the last game to leave me with a draw to the house for the win. Couldn’t have done it without them. We are all incredibly proud of our little association after this weekend, and of course delighted to be Irish Mixed Champions 2016.”

Irish Mixed Champions 2016

Irish Mixed Champions - Ailsa, Craig, Alison and James

Irish Mixed Champions – Ailsa, Craig, Alison and James

James Russell, Alison Fyfe, Craig Whyte and Ailsa Anderson are the Irish Mixed Champions for 2016 after beating Bill Gray, Margarita Sweeney-Baird, Ross Barr and Jacqui Barr 8-7 this afternoon. The title was sealed by a big three for Team Russell in the last end. This second win meant that the Russell quartet went undefeated throughout the three-team competition, so there was no need for a final game.

The team with their medals.

The team with their medals.

Well done to the new champions!

Mixed – day 1

Bill, Margarita, Ross and Jacqui

Bill, Margarita, Ross and Jacqui

There were two games in the Irish mixed championships last night. The 5pm game went to the team of Bill Gray, Margarita Sweeney-Baird, Ross Barr and Jacqui Barr 6-5 over Johnjo Kenny, Louise Kerr, David Whyte and Jen Ward.

Johnjo, Louise, David and Jen

Johnjo, Louise, David and Jen

At 8.30pm James Russell, Alison Fyfe, Craig Whyte and Ailsa Anderson stole two in the last end to get the better of Johnjo and Co. 7-5.

That means the two winning teams now face each other today in a best of three decider.

Mixed playdowns this weekend

 

The Irish Mixed Championships takes place this Friday and Saturday at Dumfries Ice Bowl.

Three teams have entered – Team Russell, Team Gray and Team Whyte.

 The winner of the final will earn the right to represent Ireland at the World Mixed in Kazan, Russia on 15-22nd October 2016.

System of play The three teams will play a round robin of 8-end games. The first named team has first practice, plays with light stones and is top of the boards.

Game 1 – Gray v Whyte 5 pm Friday

Game 2 – Whyte v Russell 8.30 pm Friday

Game 3 – Russell v Gray 10 am Saturday

If the scores are W2, W1, W0 then the 3rd team is eliminated and the other two teams play two further games at 1.30pm and 5pm on Saturday to complete a “best of 3” decider.

If all three teams are on one win, ranking is on DSC, and 3 plays 2, the winner playing 1.

Closing bonspiel winners

David, Marie, Ross and Jen.

David, Marie, Ross and Jen.

David Whyte and his rink of Marie O’Kane, Ross Barr and Jen Ward won the ICA closing bonspiel at Hamilton yesterday afternoon.

Results:

James Russell 8 Neil Fyfe 6

PJ Wilson 5 Bill Gray 3

David Whyte 8 Louise Kerr 5

At the AGM after the game, Johnjo Kenny and PJ Wilson came off the committee, Carolyn Hibberd and Craig Whyte remain on the committee and coming onto the committee were Jen Ward, Eoin McCrossan, Arran Cameron and Robin Gray. John Gilmore and John Wilson were accepted as new members.

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