World Mixed news

Good start for the Irish Mixed team at the world championships in Champery, Switzerland with two wins out of three.

Team Ireland – picture credit WCF

The team of Alan Mitchell, Jacqui Davidson, Ross Barr and Clare McCormick beat New Zealand in their first game 7-5, lost their next one to Scotland 2-9 but earlier today took down Denmark 7-5. They play Luxembourg tomorrow afternoon.

Come on Ireland!

On ice action begins at Greenacres

The ICA held their opening bonspiel at Greenacres yesterday, organised by Carolyn Hibberd, with four rinks taking part.

Winners Alison, Gilly, Nathan, (past president Louise presenting) and Neil

The winners, by one shot, were the team of Neil Fyfe, Nathan Furey, Gilly Drury and Alison Barr.

Results: Neil Fyfe 7 Marie O’Kane 6; James Russell 8 Alison Fyfe 8

The perpetual curling stone trophy and bottles of wine were presented to the winners by past president Louise.

Alison Fyfe was also given a good luck card by Louise on behalf of all the members of the Irish Curling Association as she embarks on a six-month trip to the USA, Australia and the Far East. She has promised to keep us all informed of her progress! Have fun Ali!

Edinburgh International Curlers Gathering 2017

Irish Gathering Team

John Furey, John Wilson, Eoin McCrossan and Arran Cameron

A solid set of performances saw Paddy Power lift 1st prize in the Edinburgh International Curlers Gathering at Murrayfield, Edinburgh last weekend.

The Irish team, comprising of KT Kerr, John Wilson, Eoin McCrossan, Arran Cameron and John Furey, won all six of their games on the way to the win, with a number of good performances to boot.

The teams they played and the respective scores were as follows:
Penicuik (local) (JF, AC, KK, EMcC) 2 -11
Maple Rocks (Canada) (JW, JF, AC, EMcC) 4 – 5
Torsten med Borsten (Sweden) (JW, JF, AC, EMcC) 2 – 8

Groups re-ranked…

Nic Nacs (Norway) v (JW, JF, AC, EMcC) 2 – 7
Slajding Bois (Sweden) v (JW, JF, AC, EMcC) 1 – 10
Haldane (Norway) v (JW, JF, AC, EMcC) 4 – 6

Encouraging performance from Team Fyfe at Dumfries MDs

After winning their first game on Friday against China, as reported, Neil and Alison Fyfe then won 9-3 against a local team at the Dumfries International Mixed Doubles. In their third game they faced the former world silver medalists, Noreen and Noreen from Sweden, losing that one  7-4. Next game was another loss, 6-4, to the current world champions from Russia.

Neil in action…..

Neil said: “It was a close game. We were 5-4 down going into the last end and could have had them under pressure if we had made our last shot.”

The Irish duo then beat Latvia in their last round-robin game, ending up in joint second place with Sweden and China – but lost out on the draw shot challenge.

Well done Neil and Alison!

Team Gray heading to Switzerland after mixed playdowns

The team of Bill Gray, Jacqui Davidson, Ross Barr and Clare McCormick won the Irish Mixed Curling Championship after fighting off the challenge of James Russell, Ailsa Anderson, Craig Whyte and Katie Kerr over two days of competition at Greenacres Ice Rink.

With three teams entered, there was a round-robin on the Saturday, and after Team Kenny were eliminated with no wins, Team Gray and Team Russell played two more games on Sunday to  see who came out on top of a best-of-three challenge.

The mixed finalists – Team Gray and Tam Russell – at Greenacres

The last game came down to the last end where Team Russell needed a two to take it to an extra end. After some great curling from both sides, it was clear that Team Russell were first shot, but a measure was needed for the second shot, which went to Team Gray and clinched the title for them.

Results:

 

Game 1 Sat 10am Gray beat Kenny 5-2 RR

Game 2 Sat 3 pm Russell beat Kenny 10-3 RR

Game 3 Sat 6.30 pm Russell beat Gray 7-6 RR

Game 4 Sun 10 am Gray beat Russell 7-6 G2

Game 5 Sun 1.15 pm Gray beat Russell 6-5 G3

Championship medals presented

At yesterday’s closing bonspiel and AGM some Irish Curling Championships medals were presented by President Louise.

Firstly, Alan Mitchell received his medal for the Irish Men’s Championship 2016.

Then after the curling, Irish Mixed Doubles Champions 2016 – Neil and Alison Fyfe were presented with their medals.

And finally, the Irish Mens Champions for 2017, James Russell, John Furey, Arran Cameron, Eoin McCrossan and coach Martin Sutherland received their medals. (Craig Whyte was unable to attend).

Congratulations to them all.

Closing bonspiel winners

Louise, James, Jen and Eoin

The closing bonspiel of the 2016/2017 curling season for ICA members took place on Sunday 13th March at Hamilton.

The winners were the team of James Russell, Louise Kerr, Jen Ward and Eoin McCrossan.

Results: Johnjo Kenny 7, Bill Gray 10; James Russell 11, David Whyte 3; John Furey 6, Alison Fyfe 12.

Stranraer Weekend glory for Pete

Another excellent ICA Stranraer Weekend came to a fitting close yesterday afternoon with victory in the high road for Peter Wilson and his team of Karlyn Lyon, David Whyte and Frances Whyte, lifting the Mourne Granite Trophy, having won all their four games in the competition, which is run on the Shenkel system.

Peter, Karlyn, Louise (presenting), Frances and David

In the final game, Peter took on PJ Wilson and his rink of Louise Kerr, Cameron Stevenson and Anne Wilson, in a tremendous tussle that kept the spectators entertained right up to the last stone of the last end when Peter drew the button to out count PJ’s two shots, to win 7-5.

Alan, Ailsa, Louise (presenting), Trish and Billy

The high road runners-up, taking away the Jane Paterson Ailsa Craig painting, on three victories and a peeled game were Alison Fyfe, Alan Roe, Trish Boult and Billy Johnston.

Jenny, Bill, Louise (presenting), Walker and Alison

In the low road, the Oak Trophy, presented by Jim and Jean Winning, was won by Bill Gray, Jenny Bain, Walter Scott and Alison Scott.

The low road runners-up were Andy Robinson, Rosemary Griffiths, Alan Griffiths and Rhona Robinson – they received the Basil Gray Memorial Trophy.

Andy, Rhona, Louise (presenting), Rosemary and Alan

The consolation prizes went to Ian Donald, Carolyn Hibberd, Steve Callan and Frances Donald.

Ian, Louise (presenting), Frances and Carolyn. Steve had gone home!

The ‘international’ flavour of the weekend was boosted by not only Peter Wilson travelling from Ireland and Michael Sutherland and Fiona Turnbull from England, but both Billy Johnston and Katie Kerr flying in from the United States to join in the fun! See you all again next year!