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13 December 2008 Points Winner
SMILE PLEASE !
There's no doubt that Ross Cope is really really pleased to be the winner of "The Kettle" at the club's Points evening on Friday 12 December 2008 !
Winner of the handicap section was president David Torrance. Lest there be any mutterings about a Nixonesque stitch-up of the handicaps, it should be noted that David came runner-up to Ross in the scratch competition. Alex Scott was runner up in the handicap section and Harold Forrester beat Jim Clark by a millimetre to win the "draw to the bottle" decanter.
14 December 2008 District Medal Success
In a challenge match for an RCCC District Medal, two teams from Nairn succesfully overcame two teams from Aberdeen Curling Club at the Curl Aberdeen Ice Rink on Sunday 14th December.
The Nairn contingent took no chances in the preparation for the event, travelling to Aberdeen the day before to acclimatise to all conditions - weather, language and social environment.
The team skipped by past president Ali Asher ( with Erich Behrendt, Alistair Cruickshank and Hamish Bunker) won their game 10 -4. But the team skipped by president David Torrance (with Alex Scott, Donald McInnes and Ken Morris were 4 down going into the last end. Fortunately a 4 was scored to tie the game at 7 - 7, making Nairn Winners with an aggregate of +6 shots.
David's victory speech produced some unbelievable oratory which luckily Aberdeen Curling Club found amusing!
The picture shows the president (better side towards the camera) carefully studying another cracking shot from his No 3. The opposition skip seems to think its another heavy guard1
23 February 2009 Stanfield Arrest
The world of curling was shocked yesterday by the arrest of Nairn fraudster Sir Alan Stanfield.
Nairn curling club President David Torrance said they had immediately cancelled lira billionaire Stanfield's multi-million pound sponsorship of the 20-20 Cup, formerly known simply as the winner takes all 'Park Cup'.
There were calls for Torrance to resign as he had negotiated the deal with the discredited former club President, but Torrance sent out a smoke screen of highly abusive emails full of expletives blaming everyone else - all cleverly disguised as coming from his match secretary.
Speaking from their mansion next to Stanfields, shocked neighbours George and Hilda Pirie said they couldn't believe the man known locally as Ned Flanders could do such a thing. The Piries themselves are believed to have lost nearly 85 pence (UK) in Stanfield's scams and are furious. 'We are pensioners' they claimed. 'This could make a difference to what type of wine we have for breakfast every morning'.
Stanfield who sometimes used the pseudonym 'Stansfield' was found by the FBI in Virginia but it is claimed she was just a good friend.
Sir Alan was later tracked down to his Achnatone penthouse apartment in the tax haven of Ardclach, but refused to speak to club press officer 'Scoop' Macleod -threateningly launching a bundle of moustache hairs at him . Macleod merely collected them and replaced them where his own ones used to be.
Stanfield is thought to have shaved his head to disguise himself to make him look like an Ardclach curler in faint hope of acceptance by Nairnshire's now premier club.
Meantime his vintage collection of Astra's, Renaults and Skodas lay unused outside his luxury Albert Street residence. The only sign of activity were 2 spaces where his curling stones used to sit.
They were later located outside the Piries. One can only imagine that this type of terrifying retribution will become commonplace until Stanfield is brought to justice.
An expert from Cawdor said 'there was no way the Stanfield success of the early years could be sustained. It just made no sense. The techniques he used were totally unorthodox. Laterally the signs were obvious but he still somehow managed to remain amongst the top tier of his peers despite being relegated to a lower division every year for the last 3 years.'
Meanwhile his long suffering wife Margaret claimed she had no idea what he was up to. She said she thought the tens of thousands of pounds disappearing from their joint account had just been spent on curling. She was also unaware the yacht in their driveway was his.
'Its clear now that his umpiring duties were just a front to gain credibility' she wept.
Investigations continue, along with those into alleged accomplice Ali 'Madoff' Cruickshank.
2 March 2009 Seniors Trophy
Nairn have been successful in defending their over 50's "Seniors" title at Inverness when the competition drew to a close last week.
The picture shows the rink of (L to R) Nicol Bathgate (2nd), George Pirie (3rd), Harold Forrester (Skip), Gregor Munro (Lead) along with "super-sub" Bob Pottie.
Bob was caught fielding a call on his mobile during the photo-call. - " Yes ,yes, no, no, David, - sorry I can't play for you in Canada, I'm having my picture taken"
Photo by Innes Rankin ( Don't give up the day job Innes !)
3 March 2009 David Brown Shield
Winner of the David Brown Shield on 27th February was Alasdair Mackenzie, with the help of an experienced rink of John Anderson (3rd), Bob Pottie (2nd) and Mike McInnes (Lead). The score was +4 shots.
The runner -up was the rink skipped by Tom Scott, with a score of +3 shots.
The Club can rest assured that the Jubilee Trophy will remain in 'safe custody' for a year !
Photo by H Bunker
7 March 2009 Copes Cup
The Park Cup was decided in a closely fought final on Friday 6th March
Ali Cruickshank's rink adjusted better to the very keen ice conditions, and by the 4th end were 4 - 1 up.
In the 5th end when Cruickshank looked like running away with the game, Ross Cope played a difficult run back to split out two stones, followed by a delicate chap and lie to score two shots .
With the score 4-3 at the 6th end, Cope lay 4 with Cruickshank electing to play draw weight to two open 'backers' behind the tee. As his stone struggled to reach the house, the bell rang for the end of the session, leaving Ross Cope, Colin MacGregor, David Wickenden and Jim Clark worthy winners.
20 March 2009 SGL Conclusion
The final Sandy Gunn Game was played on Thursday 19th March. In contrast with past years where the final games have all been held on the same evening, this was a lone fixture. Each team had something at stake. Ross Cope needed a win to win the league and continue his attempt to corner a quintuplet of club trophies this season. Ali Cruickshank was trying to claw his way into a Millennium Cup place at the expense of George Asher.
The game was played in a lack of 'atmosphere' - something the match - secretary will need to be sure to avoid next season.The Cope outfit dominated, maintaining the form that saw them through a season in which they lost only one game.
Congratulations to Ross Cope(skip), Hamish Clark(3rd), Jim Clark(2nd), and Liam Gaffney (Lead).
21 March 2009 Match Cup
The re-arranged Match Cup Singles competition was played out in the usual keen and friendly fashion on Friday 20th March. There were no shortage of entrants for this popular competition.
Each round consists of 3 ends, each played with 6 stones per player. The Free Guard Zone applies, but there is no sweeping of your opponents stone at any time. Games tied after three ends are decided by a single stone 'shoot-out'. Any competitor reaching the final will have played 72 stones in two and a half hours !
For those eliminated in the first round, there is the chance to join the experts behind the glass, with a glass and this year, some energy replacing chips.
The competition turned up some close games and some clever shot making. In the semi-finals however, Dean Clark struck a vein of deadly striking. He blew away Ross Cope's hopes of the quintuple of club trophies before despatching a tiring Mike McInnes in the final.
29 March 2009 Millennium Trophy
Alex Scott and his rink of Robbie Cope(3rd), Doug Flannigan (2nd) and Mike Howitt (lead), triumphed in the Millenium Trophy after a 4 hour marathon curling session.
In the semi-final games, Scott's rink eliminated the Stewart Baird combo by a convincing 11 - 2, while George Asher's rink disposed of Ross Cope's hopes of the Elusive Treble, thanks to scoring 4 shots at the last end to win 7 - 2.
The final was a tight game until the 4th end, when an Asher hit to try to take a 2 went wrong and gifted Scott a 3 against the head. Attempts by Asher to get back into the game were frustrated by the loss of a further 1, then a 2 - giving a well deserved victory to the Scott Rink 9 - 1.
6 May 2009 AGM Report
The Nairn Curling Club AGM held on Friday 17th April saw a number of changes.
Sec/Treasurer Ali Cruickshank and Match Sec Ken Morris both stood down and have been replaced by Malcolm Jones, who has agreed to do a second term as Secretary/Treasurer, and Alex Scott who becomes Match Secretary. (See the "About Us" section for contact details).
Robbie Cope and Ali Cruickshank have come off the commitee and been replaced by Dougie Flannigan, Malcolm Jones and Donald McInnes.
A new position has been created - Training Officer - and this has been filled by Hamish Clark.
There were several nominations for The Webster Cap. The destiny of the cap this year was decided by a "clapometer" measurement for each nomination. Winner, by a large number of decibels was President David Torrance.
The justification for the award was connected with the District Medal outing to Aberdeen, and cannot be disclosed here. ( a messy affair involving over-excitement - or raw fear. DT states he will tell all to personal enquirers - but the advice is - don't ask!)
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