news archive
2012-13
April 2013
Nairn Member Moray Province President
Colin MacGregor of Nairn CC was elected the new President of Moray Province at the Province AGM held at Elgin on May 14th.
The meeting was well attended, but the membership was left in no doubt that the affairs of the Province are in a shambolic state. Whilst the Curling Development Group presented a satisfactory report, much of the remaining business of the meeting was taken up discussing issues that should have been sorted out in committee beforehand. The chairman was busier than a one-armed paperhanger trying to cover over the cracks.
Colin will need all his leadership skills and a committed support if he is to get Moray Province running smoothly once again. An encouraging start is that all the executive positions are now filled, as follows:
President: Colin MacGregor (Nairn CC)
Vice-President: Neil Durno (Fochabers CC)
Secretary: Mike Pickthall (Elgin CC)
Treasurer: Gordon Scott (Forres CC)
Match Secretary - East: Andy Cameron (Aberlour CC)
Match Secretary - West: Moira Clark (Nairn Ladies CC)
This executive together with a representative from each of the Clubs in the Province (24 plus one in abeyance and one with present dues unpaid) - makes up the Committee.
April 2013
International Umpire Awarded Webster Cap
Each year, one of the highlights of Nairn Curling Club's dinner and prize-giving is the award of The Webster Cap.
This ceremony, copied in recent years by the 'Oscars'', recognises not so much the commitment of a Club member, but rather the committing of " ... a single act or sustained period of incompetence on or off the ice during the preceding year."
The sole nominee for the 2012-13 season was Dr Alan Stanfield and the award was made to great acclaim. In presenting the award, Club president Hamish Clark described Alan's endeavours whilst running late, to make the start of a game on time. On opening his bag in the changing room, Alan discovered he had brought not his curling kit bag but his medical bag. Dope test anyone?
Afterwards an emotional Alan declared "This is one award I thought I could never achieve!" He was unable to confirm if he would be taking the elegantly mounted cap with him when he goes to Sochi 2014 as Chief Umpire.
March 2013
David Brown Jubilee Shield
The David Brown Shield ( where only players who are not recognised Club or Province, past or present skips are allowed to skip ) was a closely fought competition. Six rinks competed, and when the session ended, teams skipped by Ryan Asher and Andy Orlinski were tied - just ahead of Ron Cameron's team.
In the "shoot-out" that followed, Andy Orlinski's team swept his draw home to emerge winners.
March 2013
Sandy Gunn League Decided
Congratulations to Neil Pottie and his rink of Hamish Clark, Tom Scott and Paul McIvor in taking this season's SGL Title. Jim Clark's rink finished in second place, having the same number of points, but with a poorer shots difference. Scott Watson's rink finished third, with Hamish Bunker grabbing the fourth Millennium spot at the expense of Stewart Baird and Michael Green.
These four teams play for the Millenium Trophy on Tuesday March 19th at 6.50pm and 9.00pm at the Inverness Ice Centre.
March 2013
John Anderson
It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of John Anderson on Tuesday March 5th. John was an enthusiastic curler, a past secretary of the club, and an all round great guy.
His funeral will be held in St Ninians Church on Wednesday March 13th at 12 noon and thereafter privately at Inverness Crematorium.
Our thoughts are with John's family, especially Gilliane, Marjorie and Greig.
Outstanding SGL Games
This is not a comment on the high quality of competitive curling enjoyed by NCC members, but a reminder from the Match Secretary that all posponed SGL games should be played before the final round of games on March 13th
Games affected are: M Green v S Baird D McInnes v H Bunker D Torok v S Baird
February 2013
Nairn CC Dinner & Court 2013
Hamish Clark, as My Lord, presided over what was for most, another memorable evening.
With the usual reporting restrictions in place, we can only publish George Pirie's Top Table photo. Note the remarkable fact that Moray Province President Mike Watt's eyes are open - he arrived at the Dinner having been travelling (and celebrating) the Scottish Strathcona Cup team' triumphal return for the previous thirty-six hours.
January 2013
Nairn are Moray Province Open KO Champions
The Nairn rink of Ali Asher(skip), Colin McGregor, Robbie Cope and George Pirie at lead (subbing for Ross Cope) managed to overcome a strong Dalcross Rink in the Knock-out final played at the Inverness Ice Centre on January 30th.
Dalcross (Blair Fraser, Tom Pendreigh Snr., Mark Fraser and Murray Johnston(lead)) were trailing 4 - 6 in the second last end, but had last stone and were lying one shot with the possible chance to take four. The shot did not work out as planned, and Nairn were gifted a single to go into the last end 7 - 4 up. Dalcross conceded in the final end.
This has been a few days of heartache for Blair Fraser, who, playing 3rd for Grant Fraser in the Scottish Junior Championships, came within a whisker of taking the title. Playing in the same rink as Blair and sharing the disappointment was the Ardclach rising star, Ruaraidh Greenwood.
January 2013
Bookless Trophy 2013
John Anderson reports on the Bookless Bonspiel - Saturday January 12th.
Donnie Macleod, Erich Behrendt, Alex Scott and myself represented NCC in this Area 10 Bonspiel in Inverness. Alex was substituting for Jamie Catell who had a letter from his wife excusing him from PE.
In round 1, we were drawn against Highland 2, skipped by Roy Sinclair with Bob Jack as his third. Going down the last, we lay two guarded (well guarded) for game and an overall one shot lead, to creep in to the high road against one of the minnows - standard Anderson Bonspiel tactics. Roy, with last stone played a desperate double raised take out (this sound familiar, Alan?) but missed it, instead hitting one of our guards (eighteen inches wide of his target stone) on to our second counter, taking it out and going out itself. Result of this outrageous fluke was a steal of only one to NCC, a peeled game (we had more ends, though), low road for both of us, and Anderson tactics well and truly messed up.
In the bar afterwards, we received invites to Highland's outdoor ice when it is available - likely to be at its best (current forecasts) towards the end of the week. They will contact Ali and Alex with formal invite and details.
Round 2 was against Forres CC skipped by Charlie Watt, with Howard (the coward) Anstruther as his third. The boys just carried me through, and we won 10 - 3. Two great Bonspiel games played in a wonderful spirit of friendly competition. Great fun in the bar afterwards cross examining Howard on where he was actually 'made' as a curler - squirm wasn't in it - but the one who was laughing most was Charlie!!
We won the Low road (only there wasn't one - typical mix up between Mike Watt (on Strathcona duties) and Keith). Robbed!
Bonspiel was won by Loch Ness, skipped by Neil Gallacher with Inverness CC youngsters, skipped by Eric Peters runners up.
Super day out, but on fast ice with all that sweeping, we are kn******d (me included - shouting is tiring too!!).
(It would appear John’s Saturday level of accuracy continued. I was there but due to popular demand Loch Ness were skipped by Stewart Sturrock. - Neil Gallacher)
November 2012
2012 Eric Brown Bonspiel
The Nairn Club's annual bonspiel, held in memory of Eric Brown, was held at the Inverness Ice Centre on Saturday 24th November. The organisation was once again in the very capable hands of Alex Scott, and the event was attended by a good cross-section of north curlers.
The winners were a youthful rink guided by experience. Ken Greenwood kept a steady rein on talented grandsons Calum and Ruaridh, who with the assistance of super-sub Sandy Scott, formed a winning combo. Sandy appeared to be hedging his bets, managing to take part in all four sessions of the bonspiel.
Runners-up were Andy Wood (Hospitals CC) and his rink. The "neeps" were Dalcross.
Photos of the day by George Pirie & Nichol Bathgate can be seen by clicking here
November 2012
Nairn CC Finalists in National Province Championships
A Nairn rink representing Moray Province lost in the final of the Scottish Province Curling Championships played over the 16th - 18th November 2012 at Greenacres, near Glasgow.
Ross Cope, Ryan Asher and Robbie Cope, skipped by Ali Asher, won their section with 3 wins and 1 defeat then faced North Eastern Province in the quarter final. Comfortable victories there and against Galloway in the semi-final took them to their first ever National Province Championship final against Ross McCleary’s rink from Kinross, who were representing Leven Province.
With the score 5-5 after 4 ends, the McCleary rink took a 2 then stole a 1, and this proved too big a lead for the Nairn rink to recover from. Final score was 8-5.
It has been 10 years since Nairn won a national championship – the Rink Championship at the Galleon Centre in Kilmarnock in 2002.
An Area 10 [North] province has never won the National Province Championship, so to reach the final and fail so narrowly was a very creditable performance by Ali and his rink.
Robbie Cope, Ryan Asher, Bill Duncan (President RCCC) , Ali Asher and Ross Cope
Runners up in National Province Championships representing Moray Province
Question is - What's in the Black Boxes ?
September 2012
2012 - 13 Season Gets Underway
The new curling season starts off with the Autumn General Meeting, which will be held in the Bulmer Room of the Nairn Golf Club at 7.30pm on Monday 3rd September.
A 'Come & Try' session has been arranged at the Inverness Ice Centre on Tuesday 11th September at 5.20pm.
Dean Clark, (Match Secretary) advises that the first Sandy Gunn League games will have all eight teams on the ice on 19th September at the new early session time of 6.50pm.
Ali Asher (Sec) has e-mailed all Moray Province skips with this seasons draws for the League and the Knock-out Competitions.
Nairn (two rinks) have been drawn against Penicuik (two rinks) in the season's Royal Club District Medal. Nairn (being first named in the tie) should instigate the correspondence on where and when the tie will take place.