news archive
2013-14
July 2014
NCC Golf Day - Results
Winners of the NCC Annual Golf day held recently were Robbie Craigie jnr., Fraser Fotheringham and P Macdonald, who beat Ken Morris, Eric Behrendt and Alex Webster into the Runners-up spot.
In the Nearest the Pins competition, Rory Asher won the decanter, and James Greenwood won the gin.
Golf Day Winners L to R: P Macdonald, F Fotheringham, R Craigie jnr.
April 2014
NCC Scotland Supporters on Tour
Now returned from supporting the Scotland Curling Team in Beijing, Michael Green has been giving his 'take away' impressions of China and the World Men's Curling Championship. A full report appears in "The Nairnshire Telegraph" of April 14th 2014, from which the following photo is reproduced
The web-page has been successful in obtaining further photos from the official photographer, Wen Dee, which are reproduced below
Nairn CC on Tour - Dressed to Impress
Thomas Ulsrud, 2014 World Men's Curling Champion, tries the Webster Cap for size. He believed his taste in jackets fould make him the 2014 Webster Cap Winner.
The Great Wally, China
April 2014
Moray Province Successes
Congratulations to Nairn CC members who have distinguished themselves recently in Moray Province Competitions.
Mike McInnes, with daughter Faye, took the Moray Province Mixed Pairs Title. This is the first time since 2000 that a Nairn pair have won this competition - winners back then were Gregor & Pamela Munro. Fiona is a member of the Nairn Academy team which acquitted itself well recently at the National Schools Final at Murrayfield Ice rink.
In the Province Points competition, Alex Scott, Nairn (41 points), was runner-up to Andy Cameron (Aberlour) 43 points. In attempting to defend his title, last year's champion, Alan Stanfield, Nairn, scored 36 points.
March 2014
Bon Voyage to Beijing!
Half a dozen intrepid members of Nairn Curling Club are so disappointed that there is to be no TV coverage, neither satellite or terrestial, of this year's World Mens Curling Championships in Beijing, that they are off to view the event live!
Prior to departure, Michael Green took the opportunity to interview Ewan MacDonald, Inverness, the skip of the Scottish Team. This excellent interview is broadcast on NairnGurn TV here. One point Ewan omitted to mention was that "The powers that be" who prevented athletes in the GB Olympic Curling Teams from competing in the "Worlds" this year were complying with the wishes of the coaches of these teams! Ewan made a good point about the lack of TV coverage, which will disappoint many people who have taken an interest in curling since Sochi 2014. ( During the interview a 'phone rings. We are reliably informed that this was the BBC with a contract offer for Michael. Later a spokesman explained " we got a tip-off that 'Michael Green is the new Claire Balding'. It turned out that the message was 'Michael Green is now clearly balding' ").
GurnTV hope to have some coverage. If this fails, then followers can fall back on the World Curling Federation's YouTube broadcasts which can be found here.
The Best of Luck to Ewan's rink and Bon Voyage to Ali's Army!
March 2014 - Match Cup
Son Beats Father
Will the case come to 'court'?
We'll know next February - but meantime congratulations to Sandy Scott who beat his father Alex in the final of The Match Cup Singles Competition.
March 2014
Millennium Trophy - The Treble is Landed!
For the first time in the Club's history, a skip has succeeded in landing the treble - Park Cup, Sandy Gunn League Title, and the Millenium Trophy, all in the one season.
In the Millenium Semis, Sandy's rink made short work of Jamie Cattell's rink with an 8-2 win, while Dean Clark's team scraped home 8-7 against Ian Fraser's combo. Scott continued his relentless march and disposed of Clark 7-3 in the final. As the photographer on the night couldn't get his focus right, please make do with the smiles in the picture in the news item below, or go to the Club Facebook Page, which works to different standards, here!
As for being the youngest-ever to win the treble - that's a record that is unlikely to be beaten for many years. Even if Sandy overcomes the handicap of the team-picking system next season - he will be a year older!
Sandy Gunn League Decided
The final round of fixtures on March 12th saw the league once again come to an exciting conclusion.
Three teams were in with a realistic chance of taking the title. Ian Fraser faded early and his rink never looked like defeating Jim Clark, who was desperate to get off the foot of the table. That left Dean Clark and Sandy Scott to fight it out.
A better shots difference was in Sandy's favour if the match was drawn - but this looked unlikely when Sandy found himself five shots down after two ends. A spirited fight back saw Dean going into the last end only one shot up, but without last stone. In a nervy last end which looked like it could go either way, Sandy managed to clinch a one shot victory with a well taken hit and lie with the last stone of the game.
The top four teams now play for the Millennium Trophy on Tuesday 18th March
The winning rink (Ali Asher (3rd) Sandy Scott (Skip) Jack Nelson (lead) and Paul McIvor (2nd)) are pictured stoking up on the stovies at the post SGL final night soiree held in the Windsor Hotel.
Nairn Come Close at RCCC Rink Championships
The RCCC Rink Championship is open to any four curlers belonging to the same club. After winning through at their local ice-rink, teams go forward to the National Championships.
Nairn CC have a good record in this competiion, having won it twice in the past 40 years (that's twice as many times as any other North Club), and reached the quarter finals on a number of occassions.
This year, the Nairn team of Ali Asher, Larry Kerr, Ross Cope and Ryan Asher made it all the way to the semi-finals, eventually going down to a Forfar rink 3-5. Nairn were 3-2 up at the 6th end, but lost a telling 3 at the 7th. Tough luck, but well done on a great achievement !
February 2014
Nairn CC Dinner & Court 2014
A company of some 80 curlers and 5 'Naebodies' gathered under the chairmanship of President Hamish Clark at the Newton Hotel on February 1st. This was the 58th consecutive annual dinner & court - the 1955 event having been cancelled because the prices being charged by the Royal Hotel made the function ' financially unviable'.
Toasts to " Jack Frost" and "Neighbouring Clubs" were very ably proposed by Alex Webster and Alex Scott respectively, and Donald Green gave an excellent reply on behalf of Neighbouring Clubs. The initiates had an unforgettable evening that they may never remember. Jim Clark did an excellent job of deputising for the absence of Vice-president Hamish Bunker, though at times he seemed to be seeing ladies in the gathering! A syndicate master-minded by master-baker George Asher beat Gregor Munro to the purchase of the stoup, thereby realising a handsome domation to help promote Junior Curling at the Inverness Ice Centre.
An excellent evening and testament to the huge effort which many club members put into it!
Photo by George Pirie
January 2014
Sam MacArthur
One of the great characters of North Curling, Sam MacArthur, passed away on Tuesday 14th January 2014.
Sam was an 'Ardclacher' through and through, but a great supporter of Nairn Curling Club. He was until recently, a regular ( he claimed perfect!) attender at the Club's Dinner & Courts.
Before the arrival of Indoor Curling in the north of Scotland in 1967, he was a member of an Ardclach rink that was feared both on and off the ice! Indoors in the 1970's, he formed a very successful rink with the youth of nephew George, Robert Craigie and Hugh Robertson, where Sam was the rock of experience.
The picture below shows Sam in 2001 receiving his 50 years membership medal from Colin MacGregor on behalf of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club, watched by Nairn Club president Gregor Munro and some fellow Ardclachers.
A True Curler, his friendly rivalry will be greatly missed.
The picture shows Sam in 2001 receiving his 50 years membership medal from Colin MacGregor on behalf of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club, watched by Nairn Club president Gregor Munro and some fellow "".
December 2013
Points 2013-14
Winner of the Whitelaw Kettle ( the Club's oldest trophy) was Alex Scott, with a score of 46 points. The Runner-up was son Sandy Scott.
To emphasise the winning result was no fluke, Alex also scooped the prize for the " draw to the bottle".
It was left to Mark Young to break the Scott family's monopoly of prizes by winning the Handicap Prize.
November 2013
Winning Rinks in Open Competition
In the Dennis Ice Bowl Bonspiel held at Inverness on Saturday 30th November, the Rink of Robbie & Ross Cope, Ali Asher and Michael Green ran out winners - a feat not achieved by a Nairn rink in this competition for around 30 years. With victories over Inverness and Fochabers, Nairn finished 20 shots up. Runners up were Highland, skipped by Jim Robb.
Ali Asher's rink managed to beat Neil Durno's Fochabers rink in the quarter final of the Dalcross Salver in the Moray Province Knock-Out competition.
November 2013
Eric Brown Bonspiel
Credible news from this event is, as usual, hard to come by. The webmaster had curling duties elsewhere and was unable to attend this year.
Thankfully George 'Pentax' Pirie, ably assisted by Nichol 'Nikon' Bathgate managed to smuggle out some photos, and they can be found on the Club's Photo Galleries page, which can be reached here.
Congratulations to the winning rink, skipped by Neil Campbell with Robbie Cope, Ian Hutcheson and Fraser Fotheringham.
November 2013
David Brown Jubilee Shield -
Congratulations to Ally Tunstall (skip), Mike McInnes, Neil Pottie & Andy Orlinski on winning the David Brown Shield beating Alan Main's rink narrowly in a cliff-hanger. The competition was played at the Inverness Ice Centre on November 7th.
Thanks to everyone who turned out. Despite some late call-offs and a no-show it was a great night with a full field. Thanks in particular to Katy, Wilma & Sorley for being late replacements.
Report by Ali Asher - Match Secretary
October 2013
Sandy Gunn League - First Results
This season's SGL is underway, with the first two draws of the season played.
Last year's winner Neil Pottie has played twice and already lost - twice! Interestingly Neil's number three from his 2012-13 campaign, Hamish Clark, is an early league topper just edging ahead on ends from Jamie Cattell.
In his first SGL game, skip Sandy Scott was an 8 - 4 winner over Scott Watson. Sandy already has the Park Cup in the trophy cabinet, and must be having thoughts of doing the league and cup double. The Fraser - Mackay clash ended 5 shots all after they managed to struggle through just six ends.
October 2013
The Park Cup - An Early Season Winner
Congratulations to Sandy Scott and his rink of Mike McInnes (3rd), Robbie Asher (2nd) and Ron Cameron (lead) in carrying off the first trophy of the season!
A four scored at the second end, followed by a two at the third gave Scott a lead which despite their best efforts the opposition, led by the experienced Robbie Cope, could not overcome.
The Park Cup was presented to the club by Robert Park in 1920, and was known as the Vice-presidents Rink Tournament Trophy. It was renamed The Park Cup in honour of its donor in 1945.
Photo by George Pirie
