News Archive
2014-15
June 2015
Golf Outing
Nairn Curling Club's Golf Outing took place in greta weather at the Ballindalloch Castle Estate Course, on Saturday June 27th. This is a very enjoyable 9 hole course - with 18 tees .
Winners of the Scramble with a net 54 were the happy quartet pictured here.
Ian Fraser, Allan Sutherland , Hugh Sutherland, Stewart Baird
March 2015
Underdogs Take Millennium Trophy
There was a surprise result on Thursday March 24th, when the top four teams in this year's Sandy Gunn League met to compete for the Millennium Trophy.
In the 2 v 3 game, Sandy Scott disposed of Ryan Asher, but in the 1 v 4 game Hamish Clark played a great skip's shot to steal the game from Alistair Mackay.
In the final, Sandy Scott looked to have the trophy tied up, but his last stone guard ended up slightly out of position and Hamish took his chance to draw the winner against a stone at the back of the four foot.
Congratulations to the winners, pictured opposite -
March 2015
Nairn Rink Win Moray Superleague
Congratulations to Mike McInnes (skip), who along with Sandy Scott, Robbie Cope and Hamish Clark, have gone through the 2014-15 Moray Superleague fixture list undefeated. They narrowly failed to get a clean sweep of victories, drawing their last game.
March 2015
Sandy Gunn League - Thrilling Finale
As as happened many times in the past, the SGL Title was decided on the last stones of two crucial matches.
Alistair Mackay and holder Sandy Scott were tied on points for first place, with Alastair having a better shot difference by one. Ryan Asher was two points behind, but with a better shot difference than either of the two teams above him.
Ryan was playing Sandy, and Alistair was up against Neil Pottie.
Going into the last ends, both games were tight. Ryan was two up on Sandy, but without last stone.
Ryan managed to increase his lead to three shots, but the Mackay rink managed to scramble a win in a nervy last end.
Sandy Gunn League 2014-15 Winners
Ron Cameron (2nd), Alan Stanfield(3rd), Alistair Mackay (skip)Seamus McArdle (lead)
Nairn Rink Take Province KO Title
A Nairn CC rink has once again won the Moray Province KO Competition. Ali Asher (skip), with Larry Kerr, Ryan Asher and Robbie Cope defeated a Ballindalloch rink skipped by Gordie Kennedy 7-3, on good ice at Elgin. Nairn got off to a flying start, scoring a 3 at the first, and in the tight game that followed managed to preserve their lead until the bell.
Dinner & Court - Top Table Picture
February 2015
Dinner & Court - Top Table Picture
Many thanks to George Pirie for recording President Hamish Bunker with his Top Table at the
2015 Nairn Curling Club Dinner & Court
January 2015
Hola Granada !
The Club's ever enthusiastic Match Secretary, Ali Asher, turned down a chance to play in the Curling Four Nations Tournament during the weekend of the 16th January, to skip a Nairn rink in the Granada Cup - a 12 rink Schenkel competition being held as a test event for the curling arena set up for the World University Games to be held in Granada, Spain, from 4th - 14th February.
The Nairn rink put themselves in a strong position, winning three out of three of their opening games on the first day. On the second day they were unable to defeat the Sporting L'Olla rink. Mike Green, who had been in great striking form the previous day was missing everything. The gift of a four end was impossible to recover from, and any chance of glory appeared to be lost.
However, the system paired Nairn and Sporting L'Olla in the final match with a chance for revenge. In the final end, the Spanish skip played a great hit and hide with his last stone, leaving Ali a difficult run back which he narrowly failed to make.
History has been made - the first ever curling competition in Granada and a Nairn rink were there! Congratulations to the worthy runners-up!
Ali Asher (Skip) , Ali Tunstall (2nd) Ian Hutcheson (lead), Michael Green (3rd)
January 2015
Andrew Duncan
The Club will be saddened to learn of the passing on January 13th of Andrew B Duncan, one of its Honorary Members.
Andrew joined the Club in 1961. His competitive successes were not many - he helped Bob Pottie win the Jubilee Shield in 1963, and Alan Stanfield to win the Sandy Gunn League in 1993. Andrew was an enthusiast - but winning was not as important as the game itself. His good nature made him good company and he endeared himself to all who met him. He was a regular attender at The Nairn Dinner & Court, and was made an Honorary Member in 2005.
He became a non-playing member soon after, but the family connection with the Club remains through his son Peter - another enthusiast.
The Club's thoughts are with the Duncan family at this time.
December 2014
Seniors Curling
For the past eight years or so, Nairn Curling Club has had a rink entered in the Inverness Ice Centre Seniors league. This competition has been generously sponsored by Gordon McPhail, and Nairn have successful in winning some of their product in some of these years.
This season the Club has two rinks entered, with Graham Kerr and Alan Stanfield as skips.
With fairly relaxed rules on substitutes, the competition has provided an excellent opportunity to happily fill a winter Friday morning for many retirees.
A tradition has arisen that dictates that after the nearest game to mid -December, participants adjourn to a hostelry for a mid-season tactical talk and de-brief. This years venue was the Nairn Golf Club, and "pap" George Pirie was on hand to record the event.
tactical talk and de-brief. This years venue was the Nairn Golf Club, and "pap" George Pirie was on hand to record the event.
Park Cup Final 2014-15
The postponed final for this historic trophy took place at Inverness Ice Centre on December 18th.
Lining up against the fancied rink of Ryan Asher, Dean Clark, Robbie Asher and Ian Hutcheson were the underdogs of Colin MacGregor, Ali Cruickshank, Andy Orlinski and Mark Young, subbing at lead for Keith Girvan.
In a closely contested final, that veteran of many Park Cup Finals, Colin MacGregor led his rink to an impressive 6 - 5 victory.
December 2014
David Brown Jubilee Shield
The David Brown Shield, the competition where the non-skips of the Nairn Curling Club get their chance to show their tactical and last stone skills, was played on December 2nd.
Congratulations to Paul and his rink !
November 2014
The Eric Brown Bonspiel
This belated report is somewhat belated and sparse. The webmaster was in Switzerland fiddling with clocks whilst this annual soiree in memory of one on Nairn Curling Club's great members was taking place.
So, writing a story with only two pages of calculations from Keith Petrie and three photos filched from the Club's Facebook page is a challenge too far!
Sixteen teams played two games each in two sections. Neil Gallagher's Lochness rink carefully applied the best bonspiel tactic and took only a modest +4 shots off Gregor Munro in their first game. This ensured a game against B. MacLarens Newtonmore quartet ( +1 up on Bob Pottie). As the Highlanders began to struggle with the effects of the rich air at sea-level, Lochness put the boot in and took + 11 shots to add to their total.
Andy Wood's Hospitals rink, Ewan MacDonald's all-star rink and Ali Cruickshanks investors all tied for second place ( + 14 shots) .
For an outsider's take on the event, go (at your own risk) to the Lochness News page.
Thanks are due to Alex Scott for his good work in organising the day.
75% of the Winning Combo (A Gillies "gone shopeen" )
A convivial group captures the atmosphere of the day.
CAPTION COMPETITION ?
November 2014
The Points Competition
Nairn Curling Club's Annual Competition for the Whitelaw Kettle took place on 21st November. The winner, with a total score of 40 points, was Dean Clark, who will go on to represent Nairn in the Moray Province Points Competition in March.
The Handicap winner was Hamish Clark, and closest in the 'draw to the bottle' was Jamie Cattell
October 2014
Match Secretary To Play in Four Nations
NCC Match Secretary, Ali Asher, tops the list (with the initials "AA" - where else?) of 30 curlers invited to compete for Scotland in the Annual Four Nations Tournament ( No, not THAT one - the Curling one!), to be held this year at Fenton's Ice Rink in Kent. Dates are from 16th to 18th January 2015.
A full report appears at:
http://www.royalcaledoniancurlingclub.org/the-2015-four-nations-team-announcement/