News archive
2017-18
June 2018
Bob & Margaret Pottie at Royal Club AGM
A Nairn couple who have been prominent members in Nairn Curling Club and in North curling circles, featured at this year's AGM of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club, trading as Scottish Curling.
Margaret, a member of Nairn but with Nairn Ladies as her 'mother club', retired from a very successful year as Ladies Branch President.
Bob, her consort during this very busy time, was present to collect a medal. Not for service above and beyond the normal call of duty, but in recognition of having been a member of the RCCC for over 50 years. Bob, an Honorary Member of the Club, began his membership with Nairn, but was then a member of first Dalcross, then Dalziel, before re-joining Nairn, where he served as President from 1986-88, and Moray Province President from 1989-91.
Nairn has two other 50 year Medallists - Past Presidents and Honorary Members James Asher, and Harold Forrester.
March 2018
Moray Province KO Champions - Nairn !
Congratulations to our brave lads pictured here - Robbie Cope (2nd), Ross Cope (3), Ali Asher (Skip) and Alan Scott (lead). They managed to beat another Nairn rink, skipped by Dean Clark, in the final.
March 2018
2017-18 Match Cup
The following members competed for the Match Cup in the Club's Singles Competition, held on March 23rd.
Sid Brown, Sean McArdle (winner 2016), Robert Pottie, Mike McInnes (winner 2006), Neil Pottie (winner 2012,2017), Bob Ferenth,
Dean Clark (winner 2007,2009,2011,2013), Alan Stanfield, Hamish Clark, Peter Duncan.
The reduced entry this year allowed for 4-end rounds instead of 3, with sweeping of all stones.
A hard fought competition ( if you made it to the final ! ) was won by Dean Clark, for the fifth time. Dean is pictured here receiving the trophy from the beaten finalist, and last year's winner, Neil Pottie.
March 2018
Millennium Trophy Retained
The Club's Millennium Trophy was decided on the evening of 21st March.
In the semi-final round, Alex Scott's and Ali Cruickshank's rinks efficiently disposed of their respective opponents.
In the final, the Cruickshank rink got of to a great start, scoring a three, only to gift it back at the second end. Singles were then exchanged, before Alex took a two with the hammer at the fifth, followed by a one against the head. In the final end, the Cruickshank rink could only manage a consolation single, to end up 5 - 7 down.
Alex Scott retains the trophy he won last year, and emulates the feat of his son Sandy in winning both the Sandy Gunn League and the Millennium Trophies in the same season.
However it should be pointed out that in that season, 2013-14, son Sandy managed the "treble" - also winning the Park Cup.
Congratulations to Sid Brown (lead & sub), Ryan Asher, Dan Torok and Alex Scott.
March 2018
2017-18 Sandy Gunn League Decided
The curtain came down on the 2017-18 Sandy Gunn League on the evening of the 13th March.
As is the tradition, all the competing teams were on the ice, ready to decide the outcome of this Club's prestigious trophy.
Club photographer, George Pirie, made the most of the opportunity to capture a Club photography for posterity.
Club photographer, George Pirie, made the most of the opportunity to capture a Club photography for posterity.
Club President Alex Scott has had his hand on the shield for a week or two now, but the three runner-up positions to play for the Millennium Shield were up for grabs until the last minute. The 'also-rans' contesting the Millennium places were Neil Pottie, Ali Tunstall, and Ali Cruickshank who managed to squeeze out Michael Green at the last.
he Millennium Trophy will be played at the Inverness Ice Centre on Wednesday 21st March.
Alex Scott's rink will play Ali Tunstall's in one semi-final, with Neil Pottie playing Ali Cruickshank in the other, both games at 7pm.
The final will be contested between the winners at 9.05pm
February 2018
2018 Winter Olympics
This event officially opens this week, on Friday 9th February. With introduction of Mixed Doubles as an official event, curling will be the most televised sport of the games. Every game is being televised for broadcast somewhere in the world..
Team GB has no representation in the Mixed Doubles, but has rinks in both the Men's and Women's competitions, thanks mainly to some fine Perthshire breeding stock.
Two of the four Scottish members of the fifteen strong team of Technical Officials are from Nairn CC. Alan Stanfield MBE, who was Chief Umpire in 2014, is Deputy Chief Umpire - a role he filled in Vancouver in 2010. Harold Forrester , who was Chief Timer in 2014 is again Chief Timer in 2018.
January 2018
Moray Province KO - Result!
It was both triumph and defeat for Nairn in the Moray Province KO Final played at Inverness Ice Centre on Thursday 25th January.
The strength in depth of Nairn CC was borne out when the final came to be contested between two Nairn rival rinks.
Dean Clark's rink challenged the more experienced rink of Ali Asher, but in the end it was experience that counted in a 6 - 2 win.
December 2017
Park Cup Final
The final of the Park Cup was contested at the Inverness Ice Centre on Monday December 18th.
In a keenly contested match, the rink of Neil Pottie (skip) , Donnie MacLeod, Alan Bulcraig and Scott Fraser succumbed to the superior skills of Jim Clark (skip), Nichol Bathgate, Ian Hutchison and Danny Gray.
December 2017
MBE Investiture
Nairn club honorary member and past president, Alan Stanfield, attended "the Palace" on Thursday December 7th to receive his MBE award. [ see news article, click link > 2016-17 ]
This was a great privilege for the Royal Household, as Alan had to put off attending both the World Curling Federation Olympic Qualifying Event in Pilsen and a crucial Inverness Seniors League fixture against the Royal Caledonian Curling Club's Ladies Branch President, in order to attend.
Alan reports that the experience was 'perfect'. In conversation with HRH The Prince of Wales, the merits of outdoor curling at Balmoral were discussed, and with the co-operation of Jack Frost an invitation may be forthcoming.
December 2017 - The Points
Once again the winner of the Whitelaw Kettle is Dean Clark, pictured here with Club President Alex Scott, Handicap Winner Robbie Asher and Draw to the Bottle Champion Colin Macgregor.
December 2017
Dalcross Needle Match
This annual challenge took place at the Inverness Ice Centre on Friday December 1st.
Although Dalcross were searching for some key "loan" players before the Big Event, they only managed to finish runners-up.
Nairn were this year's winners.
The picture shows a triumphant Nairn President, Alex Scott, with Dalcross Match Secretary Neil Anderson.
Eric Brown Bonspiel 2017
Nairn Curling Club's annual bonspiel in memory of Eric Brown, took place at Inverness Ice Centre on Saturday 25th November.
The club took the opportunity to host many familiar faces from neighbouring clubs in a style of which Eric would have been approved.
Thanks to the efforts of George Pirie, some memories of the day are recorded in the Club's Photo Album, which can be found by clicking here.
The Prize List is:
BEST DRESSED TEAM - Nairn Ladies
NEEPS - Ross Ladies
November 2017
Internationales Curling Turnier um den Hafen Hamburg-Pokal
Following on from the Club's very successful centenary tour to British Columbia in 2007, a tradition has been established where Nairn curlers venture overseas every five years.
2012 saw an enjoyable visit to Prague, and for 2017 the visit was by three rinks to Hamburg, to compete in the Port of Hamburg Cup. Much of the credit for organising these trips must go to Match Secretary Ali Asher, who this year has earned himself a bonus point by submitting a report, longer than two lines.
"Overall reasonably successful, as the standard was not as high as Prague or Chilliwack (BC). Very sociable.
'Team Dream' (skipped in rotation by skips Cope, Clark and Scott) won two of their first three games (including a win over the Dutch National Ladies Team), to qualify to play in the top eight, where, unfortunately they lost.
'Team Clours' (skipped by Match Sec. Ali Asher) also managed to inflict a defeat on the Dutch Ladies, despite having given away a 5 shot lead before scrambling home 10-5 victors, and finally finishing overall in 9th place out of the 30 European teams competing.
'Team Talk' (skipped by Colin Macgregor) won two out of their four games."
2017 Nairn Curling Club Tour : Ali Asher (Match Secretary), Alex Scott ( Grupenfuhrer & President), Hamish Bunker, Hamish Clark, Sid Brown, Colin C Macgregor, Ali Cruickshank, Alan Scott, Ian Stuart, Robbie Cope, Ron Cameron and Michael Green.
September 2017
This Season's First Trophy Won
The Season's first Club trophy, the David Brown Jubilee Shield, was competed for on Tuesday 26th September.
The finish was a close one - two rinks skipped by Mark Young and George Pirie both finishing 5 shots up. However, by winning 4 end to George's three, Mark was declared the winner.
September 2017
More Curling for Your Money !
Nairn CC 2017-18 season kicked off on August 28th with a well attended Autumn General Meeting.
This was been followed by some careful team picking, and team lists, together with fixtures are on all the appropriate pages on this site.
At the meeting, a plea was made for members to refresh their knowledge of the etiquette and some rules of the game, as this will lead to a more enjoyable experience for all, and more ends played within the ice-rinks session time!
Alan Stanfield has produced the attached information sheet. Alan was Chief Umpire at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, so the advice contained is good !
