NEWS ARCHIVE 2021-22
28th April 2022 - Annual General Meeting
The Club's first 'real' AGM for two years was held in the Nairn Community Centre and was reasonably well attended.
President Dean Clark opened the meeting by paying tribute on the recent passing of George MacArthur, president of Ardclach CC, a well known and popular figure in curling circles for over half a century, and a good friend and supporter of the Nairn 'Court'. The Club's condolences have been sent to Joan, David and Neil.
The usual reports were satisfactorily received. Vice-president Paul MacDonald is arranging a prize-giving in the Dunbar Golf Club on May 20th, and a golf day at Carrbridge on 6th August.
Danny Gray was congratulated on taking on the post of Secretary/Treasurer. Alli Tunstall fills the vacant committee place, and was appointed auditor.
Mike McInnes reported on the workings of the Curling Development Group, which has held 48 sessions of Try Curling with 280 attendances. He also reported on the Moray Province, whose AGM is to be on June 1st, with the President, Vice-president and Secretary all standing down and no willing replacements coming forward. A venue for the AGM has yet to be fixed.
Michael Green, chairman of the board of Inverness Ice Centre, gave a comprehensive report on the situation at the Ice Centre, which is being severely hit by a perfect storm of Covid, spiralling energy costs and inflation. Michael is never short of ideas and he outlined some of the projects and events which would utilise the Ice Centre to raise extra income to supplement the inadequate revenue from curling, skating and ice hockey.
At the conclusion of the meeting Dean explained how the Club could award an Honorary Membership, and announced to much applause that such an honour was being conferred on Ali Asher!
Ali was called forward and presented with a suitably framed certificate.
The meeting ended with a vote of thanks, congratulating the Office-bearers and Committee for their hard work over the past two difficult years.
22nd March 2022 - Nairn Rink take Province West Division 2 Title
Congratulations to Gus Forbes and his rink of John Bochel, Jonathan Hogg and Murray Urquhart pictured here, who are the 2021-22 Moray Province West Division 2 Champions. Also a member of the winnibg squad was Scott Fraser
8th March 2022 - Ice Rink Leagues - Final Tables
The new Inverness Ice rink leagues have provided some success for Nairn teams. The competition is drawn from a wide area - from Kingussie in the South to Dornoch in the North and provides a much wider range of opposition compared with Moray Province West Leagues.
Champions of Division 1 are the Nairn Rink of Ross Cope(skip), Ali Asher, Alex Scott and Robbie Cope.
In Division 2, Michael Green's rink were runners up to Andy Wood's Hospitals rink - equal on points but beaten into second place on shots difference.
Robbie Cope. Alex Scott. Ali Asher. Ross Cope
2nd March 2022 - Millenium Trophy Night
Semi-final results:
Danny Gray (skip), Gordon Millar, Ali Cruickshank and Sean Burgess beat Paul MacDonald (skip), Alan Scott, Ally Tunstall and Angus Smithson
6 - 2
Gus Forbes (skip), Alan Morton, Jim Clark and James Laraway beat Paul McIvor (skip), Robbie Cope, Stewart Morrison and J Millar
9 - 4
Final Results:
Gus Forbes - Danny Gray
0,0,1,0,0,1,3 = 5 v 1,1,0,1,1,0,0 = 4
Obviously a cracking final. Congratulations to Gus Forbes and his team. Commiserations to Danny - going into the last end 2 up with the last stone and losing a 3 - there must be a painful lesson there !
Post match comments
February 2022
Some Nairn Curling Club members have enjoyed Bonspiel success this month.
The Bookless Bonspiel, also held at the weekend, was won by Nairn Ladies Curling Club. Congratulations girls!
On Saturday 19th February Mike McInnes (pictured with Brenda McIntyre) skipped a rink to victory in the MacGregor Kettle Bonspiel.
On Tuesday 22nd February Ali Asher (pictured here with both hands full), won the Dalcross George Philip Bonspiel with the help of Chris Silver, John Smart and Ian Thomson
2nd February 2022 - Sandy Gun League - Final Night
Congratulations to Paul MacDonald and his team who have emerged as this season's winners. The MacDonald team needed a win over Andy Orlinski's crew to be sure of the trophy, and scored a promising 4 at the first end, but after 4 ends found themselves 2 shots down. Going into the final end Andy was 1 up, but without last stone and Paul managed a single to peel.
The last two Millenium Trophy places were decided between the Gray, Forbes and Orlinski rinks. Gus Forbes had a convincing win over Paul McIvor and despite a humiliation by John Bochel , Danny Gray held on to fourth place.
Final SGL Table is here.
Millenium Trophy Draw is here.
2021-22 SANDY GUNN LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
Gus Smithson, Alan Scott, Paul MacDonald, Ally Tunstall
Photography by Paul McIvor
19th January 2022 - Match Cup Result
Fifteen players competed for The Match Cup Singles Trophy. Initially they played in 5 groups of 3, each player having a minimum of two 2-end games with 4 stones. Winners of the first two groups played a quarter final and the winner joined the other three group leaders to play the semi-finals. Winners of the five groups were: Jim Clark, Dean Clark, Colin MacGregor, Peter Duncan, and Mike McInnes. Colin and Dean made the final and after a well fought game and some great curling, Dean ended up victorious with a 3-2 win. (Report by Alex Scott)
A Happy Dean Clark recieves the Match Cup from vice-president Paul MacDonald.
Photo: Courtesy of Alex Scott
22nd December - 2021 Points Competition
Well done to those who turned out for "the points". None could prevent Club President Dean Clark from winning the Whitelaw Kettle for the sixth time since 2010.
Congtratulations to Dean pictured here with the other winners, Mike McInnes (Draw to the Bottle) and Jim Clark (Handicap competition).
Photo: Courtesy of Paul MacDonald
21st December - 2021. Bob Pottie
Everyone who knew him will be saddened to learn of Bob Pottie's passing on December 3rd.
Bob was always a pleasure to play for, or against, and then to socialise with afterwards. He was the epitome of a true curler. He joined Nairn in 1960, his father having been a member since 1928. Both left to join Dalcross in 1961, before setting up Dalziel Curling Club in 1963. Dalziel had an outdoor rink at the farm, but the Club folded in 1972 and Bob rejoined Nairn in 1973. He was also a member of the Wengen Curling Club.
Bob served as President of Nairn from 1986 to 1988, and as Moray Province President from 1989 to 1991. Nairn CC elected him an Honorary Member in 2010. In 2018 he was awarded a medal from the Royal Caledonian Curling Club for 50 years membership. He loyally supported Margaret, his wife, during her term as President of Ladies Branch R.C.C.C.
Curling was not his only interest. He played golf, and football for Nairn County FC in his younger days. He was an Honorary Member of The Nairnshire Farming Society. He will be missed by the wider community and the Club offer sincere condolences to Margaret, Stuart, Neil, Gillian and their families.
Bob may have played his last stone and sung his last song, but his memory will remain.
A funeral service to celebrate the life of Robert McAulay (Bob) Pottie was held at Nairn Old Parish Church Tuesday 21st December 2021 was followed by a committal service at Inverness Crematorium for family only. Donations if desired in Bob’s memory to Marie Curie may be given at :
9th December - Park Cup Final
The 2021-22 Park Cup was won by Andy Orlinski's rink, with Al Cruickshank at 3rd, Gordon Millar, and new member Gordon Ralph at lead, who inflicted a decisive victory over John Bochel's rink of Alan Scott, Alan Morton with James Laraway at lead. Andy's rink were 7 up after four ends, and the Bochel combo could only score a single before crashing out 10 to 1.
The Park Cup is the Club's second oldest Trophy, being presented by Robert Park in 1921 as the 'Challenge Cup'. It was renamed in memory of the donor after his death in 1946. Congratulations to Andy's rink as the Orlinski name goes on the Cup for the first time !
Match Secretary Alec Scott presents the Park cup to L to R :
Gordon Ralph, Gordon Millar, Al Cruickshank and Andy Orlinski
Photos by John Bochel
The winner celebrates
27th November - 2021 Eric Brown Bonspiel
Nairn Match Secretary Alex Scott and his assistants worked hard to ensure that eighteen teams took to the ice to enjoy a battle for the trophy donated in 2008 in memory of the Club's greatest skip and enthusiast, Eric F Brown. Nairn fielded eight teams, with ten teams coming from Moray, Inverness and Ross Provinces.
Congratulations to the winning team, Nairn 5, coached by Bob Pottie (senior).
Winners:
Stewart Baird (2), Alan Scott (S), Neil Pottie (3), Stephen Laurie (L).
Thanks to Alister Asher, the presentation of prizes by Alex Scott (and witnessed by a North American representative), was recorded for posterity in pictures:
Runners-Up: LOCH NESS - Skip Alastair Gillies
DALCROSS. Skip Ian Thompson
NAIRN 1 - Skip Larry Kerr
HOSPITALS. - Skip Andy Wood
12th November - 2021 Dinner & Court
Nairn Curling Club have held a dinner & court annually since 1957. The 1956 event was cancelled when the Royal Hotel's terms dictated that whisky would be 55/- a bottle and no drink could be brought in. It was minuted in December 1955 that these costs "put the holding of a dinner out of the question". After re-negotiation the dinner went ahead in February 1957 with whisky at 42/- a bottle, and a dinner & court has been held every year since. To preserve continuity the present committee took the brave decision to hold an "out of season" event in the Nairn Dunbar Golf Club.
Considerable effort was made to ensure the usual format was adhered to, but without novitiates. My Lord, Dean Clark, was in control of proceedings. The message of COP 26 was reinforced by the showing of a Global Warming Documentary made by the Club over 12 years ago. Bob Pottie gave the Rev Gordon Fraser's Curlers' Grace, Ian Fraser serenaded Jack Frost, and there were speeches by Robbie Asher (neighbouring clubs) Neil Gallagher(reply) Dean Clark(RCCC) and Mike McInnes(reply). Paul Macdonald thanked the chairman and rouped the stoop for over £200.
The 2022 Dinner & Court will be held around the usual time and will hopefully be as successful!
Photo: Stewart Morrison
TOP TABLE: Alex Scott(Match Secretary), Ian Fraser(Jack Frost), Paul MacDonald(Vice-president), Dean Clark(President), Mike McInnes(RCCC), Ally Tunstall(Secretary), Bob Pottie.
10th November 2021- David Brown Jubilee Shield
In this competition rinks must be skipped by non club skips, or non previous winners. Congratulations go to a recent recruit to the Club, Gus Smithson who skipped the rink of Ally Tunstall(3), Alan Scott(2), and Paul MacDonald(1) to victory. With one end to play the situation was tense, with both the rinks of Gus Smithson and Ian Stuart six shots up. In the final ends Gus dropped a 2 to Martin Roche, but Ian lost 4 to Alec Bochel, leaving Gus victorious.
Ally Tunstall, Gus Smithson, Alan Scott, Paul MacDonald
10th November 2021 - Curlings Cool
Dan Torok is doing his best to ensure Nairn Curling Club will have a rich resource of talent in the future. Dan took the "Curlings Cool" programme to Rosebank Primary School with a fun Floor Curling lunch club for the primary 4s.
6th November 2021 - Dennis Ice Bowl
A Nairn CC team of Paul MacDonald (lead), Robbie Asher(2), Hamish Bunker(3) and Alex Scott (Skip) emerged victorious from the old Area 10 (now Area 13) bonspiel. Their path to winning the Dennis Ice-Bowl was greatly helped by a 22-1 victory over Highland Juniors, which included a 7 at the last end! [Rumours that Police Scotland are investigating a case of child abuse at Inverness Ice Centre are unfounded.]
L to R: Robbie Asher, Hamish Bunker, Paul MacDonald and Alex Scott receive the ice bowl from Ann Gibb, representing Area 13.
1st November 2021 - Millennium Trophy (2020-21)
The semi-final games saw the rinks of John Bochel and Scott Fraser winning through to contest the final - and an exciting final it was! The Bochel rink pulled away to a 4 to 1 lead after four ends, only to let the Fraser rink score two dueces to go into the last end with a one shot lead, but without the last stone. John Bochel made good use of the last stone advantage to score a 2 and emerge victorious 6-5.
Congratulations to John's rink and commiserations to Scott's.
Winners: Neil Pottie - Alex Scott(Match Sec) John Bochel - Ian Stuart - Al Cruickshank
Millenium Trophy 2020-21 - Finalists
28th October 2021
The 2021-22 Park Cup KO Competition got under way this month. In the preliinary round on October 14th, Gus Forbes's rink saw off Paul MacDonald's combo. In the quarter-final games which followed on October 28th, the rinks of John Bochel, Scott Fraser, Andy Orlinski and Gus Forbes won through to the Semi-Final round. Results are here. There was a photo-call before the quarter-finals:
23rd September 2021
John Bochel and his rink of Mike McInnes, Ali Cruickshank and Bob Ferenth, emerged as winners of the Sandy Gunn League for the 2020-21 Season. The three other places for the Millenium Trophy to be played for on November 1st were also decided, and can be found here.
Unfortunately the final two rounds of results were distorted by concessions due to non-appearance of team members. Skips are reminded of their responsibilities in communicating dates and times to team members and arranging subs. when necessary; and team members of their responsibility in advising of non-availability.
23rd September 2021
Last night's Sandy Gunn League game between Danny Gray and John Bochel was abandoned halfway through after Danny took a nasty tumble and required a trip to A&E. Attached is a condition report issued by the man himself. Cheer up Danny, most of us have taken a tumble on the ice at some time, but not with such a dramatic result! What some people will do to get a Webster Cap Nomination!
Get well soon Danny !
21st September 2021
The 2020-21 Park Cup Final saw Ally Tunstall's rink make a dramatic comback from 3 shots down after 3 ends to emerge 5 - 3 winners after six ends. In the final end Ally played two draws to lie locked on the button, leaving Scott Fraser with only a very difficult angled raise and hit to dislodge the shot. His attempt just failed, giving the Tunstall rink of Neil Mapes, Alan Morton and sub. Alan Scott a steal of two shots to win.
General Meeting 6th September 2021
Nairn Curling Club held its Autumn General Meeting in The Sundancer at the Harbour prior to the 2021-22 curling season. The meeting was ably chaired by new president Dean Clark, supported by vice=president Paul MacDonald and the new committee. The main points from the meeting were:
Mark Young is temporarily standing down as Sec/Treasurer. Ali Tunstall has agreed to cover meantime
Two resignations,( Sid Brown & John Levey), but three new members (Angus Smithson, Martin Roche and Alex Bochel).
Last Seasons Park Cup and Millennium Competitions will be completed at the start of this season
The Nairn Bonspeil will be held on Saturday November 27th
Dinner & Court - It is hoped to hold a low-key event in October to maintain annual continuity. with the main event on the last Saturday in January 2022
Change in membership fee.
The last item was explained by Ali Cruickshank, a board member of Inverness Ice Centre Ltd. In the interest in compliance and efficiency, users will now register with the Ice Centre directly. This will enable the ice centre to communicate with users directly and keep them up to date with developments. The Club will no longer collect the £20 membership fee from its members to pass on to the Ice Centre. The Nairn CC subscription will therefore reduce from £45 to £25 annually. The Ice Centre charges for ice will remain as at present until November, when the charge per curler per session will rise to £15. But before then there will be the opportunity to subscribe to the Ice Centre Friends scheme at a cost of £60 pa, payable by a monthly debit of £5.
Membership of "the friends" scheme is not compulsory. For club curlers it represents a £40 increase on the previous £20. However there will be additional benefits, including a 20% discount on ice charges and all food and drink in much improved catering facilities in a refurbished lounge area. Also 20% of the subscriptions collected is to be allocated pro-rata to skating, curling and ice hockey for development of these sports.
The Ice Centre Board are coping with many pressures in the current financial climate. A prosperous facility is in everyone's interest, so hopefully the new arrangements will work well.