STRANRAER OUTING THU 19 FEB 26

 Stimulated by the performance and results of the GB Olympic curling Rinks  and the thought of play on the hallowed ice at NWC with its appreciable history and linkage with Olympic players, this last social curling event at NWC for this season was eagerly embraced as another memorable and enjoyable occasion.  The initial plan to have 4 full Rinks of play in the morning and afternoon sessions had to be modified with 2 players having to withdraw at short notice and replacements not being secured from the membership.  

We thus set too with 2 full Rinks and 2 three man Rinks which generated interesting play strategies and creative results.  At the lunchtime break, Rink 2 (Gray(S), Lawrence and Cherry) were just in the lead by 2 ends with Rink 4 (Graham (S), Mutter and Chapman) hard on their heels.  This was all to change in the afternoon when the 2 three man Rinks faced each other and Rink 2 now Skipped by Euan Lawrence and David Gray as Lead surged in to the lead taking 6 of the 7 ends played and winning 13-2.

President Fraser thanks the NWC staff for hosting us so well again and providing such consistent and keen ice and also thanked attendees for making the day.  He then awarded the prizes to the 3 winners  as can be seen from the happy snap attached.

PRESIDENT’s CUP LEAGUE AND CRAWFORD CUP ROUND 3 RESULTS

 The third round took place at Greenacres yesterday. Fraser Hogg's Gangrels team were against Ed Baines for Ayr & Alloway.  Fraser's team were down by three shots to one after three ends, but fought back with scores of two and four to lead 7-3. A & A took two shots in  the remaining ends and the final score was Gangrels 7 Ayr & Alloway 5.

The other game featured Ronnie Wilson for Ayr & Alloway against Bob Cherry and his Gangrels.  It was closely fought in the early ends and A & A led by 5 shots to 4 after 5 ends.  A & A then scored a well made 4 shots to lead by five with one end to play.  Gangrels took one but were well beaten by 9 shots to 5.

Current League positions are shown below

PRESIDENT’S CUP LEAGUE /CRAWFORD CUP RESULTS 2025/26

Round 3 (2 Feb 26)

Rink       Skip                Played   Won    Drawn    Lost    Points    Ends+ Ends-   Shots+ Shots-    Position

Gan 1   Cherry                 2          0            0             2           0             5        9              7       18              5

A&A ;A1 Baines               2           1            0            1           2            8        5           18         11              3

Gan 2     Galloway           2           1            0            1           2            8         5           12          9              4

A&A ;A2 H Kennedy       2           0            0            2           0            4         9             7         22              6

Gan 3        Gray                2           2            0            0           4            6         7           12           8              2

A&A ; A3 Graham           2           2            0            0           4            7         6            14          8               1

WILKIE TROPHY v TARBOLTON MON 19 JAN 26

 The annual Wilkie Trophy match against Tarbolton was played at Greenaces on Mon 19 Jan.  This trophy was presented by Ian Wilkie of Tarbolton CC in 2002 and has been competed for annually except during COVID closure of Ayr Ice Rink.  During this period, Tarbolton has won it 12 times and Gangrels 10 so today's game, if won, could close the gap!  Gangrels 1 (R Peat (S), S McFadzean, J Niblock, D Cattanach) lead the charge on Sheet A against Tarbolton 1 (C Van Hadegan (S), N Mackie, C Clow, N Lambie) but did not fare well to eventually lose 5-10.  On Sheet B, Gangrels 2 (E Lawrence (S), P Galloway, D Graham, D Stubley) sought to subdue Tarbolton 2 (G Hunter (S), D McNaught, G MacQuarrie, J Muirhead) after they surged in to a 5 shot lead after 3 ends.  This they did by scoring well in the 4^th and 5^th ends to finally win 10-7.  As the winning score was to be based on cumulative shots up, Tarbolton won the Wilkie Trophy by 2 shots.  Custody of the handsomely turned wooden trophy was transferred to Tarbolton's President Carlos until the next meeting in Jan 2008.

PRESIDENT’s CUP LEAGUE AND CRAWFORD CUP ROUND 2 RESULTS

 Following the Masters at Greenacres over the weekend, the ice was in superb condition for the second round of the President's Cup League (GCC/A&A) and Crawford Cup (A&A) on Mon 2 Feb.  Leading the way on Sheet A, A&A 2 (H Kennedy (S), J Shanks, G Todd, J Cherry) played A&A3 (D Graham (S)(sub R Wilson), K Ireland, L Wilson, D Haddow).  A&A 3 opened the scoring but A&A 2 pulled back to have both sides peeling 3-3 at the end of the 4th.  A&A 3 then took a well crafted steal of 4 followed by 2 singles in the last 2 ends to win 9-3.

On Sheet B, Gangrels 2 (P Galloway (S), J Niblock, R Charters, J Bloomfield (sub E Lawrence) were to tussle with Gangrels 3 (D Gray (S), G Watson (sub P Reynolds), F Hogg, A Henry.  This was going to be a hard fought event and so it proved.  Gangrels 2 took singles in the first 3 ends but Gangrels 3 replied in style by guarding their lying stones in the next 2 ends to lead 4-3 going in to the 6^th and final end.  With his last stone, David Gray drew superbly to sit on the button with little margin for removing.  The last stone of the game was going to be crucial if a peel was to be secured, but while seeking to follow David's previous shot in to the house, it lacked that smidgen of weight to take the score.  Gangrels 3 therefore won 5-3.

The overall results for the events is as shown.

PRESIDENT’S CUP LEAGUE /CRAWFORD CUP RESULTS 2025/26

Round 2 (2 Feb 26)

Rink       Skip                Played   Won    Drawn    Lost    Points    Ends+ Ends-   Shots+ Shots-    Position

Gan 1   Cherry                 1           0            0            1           0            2         5            2          9               6

A&A1 Baines          1           1            0            0           2            4         2           13        4                3

Gan 2     Galloway           2           1            0            1           2            8         5           12        9                1

A&A2 H Kennedy   2           0            0            2           0            4         9             7       22               4

Gan 3        Gray                1           1            0            0           2            3         3             5          3               5

A& A3 Graham       1           1            0            0           2            5         2             9          3               2

Kennedy Pairs

 After a 3 year gap following the closure of Ayr Ice Rink, 8 Gangrel stalwarts formed 4 Rinks to compete in the Kennedy Pairs competition as shown in the Fixture List Issue 2 at Greenacres on Mon 12 Jan.  It was structured as a knockout with 4 ends and 3 stones each to lead in to Low and High Road finals.  In the first round, David Gray and David Stubley faced Peter Galloway and Gordon Todd which was a close run fixture ending equal on shots and ends.  In the resolving draw to the button, David Gray bettered Peter Galloway's shot to win and move into the High Road Final.  Next up, Ally Henry and Gillian Watson faced off against Ronnie Peat and Jimmy Niblock to take a decisive single in the last end to win and also move in to the High Road final.

After a short break, Galloway/Todd and Peat/Niblock played in the Low Road Final.  The formers were 4 shots up going in to the 3^rd end but the latter pair took a single and then lay 3 which Peter Galloway could not displace.  Having peeled, the draw to the button saw Peter do so exactly to win.

In the High Road, Gray/Stubley v Henry/Watson, the formers lead the way and kept their noses in front to win 3-2 in a close and highly competitive round.  David Gray and David Stubley therefore win the Kennedy Pairs Trophies which will be awarded at the AGM on 23 Mar."

President's Cup

 Following the excesses or otherwise of the festive period, 4 Rinks from Gangrels and A&A met on the restored ice at Greenacres following their new ice plant minor repairs in the first round of the President's Cup League on Mon 5 Jan 26.  Gangrels 1 (B Cherry (S), Peat (sub Watson), Niblock (sub McFadzean), Mutter) shook New Year hands with Gangrels 2 (Charters(S), R Wilson, Galloway, Lawrence) on Sheet D while A&A1 (Baines (S), Graham, Todd, J Cherry) did the same with A&A 2 (Mitchell (S), Shanks, Haddow, Thow) on Sheet C.

Gangrels 2 took early steals in  the first 2 ends to be 4 up going in to the 3rd.  Gangrels 1 then took singles in the next 2 ends to reduce the deficit but Gangrels 2 kept ahead with some adroit guard

 defence to take the final 3 ends to win 9-2.

      

Rink  Skip    Played  W D L   Points Ends+   Ends- Shots+ Shots- Position

Gan 1 Cherry 1      0 0 1 0 2 5  2              9               4

A&A1 Baines 1 1 0 0 2 4 2 13              4               2

Gan 2 Charters 1 1 0 0 2 5 2 9              2               1

A&A2 Mitchell 1 0 0 1 0 2 4 4             13               3

Gan 3 Gray 0 0 0 0 0 0        0 0 0              0                 5=

A&A3 Wilson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0     0                 5=

Drew Duncan Quaich

 "The last Club competition of 2025, the Drew Duncan Quaich, took place at Greenacres on Mon 15 Dec with 4 Rinks participating.  This event involved playing 8 Ends with each member of the Rinks playing 2 Ends in each of the  Rink positions (Lead, Second, Third and Skip) in rotation.  Rink 1 (Charters, Cattanach, Watson, Cherry) faced a reduced Rink 2 (McFadzean, Gray, Stubley) who were missing a player due to sudden compassionate circumstances but David Stubley's return fitness to play, especially at short notice, was very welcome.  Sheet D suited Rink 1 who took charge from the outset and scored in every End, other than the 3^rd, to close the game 15-2 winners.  On Sheet C, Rink 3 (Chapman, Hogg, Todd, Peat) were against Rink 4 (Graham, Mutter, Niblock, Galloway) with play results much more closely matched.  Rink 4 opened the scoring and were 5-1in the lead by the midway point but Rink 3 replied by taking 2 singles in the 6^th and 8^th Ends to allow Rink 4 to shake hands as winners 8-3 over 5 Ends.  No scores had been recorded on the scoreboards during the games so no-one was aware of progress throughout the games or the endings."

Once the scorecards had been scutinised, the overall winners were declared as Rink 1 (R. Charters, D. Cattanach, G. Watson, B Cherry) who were congratulated on their prowess and will be awarded the trophy at the AGM on Mon 23 Mar 26.