Pairs Trophy is won by Gerry and Euan

There was some really good curling last night and many closely fought contests as the High Road and Low Road Semis and Finals were played.

High Road
David Gray and Jimmy Niblock beat David Hope and Robert Boyd in their semi final where they met Gerry Watson and Euan Lawrence.  They had beaten Charlie Jack and Ronnie Peat in the other semi.

The final was a close game with singles taken by Euan and Gerry in the first two ends, but the game changed when they stole a 4 in the third. At 6-0, the game was over and David and Jimmy shook hands.

Pairs Winners - High Road 2014
Gerry Watson and Euan Lawrence
(Note Euan hiding his non Gangrel sweater!)

High Road Runners Up
Jimmy Niblock and David Gray

Low Road

The first semi in the low road was as close as could be with the teams finishing on 6 shots each after 4 ends - high scoring indeed!

It required a draw by the skips to decide the winner and President Bob Cherry distinguished himself by covering the button with his stone. Peter Kennedy, playing with David Moulds, couldn't quite match that and Bob and George Hodge progressed to the final, where David Hope subbed for Bob, who couldn't stay.

The other semi was also close but was won by Russell Boyd and Bob Grassom, who beat Ken Ross and Colin Naismith.

The final was again decided by the last stone with David Hope playing an excellent take out to lie one and win the game 3-2.

Low Road Runners Up
Bob Grassom and Russell Boyd

Low Road Winners
David Hope and George Hodge

GB Women win Bronze Medal

In a fantastic game of curling, Eve Muirhead's team game out fighting in the second half.  They were tied at 3-3 after 5 ends and really put the pressure on Miriam Ott's Swiss team.

In the 9th end, leading by one shot Eve played a great tap with her last to lie three.  This followed excellent precision play by her team and forced Miriam to draw for a one, tie the game and leave GB with last stone in the 10th.

Two great tick shots from Claire Hamilton set up the end and all the team played well leaving Eve with a four foot draw, played perfectly, to win the game and Bronze for Britain. Heartiest Congratulations to Eve, Anna, Vicki and Claire.

You may also be interested in this video clip, which Bob Cherry found amusing.

Men's Final tomorrow at 1.30.

Second Round of Pairs Competition

It's always encouraging to see Gangrels turning out at 9.30, and indeed 10.30, to play some Pairs on a Monday night. There were some good games played last night and the winning teams will now play in the semis of the High and Low Roads on 25th February.
The semis start at 5.00  and 6.00 and the finals at 7.15 and 8.15.

Here are the draws for the semi finals The finals follow on thereafter.

25.2.14

Playing at 5.00 pm
Top Half High Road
David Hope & R Boyd   v   D Gray and J Niblock

Top Half Low Road
G Hodge & B Cherry     v   P Kennedy and D Moulds

Playing at 6.00 pm
Bottom Half High Road
G Watson & E Lawrence  v R Peat & C Jack

Bottom Half Low Road
Russell Boyd & B Grassom  v  K Ross & C Naismith

Gangrels v Ayr & Alloway

A close (ish) finish, but ultimately a win for Ayr & Alloway.

Bob Cherry and his team of David Gray, Ernest Mutter and Robert Boyd had a close game but in the end were three down to Jim Nelson's A & A rink.
In the other game, Ronnie Peat, Charlie Jack, Richard Morrison and Ken Ross were leading by one shot at the last end.  In a do or die attempt at scoring a 3 or 4 to win the overall game, Ronnie chose the wrong side of a front A & A stone to hit - not deliberately - and this had the unfortunate consequence of removing his own two stones and leaving the opposition with a lot of theirs in the house.
Eventual score Ayr & Alloway 15, Gangrels 7.
Both games were played in good spirit, continued afterwards in the bar.

President's Cup Final

The final tonight saw Steell McFadzean's unbeaten rink come up against Ronnie Peat's team.  Jim Dunlop, who had skipped Ronnie's team in all the previous rounds was on holiday, so Jim Hendry took over the duties with David Hope coming in at third.
George Hay, skipping the McFadzean team, took single shots at the first and third ends but lost a four and a six at the second and fourth, and eventually shook hands with the score at 11-4 to Jim Henry, David Hope, Peter Reynolds and Ronnie Peat.

President's Cup Winners 2014
Jim Hendry (skip), David Hope, Peter Reynolds, Ronnie Peat

Runners Up
Colin Naismith, Steell McFadzean, Peter Galloway, George Hay (skip)

First Round of the Pairs Competition

The draw for the second round of the pairs is as follows.   Winners of tonight's First Round matches will be playing in the High Road and Losers in the Low Road.

All games will be next Monday, 17th February.  I have used the teams shown in the original draw.

Playing at 9.30 on 17th

High Road

G Hay and D Hope         v        J Dunlop and P Reynolds
D Gray & J Niblock        v        A Thomson & F McCrossin

Low Road

R Wilson & R Morrison  v       G Hodge  & B Cherry
E Mutter & P Kennedy   v       A Hastie & D Kidd

Playing at 10.30 on 17th

High Road

G Watson & E Lawrence v     P Galloway & D Scott
R Peat & C Jack              v     D Cattenach & S McFadzean

Low Road

H Peters & B Charters     v     Russell Boyd & B Grassom
B McKay & S Thomson  v     K Ross & C Naismith

President's Cup Semi Finals

Tonight saw wins for Steell McFadzean and Ronnie Peat.  Steell 's team was in the capable hands of George Hay as they beat Jimmy Begg's team by 7 shots to 3, thus gaining revenge for their defeat on Monday in the Kirkbride Rose Bowl.
The other semi was a close game, but Jim Dunlop skipped Ronnie Peat's team to a three shot victory over Euan's team, skipped by Bob Grasssom.
The final will be played next Tuesday at 5.00 pm.

Kirkbride Rose Bowl Round 1

Four first round ties last night and Euan Lawrence booked the first of the High Road semi final slots by beating Bert McKay's team 13-3.
The other three games were far closer, none more so than Jimmy Begg against Steell McFadzean. They were tied at 8-8 after eight ends and had to resort to the dreaded draw shot challenge to decide the winner. Having fought back from 8-2 down over the last three ends, the momentum was with Jimmy's team and he did the necessary to win an exceedingly close game.
There good wins also for Bob Cherry, who beat Ronnie Peat 5-3, and David Hope, who took a 4 at the last end to beat Charlie Jack 10-8.
The semis are in 4 weeks time, on 3rd March.  Everyone is still in the competition and the draw for the High and Low Roads can be found here.