STRANRAER REPORT AND RESULTS

 Once again, 16 Gangrels made up 4 Rinks for the first start of season social day's curling at the North West Castle (NWC) on Wed 23 Oct.  We could not have asked for nicer autumnal weather for the journeys to and from Stranraer.  The quality of the ice, ambience and snack lunch food was, as usual, first class.

The competition scoring was initially announced as being based on cumulative shots up with the morning Rinks being swopped for play in the afternoon  session and the former Skips then leading.  However, the structure of all the Rinks was such that they were all very closely matched and the high scoring rounds of previous visits were not repeated.  As a consequence, the Match Secretary recommended that the scoring be changed to a conventional points, ends and shots up system.

Team Wilson (Wilson (S), Charters, Peat, Chapman) played on sheet 3 against Team Cattanach (Cattanach (S), Hogg, Lawrence, Dunlop) while on sheet 4, Team Hope (Hope (S), McFadzean, Galloway Mutter) faced Team Niblock (Niblock (S), Graham, Cherry, Reynolds).  At the lunch break, Team Wilson were in the lead with Teams Niblock and Hope hard on their heels.  After a most enjoyable soup, sandwiches and traybake lunch, the Rinks returned to the ice on Sheets 1 and 2 with the leaders Team Charters/Wilson against Team McFadzean/Hope and Team Hogg/Cattanach against Team Graham/Niblock.  Once again, the level of play on both sheets was extremely close , competitive and fun.  The final results table is can be found here.  (Sorry, but my computer link is not behaving itself - I'll try to fix it soon.)

In closing, President Donald thanked all of the NWC staff for making the day such a pleasure and presented the prizes to the winning Rink."

First Game of Season - Fraser Cup Game 1

The first round of the Fraser Cup and first game of the new season was played at Greenacres on Mon 7 Oct with modified Rinks 3 and 4 competing for the first result of the new season.  It had been a bumpy start with Greenacres having to delay their opening date due to ice pad problems and 4 of the nominated players as shown in the Fixture List being unavailable to compete.  As a consequence,  2 Reserves and 2 of the nonplaying members from Rinks 1 and 2 magnanimously stepped in to fill the gaps.  

President Donald welcomed everyone to a well appointed Greenacres venue and sparkling ice which was to prove testing in its keenness but relatively unpredictable swing.  At the end of the second end, Rink 4 (R Peat (S), P Galloway, D Haddow and A Chapman) had a 3 stone lead.  But this did not last long.  Rink 3 (E Lawrence (S), D Gray, S Bloomfield and D Cattanach) clicked in to top gear and took the next 4 ends in very competitive play.  At the close of the 7^th end, they were in the lead 5 - 4 with 5 minutes to the bell. 

The final and 8^th end was going to be close fought thing which they won by a single stone which had been well protected from the take out initiatives of Rink 4.  The final result was 6 - 4 to Rink 3 and all agreed that it had been a most challenging and enjoyable start to the new season.   The results table is shown below.

                                      FRASER CUP RESULTS 2024/25

                                                       Week 1

The league table can be found by clicking here.

The next game on 14 Oct is the first of the 6 mini-league 2 Rink games against A&A and it is hoped that the standard of play seen today prevails and that both Gangrels Rinks win their games.

Rink 1:  J Begg, F Hogg, D Graham, S McFadzean

Rink 2:  D Cattanach, B Cherry, R Charters, A Chapman

Rink 3:  E Lawrence, D Gray, J Niblock, G Watson

Rink 4:  R Peat, P Galloway, P Reynolds, P Kennedy

 

Skips rotate as required and shown in the Fixture List on a game by game basis.