Author Archives: captainken45

Indoor Grand Match

The draw for the Indoor Grand Match being staged on Saturday 24 October has been announced by the Royal Club.  Penicuik will be fielding three teams and their fixtures are as follows;

Strathspey 1                        v     Penicuik 3    Elgin 10.00am

Bridge of Allan                    v     Penicuik 1    Murrayfield 12.45pm

Dunfermline Ladies 1       v    Penicuik 2    Kinross 3.30pm

The Penicuik teams have been drawn and are as follows;

Elgin

Dave Carr, Ronnie Hope, Margaret Carr, and Christine Hope

Murrayfield

Walter Brown, Dave Anderson, John Jacobs, and Pauli Holmes

Kinross

Andrew Lambie, Murray Hope, Iain Scott, and Jim Cowper

Edinburgh International Curler’s Gathering

The Penicuik squad for the Gathering this year was led by President Jim Ramsay, Vice-president Dave Carr, and Andrew Lambie.  The other players included Liz Anderson, David Ballantyne, Margaret Carr, Andrew Dalgleish, Ronnie Hope, Janette Lambie, Pam Ramsay, and Jan Stuart.  Penicuik got off to a really good start with victories over Prairie Fire (Canada), Nic Nacs (Norway), and YODA (Scotland), and ended up in the top group for the final stages of the weekend tournament.  The Club teams put in some really good performances against seasoned teams of Midcalder, Red & Blue, and the Swiss Schimidis in their games, but just failed to turn it into points.  This top group was won by Midcalder.  

Murray Hope and John Jacobs enjoyed the opportunity to play as part of the Red & Blue team and featured well in a performance that took the team to a game that was the group decider in the final session of the tournament. 

Iain Scott kindly agreed to supplement another Swiss team, CC Limmattal, who had lost a player to injury back home in Switzerland before the Gathering started.  This team went on to win Group C, so well done to Iain for his contribution.

Overall the Gathering was a great success yet again.  Jim Ramsay and your Web Master, of the EICG Organising Committee,  are indebted to the team of Penicuik members who always appear to make the event work, assisting with transport for our visitors, helping out at the ice rink, selling raffle tickets, and making the Dinner/Dance so enjoyable.

 

Closing Bonspiel

The last round-up in our club programme was the Closing Bonspiel on Wednesday 25 March.  Eight teams played seven ends against different opponents, in this very social event.  In a close finish, Ken Hunter’s rink with John Jacobs, Pam Ramsay, and Pauli Holmes, ended on +8 shots to pip Walter Brown’s rink on +7.  Having enjoyed success in the Opening Bonspiel,  Andrew Lambie’s rink ran out with the Wooden Spoons on this occasion.

Afterwards, Members retired to the Murrayfield Dining Room to enjoy supper together and a few refreshments.  Our thanks go to Jean Lennie for her sponsorship of the prizes for the Bonspiel.

Glenfarclas Province League Playoff

Last night saw the end of season playoffs for the divisional titles in the Province League. Penicuik, having topped the Division III league, played second placed team, Stewarts Melville.  Your Web Master was given the opportunity to join the Penicuik ‘Young Guns’, substituting for team captain Dave Anderson.  The ice was very keen for a 5.30pm start, and this led to a lot of play at the back of the house in the initial ends.  Stewarts Melville took the early initiative with a two in the first end, followed by a steal of a single in the second end.  A well controlled strike with his final stone by skip Murray Hope gave Penicuik a single at the third end.  This proved to be the turning point in the game; Penicuik went on to take threes in both of the next two ends, and a two in the sixth end.  The game was concluded when Penicuik took a four at the seventh end.  Iain at lead, and John at second, both played well to set up each end and when necessary deal with threatening early shots by the opposition.  Murray led the team well and restricted any opportunities for the opposition to regain a foothold in the game.  Final score 13-3.

For my part it was a good opportunity to play with the guys and to see how they worked as a unit.  They may face harder opposition in Division II next season, but they can build on the experience gained this season to do well.

Balfron Invitational Bonspiel

Dave Anderson (skip), President Jim Ramsay (third), Liz Anderson (second), and Janette Lambie (lead) travelled through to Braehead on Saturday 7th  March to take part in the annual Balfron Invitational Bonspiel, involving eight rinks including two from Balfron, and one each from Bearsden Ski Club, Uplawmoor, Troon Portland, Harlequins, Loch Ard and Penicuik.

This was a closely contested, ends then shots-up, competition which is played over two four end games before and after lunch. The outcome  was two rinks finishing on 7 ends, three on 8 ends and three on 9 ends. Harlequins were 3rd on 9 ends (+ 1 shot), Bearsden Ski Club (last year’s winners) were runners-up on 9 ends (+ 2 shot)s and Penicuik were winners on 9 ends (+ 5 shots); so a Penicuik rink won the Balfron Crook for the second time in the competition’s history having previously won it in 2010

‘Many thanks go to President Jean, organisers Grant and Eileen, and the members of Balfron Curling Club for a most enjoyable day. We look forward to welcoming them to the Gathering when the engraved Crook will be presented’. – Dave Anderson

Glenfarclas Province League

Update from Team Captain Dave Anderson

The final game in this league was played on Thursday of last week, skipped by Murray Hope with Dave Anderson at 3, Iain Scott at 2 and John Jacobs at lead.  We managed to maintain our winning run by beating Boswell Curling Club by 10 shots to 2 and by 5 ends to 2, thereby finishing at the top of the Division III on the same points as Stewarts/Melville but with a better ends and shots difference. This means that we are promoted back into Division II, which will be a much harder task for us, but hopefully the experience of playing together this year will help in our endeavours in that Division. Many thanks go to Murray, Iain and John for making this season so successful and enjoyable to play in.

We now have the prospect of a play-off match against Stewarts/Melville to determine who takes the Division III title.

Waldie Griffith

Midlothian played Ayrshire  in the Waldie Griffith inter-province competition at Murrayfield on Monday 9 February at 3.00pm.  Penicuik provided one of four teams representing Midlothian in the fixture.

Overall, Midlothian won the match by 2 shots.  In their game, Penicuik beat Troon by 4 shots.  The Penicuik team was Walter Brown, Dave Anderson, Keith Morris, and John Jacobs.

Merchiston Team Points Match

The annual team points match against Merchiston took place on Sunday 8 February at 6.00pm.  The match involved eight players from each club.  The Penicuik team is as follows;

Dave Anderson, Walter Brown, Jim Cowper, Ken Hunter, John Jacobs, Keith Morris, Jim Ramsay, and Roger Scott.

Penicuik won the match with a score of 118 points against Merchiston’s total of 107 points.  The highest scorers for Penicuik were Dave Anderson (22), Walter Brown (19), and Ken Hunter (18).  Top scorers for Merchiston were Ron Eadie (18), Ross Angus (15), and three players were tied on 14 points.

Royal Club District Medal

Penicuik were drawn as the away side in a two-rink District Medal tie this season, against Glasgow Ladies at Braehead.  The game was played at Braehead on Monday afternoon 19 January. Traditionally our President and Vice-president raise the rinks for this fixture.

Match Report from Jim Ramsay.

The Glasgow (Girls) gave us a friendly, warm welcome.

Once on the ice both Penicuik teams won their first end.  By the fifth end, the end that usually changes, the game saw President Jim’s rink with 3 ends and 5 points.  Andrew Lambie, who was skipping the Vice-president’s rink for Dave Carr, also had 3 ends but were 1 down against the Glasgow side who had 5 points.

Jim lost a 2 in the 6th end which brought their game to 5 each.  Andrew gained 1 in his 6th end to also display a score of 5 to each side.

Nail biting stuff!  The Ice was very fast and gave huge draws.  The Glasgow sides were both playing at high levels and they, of course, knew the ice.

The game was to be played over 8 ends.  At the end of the 7th end, Jim’s rink scored a 1, while Andrew pulled away with a 3, leaving his team at 8 – 5!

End 8, and the President’s rink managed to secure the front of the house but Jim’s last stone found its way to the centre of the house.  Valerie, who had skipped her side well had an open house to draw to the Penicuik stone for a 1.  She was light and with the big swing on the ice, failed to reach the house, giving Jim, Dave A, Liz A and Pam a four.  OOPs, Andrew dropped a single in the 8th end but still won by 2 shots (Andrew, Dave C, Reg, Margaret).

 

Final Result Jim Ramsay(S), Dave Anderson(3),Liz Anderson(2) Pam Ramsay(1)

10 Points to 5 with 5 Ends against 3

Andrew Lambie(S), Dave Carr(3).Reg Dunbar(2),Margaret Carr(1)

8 Points to 6 with 5 Ends against 3

 

A worthwhile trip, well played,  in good spirit and The District Medal awarded to Penicuik!

West Linton Challenge Match

The annual match with our close neighbours West Linton was played on Saturday 17 January at 6.00pm.  By tradition, our President and Vice-president raise the rinks for this fixture; the teams were;

Jim Ramsay, Jean Lennie, Tom Alexander, and Pam Ramsay

Dave Carr, Andrew Lambie, Margaret Carr, and Janette Lambie

Shona Watt and Neil Calvert skipped the West Linton teams.

Match Report from Jim Ramsay.

Our President’s rink managed to steal one point at each of the first two ends, with Shona coming back in the Third and fourth ends with a one in each end.  On the other sheet, West Linton took a two but the next two ends went Penicuik’s way with a one and a two.

At the end of the fourth end both rinks were peeling with their opposition. Jims rink won the next three ends giving a score of nine points to two, while Dave won a further two ends to make his rinks final score seven points to four.

Overall Penicuik had 16 points with 9 ends with West Linton having 6 points and 5 ends.

We met before and after the game for some chat.  We all had a good social evening.  West Linton offered their best wishes for our Bi-Centinery celebrations next weekend.