The Edinburgh International Curler’s Gathering took place at Murrayfield over the weekend 18-20 March.  Whilst this event is not an official part of the club season, it is run by members of our club.  Fourteen overseas teams arrived from Canada, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Switzerland to join fourteen home teams.  The top group prize went to Limmattal 1 from Switzerland, and Canadian teams took the prizes for Group D and Group G.  In their games, The Penicuik team featured Dave Carr, Jim Ramsay, Andrew Lambie, Jean Lennie, Margaret Carr, John Glidden, Roger Scott, Ian Neil, Alicia Neil, and Elaine Lambie.   In the final stages they met ‘The Roaring Stones’, a team made up from other Penicuik members, and as you might expect this turned to be a very close  encounter.  

Jim Cowper volunteered to lead in one game for King Midas from Norway; Reg Dunbar played 5 games at lead for The Eh Team (Canada) with Ken Hunter substituting for him in the final game.

Your Reporter would like to thank all of the members who so willingly gave up time to help out with transport, carry out reception duties, assist in monitoring the scoring, and sell raffle tickets to raise funds for next year’s event.  The success of the Gathering is down to you.

The 2015-16 season wound up with the Closing Bonspiel on Wednesday evening (23 March).  Eight teams played 6 of the other teams in single end games.  A three-member team skipped by Iain Scott ran out clear winners on +17 shots; well done Iain, Jim Cowper, and Christine Hope.  Afterwards members joined together for the prize-giving and to share a meal together.

The first social fixture between the two clubs was played on Monday evening (29 Feb).  Jim Ramsay skipped the Penicuik rink, with Ken Hunter, Dave Carr, and Ronnie Hope.  The 37 Club rink was skipped by Mike Williamson, supported by Mike Wilkinson, Alastair Hay, and Eric Leslie.

The respective participants were all well known to each other and as a result the game, whilst competitive, was played in a most cordial spirit.  Afterwards the players shared a refreshment together in the Edinburgh Curling Club Bar, engaging in general chat about curling and club matters.  The discussion eventually touched on the future of this new fixture, and it was agreed that ice should be sought for a double rink match next season.  

Penicuik were invited to play in the Midcalder Bonspiel on the 7th February. Midcalder provided 3 teams to play against 3 invited teams, the winner being the team with the highest shots up. The winning team was a Midlothian team skipped by Graham Young. They beat the Penicuik team of Dave Carr, Andrew Lambie, Jean Lennie and John Glidden by 5 shots. (Dave Carr just missing out on draws to save the last 3 ends.)
Haddington won the prize for the best invited team, winning their game by 1 shot.
As usual the games were followed by a pleasant drink upstairs.

The Mid-bonspiel was held on Saturday afternoon (13 Feb).  Six teams vied to take the day, playing to a slightly different format.  The teams lined up on the starting grid all polished-up and ready to go, full of optimism about the forthcoming trials.  Turbo-charged Team D, with a third Skip in as a late replacement part, found the going harder than they would have hoped.  Progress was difficult if not impossible to monitor in the constantly changing arena, but as the event moved on Teams B & F quietly  moved up the leader board.  In the final lap it was Team B who took the chequered flag narrowly ahead of Team F.  Congratulations to Skip Christine Hope and her team Iain Scott, Colin Brown, and Ken Hunter.

Thanks also go to the Social Sub-committee in particular to Barbara Gillespie , for organising the event.  

Photographs can be viewed on the Competitions pages.

On 16th January, we played in the annual match against West Linton for the West Linton Trophy, a very nice glass trophy donated by Colin McCall a number of years ago.

The Penicuik teams were Dave Carr, Tom Alexander, Reg Dunbar and Margaret Carr; and Andrew Lambie, Ronnie Hope, Janette Lambie and Christine Hope.

Both games were close with the lead changing hands.  The first game to finish was Dave Carr v John Dykes, with John taking a single to tie the game at 4-4. Penicuik were looking good in the other game until Shona Watt played a great take out, which turned the game round and resulted in West Linton winning 7-5.

So, congratulations to West Linton for winning the trophy, which had been in Penicuik’s hands for a few years.

The evening ended with convivial refreshments!!

Dave Carr

A cold and icy early Saturday morning saw curlers making their way to the Navaar Hotel to board a coach bound for Greenacres.  A smooth trip across to the west bathed in the morning sun.  On arrival, the much anticipated bacon rolls were quickly produced to fuel the throng ready for battle.

The morning session was completed on ice that was good, and slightly different to that of our home rink.  The ice hall was filled with noise and raucous laughter as the teams competed to gain advantage.  Then a welcome lunch interval with the opportunity for a refreshment or two.  The afternoon session was restricted to 3 ends for each half game, with a refreshment break between.  In the end it was team Ramsay that prevailed to take the day on +12 shots; Team Hunter was in second place on +9, and Team Anderson was in third place on +5; wooden spoons went to Team Dunbar.  Congratulations to Jim, Liz, David, and Anne on their win.  We received a great welcome from the staff at Greenacres, and our thanks go to them for helping to make the day. 

Most of the participants and other members enjoyed supper together at the Navaar after our return to Penicuik.   The Social-subcommittee deserve our thanks for the success of the occasion, dealing with all of the detailed arrangements, organising the raffle, and running a quiz on the return journey.  Well done Jan, Barbara, Elaine, and John.

Although a couple of League games were played on Friday evening, our 2015-16 season got off to a formal start with the Opening Bonspiel on Sunday afternoon.  Each of eight teams played single ends against six of the other teams, ensuring a good mix on the afternoon.  Players who had not previously ventured onto the ice this season, strove to reach the peaks attained during the previous season (with mixed success).  After what seemed like a busy afternoon, members repaired to the bar and then partook of an enjoyable meal in the Murrayfield Club Room.

Success went to Team Ramsay who won on +11 shots.  Team Hunter were second on +9, and Team Anderson just pipped Team Brown to take third place on +1.  The booby prize went to Team Lennie.

Thanks go to sponsor Ian Neil, and to Barbara Gillespie and her colleagues on the Social Sub-committee for organising the event.

Full Results and photographs can be viewed on the Competition & Gallery Pages.

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.