Knockout Final

Team Carr: M. Carr, A. Moir, G. Cassie, S . Arakawa met with 

Team Anderson: K. Baptie, M. Hobbs, S. Blackwood, J. Hume on Thursday 27th February for the Final of the Knockout. 

The match started well for Team Carr gaining a shot at the first end. Team Anderson responded well with 3 shots over the next 2 ends. On end 4 Team Carr managed to get a good guard in place and came away with 2 shots to level the score. Another shot in the 5th end put Team Carr in the lead. Team Anderson came back strongly over the next 3 ends, however,  with some excellent draws and take outs and Team Carr were unable to respond. 

Well done to Team Anderson with a final score of 9-4.  

David Anderson who had come along to support his team congratulated both teams saying it had been a very enjoyable game to watch.

Report by Margaret Carr

The 2nd Points had a disappointing number of only 7 entrants. On the positive side the members in attendance did manage 9 out of the 10 disciplines played in Points. Nicki Cassie and dad Graeme took part in their own points battle and ended by Graeme just creeping a win in the last discipline. Also taking part were Reg Dunbar, Stuart Blackwood, President David, Secretary Jim and winner on the day Craig Brown with a score of 36 Points.

The Merchiston Team Points competition was held on 23rd February 2025.

Our team of Craig Brown, Iain Scott, Ian Matheson, Graeme Cassie, Reg Dunbar, Stuart Blackwood, Alan McDonald, and President David Gillespie enjoyed a very sociable game against Merchiston. Playing each discipline in just one direction allowed us to complete all the disciplines, which some of us had not previously done. 

The results were very close – the count was 114 to Penicuik and 113 to Merchiston – but one of the Penicuik team realised that his score was incorrect, and that he had been given a point in error – so we agreed that the result should be a draw, and that Merchiston should retain the trophy.

However – the following day – Iain recounted the results and identified a further arithmetical error, which would give Penicuik two more points – and happily for us Merchiston also spotted the error, and will return the trophy to us as winners. 

Overall best individual score was from Iain Scott on 24, closely followed by Craig Brown.

Played 5th January, 2025

The first game of the New Year might have been The Outdoor Medal but it was not to be and The Club Challenge took the place. Keith Morris put together a team of Martin Hobbs, Jean Noble and Norrie McLean to challenge Team Ramsay with Stuart Blackwood, Alan McDonald and Alex Moir who were the holders of the Crook.

It took Seven hard fought ends to determine a result in the first challenge of the season. Team Ramsay won the toss and managed a single point after a difficult first end. The Ice was keen and there appeared to be a huge last minute draw with most stones. However, not all stones performed to the same lines and this continued through the whole game. We later found that the stones had been given a ‘rub down’ over the Christmas break. End 2 went to Morris and 3 to Ramsay and then 4 to Morris with each scoring only 1 point in each. End 5 saw another 1 added to Team Ramsay. It was now Morris 2 and Ramsay 3. It appeared to be that everyone would take shots each winning the end where they had the hammer. In end 6 things looked a bit different with Morris lying with 4 with 1 stone left by each Skip. Jim Ramsay had tried to draw to the Shot stone with his first stone but was caught out by the sometimes massive draw. Keith had similar bad luck to guard the gap. The line in had been close with the first stone played, so it made sense to play the same again but be more ready for the draw. This time however, Team Ramsay’s stone did not draw as expected but did get a chance rub off one of their front stones. Stuart at Third saw the possible result and called Alex and Alan to sweep the stone into Shot. Unfortunately the stone was wide open for Keith to take with his last stone. Just like the opposition last stone, it didn’t draw and sailed passed the Blue counter. A slight advantage was now with Team Ramsay as the card read Morris 2 and Ramsay 4. End 7 was to be the final end. It was one of those ends that was played out at the back of the house (never good). Ramsay was determined to hold the Morris team to a maximum of 1. All yellow stones were put out of shot by excellent play by team members. By the last stone there was now a bank of Blue stones to come to for Keith who did take advantage and score a 1. Final Score Morris 3 and Ramsay 4. Team Ramsay retain The Crook until the next Challenge comes along. At this time it is a rink led by Kyle Baptie scheduled for 15th March but someone else may challenge before then. Well done to all players on the night with a special mention to Alex Moir who’s shoes came to pieces. Don’t worry! A new pair has been purchased for the next challenge. We did not go upstairs to relive the game because there was an anxiety to get home due to weather conditions.

Report by Jim Ramsay (trying to be non biased)

The Mid Bonspiel, played for the Marie Vinestock Trophy, is skipped by some of the ladies in our Club. The skips for this year were Saho Arakawa, Karen Black, Louise Clapperton, Jean Cassie, Jenny Wray and Jean Noble.

We were pleased that our sponsor for the event Jim Cowper was able to attend and enjoyed watching the games unfold. Barbara kept him company. 

After 7 competitive ends, we had clear winners and losers. As we had booked to eat at the Hampton Hotel, all gathered upstairs for the prize giving. 

The Boobie Trophy went to Skip Jean Noble and her team of Ian Mathieson, Alister McDonald and Graeme Cassie with a score of -8.

The clear winning team by 9 shots, on +10, was skipped by Louise Clapperton with Alex Moir, Jarrad Manesh and Margaret Carr

.

They started strongly amassing 14 shots to 0 after 5 ends – beating each of the other teams. Highlight of their games was wonderful shot played by Louise to raise a wide lying stone for an angled take out which drew applause from all who witnessed it!

Thanks to Geoff for the Report and Photographs

10 of our members played in the first Points of the season on 30th November. If there were medals on offer the Bronze would go to Craig Brown while Silver would be worn by President David. The Gold Medal winner, scoring 9 points above Silver was Iain Matheson who despite missing a score in the Wick & Curl in (as many did) totaled 35 Points.

Congratulations to Iain and all those that took part.

Please consider coming along to our next Points on 16th February, 2025.

On Wednesday 13th November 2024 Team Scott (I Scott, G Cassie, L Clapperton and 
N McLean) met with Team Carr ( M Carr, 
I Matheson, M Hobbs and H Clarke) for the Final of the Hurley Competition. 
It should be noted that L Clapperton with considerable dedication had interrupted her holiday to play. 
The 1st end proved to be very challenging with only one stone in the house after 9 stones had been played due to very slow ice and a huge draw. Team Carr managed to get another stone in the house to take 2. 
In the following 2 ends Team Scott played well to pull back to 2 all. 
The 4th end proved to be crucial with Team Scott lying 4 stones just behind the T line but unguarded when slightly fortuitously Team Carr managed to get a rub off a wide stone and roll in to take shot. Despite valiant efforts Iain S was unable to remove it. 
Team Carr then got their weight well making it difficult for Team Scott to respond and took the final 4 ends with a winning score of 10-2. 
Afterwards both teams retired upstairs for refreshments and pleasant conversation