Curling resumed in Moray Province West following the Christmas and New Year recess and in Division 1 it was a successful start to the year for Nairn pieman Ali Asher. He was always in control against title challenger Ally Fraser. An opening end deuce,a steal of 3 in the fourth end and another single steal in the fifth gave the Baker a 7-1 lead. Fraser’s men hit back with a 3 and a steal of their own, but it was too little too late as Asher claimed a 7-5 win. In the Nairn club derby, Mike McInnes was hot at the second end , scoring 4 to lead 4-1. This was to be the high point however, as clubmate Larry Kerr proceeded to add to his score at all the next 5 ends for a comfortable 8-4 victory.

In Division 2, pacesetter Angus Forbes was involved in a real struggle against  Fiona Steel’s Nairn Ladies . The game went right down to the wire as the Forbes four just about held their nerve to edge  out the girls 6-5. Fellow table topper Jamie Cattell, meanwhile, had a bit of a nightmare night,  losing 8-2 to Dalcross Dynamo Ian Thomson. Cattell could only mark up 2 single shot ends as Thomson came on strong with a 3 at the fifth end and then a couple of good steals in a comprehensive 8-2 victory. Forbes now leads the table from Cattell on ends scored.