Whilst snow disrupted this week’s Moray Province curling programme,there was no hampering Moray curlers at the Scottish Junior Curling Championships at Curl Aberdeen last weekend. Moray’s very own Olympic Gold medallist Janice Rankin M.B.E. successfully coached Forfar’s Team Soutar to the Women’s title and son Ben made it a Rankin outing to remember as his rink of brother Fraser, Elliot Cullerton and Jamie Gorman coached by Alan Campbell were narrowly pipped in the semi final by the eventual Junior Men’s winners.
Congratulations to all!
Difficult road conditions led to a couple of Province League East postponements but didn’t prevent the joint Division 1 leaders maintaining their 100% season 24/25 record .
Steve Rankin’s Buckie team were always ahead against Donald Ross and his Sunninghill rink. The hotel crew could only manage 3 single shots and ,5-2 in arrears after 6 ends,a Rankin 3 at the next put the cherry on a convincing Buckie victory.
Andy Cameron lost an opening end single but then went on a 4 end scoring rampage before Charle Watt jnr’s Forres replied with a 3 shot pick up in end 6. The Aberlour team hit back immediately with a triple of their own in the next end and at the bell, Cameron was a clear 10-4 winner.
In Division 2 , the Forres v Elgin game was as good as over after the first end as Mike MacDonald hit Andrew Allardyce, at least metaphorically, with a score of 6 shots. A steal of 2 for an 8-0 lead rubbed salt into the Elgin wound before Allardyce and co managed their 3 single shot ends, leaving MacDonald to keep his 100% League record intact in a 12-3 win.
Mike Watt’s new look Fochabers rink looked to be in control of their game against Ben Rankin’s Juniors with a healthy 6-1 lead after 5 ends before Rankin roared back with a 5 shot count at the sixth to level up the match. A single steal at the last was enough for the Juniors to sneak ahead for an unlikely but nevertheless well warranted win.
In the West, the Division 1 battle of the alleys was won by Ardclach’s Ally Fraser. 5-0 behind after 4 ends, Ali Asher counted a deuce at the fifth but lost a painful quartet of counters at the last to give the Ardclach rink a 9-4 victory.
Ali Asher has recently become President of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club , the most prominent position in Scottish Curling and a wonderful honour for both Ali and the whole of Moray Province. We wish him all the very best for a successful and enjoyable year in office.
p.s. If that mention doesn’t get me some free pies,then nothing will.
Bill Jaffrey
Moray Province Curling – Home Ice Rinks: Elgin Leisure Centre & Inverness Ice Centre