Gormac Glamour at Greenacres

Now, I know this is a family blog and I've cropped the photo above so it's not too revealing (shame, I can hear the shouts already). Katarzyna (Kasia) Selwant was Miss January in the first curling glamour calendar produced by Ana Arce last year. I confess I didn't turn over the pages of that calendar for some six months, such was the attraction of this beautiful curler from Warsaw. You can see more of Kasia here.

So when I encountered her at Greenacres on Saturday, competing in the 4th Gormac Irish International Bonspiel with teammates Krystyna Beniger, Anna Fijalkowska and Magda Dobiszewska, it really did make my day. And I am pleased to report that she is just as attractive a person with her clothes on as she is without! (That's the first time I've ever written that sentence!)

The curling was good too. Twenty teams in the event. Good prizes, good fun, good ice, a top class meal and party on the Saturday night. A typical Gormac Irish spiel!

Anyway, back to glamour calendars. Coincidentally (and it surely is no coincidence) also competing in the Gormac was Ana Arce herself, with a team from Andorra. Plans for another calendar for 2008 have not been confirmed. I asked and got an evasive reply! Sounds like the next one, if it happens, might run over a curling season, like an academic diary, beginning from next summer. Watch Ana's website here.

Know what I think? I think that Ana was on a scouting mission to see if she could persuade some of the Irish to pose for her. No, I don't necessarily mean just the Irish women such as Marie O'Kane, I think she was propositioning the Peter Wilsons, Neil Fyfe and John-Jo Kenny and other members of the Irish Curling Association!

I don't know, an Irish alternative glamour calendar (Shamrocks on Ice?) might be a big seller and make the Irish curlers a lot of money, which is what Ana's efforts are all about. Then again ......... I think I'll just put the 2006 calendar back on the wall!

Above: Ana Arce; the Andorran team (Arnau Friguls is skip, Merce Pascual, Andrew Ferguson Smith and Ana Arce are the sweepers); Krystyna Beniger, skip of the Polish ladies' team, discusses options with Kasia as Scott Lumsden and Tommy Campbell watch behind(s); Kasia getting excited; potential models for a future calendar - Peter Wilson (front) and Gary Macfarlane. Photos by Bob.