International Junior Camp for Dumfries

This week, top junior curlers from Scotland, the winners of the U-17 Slam events, have been enjoying themselves at the World Curling Federation's Junior Camp in Fussen, Germany. If past camps are anything to go by, the young curlers will be having a great time, learning more about the sport and making new friends from elsewhere in the curling world.

The Royal Caledonian Curling Club will run two junior camps this summer (July 20-25 and August 3-8) using ice at the Galleon Centre, Kilmarnock and the facilities of Dolphin House, Culzean. Some photos from last year are here and here. The camps have been organised by Development Manager Judith McFarlane, currently in Fussen as is Dumfries Area Development Officer Graham Sloan.

The second of the two Scottish camps will have an international flavour. Kirsten Groenseth will be bringing the winning team from the Norwegian junior girls 13- 16 curling championships to Scotland.

Judith has talked about her plans to hold a full international camp here in Scotland, complementing the WCF efforts. The Ice Bowl in Dumfries was identified as a possible venue. And, probably well in advance of any official announcement, the news is already out in the public domain. Earlier this week (here) I said that the Homecoming Scotland initiatives did not seem to include any curling. I was wrong!

The programme of events (the cover is pictured above) can be downloaded from here. It flags up an INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CURLING CAMP next year. Referring also to the European Curling Championships taking place in Aberdeen in December next year, the programme says, "Young people from across Scotland and Europe will be inspired to improve their game at a curling camp assisted by top coaches and athletes. It’s a chance to meet fellow players from around the world and develop a lasting legacy of friendship in the country that invented the sport."

Dumfries is identified as the venue, with the dates still to be confirmed sometime in July or August 2009. An exciting prospect indeed! More details as they become available.

The juniors who won the opportunity to attend the WCF Junior Camp. Top L-R: Struan Wood, Colin Dick, Anna Sloan, Lauren Gray. Above: Jennifer Dodds, Tasha Aitken, Mairi Girvan, Mhairi Anderson. Photos by Bob.