Galleon wins Junior Challenge

The junior clubs played off for the Junior Challenge Division 1 trophy in four sections at Ayr this weekend. Only the top of each section qualified for the semifinals. Each club was represented by two teams, and this double rink format led to a number of close decisions - a single end could be the difference between progressing and heading home. You can find all the results on the Royal Club website here.

At the end of the day it was only ends and shots that saw the Galleon win over Lockerbie. Michael Reid's team defeated Graeme Black's Lockerbie side. Anna Sloan won her match against Galleon's Gavid Reid, and so with one win each it was ends and shots that decided that it was to be the Kilmarnock curlers who would be heading for the Bill Ross event in Sweden in March.

But here are some pics from Sunday afternoon to show our young curlers enjoying their sport! Indeed, it was a most enjoyable day all round at Ayr.

Gogar girls - Gina Aitken, Zoe Bain and Catriona Lean. The Ed's favourite pic. It's a hair thing. He is just jealous he doesn't have any anymore!

Three wise men from the East - Gogar Young Curlers from Murrayfield - Andrew Mooney, David Forrest and Bruce Mouat. This club fielded three teams of two rinks, but one of them (Gogar 3) was relegated after a playoff against Ayr. Perth, who pulled out before the event, were also relegated by default.

Lockerbie 1 in action in the final. Skip Graeme Black and Thomas Sloan are sweeping, with Kimberley Smith and Steven Mitchell behind.

Swish sweeping from Stirling. Daryl Russell and Derek Sloan. The Stirling Young Curlers lost to Galleon in the semifinal.

I wonder if he/she thought this morning, "I'll cheer Bob up by putting on these socks."

Don't look now guys but we're going to Sweden. Galleon's James Whiteford, Craig Kirkwood, and Michael Reid. Other captions are available! (Jennifer Martin was the third player, see below)

The eyes have it! Gogar's Rebecca Steven.

Michael Reid

Lockerbie's Claire Hamilton and Alice Spence sweep Hannah Fleming's stone in the final.

"Now, I know you're bigger than me, but could you just give me a little more ice for my next takeout." Dumfries.

Jennifer Martin and Craig Kirkwood

Graeme Black, here with Kimberley Smith and Steven Mitchell. You would have put money on Graeme and his team giving Michael Reid's side a close game in the final, but that's not the way it turned out. Slightly long in his draw against two in the second end saw the Black side fall 3-0 behind, and the Reid side did not allow them to get back.

Last stages of the league on Sunday morning.

It's all about body language! This is the other game of the final. I wonder which of Gavin Reid's team has flipped one wide? Anna Sloan watches.

Anyway, here they are - Eilidh Templeton and William Smith are the sweepers on Greg Matthew's stone.

There were lots of interesting heads in the Lockerbie - Hamilton semifinal.

Scotland's young curlers never fail to impress the Ed. This was reading material for one such during the final. Now, why do stones curl again?

And here are the winners. RCCC Area Standing Committee member Robert Boyd presents the trophy to the Galleon young curlers.

Pics by Bob.

Junior Challenge Division 1 at Ayr

The rink at Ayr plays host to the Scottish Junior Challenge Division One this weekend. Each junior club is represented by two teams. At least two of the players must be female, one of whom must throw skip, or third, stones.

The clubs competing at Ayr include Gogar, Hamilton, Greenacres, Lockerbie, Stranraer, Perth, Galleon, Forfar, Ayr, Stirling, Dumfries, Aberdeen and Braehead. Gogar fields three sides each of two teams, and Hamilton has two sides. The sixteen sides play in four sections of four with the winners in each section qualifying for semifinals on Sunday.

The results can be found on the Royal Club's website here.