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Scottish Curler future

The Scottish Curler magazine has been saved! The reaction of subscribers to the news that it would not be published after this season has led to a change of mind at Clyde and Forth Press.

The publishers have made the following statement:

"Following the recent announcement that the Scottish Curler was to close, its publisher Clyde & Forth Press Ltd, has received a huge amount of feedback from readers disappointed that the magazines was to cease publication after the May edition.

In light of this feedback it has been decided to continue the publication next season.

With Bob's impending retirement after a tremendous tenure as Editor we will work to create a new editorial perspective and the Curler will emerge for the 2009/10 season full of life and raring to go."

However unexpected this news, I welcome it and I am delighted that the title is to continue as a print magazine. The first Scottish Curler was published in January 1954.

Bob

The End

If you are missing Curling Today, please go here.

I refer to my previous post here. The April Scottish Curler magazine goes to print tomorrow with the following statement from the publisher, Clyde and Forth Press:

"Despite our exhaustive efforts to find a new publisher for the Scottish Curler we have not been successful. Therefore, regrettably, the Scottish Curler will cease to be published after the forthcoming May edition. Subscribers who have paid for editions into next season will have outstanding amount from their subscriptions refunded. Readers will receive a direct communication to this effect in due course."

I would like to thank all those who have supported the magazine during my tenure as Editor over the past seven years, and to all who have contributed, especially the Team - you know who you are!

This news means that this is the last post on the Curling Today blog, whose purpose has been to promote and support the magazine.

This link is to my own personal blog (it's an addiction) if you want to follow what the future holds for me. There may even be the odd piece of curling news there. If you want to contribute to discussions on the future of curling communication in Scotland, then the Scottish Curler Forum is where to go.

Curling Today's old posts (all 864 of them) will stay live for a while.

David Smith and I intend to continue with the Curling History blog, and maybe I'll have time soon to contribute more to this.

I'm still looking for your memories of the Scottish Curler, which was first published in January 1954, for the final May issue. These and personal messages can be sent to: Hoglinewamphray /at/ live.com, or to the addressses in the front of the printed magazine.

Thank you to all who have read and followed the blog, and goodbye for now.

Bob

Cupar progress

The Fife Curling Trust are progressing their plans for a curling facility in Cupar. Our previous post about the project is here. The news today is that a site has been secured in Duffus Park in partnership with Cupar Cricket Club. The cricket club will utilise the building in the summer months, thus giving the facility year round activity and revenue and fostering a sense of community round the facility. They will obviously use it for changing and clubhouse facilities and also use the ice hall for indoor practice during inclement weather.

Both Elmwood College and Bell Baxter High School, which are close by, are keen to utilise the curling rink for their students!

The prospectus is now available, see here. Now really is the time for curlers in the local area, and throughout Scotland, to get behind the project! I'm going to buy a brick, I hope you will too.

The Trust Chairman, David Steel, says, "Now we have a definite timescale to work to and hopefully all going well, we will be operational for Sept 2010."

April 09 - issue building tender
May 09 - appoint preferred main contractor
May 09 - stage 1 sportscotland application
June 09 - detailed planning application
Oct 09 - Stage 2 sportscotland application
Dec 09 - sportscotland decision
Spring 2010 - Start construction
Sept 2010 - Open new ice rink

Best wishes to all involved. Make the dream a reality! Scottish curling needs this to happen.

Scottish Wheelchair Curling Championship

The Scottish Wheelchair Championship was held at Curl Aberdeen at the weekend.

The semis matched Gregor Ewan’s Moray team against Mo Simpson’s Highland side, and Michael McCreadie, Braehead, faced Jim Sellar of South Lanarkshire. All the results and linescores can be found here. Ewan and McCreadie progressed to contest the final.

Gerald Pocock, Jim Elliot, Aileen Neilson and skip Michael McCreadie stole a single at the fifth to lead 5-3. But the title was decided on the last stone in the eighth end. The Braehead skip had to tap back an Elgin shot to win, and did so. Gregor Ewan, Norman Anderson, Jim Gault and Michael Mackenzie were the runners-up.

Above L-R: Aileen Neilson, Michael McCreadie, Gerald Pocock and Jim Elliot with the trophy. Photo by Judy Mackenzie. Thanks to Judy for this and the report.

Pairs and Gatherings

Royal Club Manager of Competitions, Colin Hamilton, not only organises the main events, but he usually plays in them too. And wins them. Today at Stranraer, with Sean Murphy, he captured the National Pairs title, for the third time, following previous success with Vic Moran in 1989 and Trevor Dodds in 1991. Find all the results here.

Now, thanks to Scottish Curler team member Robin Copland for the following:

"For the past five years one of the highlights of the curling year in Edinburgh has been the International Curlers Gathering organised by Colin McCall and the Penicuik Curling Club. This year’s competition was no exception and curlers travelled to the event from Canada, St Petersburg in Russia, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Slovakia and Germany. There were eleven foreign teams in total, the other seventeen teams being Scottish.

All the teams were asked to identify themselves. Some did so in traditional style – thus the Musketeers and Merchiston; others tried a mix of the old and the new, for example the Inverkeithing Royals; then there was the plain eccentric – the B-52’s, Medved, the Corrie Fisters, Puigcerda and the unpronouncable AnderChristalwake!

The Musketeers (Hamish Lorrain-Smith, Alan Chalmers, Struan Macnee and John Munro) successfully defended their title.

This competition is about much more than winning and losing; it really is a celebration of curling and the making and renewing of curling friendships. A successful ceilidh was enjoyed by many of the competitors on the Saturday night. The rink was filled to bursting throughout the weekend and even the prizegiving ceremony – traditionally attended these days by one man and his dog – was a celebration of the event with the upstairs bar at Murrayfield filled to capacity. The ceremony was chaired by Colin McCall and the prizes were presented by the Rt Hon George Grubb, Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh."

Top: Janet McMillan presents the Pairs trophy to Sean Murphy and Colin Hamilton. Photo courtesy of Gail McMillan.

Above: The winning Musketeers with the Lord Provost. L-R: Alan Chalmers, John Munro, Rt Hon George Grubb, Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, Hamish Lorrain-Smith and Struan Macnee. Photo courtesy of Robin Copland.