Harbin update, updated, update

Sarah Reid's team missed out on the medals at the World University Games. The GB curlers lost to Canada in the semis, and to Russia in the bronze medal playoffs. Bingyu Wang's Chinese side beat the Canadians to take the gold.

The GB team was 5-1 up against the Canadians after five only to lose 7-5 to Nicole Hollie's side. Liudmila Privivkova's Russian team were 8-4 winners over GB.

In the men's event, Niklas Edin's Sweden beat Thomas Lovold's Norway in an extra end in the final. China won bronze over Korea.

There's a Canadian take on the women's semifinal and other aspects of the Harbin event here. I note that this blogger ventures to suggest that Liudmila Privivkova looks 'extremely burnt out'! Now, apart from the anguish that such a comment gives to all the members of Lucy's fan club, she obviously still had enough of a spark to beat the GB team.

And who is this blogger that is giving his opinions? None other than the Canadian Curling Association National Development Coach, Paul Webster! Now, is it just me, or is this not a brilliant innovation? National coaches having time/being encouraged to blog. I'm globsmacked. Would it not be great if Scotland's National Coach could put up a blog post every day from the World events? Or the GB team coaches could do it all next year. Perhaps twitter accounts would be better? No, more depth on a blog. Let's have womenscurlingGBcoach.blogspot.com, or davehayscurlinginsights.blogspot.com, or Rhonasrocks.blogspot.com, or delboyatGangneung.blogspot.com. Then we could get an insight into what they are thinking.

Sorry, forgot to take my medication.

GB in semis in Harbin

I don't have more than the bare result, but I was pleased to note this morning that Sarah Reid, Kay Adams, Vicki Adams and Sarah Macintyre, representing GB, have made it through to the semifinals of the World University Games in Harbin, China. They came back from a 5-1 deficit against Sarka Doudova's Czech Republic team to win 8-5. They will meet the undefeated Canadians in the semifinal tomorrow.

Elsewhere in the curling world

The GB teams at the World University Games have had their first games in Harbin. Sarah Reid's team lost to the Chinese favourites in their first game but beat Korea in their second match.

John Hamilton's team beat the USA in an extra end in their first round match.

Finding results is just a little problematic. This link takes you to the English home page. From there, click schedules and results on the left, and on the next page scroll down until you find 'curling', at the bottom. Click on that - and you are presented with another page that has little on it, except one link 'curling'. If you haven't lost the will to live by this time, click on that link and you will be presented with a page where you can download, as pdf files, all the draws!

It's rather easier to find the results from the EYOF in Poland thanks to curlinglive.com. Norway beat the Czech Republic for third place in the men's event, and now play Colin Dick's team in the semifinal. The GB women, skipped by Anna Sloan, missed out on a place in the final (with the guarantee of at least a silver medal) by less than a cm as the Draw Shot Distance was used to decide the rankings after three teams finished tied for first place in the rankings on 4 wins. The Swiss are through to the final. The GB team has to play Denmark, who beat them when they met this morning, in the semifinal.

The semifinal games are tomorrow.

And last but not least, the World Curling Tour Europe has relaunched itself as the Curling Champions Tour, see here.

This is a fascinating development, and more about it here in due course.

GB teams for Universiade

Here are the two GB curling teams at the airport today ready to depart for Harbin, China, to compete in the World University Games.

Back L-R: Michael Goodfellow, Sarah Macintyre, Vicki Adams, Sarah Reid, Kay Adams, Laura Kirkpatrick, Thomas Pendreigh. Front: Andrew Craigie, John Hamilton, Ian Copland.

Photo by Hugh Stewart.

Harbin bound

Sarah Reid (skip), Kay Adams, Vicki Adams, Sarah Macintyre and fifth player Laura Kirkpatrick, and John Hamilton (skip), Andrew Craigie, Thomas Pendreigh, Michael Goodfellow with Ian Copland (5th) will be on their way to Harbin, China, later today. The two teams will compete for Great Britain in the Winter Universiade or World University Games.

There's more about the curlers on the British Curling website here.

The event's English website is here, and is full of information. That's where the photos are from!

The Universiade runs from February 18-28. Youth, future, ice and snow! Is it too late for me to get a flight?

Top: This from a dress rehearsal of the opening ceremony, which is certain to be spectacular!

The curling competition will take place in the Heilongjiang Skating Gym, in Harbin City. The first games are on Thursday February 19, with the finals on Friday 27. Scott Henderson is ice technician. There are more photos of the venue here.

This is a group of volunteers taking a 'solemn oath' prior to the event.

Rehearsing presentations.

Copland joins WUG squad

If you have been following the selection of the curling teams that will represent GB at the World University Games (see Curling Today's previous posts here and here and here and here), you will be aware that the men's team originally selected had just four players. When Glen Muirhead had to pull out of the squad, Michael Goodfellow was drafted in and today's news is that the squad has been increased to five with the announcement on the British Curling website (here) that Ian Copland has been included. Ian is studying law at Glasgow University.

David Ramsay is the men's coach and Andrew Craigie, John Hamilton and Thomas Pendreigh are the other three squad members.

The five-strong GB women's squad is Kay Adams, Vicki Adams, Laura Kirkpatrick, Sarah Macintyre and Sarah Reid with Keith Prentice as their coach.

Cate Brewster is in overall charge of the GB team. The Games will be held in Harbin, China, February 18-28. The event website is here.

Ian's pic is by Bob.

World University Games update

There are 165 days to go.

Just to remind you that the GB woman's curling squad for the World University Games, in Harbin, China, February 18-28, 2009, comprises Kay Adams, Vicki Adams, Laura Kirkpatrick, Sarah Macintyre and Sarah Reid.

To be eligible, athletes must be students and under the age of 28.

Today's announcement by British Curling (here) is to confirm that Keith Prentice (left) will be the coach to the women's squad. Keith skipped the team which won gold for Scotland at the World Senior Championship in Edmonton in 2007, and has been working with a number of junior teams in recent seasons.

The men's squad has undergone a change since it was first announced back in May. Andrew Craigie, Michael Goodfellow, John Hamilton, and Thomas Pendreigh are the four now.

Today sees the appointment of former Scottish and Scottish Junior Champion David Ramsay as coach to the men's squad. David was a member of Colin Hamilton's team at the Bruadar Scottish Championship last season, and won the sportsmanship award then (pic below).

Cate Brewster, in overall charge of the GB team, is the Assistant High Performance Curling Coach at the Scottish Institute of Sport, and was the first to be appointed in the run up to the 2009 Universiade. She said "I am delighted with the appointments and look forward to working with David and Keith."

Also of interest is that Scott Henderson is the WCF choice to be Chief Ice Technician at both the Pacific Junior Championships (which is to be the test event for the World University Games) and for the Universiade itself.

The Harbin website is here.

Pics by Bob.

Addition to University Games squad

Michael Goodfellow has been invited to become the fourth member of the British Curling men's squad for the Winter Universiade Games to be held in Harbin, China, in February 2009, see previous posts here and here.

Michael (20) from Stirling is a student of history and politics at Strathclyde University. He played in Lindsay Gray's team which was beaten in a tiebreaker for a semifinal place at the Scottish Junior Championship earlier this year. Photos of that game are here.

Michael joins Andrew Craigie, John Hamilton and Thomas Pendreigh in the BC squad.

World University Games Squad update

The British Curling squad for the World University Games, in Harbin, China, February 18-28, 2009, was announced recently (see here). Andrew Craigie, John Hamilton, Glen Muirhead and Thomas Pendreigh were selected as the men's team.

The news today (here) is that Glen has withdrawn from the squad.

The reason given is that he is already heavily committed to competitive curling with his own team in the Juniors next season. This team will go to Taarnby in January for the European Junior Challenge, to try to qualify Scotland for the 2009 World Junior Championship.

Glen feels with this commitment to curling he needs to have some time available for his university studies. Hence his decision to leave the WUG squad.

High Performance Curling Coach Cate Brewster is now looking for two more athletes to complete a squad of five. The BC announcement says, "Candidates will be selected on recent statistics and results." To be eligible, athletes must be students and under the age of 28.

There is already an interesting thread about the WUG, including comment on the commitment required, on the Scottish Curling Forum here.

The pic is of Glen at the World Juniors in Ostersund, by Bob

Curlers selected for World Universiade

So who will be in the GB curling teams at the World University Games, in Harbin, China, February 18-28, 2009? Registrations of interest were asked for recently, as we noted here.

British Curling has announced the names, four men and five women, today. The official news is here.

To be eligible, athletes must be students and under the age of 28. Andrew Craigie, John Hamilton, Glen Muirhead and Thomas Pendreigh have been selected as the men's team. Andrew and John were in the silver medal winning team at the 2007 Winter Universiade Games. I suspect John is the skip, although this has not been confirmed. Interesting that only four curllers have been selected!

Kay and Vicki Adams, Laura Kirkpatrick, Sarah Macintyre and Sarah Reid are the women's squad. The two Sarahs won gold for Scotland at the World Junior Curling Championships in 2007. Kay and Vicki Adams and Sarah Macintyre won gold at the 2008 World Junior Championships. Sarah Reid will be the women's skip, I would suggest.

National coach Cate Brewster said, "I'm looking forward to working with all the squad athletes in the run up to the Games, it will be an exciting time for everyone."

The Scottish Curling Forum has an interesting thread (here) over the difficulties the students might face next season if they are planning to play in other top Scottish competitions.

Top: Sarah Reid
Above: John Hamilton
Pics by Bob

Registrations invited for Universiade GB curling squads

I posted recently (here) the news that Cate Brewster has been appointed coach for the GB curling teams which will compete in the World University Games, in Harbin, China, February 18-28, 2009.

British Curling is now seeking registration of interest from eligible curlers who wish to be considered for squad selection. An athlete information pack is available which covers the BC selection process, timelines and BUCS eligibility for Harbin 2009.

One problem facing those at British Curling is that the dates of the Universiade next February appear to clash with the Scottish Championship and Gold League finals which are February 16-22. The Scottish Junior Finals are February 4-8, which would seem not to be a problem, despite what I indicated in the previous post. The World Junior Championships begin in Vancouver on March 5. I think the problems in considering clashes of dates stems from the fact that the last Winter Universiade was in January 2007, but next year the event is in February.

The information packs can be obtained by contacting:
Paula Jarvie BC Admin Support
Scottish Institute of Sport
Airthrey Road Stirling FK9 5PH
Tel. 01786 460105
E-mail paula.jarvie@sisport.com

Only athletes who are eligible for the Great Britain Team and with a genuine aspiration and realistic ability to compete in the medal zone at the World University Games 2009 should return a registration of interest. The closing date for applications is April 30, 2008.

The website for the 24th Universiade is here. Be sure to check out the photos of the venues, although it is not clear which will be used for the curling events.

And say hello to Dong Dong the event mascot!