Senior Championship Draw

Running in parallel with the Edinburgh International, there is the popular Edinburgh International Senior Championships. This is a competition open to any four curlers over the age of 50. Over the years, the competition has attracted some of the finest “mature” curlers – men and women, or indeed, mixed – of their generation. Three years ago, the competition changed its format and timing to accommodate its sister competition being elevated to the ranks of the Champions Tour. The four leagues are now played on the Wednesday and Thursday prior to the main event with the top four teams from each of the leagues progressing to the High Road semi finals and the runners-up moving to the Low Road semi finals. These games are played on the finals Sunday and are run concurrently with the semi-finals and final of the Edinburgh International itself. The draw itself is on the main competition website here.

Former Scottish Senior Champion Skip, Ronnie Peat brings a strong team through from the west to compete in Section A. All are members of the Reform Curling Club and I am looking forward to seeing this section play out, because twice Scottish Senior Championship runner-up David Clydesdale brings his team back from Kinross to defend the title that he won last year. The two Marions, Murdoch of Lockerbie fame and Craig, who hails from a farm near East Kilbride, round out this strong section. No predictions here, by the way – they’re all chums!

In Section B, Michael Sutherland brings his team back across the border for another tilt at fifteen Scottish rinks! He is in a tough section, mind you and perhaps his biggest challenge comes from Sandy Nelson and his Kinross rink. Sandy himself has been a top performer on the Scottish circuit for more years than he will care to admit. Accurate on the big weight hit and deadly at the draws is Sandy! Judith Carr brigs a team down from Aberdeen and local boy and reasonably famous hotelkeeper and sponsor John Dignan skips the fourth team in this section.

In Section C, Colin Hamilton’s powerful local rink will face stiff opposition from Jeanette Johnston. Together, she and third Catherine Dodds won the European Curling Championships Silver Medal; we’ll draw a veil over when! Ace ice maker Andy McGlynn from Forfar skips a team and Linda Young is bringing an all-ladies team from Kinross in this section.

In Section D, Alan Durno, a perennial visitor from the frozen north has some serious competition from two strong all-ladies teams skipped by Jacqui Crawford and reigning Scottish Senior Ladies Champion, Isobel Waddell. My team mate on the Royal Club Centenary Canadian tour in 2003, Bob Smith, the famous chartered accountant, brings some chums from Fife over the bridge to do battle. Should be a fun section.