The Presentations

Bill Marshall, the President of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club, presents the Edinburgh International Trophy to the David Murdoch team. L-R: Trevor Dodds (Chairman of the Organising Committee), Ewan MacDonald, David Murdoch, Bill Marshall, Peter Smith and Euan Byers. (Click on the photo to see it in a larger size)

The runners-up with the Berne Bear. L-R: Colin Campbell, Richard Woods, Logan Gray and Peter Loudon.

Pics by Bob.

The Seniors

John Dignan presents the Edinburgh International Seniors Championship trophy to the David Clydesdale team. L-R: Jim Taylor, Douglas Rodger, David Clydesdale (skip) and Alistair Wood.

Clydesdale's team beat Sandy Nelson, Willie Paterson, Willie Stevenson and Jim Brownlie 9-7 in the final.

David Clydesdale and Sandy Nelson in the final.

Final action.

Alastair and David discuss options.

The Nelson team await developments!

David joins in with the sweeping.

Clydesdale had beaten Alan Durno in the semifinal, and Nelson had defeated Bill Cleghorn. You can find all the results and linescores here.

Pics by Bob

The Final

Here it is, the trophy awarded to the winners of the Edinburgh International Championship.

And it was David Murdoch, Ewan MacDonald, Peter Smith and Euan Byers who won the trophy this afternoon, counting two in the last end to win 7-6 against the Peter Loudon team. The competition's main sponsor was Belhaven Best.

The linescore is here.

The two skips, David Murdoch and Pete Loudon.

Pete Loudon, Logan Gray, Richard Woods and Colin Campbell played a great game. It really was a high class game of curling from both teams. Here, Richard and Colin work on Logan's stone.

Pete and Logan 'in conference'!

David, with Richard and Colin behind.

Euan, Ewan, Dave and Pete

Dave has a 'wee think'!

Richard, Logan and Colin have a 'big think'!

Euan and Pete on Ewan's stone.

"What do you think, Dave?"

"Please sweep hard!" Pete

Totally involved. Richard and Colin.

Pete delivers with the front end ready to pick up the sweeping.

David

A hard working Euan and Ewan!

The two skips

Pat Edington performs a measure.

Richard has a little lie down during the game!

Presentation photos and Seniors event somewhat later when I get home to Skip!

Semifinals in summary

David Murdoch had an open hit to win his semifinal against Tom Brewster. He played a lightish weight tap back, got the stone, but rolled out.

Given the same opportunity at the extra, Murdoch was right on target for a 4-3 win and a place in the final.

David Smith, with Warwick playing last stones, got a two in the seventh end to narrow the score against Peter Loudon's side but still trailled 4-5 in the eighth. With lots of stones in play, Warwick could not get his last stone hidden. Pete didn't need to play his last. Team Loudon was in the championship game.

It would be a Loudon v Murdoch final!

You can find the linescores here.

Faces of McCleary

"I've no fingernails left!"

Lee McCleary skipped his team in the quarters, and just lost out to Team Murdoch. Good show. He's the blog's 'Curler of the Day'!

"I wonder."

"Now if you had just got it around there, Robbie."

"I'm keeping my fingers off the ice!"

"I just canna look at you anymore, Robbie."

In serious mode.

"My head hurts, Robbie."

"It's a problem with a molar at the back."

"I'll just do a wee Ricky Gervais impression."

"Having been sacked by my team, I'll have a try at a new profession!" Robin Copland and Lee McCleary commentate on the Murdoch - Brewster semifinal.

Photos by Bob

Quarterfinals

Sunday morning at the Edinburgh International Championship. David Murdoch's side got past Lee McLeary's team in the quarters, just! Murdoch had to cut the edge of the four foot with last stone of the game and he was perfectly played.

Find all the linescores here.

David Smith skips the Warwick Smith team, and plays third stones.

Here's the Smith side in action against David Sik's team in the quarters.

It was just not to be for the Sik team. Nothing went right. The Czechs failed to take their chances, then had a pick up when trying to tap back for a five, and are heading home early!

Pete Loudon

Richard Woods and Colin Campbell work on Pete's stone as they work to a win over the defending champions.

Here's Pete again.

And Andy Kapp's popular team is out!

Tom Brewster. The Brewster side got past Ross Paterson in the quarters.

Here's Ross.

Semifinals:
Loudon v Smith
Brewster v Murdoch

Pics by Bob

Who qualified?

You can find all the linescores and standings here. When the dust had settled tonight, the lineups for the quarterfinals, at 08.30 tomorrow (Sunday) were as follows:

David Murdoch (top section A) will play Lee McLeary (2nd section B)

Warwick Smith (top section B) will play David Sik (2nd section A)

Tom Brewster (top section C) will play Ross Paterson (2nd section D)

Peter Loudon (top section D) will play Andy Kapp (2nd section C)

The photo above is of Sebastian Robillard, expat Canadian, and Ross Paterson. Robillard with his international mix of Antonio de Mollinedo, Thomas Due and Sander Roelvaag lost his last round game to Ross Paterson skipping the Hammy McMillan team in the skip's absence, with Philip Wilson, Sandy Gilmour and Colin Dick. That set up a rematch of the two teams in the only tiebreaker of the evening. Paterson won that 3-1.

Sebastian Robillard

Photos by Bob

Saturday.... where are we?

All four sections have one more game to play, and who's going to qualify is becoming clearer.

In Section A, David Murdoch's side remain undefeated and are safely through to the semifinals. David Sik (one loss), and Iain Watt (two losses) are still in contention. See the standings here. Murdoch plays Sik, and Watt plays Glen Muirhead in the final round.

Section B has Warwick Smith undefeated. Lee McCleary (one loss) and Andrey Drosdov (two losses) are still in contention. McLeary plays Thomas Dufour, and Smith is against Drosdov.

In Section C Tom Brewster's team is undefeated. Andy Kapp has lost one game. John Jo Kenny and Colin Hamilton are not out of it, even with two losses. Hamilton plays Brewster, Kenny plays Kapp (this is really the key game).

Section D has Peter Loudon's team at the top, undefeated. Sebastian Robillard's team have lost one game. Tomi Rantamaki and Philip Wilson are on two wins. Loudon plays Rantamaki, Wilson plays Robillard.

Top pic is of Colin Hamilton

What's hanging at Murrayfield?

Murrayfield Ice Rink, in the scenic mountain scenery of West End Edinburgh!

The rink is dominated by this large flag. It is a representation of the arms of the City of Edinburgh!

Then there's the clock. This came from the old Haymarket Ice Rink and probably dates from around 1912. It was saved by Ronnie Malcolm, former manager of the Murrayfield rink. It has to be wound up by hand by a member of staff every three days or so! Keeps good time too.

And here is the aforementioned Ronnie, coping with the aftermath of a Water of Leith flood which inundated the rink!

Did you know the Murrayfield rink is the busiest in Scotland?

And this is what we do to famous Scottish curlers. L-R: WK Jackson (Olympic gold medallist, 1924), Mark Sanderson, Gilbert McClung.

And then there are the commentators. Keith MacLennan and Edith Loudon. These are not bronze. Find the webcast link here.

Pics by Bob