Kay had once more been drafted in as Team D’s fourth player but Billy was still hors de combat and despite an extensive trawl of Holyrood’s resources, no replacement was forthcoming. So still were we three. This was not great news for third, John W, who had developed an industrial strength cold and wasn’t exactly feeling like a lot of sweeping.

Team B on the other hand were at full strength, but got off to the worst of possible starts by dropping a five at the first end.  It could have gone either way though as John Mac’s first stone left them with two counters.  However, the stones were exposed and close together so with pinpoint accuracy, Rob cleared them both leaving Team D five stones to the good. John Mac was faced with executing a draw to the centre to save the end but sadly ran a little wide and heavy.

Team D took another single in the second before Team B opened their account in the third, also with a single.

The fourth end was similar to the first in that Team B were lying in a strong position to take the end by a couple of stones but for Rob, with the hammer, making a raised take-out, clearing their advantage for another single.

Despite a good lead, in curling you can never relax – it is all too easy to coast and then suddenly the game goes into reverse.  And in end six, Team B showed that the fight was still in them by taking a strong two.  However, the seventh saw some wayward shots, and they even unluckily promoted an opposition stone to count, so it ran out 11-3 in the end.

John.

Team D had Kay to make up a full foursome, but were then missing Billy after he suffered an injury.  Despite several best email endeavours, no sub could be found, so they were back to three on the night, without penalty.  Team A were at full strength.

It may have been because the stones had all been freshly re-ground, but every end of this match featured a large spread of guard stones short of the house, some intentional, others not so much.

Team D scored a two to start with, but the big move came in the second end. Having got a couple of stones counting and guarded, then both John’s stones were requested as guards (plan-A), but unusually ran on and curled behind the guards, to become more counters (plan B).  With the effective blockade, despite having the hammer, Jim could not avoid losing a 4.

Next end Dougie produced a fine draw skimming round and behind guards into the centre, which led to a score of two. But that was pegged back the next end, and the game eventually ran out to a 10 – 3 finish.

Rob.

A national curling event that takes place only once every five years is not to be missed. First held in 2000, the Indoor Grand Match was introduced as a more reliable alternative to the traditional Grand Matches held on a frozen loch whenever temperatures fell low enough for the ice to support a mass gathering of curlers. But as a victim of climate change, the last outdoor event took place in 1979.

The Indoor Grand Match pits clubs from the north against those from the south, the boundary between the two regions defined as a line between the Clyde and Forth rivers. This was the fifth Indoor Grand Match (the 2020 event sadly being cancelled because of the COVID epidemic) and Holyrood Curling Club has participated in every one. This year some 1,500 curlers from 281 clubs were playing at 12 curling rinks around the country. We had entered two teams and were drawn to play at Aberdeen and Murrayfield.

The Aberdeen team was made up of Donny, Ken, John W and Deemo. Our opponents were a team from Panmure, one of whom David had played against in that 2005 Grand Match and the others (including a couple) who knew Donny and his parents.

Although we lost overall we had an enjoyable game with the consolation of winning on ends. We got off to a poor start – perhaps the occasion and a strange rink got to us. In those early ends we were leaving skip Deemo needing to perform difficult shots to save the end and hindering his efforts with some dubious sweeping. By the third end we were 9-0 down But then we made a remarkable recovery, taking the remaining four ends – sadly though with insufficient scores to catch up. But at 9-5, the score was respectable. And the post-game craic over a drink and snacks was good.

Meanwhile the Edinburgh team of Steve, James, Colin and Rob were playing against Veterans Curling Stirling. Skip Rob reports: “We had a good game, but ended up just losing 6-5 sadly.   They took the first three ends (so much for home ice!), then we took the next three ends to reach 5 -5.  A game of two halves.  In the decider final end I missed a take-out with my final stone, drat.  Still, a good tight game.”

Overall a day to remember for all involved – we look forward to 2030!

John.