This is where we challenge ourselves as much as our fellow Holyrood members by undertaking various technical deliveries – things that we should already be used to in our day-to-day curling games. But with no skip or sweepers to blame for errant shots, this competition really shows us whether we are as good as we think we are! 

The format of the exercises is set by the Royal Caledonian Curling Club:

http://royalcaledoniancurlingclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/2011-Points-Competition-Rules-Diagrams-and-Scorecard-Web-Version.pdf

Not one but two magnificent trophies are up for grabs every year.  The Loving Cup on its huge elephant’s foot stand which goes to the overall winner – John MacConnachie last year – and the Curling Stone Silver Kettle for the handicap winner – George Morrison taking the honours a year ago.  Both of course are a nightmare to keep polished but that is a small price to pay for the privilege of winning.

The handicaps are set by Club President, Dougie Auld, and Secretary, John Waterlow, and it involves much head scratching but perhaps not enough rigorous analysis of past results.  Suffice to say, recent competition winners and team skips are given the least advantage by the handicappers.

This year there were 12 members in attendance – much the same as recent years and about the right number as it keeps down the waiting between turns. It was the usual enjoyable evening albeit at times frustrating as you realise how much you miss relying on the skip to set how much ice to take and call the sweeping.

We had agreed at our last AGM to ring the changes by playing first through the even number exercises and then the odd numbers.  We managed to get through six exercises in total, finishing with the first of the odd number exercises, striking, which yours truly found the most frustrating as it looks simple but isn’t!

With the scores quickly added up by Dougie and myself while everyone was getting their drinks upstairs, the results were revealed to the awaiting crowd:

Overall winner – David Morrison was a clear victor here with an excellent 22 points, well ahead of the pack.

Handicap winner – Richard Wilson achieved a net 21 points to bag the silver kettle.

Note that Club tradition has it that one individual cannot win both the overall and handicap titles so David’s net 22 points based on a zero handicap is discounted. Clearly the handicappers need to take note and negative handicaps may be considered next year.

John W.

There was consternation at the start because as the bell rang, John Mac was standing there with only one other team member, new boy Donny. We knew James would be doing his customary cutting it fine and sure enough he whistled through the door moments later, but where was Colin?  A quick phone call ascertained that a calendar malfunction meant he would be taking no part in activities that night and the team were therefore facing a three stone penalty.

Meanwhile Team D was at full strength – on paper at least.  JW skipping, Dougie at his usual third, Kay playing second and Steve at lead.  However, whether all present would be contributing in the normal way was moot.  Steve had arrived straight from a long and obviously very liquid lunch in town and was clearly feeling particularly bullish about the forthcoming game.  And as it turned out, he channelled his uninhibited mood to the good and under the watchful eye of Kay he threw himself into the sweeping to great effect – on several occasions proclaiming that the sweepers had swung the end for the team.

As to the contest itself, to use the old cliché, it was a game of two halves.  Team MacConnachie had a strong start but sadly faded towards the end.  Although Team Waterlow took the first end by one stone it was clear that they were up against strong opposition.  All three of Team Mac were on the brush and looking dangerous, and they quickly evened things up with a single in the second end.

In the third end, Team Mac built up a couple of stones in the house and a guard up front – all in a neat line. Try as they might, Team W couldn’t get in – two shots to Team Mac.

But that was the last scoring end for Team Mac.  Their accuracy waned and although they didn’t allow Team W any big scores, the subsequent ends were a succession of twos and ones against that led to an 8-3 score-line after seven ends.  With the penalty added, the score looked more one-sided than it really was. 

John W.

Team Deemo surge ahead in the Holyrood League – report to follow on how they did it.