World curling fenderation website

Curling originated in Scotland. It is social game, it is a family game and it is fun!

The vast majority of curlers now come from Canada and this country has been instrumental in developing the game and equipment to its present high level. Many countries produce fine curlers and Scottish teams have performed well in international competitions over many years.

The history of curling in Strathkelvin reaches back into the 19th century as this picture taken on a frozen loch at Cadder shows

In 1999, the Scottish men won the World Championship and in 2000, the European championship.

Unfortunately at the World's held at Braehead in Glasgow in 2000 we could not repeat the previous year's success but both teams performed creditably and the ladies qualified for the semi-final. (Berty the little bear was the mascot of these chmpionships.

In 2001, the Scottish men did not even qualify for the World's - very disappointing. For the Olympic Games we probably selected our strongest rink skipped by Hammy McMillan and we had high hopes. Sadly the team under-performed and did not qualify for the later rounds. On the other hand we had under-estimated Rhona Martin's ladies rink. They had been performing consistently and I think everybody would have felt they would do very well to qualify for the semi finals. This they did after a 3 way play off. Then they beat favourites Canada and the Swiss girls in a nail biting final, watched live by half the the British TV viewing public. Suddenly Rohna and the other girls have made Curling cool in the UK, let alone Scotland.

Returning home, the girls had to play the Scottish Cahmpionships and, maybe affected by their previous efforts, lost to Jackie Lockhart's rink in the final. Any thoughts however that we had any sort of "second string "rink representing us were soon dispelled in Dakota when the Scots girls qualified best in preliminary rounds then beat Canada in the Semis and Sweden in the finals to become World Champions.

Meanwhile the reformed men's team under Warwick Smith were also top qualifiers and although they lost to the Olympic champions Norway in the semis they went on to beat USA for bronze.

The game in Scotland is governed by the Royal Caledonian Curling Club. It is the aim of the club to maintain Scottish curling at the highest levels, especially through development of young talent.

I played principally for Kilsyth Curling Club and Strathkelvin Curling Club at Stirling Ice Rink and for the Greater Glasgow Curling Club (Health Board) at Braehead.

In 2001, for the 3rd successive year Glasgow Health Board won the Health Board Bon Spiel held at Pitlochry The winning team was Glasgow 'B'. I played 3rd in Glasgow 'A'. Where did we finish? Does "spoon" and "wood" suggest anything? The only time I got near the prizes was carrying them up in my car!

Also in 2001, I had the honour or playing for our Area against the USA men's touring team. Although beaten, we were not disgraced and the main thing was that the social events were very enjoyable. It was good the USA team came over as it was not long after the horror of 9/11.

Although now almost exclusively held on indoor rinks, at least in Scotland, curling started as an outdoor gain. Opportunities to curl on frozen lochs a very few in our milder climate of the last century but if the weather is cold enough to freeze one of the large Lowland lochs we call the Grand Match - North versus South. It has not been possible for 20 years but in 2 recent winters we have been but a few days away from having safe ice for the Match.

In 2006, after the disappointment of the Olympics, the girls not quite making the play=offs and the men missing out on a medal, all the hard work building the national squad paid off with a magnificient win for the men in the Worlds in Canada against the home team in the final. Strangely, Canadian news reported it as a loss! We were holidaying in Canada at the time, celebrating our 30th anniversary and visiting our youngest daughter studying ther and I carried my daughter's brush emblazened with the Saltire back through Toronto airport with some pride.

Despite being rather talented at the game all the kids are now occupied with other things like making a living, furnishing a home etc.. My own curling was curtailed with what I thought was a knee injury and then by a change of job. The kne injury turned out to be a hip needing replaced. This has now been done and I can bend in the middle again although whether I could ever deliveer a stone from the modern low position I am not sure. If and when I get back on the ice I think I will be using a stick to deliver.