Team Ewan take 2011 British Championship

 Ewan and Gault weren't singing the blues at the 2011 British Cahmpionships

[photo courtesy Bob Cowan's Skip Cottage Blog]
.

Gregor Ewan skipped his team of Jim Gault, Ian Donaldson and Gil Keith to victory at the 2011 British Wheelchair Curling Championship at The Galleon Ice Rink, Kilmarnock SCO. this weekend.

Twelve teams competed in 2 pools, with crossover semi-finals for the top two in each pool. Pool A leader Rosemary Lenton gave up a steal in the 6th (final) end of her semi against Paul Webster to lose 5-3.

Ewan saw off National teammate Aileen Neilson 11-2 with a series of big end steals in the other semi. He then went one better in a repeat performance, dispatching Webster 12-1 in the final. Neilson beat Lenton 6-3 to take bronze.

Ewan     0 3 1 3 5 x - 12
Webster  1 0 0 0 0 x - 1

Neilson  0 2 1 0 3 0 - 6
Lenton   1 0 0 1 0 1 - 3

Line scores for all the matches are presently available HERE and a digest of the final day is available HERE. Team members are HERE.

Bob Cowan has some excellent photos from the event on his Skip Cottage Blog.

Scottish team announced for 2011 Worlds in Prague

Michael McKenzie and Gregor Ewan

The team that will represent Scotland at the 2011 World Championships beginning February 21 in Prague sees two newcomers, Gregor Ewan and Michael McKenzie, join Aileen Neilson, Angie Malone and Tom Killin.

Gregor and Michael are from Moray in the north of Scotland, and played on the team that won last weekend's British Open Championship over Aileen Neilson's Braehead rink. Interesting that the announcement on the Royal Caledonian CC website (Britain's equivalent to the CCA) is titled 2010-11 Scottish Wheelchair Curling Association National Team selection.

Scotland sends its national team to the Worlds, but competes at the Paralympics as Great Britain. Qualification for the 2014 Sochi Paralympics depends on performance at the next three World Championships.

All the Scottish curling team coaches' contracts expire this month, and while it is thought that present wheelchair coach Tom Pendreigh is interested in a job, it may not be with the wheelchair team. For an insight into the politics surrounding Scottish curling's administration, see Bob Cowan's December editorial.

 Gregor Ewan and Aileen Neilson - rivals last week, teammates this.

Gregor Ewan beats Aileen Neilson for 2010 British Open title

2010 British Open Wheelchair Curling Champions
Jackie Cayton lead, Jim Gault 2nd, Mike McKenzie 3rd and Gregor Ewan skip
[photo courtesy Gregor Ewan via Bob Cowan's blog]

Ten teams competed last weekend for the 2010 British Open title. The three day event in Kilmarnock, Scotland, comprised two pools of five teams. Aillen Neilson skipped a Braehead team that was unbeaten in Pool A after a 10-3 win over second place Gregor Ewan's Moray rink with three wins. Angie Malone topped Pool B with Paul Webster 2nd. Tables after round robin play are HERE. Use links on left of page for line scores of all the matches.

Malone and Ewan won their semis and Team Ewan got off to a fast start in the final with single point steals in the first three ends. An accurate last stone draw pulled Aileen Neilson's team within one at the break, and a raised takeout for 2 by Neilson put the teams level after 6. Neilson stole a single in the 7th for her team's first lead.

In the final end Michael McCreadie, playing 2nd for Neilson, drew to just behind the tee line and a succession of short stones and guards allowed the stone to stay in place. However a last stone guard drew just a fraction too far and this gave a narrow window of opportunity to Gregor Ewan who executed a fantastic hit and stay for two and the title. [event report]

 2010 British Open runners-up

Ian Donaldson 3rd, Aileen Neilson skip, Michael McCreadie 2nd and Gerald Pocock lead

[photo - Lesley Brewin]