Province Division 1 G.Kennedy vs A.Duncan

Akin to the first game of the season Ballindalloch managed to just field three players to start their 4th 
Provence League game of the season against Abby Duncan.  Ryan "Speedy" Mackenzie managing to 
donate the opposition 2 points to go with the possible 3 he accrued getting to the rink!!!!!! Gordie
Kennedy was making an unscheduled return to the and just about managed to get the sympathy vote
with his pathetic leftie handshakes at the start of the game.
 
Whether that sympathy spilled into the game is hard to say but a series of good draws by Tony Duncan, guards by 
Ryan and Steve McGingle and deft tap backs by Gordie were rewarded my a string of wrecks and misses from
their Fochabers based opponents.  The resultant 3 at least got rid of the initial handicap.  The following end was
a bit more of the same with all the Ballindalloch boys playing their shots to perfection.  Pick of the bunch were two
back to back draws by Steve, or John Wilson's raise of a Ballindalloch stone onto a Fochabers counter!  Poor 
sweeping almost cost the Ballindalloch boys the end as a guard wasn't swept and lat short enough to require removal,
but Abby Duncan failed to capitalise on the error and hit and rolled out to leave four Blue counters.
 
The next end had some superb shot-making by both side and the one was forced. In the fourth Ballindalloch played 
some stunning shots to set a big end only to see John Wilson demolish all their hard work with a stunning triple.  It 
didn't stop however Ballindalloch conjuring up a barrier weight tap back for the Duece.  9-3 at the half way point.
 
End Five saw steady play from both sides and again the single was forced. Six saw a few unforced errors creep in 
and the high shot making averages slip for Ballindalloch but the end swung back their way with a draw round cover 
by Gordie, A miss from Abby and the two taken very gratefully with another identical draw. 11-4 after 6
 
It was a stunning end to watch and be a part of in the penultimate end.  Guards, draws, hit & rolls, freezes were all 
executed to near perfection by the Ballindalloch front end and Steve McGingle made a superb draw round into cover
and only just failed to shot.  Gordie's "delivery" to try to execute the tap back more resembled a dying swan than a
ballet slider. somehow it ended up as a guard though and that again forced the single.  So down the last and the boys 
did their level best to manufacture defeat from the jaws of victory. after a promising start a series of misses and a final
failed attempted tap back from Kennedy gifted a two back to the opposition.  11-7 the final tally then and limp leftie
handshakes from the Skip to finish the night.  A job well done to set up a 1 v 2 clash against Buckie next week.  A 
continuation of this form could see a cracker of a game, or a repetition of the granny humping that was handed out 
last game last season.  Time will tell........stay tuned for another thrilling instalment of.......

Thanks to Gordie for the match report. 

Dennis Ice Bowl Report

A McGaan Trio and a Kennedy interloper made the Trip to represent Ballindalloch at the Dennis Ice Bowl on the 1st day of Advent.It was a format familiar to all of us with points making prizes (similar to our jaunts to Aberdeen v Fochabers!) and it consisted of fourthree end games.  The only difference to the normal format was that there was no "Social Breaks" between match-ups
 
The first game was a lively tussle v Dalcross which saw the injured Kennedy make his first tentative steps on the comeback trail after handsurgery.  Leading and skipping saw a gentle return to the curling fray.  It also ensured zero sweeping, nothing new there then I hear you cry!
A steady start saw some excellent shot play from Katie & Ray with Father Dave bringing up the rear and making some telling draws & guards.6 up after 2 saw them coast to an easy victory, but the foot was removed from the gas a shade too early as a three was lost in the last!!!! 6-3
 
Second Game the Ballindalloch quartet started where they had finished. Kennedy set up promising ends with his, by now, customary in-turn draw(bless...the out-turn was too sore!).  Katie then kept things tidy and Ray stuck a few more in leaving not a lot for Dave to do than Guard.  The poor ladies from Forres were overcome with a veritable tsunami of shot-making from Ballindalloch who recorded a 7-0 victory.
 
Third game the Loch Ness Monsters were Ballindalloch's adversaries. It was to be a clash of the Titans as both were riding high in the standings of theevent.  1st end was played well by both rinks and some early set-up work left the end looking good fo Ballindalloch. A missed guard proved costly and a hit and roll from Loch Ness's Gillies turned the end in the Monsters favour two excellent shots from McGaan almost swung the end back, but the Loch Ness skip managed to craft replies which secured a big 4.  The next end Ballindalloch fought back and set a superb deuce in the house that were guarded 
by two staggered stones and another 8 inches over the hog.  Gillies raised that stone between the two guards and lifted the shots to lie 4.  Luckily Santa Gallacher arrived and his guard was a shade long leaving McGaan a slim chance of a hit and roll to save the day.....which was made with much aplomb!!!! 1-4 going into the last end and it was time for another in the series of guddles!  The end looked good until third stones when the on-fire Gillies manufactured
a telling half checked guard which sealed everything up and left Loch Ness with a two and Ballindalloch sunk without a trace in this Titanic battle.
 
Soup followed and a rejuvenated Ballindalloch ventured forth to ply their wits against a Stuffy Highland Rink.  Again the Ballindalloch crew managed to get off to a flyer and picked up a noble two with a stunning hit and roll from McGaan the Senior followed by a draw.  The next end saw their opponents skip make some unforced errors and relinquish a 3.  But the form of previous games returned as either the foot was lifted from the gas or the gas just ran out and 
after a series of missed guards and missed hits saw th Highlanders get a three back in the last.
 
Stats for the day ...Three wins.....One Sinking......... 60 points and an unbelievable 2cnd place!!!!!  Kennedy managed 23 in-turn draws 1 out-turn, no hogs no through!!!  McGaan Junior managed to put up with playing with the seniors!  McGaan (Mrs) loved her adventure at third and rose to the challenge...McGaan SENIOR found yet another way to deliver a curling stone. This one was a rare but welcome change from normal as it involved sliding up the brush and releasing in the same direction.  Long may that continue!  Drink was drunk to finish things off and Loch Ness were Chastised for being our iceberg in the path to victory

Thanks to Gordie for the report and congratulations to the team. 

It has been a while since the last post, apologies, quite a few games have been played in that time, some good, others not so!

In Province Division 1 Gordie Kennedy and his rink have played 3 games so far with impressive wins over newly promoted Bill Jaffrey (7-5) and last season's Division 1 winner Kenny Oswald (6-2).  Gordie sat out the last game against Gav Nicol, as he was recovering from surgery.  Steve McGingle took over skipping duties with Robert Bremner coming in at second.  The game was over early, Gav playing exceptionally well and the good guys struggling from the start, score 11-2. With a 2W/1L record Team Kennedy sit 3rd in the table and  play Abby Duncan this Wednesday evening in a battle of 2nd vs 3rd, good luck guys!

In Province Division 3 Lynn Scott and her rink have played 4 games with mixed fortunes.  In the opening game of the season Team Scott peeled 7-7 with Ronald Christie, but due to a 3 shot penalty for using a division 1 sub, Lynn recorded the win (10-7).  With Charlie Watt's quick play the second game ran for nine ends! Team Scott leading 7-4 going down the 8th, before giving away a 4!!  Thankfully, with her last stone of the ninth end, Lynn played a delicate hit and stick for the peel (8-8).  The third game was keenly contested, but Team Scott dug deep to record the win against A.Grant (8-5).  The last game vs David Kilgour was a tough battle, David was firing on all cylinders, team scott was running on empty and recorded their first loss of the campaign (6-5) and only their second loss in three years.

In Province Division 5 Stuart Mackenzie and his rink have played 3 games and performed extremely well.   In their opening encounter they posted a good win against Linda Hardie (6-5) before making light work of Douglas Howie (9-4) and the wrought over C.Guald (14-6) sees Team Mackenzie proudly sitting at the top of Division 5.  Team Mackenzie take on the undefeated Moray Juniors this coming Wednesday, good luck guys!

All three Ballindalloch teams are in contention going into the second half of the season, keep up the good play :)

Province League Round-up

Notice anything unusual with the image above (other than Gordie not ferociously shouting for sweeping on Ryan's stone)? 

Yep, you guessed it, there are only three Ballindalloch curlers on the ice, this was the theme for both Ballindalloch teams in our early session games on Wednesday night.  In the game in question Steve Mcgingle, third for Gordie Kennedy, pulled his calf muscle during the first end of play and had to leave it up to Gordie, Ryan and Tony to carry on without him.  This didn't seems to affect the team as they ran out winners over Bill Jaffrey's Fochabers rink in their opening game of the season. 

On the centre sheet Stuart Mackenzie had similar trouble, Kyle Mackenzie had to leave the ice in the second end due to ill health forcing the team to also carry on with three members.  Like team Kennedy, team Mackenzie held out for their second win in as many weeks. 

In the late session team Scott faced Forres' Charlie Watt, with both teams having won their first games it was always going to be a close encounter.  Team Scott took the early advantage going up 4-1 after four ends, Charlie pulled it back to peels after six ends, team Scott thought they had wrapped up the win with a big three in the seventh and a 7-4 lead going into the eighth end.  Some slack play and unlucky shots by team Scott allowed Charlie to build up a head and eventually take a four, Disaster!!  Into the ninth end and Charlie kept things clear, hitting every shot team Scott put into the house.  Lynn faced a hit and stick for the peel, which she did with ease to secure a hard fought point.  

All three Ballindalloch teams have made a promising start to the season, hopefully we can all resume where we left off when the rink reopens for curling in two weeks.

photo above shows Ryan, Tony and Gordie during their game on Wednesday night.

Province Division 3

Last seasons Division 4 champions took to the ice last Wednesday to play their first game in the lofty heights of Division 3.

Lynn Scott and her team of Alan Mcintyre, Robert Bremner and Don Gatt faced Fochabers Ronnie Christie and his team of Susan Durno, Francis Duncan and Stan Smith.

Team Scott got off to a flying start, opening up a five shot lead after three ends.  By the time the fourth end got underway Ronnie and his team had warmed up,  taking a big four and reducing the deficite to one, game on! Lynn took a single in the fifth before Ronnie took control of the game with a three in the sixth.

Into the seventh, and final end, things got interesting.  With Lynn about to play the last stone of the end this is what she faced:

                                                            

With three stones biting the four foot circle, knowone was sure who lay shot.  Lynn (playing red stones) elected to tap the red stone biting the top four to ensure at least the peel.  The shot looked good all the way, but on unpredictable ice, swung at the last missing the target stone and coming up short.

It came down to the measure!  After a few careful attempts it was given to the good guys, just!

The first, hard fought points on the board for team Scott.

P.s , as it turns out Ronnie had to call on a sub, but as the sub plays for a division one team, had to give up a penalty shot resulting in a win for team Scott.

Moray Province Division 5

                                    

Stuart Mackenzie and his rink got the 2012-13 season underway last night when they faced Linda Hardie's Forres side in the opening round of games.

Reports from within the team suggest they were rather rusty, being 5-2 down after 5 seemed to confirm.  Stuart, reverting to a sliding delivery this year, rallied his troops in the 6th however and took a three before securing the win with a steal in the 7th and securing the points.

Photo shows Mark Macklin, Bob Lawton, Gav Mackenzie and Stuart Mackenzie (proudly wearing his Ross County bonnet)

Aviemore 1976

I'm sure a few members will remember the days, before the Moray Leisure Centre opened, when they had to travel south to Aviemore for a game of curling.  Obviously I am too young to remember this but I have heard many nostalgic tales, usually after a few drams at a Bonspiel, about the great rink at Aviemore.

Well today I came across a feature on 'Curling History'  regarding the 1976 World Junior Curling Championships that were held at Aviemore.  Bob Cowan has posted two very good clips on his site showing the highlights of key games from the competition, and there are a few Ballindalloch Curling Club members past and present featured in the footage. 

Please have a look at Bob Cowan's page here and see if you can spot the Ballindallochers!!!

Photo above shows the Scotland team of Bob Kelly, Ken Horton, Willie Jamieson and Keith Douglas.  Photo copyright  'Curling History'