December 23, 2007

Mixed Doubles

Here they are! Scotland's first Mixed Doubles Curling Champions. Logan Gray and Kelly Wood beat Dillan Perras and his mother Judith Carr at Murrayfield today in the final of the Scottish Mixed Doubles Championship, and they will now represent Scotland in the first World Mixed Doubles Championship at Vierumaki, Finland, March 9-15.

All the scores from Murrayfield are on the Royal Club website here.

So what's the verdict on Mixed Doubles? Those who took part (friends, partners, mothers and sons, fathers and daughters, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives) in the eighteen team competition enjoyed the experience, and their enthusiasm for the event would seem to ensure that the format is here to stay. Most of those competing had played pairs, and mixed doubles is 'advanced pairs' in a lot of ways. "It was fun," was the comment heard most often.

Even more important for the discipline's future was that it was interesting to watch. The games fairly skipped along, with lots of stones in play and interesting situations developing. The players themselves set up the stationary stones every end, keeping umpires' intervention to a minimum. The ice at Murrayfield was great, with more than enough curl to be able to bury stones behind the front guard.

All in all I would say it was a success! Well done to all involved. Roll on the World Championship! And best wishes to Kelly and Logan in that event.

Here are a few photos from the final.

Kelly Wood

Logan Gray

Judith and Dillan

So who said there would be no sweeping in mixed doubles!

Ho hum!

AND NOW TWO PHOTOS OF SOMETHING NEVER BEFORE SEEN ON CURLING TODAY: SKIPS SWEEPING! Enjoy.

The above two pics are dedicated to the Front End Union! All the photos are by Bob.

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