A SUCCESSFUL recruitment drive during the past summer meant that, despite at least half a dozen regular players being absent, four full rinks took to the Waterfront ice rink on October 8 to compete for the 125 Trophy.
Although all the new players had had a couple of coaching sessions this was the first full game in which they had played and the waterfront mentor, David Horne, was initially on hand to help if required.
In the morning games skip, Nicola Speirs, with Colin McFarlane, Karen McMillan and John Colvin at lead faced a rink skipped by Donald Kinnear, with Liz McMillan at third, Ann Bryan and Patricia Renfrew leading.
With some good draws from skip Speirs, and her new players getting to grips with the game, the Speirs rink went into an early lead which was never really threatened and they won the game by six shots to three.
In the other morning contest, skip Peter Martin with Nancy Kinnear at third, Sam Bryan and Karen Hardy at lead were up against a rink skipped by Helen Martin– who was skipping a rink for the first time.
Skip Martin had Duncan McAlister at third, Cathy McKirdy and Colin Renfrew leading.
It was a tight game for the first three ends with the Peter Martin rink leading by one shot, but skip Helen Martin took four shots in the fourth end and this proved decisive
to win the match for her and her rink.
In the afternoon games the Kinnear rink faced Helen Martin and her victorious rink from the morning match, but on this occasion fortunes were reversed with the Kinnear rink, benefitting from some good take-outs from Liz McMillan, winning the match.
In the other match, skip Speirs and her rink were looking to follow up their morning victory, and they faced Peter Martin’s rink keen to improve from their earlier game.
Martin got off to a good start, winning the first end by two shots, but Speirs replied with a four at the second and struck again in the next two ends.
Martin came back with another two at the fifth and final end but it was too late, leaving the Speirs rink to win the game by a comfortable margin and win the 125 Trophy.
A spokesperson for Bute Curlers said: “Congratulations to the winning rink and well done to all the new curlers getting their first taste of the ice.
“With so many players keen to play the selectors will have a job on their hands but what a healthy position to be in–the future of Bute Curling Club looks in good hands
