AFTER too many hours spent watching the incredible achievements of Bruce Mouat and his rink at the Winter Olympics, it was back to domestic affairs for the members of Bute Curling Club as they started their final games of the season.
On March 4, 15 players battled for the club’s top prize of the Macrae Cup, where the skips were those who led a rink to a win during the season. In the morning games, skip Mike Hislop, with Sam Bryan at third, Liz Hendrie and Karen McMillan, faced a rink of Alex Robertson at skip, Helen Martin and Colin McFarlane. With skip Robertson not his usual accurate self, the Hislop rink eased ahead to take the game by a comfortable margin.
In the other match, Donald Kinnear skipped a rink with Duncan Lyon at third, Ann Bryan and Liz McMillan at lead, and faced skip Doreen Hislop with Bill Stein at third, Colin Renfrew and Duncan McAlister at lead. With some fortunate rubs of the ice and strong play from his rink, Kinnear and his team ran out winners in the end.
In the afternoon game, the two winners from the morning faced each other for the cup. The Kinnear rink got off to a strong start and were six shots up after two ends, but Hislop struck back with a four in the third, and two close ends followed, leaving Kinnear leading by only one shot going into the final end. A very close game ended with the Kinnear rink winning the final by one shot and, by so doing, claiming the Macrae Cup.
On Saturday, March 7, Bute played in the Argyll Province Championship, which took place at Greenacres Ice Rink. In the morning game, Bute were up against the Oban rink, who had claimed several trophies during the season, and it was clear as they won the game comfortably. A veil is perhaps best drawn across the afternoon game against Dunoon, which left Dunoon winners by some margin.
In the final of the Championship, a great game between Oban and Millport saw Oban winning by two shots after the final end, which could have gone either way.
On March 10, all the clubs in the Argyll Province played in an end-of-season bonspeil. The four matches for Bute resulted in two losses, one draw and one win, but the comforting thing for the Bute rink was the draw was against Millport and the win was against Oban, the two finalists in the championship played in the previous week.
The AGM and prizegiving for the Argyll Province then followed, bringing to a close another season for Bute Curling Club.
With new players joining and more wanting to have a go at the roarin’ game, the future for next season looks bright.
The club wished to extend its thanks to all those who have made the season such an enjoyable time.
