Paralympic Date for Wheelchair Curlers
17 December 2003The listing was posted by Scottish Disability - Wheelchair Curling
The sport of wheelchair was given a massive boost recently with the news that the sport is to make its debut at the Winter Paralympic Games in Torino, Italy in 2006, as a full medal sport.
The development of the sport has been progressing at pace over the last two years and has come a long way since the days of "come & try" sessions around the country.
The sport now boasts four established wheelchair curling clubs affiliated to the RCCC. Clubs have been established at Braehead, Hamilton, Kelso and Kinross Ice Rinks and these clubs are now providing regular coaching and competition for a growing number of players and inter club competitions are already starting to take place. The aim this year is to increase the number of clubs across the country and next year we hope to be in a position to introduce a league structure.
2003 will be an exciting year for the sport with the first ever, international bonspiel to be held in the UK. The event will take place at the Braehead Arena, Glasgow between 31 January and 2 February. The teams taking place will include the World gold, silver and bronze medallists in the shape of Switzerland, Canada and Scotland respectively, with teams from England, Bulgaria, Wales and a Scotland "B" team also taking part. Medals will be presented to the winning teams on the Sunday afternoon by Olympic gold medallist and Scotland skip, Rhona Martin.
The Scottish teams for the Braehead event were selected at a highly successful selection weekend held at Kinross Ice Rink on 16 & 17 November 2002, attended. The team selections are as follows:
Scotland "A" Frank Duffy, Michael McCreadie, David Telford, Jim Sellar and Evelyn Neave
Scotland "B" Ken Dickson, Ewan Girvan, Alex Harvey, Jonathan Ogg and Elaine Lister
Both teams are now involved in a gruelling training programme at venues throughout Scotland, under the supervision of coach Jane Sanderson, in preparation for the event in February.
Forrest Hills Country Club, Aberfoyle will be the venue for the inaugural Scottish National Wheelchair Curling Championships on 21 and 22 March 2003. This competition will be open to teams of wheelchair players and competition is expected to be fierce. Teams from all over the country will be competing for the honour of being crowned first ever Scottish champions.
The inclusion of wheelchair curling in the Winter Paralympic Games is a major step forward for the sport. New country’s are showing an interest in taking up the sport in increasing numbers and that will mean more teams competing for places at Torino. At a national level also, the prospect of a gold medal is providing players with a clear long-term goal and competition for places in the GB squad for 2006 will be fierce.
The success and progress enjoyed by wheelchair curling over the last couple of years could not have been achieved without the support of both the RCCC and the many coaches and volunteers from local ice rinks who have given up their time so readily. The sport has been led at both a national and international level by Scottish Disability Sport’s very own wheelchair curling co-ordinator, Kate Caithness, and we wish Kate and her team every success as they take the sport forward in the coming months and years.
Anyone interested in trying their hand at wheelchair curling should contact sportscotland’s Youth Development Manager - Disability Sport on 0131 472 3274.