Curling: Masters set for challenge

Jan 2 2009 by Jenny Wood, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

THE CREAM of curling talent will gather in the Fair City next week when Scotland’s prestigious winter sport’s event takes to the ice.

When the Ramada Perth Masters gets underway on Thursday, January 8, at the Dewars Centre, Scotland’s top talent will go up against the largest field of Canada’s high ranking curlers to line up for the competition, alongside teams from continental Europe and Japan.

Sports’ fans are expected to converge on the Perth rink to see those at the highest level of the game pick up their brooms and slide into action over four days.

And all of the sportsmen competing will be chasing a share of the biggest cash lure for the sport this side of the Atlantic, the huge prize pot of £15,000.

Perth curler Pete Loudon, chairman of the organising committee for the top-flight competition, said: “From the 32 team draw we have a great mix of Olympic, world, European and national champions from all over the globe competing with some new young teams looking to make their mark on the tour.

“I am particularly pleased to see we again are attracting the very best Canadian and European teams as well as giving all our Scottish entered teams the chance to show off their skills at the highest level,” he added.

Big international names gracing the team sheets for this year’s competition include Scotland’s David Murdoch, who has just retained his European title with a rink including Perthshire’s own Pete Smith; the reigning Olympic champion, Brad Gushue; one of Canada’s top rinks, skipped by Kevin Koe, currently ranked third in his home nation the powerhouse of the sport; last year’s runners up in the Masters, Kerry Burnyk; and Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud, who lost out to Scotland in the European final a fortnight ago.

But local rinks will also be throwing their hat into the ring and are sure to create a few surprises.

Last year, Perth’s Warwick Smith fell just before the quarter finals and is back to try his hand again.

Atholl-based Glen Muirhead did make it through to the final day of the competition last year and, now with a Scottish Junior title under his belt, hopes to make it through to the Sunday afternoon finale to clinch the title won by his dad Gordon in 1996.

Other local interest includes a team entered by Kinross’s Lee McLeary and Perth rinks from Pete Loudon, Graham Shaw, Keith MacLennan and Mike Hay.

And in a crowd pleasing piece of entertainment on the Saturday afternoon, sharpshooting players will take a break from the main competition for the fast, furious mad-cap fun of the Ramada Hot Shots contest.

Chairman Pete Loudon explained the prestigious Perth Masters competition is only possible because of the support the contest receives and added: “I thank all our sponsors for their continued support in making it possible for our committee to run what continues to be the major men’s curling event in the Scottish calendar.”

The first game of the Ramada Perth Masters slides into action at 4.45pm on Thursday, January 8, and the competition will continue until the last stone of the final stops on Sunday afternoon.

Web coverage and results will be updated via the Masters’ official website www.perthmasters.com and spectators are welcome at the Dewars Centre throughout the competition.