ALMOST as important as Saturday’s result at Murrayfield was the news from the Border Ice Rink that Border Province won the Pate Trophy from the grasp of Midlothian for the first time since 2004, writes Alistair Lindsay.
The historic victory came about after an equal series of four games each but with a 17-shot advantage to the home crew. Those taking part from the Borders were Ayton Castle, Earlston, Duns, Greenlaw, Kelso, Lauderdale, Swinton and president David Kerr’s Select. Special mention should be made of Lauderdale who overwhelmed their luckless opposition 17-2.
The previous evening the High Road and Low Road finals of the Director’s Trophy took place.
In the Low Road, the Stark rink out-manoeuvred Andy Adams’s rink in fairly short order while in a tense but protracted High Road final, John Stevenson’s rink just headed a genuine Directors’ rink, directed by June Swan, at the last end of this two-and-a-half-hour ordeal.
In considerably less time, on sheet one, seven pensioners and a 49-year-old representing the Hills managed to play nine thrilling ends.
In last week’s round of the Agrii Border League, Lammermuir beat holders Glendale, Foulden and Lauderdale peeled in a hard game, Selkirk subdued Teviotdale and, with an eighth end shut out, St Boswells contained Earlston. This last game featured newly returned Canadian tourists Harry Dodds and Jim Cullen as skips, no doubt putting their transatlantic expertise to best effect.