Paralympic bronze medallist Aileen Neilson will skip Scotland’s team at the World Wheelchair Curling Championships which will be hosted in Stirling next month (3-10 March 2019).

Neilson is the most decorated athlete in the Scotland line-up having medalled at the Paralympics in Sochi, as well as earning silver and two bronze medals from previous World Championship appearances in 2011, 2007 and 2017 respectively. The 47 year old who lives in Strathaven, was the first woman to skip a wheelchair curling team at a Paralympic Games (2010) and a World Championships (2011) and her appearance at The Peak Sports Village next month will mark her ninth appearance at a World Championships.

“It is always an honour to be selected to represent your country and whilst the Paralympics is the pinnacle of my career, to have the opportunity to compete in a home World Championships is right up there too,” said Neilson.

“I was a spectator at the World’s when they were last hosted in Scotland back in 2005 and it was a light bulb moment. I had just started curling and met the team representing Scotland and I knew at that point I wanted to become a competitive curler and represent my country. I very much hope that we will have good home support with lots of saltires in the crowds next month and our team will inspire the next generation of wheelchair curlers to whatever level they aspire to,” she said.

Neilson is joined by fellow Sochi medallist Robert McPherson, who was also in the world bronze medal winning team in 2017 along with Hugh Nibloe, who made his Paralympic Games debut in PyeongChang in 2018. At 37 years, Nibloe is the youngest member of the quintet which features two world championship debutants.

David Melrose from Duns has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the game, having been introduced to the sport in 2014 and selected to the British Curling elite programme at the start of this season. His first competitive outing for Scotland was last October at the Stirling Wheelchair Curling International Invitation (SWCII) which was hosted at the same venue where he will make his first World Championship appearance.

The 52 year old former fire fighter said: “I feel very excited and privileged to be part of this team and to wear the Scotland top with my name on the back feels very special. It is a wonderful opportunity to be part of a home Championships, as I know for some of us it will be the first time that friends and family can watch us compete, having been unable to travel abroad for other events, so we will be aiming to deliver worthy performances for everyone.”

Gary Logan completes the team as alternate and he will earn his first cap for Scotland as he makes his World Championships debut. The 47 year old has previously competed at two World B Wheelchair Curling Championships for the English Curling Association in 2015 and 2016, but as the son of Scottish parents he said: “My dad John would be ‘especially proud of my achievements and inclusion in the Scotland rink.”
Stirling’s hosting of the eight day event is the first time the World Championships have been staged in Scotland since 2005 and the tournament will feature 12 teams for the first time. The member associations competing are Canada, China, Germany, Korea, Norway, Russia, Scotland, Slovakia, Switzerland and United States, along with nations Estonia and Latvia who are making their first appearance at these Championships.

British Curling Head Wheelchair Coach Sheila Swan said: “This is the most important annual event in our sporting calendar, providing our first opportunity to gain crucial qualification points for ParalympicsGB towards the next Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2022.

“Our team comprises a mixture of experience and new talent which will aim to deliver another medal winning performance on the return of this tournament to Scotland. The last time we hosted the tournament was also the last time we won gold and we are looking forward to the backing of our Scottish supporters, who will no doubt play a huge role in welcoming all nations to the biggest event outside of the Paralympic Games,” Swan added.

Tickets are now on sale for the championships hosted at the Peak, which is operated by Active Stirling.

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “I am delighted to see such a high calibre Scottish team competing in Stirling next month at the World Wheelchair Curling Championships. Scotland is the perfect stage for curling events and we look forward to welcoming many more world-class athletes from across the globe for what is sure to be an exciting tournament.”

Scottish Curling CEO, Bruce Crawford said: “We have selected a strong team to represent Scotland at this year’s World Wheelchair Curling Championships, which we are hosting in Stirling 3-10 March.

“The team has a good balance of experience alongside fresh talent which will make them exciting to watch.

“We wish them every success as they strive to perform in front of the home crowd in Stirling in the first event of the qualification process for the next Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing 2022.”

Ticket prices are £4 per session for round-robin group matches, £6 for Saturday’s knockout Semi Finals and £10 for Sunday’s Bronze and Gold medal matches.

For information on accessible seating please contact Box Office on 01786 473 544 / 274 000.

All tickets can be bought at: https://culturestirling.org/world-wheelchair-curling-championships/

You can follow the build-up and results of the World Wheelchair Curling Championship on Twitter, Instagram (@worldcurling | @wwhcc2019) and Facebook (/WorldCurlingFederation | /wwhcc19) and by searching the hashtags #WWhCC2019 #curling

SCOTLAND TEAM:

Aileen Neilson (skip) – 47yrs, born East Kilbride, lives Strathaven
David Melrose – 52yrs, born Haddington, lives Duns
Robert McPherson – 50yrs, born Motherwell, lives Bellshill
Hugh Nibloe – 37yrs, born Stranraer, lives Stranraer
Gary Logan – 47yrs, born Berwick-upon-Tweed, lives Cornhil on Tweed, Northumberland

Wednesday 6th February 2019 saw a huge step in the development and progression of Powerchair Football across Scotland.

After several visits to the Scottish Parliament in 2018 and a presentation to the Cross Party Disability Group chaired by MSP Jeremy Balfour, the Scottish Powerchair Football Association were successful in obtaining a members’ debate within the Scottish Parliament.

MSP Jeremy Balfour opened the debate, having been instrumental in raising the motion and gaining the necessary support required. He commended the Executive and the many volunteers who give their time to support Powerchair Football in Scotland.

Bruce Crawford MSP from Stirling specifically discussed the recent Powerchair Football development within Central Scotland in which Cheryl Lappin (Scottish Disability Sport Regional Development Manager) was the driving force in bringing the key partnerships together, and championed the need for Changing Places station within the Peak.

Cheryl said: “We at Scottish Disability Sport within Central Scotland are delighted to see local MSP Bruce Crawford recently take part in Jeremy Balfour’s Powerchair Football Debate within the Scottish Parliament. As an influencer in bringing together key partners to develop new initiatives for disability sport within Central Scotland, it was great to see the Powerchair Football and many other projects, clubs, and partnerships showcased and spoken about so highly at this level.”

The debate was closed by Minister for Sport, Health and Wellbeing Joe Fitzpatrick who commended the partnerships involved and all the great work they do.

You can watch the debate on Bruce Crawford MSP’s facebook page here:
https://www.facebook.com/BruceCrawfordSNP/videos/545460772605634/

Michael McCraw and Diane Gillan were both treble winners in the Division 1 events for players with a learning disability at the inaugural Scottish National Disability Championships in this form, held at the Dalkeith Campus on Saturday 26 January. 

McCraw finished ahead of James Pert in the singles, before teaming up with Kevin Dobson to beat Dean Bernard and James McNeil in the final of the men’s doubles. Gillan beat Kerry Duncan to the top spot on the podium in the women’s singles and battled to a hard-fought doubles title with Hazel Irvine, beating Duncan and Emma Stewart 21-19 17-21 21-9 in the final. McCraw and Gillan then teamed up to win the mixed, winning all their matches to top the group with Bernard and Irvine taking the silver medal. 

The winners of the men’s singles divisions 2, 3 and 4 for players with a learning disability were James McNeil, Gregor Hardie and Nathan Boyle respectively, while Emma Stewart won the women’s singles division 2. Boyle and Alastair Daniels won the division 2 men’s doubles and Edward Hagerty and Emma Stewart won the division 2 mixed title. 

Grant Allen beat Richard Lean 21-13 21-17 in the final of the SL3-SU5 men’s singles and Lean also won the SL4 men’s singles, beating David Purdie into second place. Colin Leslie beat Logan Welsh 21-11 21-12 to win the SL3 men’s singles and Mary Wilson beat Lesley Johnstone 21-7 21-7 to win the SL4 women’s singles. Leslie and Lean won the SL3-SU5 combined doubles with Allen and Purdie finishing second, and Leslie also won the SL3-SU5 mixed doubles with Wilson, while Lean and Tracey Thomson were runners up. 

In the SS6 events Bobby Laing beat Andrew Davies 21-12 21-18 in the final of the men’s singles before they teamed up to win the men’s doubles, with Ross Foley and Jack Purvis runners-up. 

Fiona Christie won the combination wheelchair singles, beating Anthony Stott in the final 21-7 21-10 but Stott got his own back in the doubles when he and David Birtles beat Christie and Duncan Taylor 13-21 21-14 21-19 in the final. 

A total of 100 matches were played over 21 events and we would like to thank the University of Edinburgh for providing the scorers and the Lothian Disability Badminton Club committee for their unstinting support throughout.  

These championships have been three years in the making and is a true representation of partnership working between Scottish Disability Sport, Badminton Scotland and Lothian Disability Badminton Club. Thanks to Lyndon Williams who was instrumental in getting this event to this stage, David Gillespie and Alistair and Roselind Hall who provided invaluable organisation prior to and during the event.  

Full results are here.

 

There was a fantastic Scottish medal haul from the British National Track Championships in Manchester last weekend. 

Neil Fachie and (adopted Scot) Matt Rotherham continued their incredible form, setting two new World Records, subject to ratification, in both the 200m Time Trial, where they also took the Gold, and the 1000m Time Trial, picking up the Silver. 

Laura Cluxton, riding for RT23 and piloted by Laura Clode, followed on from a good 1000m Time Trial performance to take Bronze in the 3000-4000m Pursuit with a factored time of 4:31.131. 

It was a good weekend for Glasgow CT rider, Fin Graham medalled in both the 500m-1000m Standing Start Time Trial and the Para C 3000-4000m Pursuit picking up Bronze and Silver respectively. 

Furthermore, Grampians Colin Wallace competed in the vent for the first time after getting involved in the sport following the #Discover Para Potential event in Glasgow in June last year.  Colin  

Scottish Disability Sport would like to congratulate all those racing at the Championships. 

A full report can be found via Scottish Cycling’s website:  

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/scotland/article/20190128-scottish-cycling-news-Weekend-Round-Up–25-27-January-0