Scotland was very well represented at the National RYA Sailability Annual Awards which took place in Bedfordshire on Saturday 17 February 2018.  The Scottish winners, all of whom learnt or do sail at Clyde Muirshiel’s Castle Semple Centre in Lochwinnoch, won three of the five awards on offer. It certainly was a fantastic result.

David Hill, Senior Instructor at Clyde Muirshiel’s Castle Semple Centre said “I’m really proud of all these guys and the effort they have put in. They are an inspiration to us all and it certainly goes to show that disability is no barrier to success.”

The Young Person of the Year Award went to 16 year old Rory McKinna from Stewarton. Rory learnt to sail at Castle Semple in an accessible dinghy.

Rory’s 2017 Results alone make for impressive reading:

• Scottish TT Hansa 303 Singles Champion
• Scottish Club Trophy Champion
• GB Hansa Nationals 303 Singles Champion
• Winner of the Endeavour Trophy Hansa Nationals
• RYA Multiclass Regatta Hansa 303 Singles Champion
• Silver Medal representing GB at the European Para Youth Games, Genoa, Italy
• GB sailor on World Sailing Para Development Programme, Meze
• Member of UK Hansa team at Hansa European Championships, Meze, France

Rory has been consistently sailing at a high level for a number of years now with some fantastic results in 2017. He learnt to sail at Castle Semple, doing all his RYA courses with the Castle Semple Instructors using one of their accessible Hansa 303 dinghies, he is still a regular for training sessions and at Regatta’s.

He has also moved into mentoring other young sailors with a disability through Castle Semple and Able2Sail and will continue this through 2018 working with the instructors at Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park to drive on development and help grow participation in sailing.

The Team of the Year Award went to Able2Sail.  With the help of the outdoor instructors at Castle Semple – using their knowledge, equipment and enthusiasm they trained, supported and encouraged the Scotland West team to double Silver medal place and a bronze at the Special Olympics (SO) in Sheffield in August 2017.

The Team are:

• Jamie Cairns, Student at West College Scotland, Clydebank Campus
• Darren McGregor, Student at Glasgow Kelvin College
• Lewis Nicolson, pupil at Riverbrae School, Linwood
• Mick Kelly, teacher/helper Riverbrae School, Linwood
• Shannon McGhee, Student at West College Scotland, Clydebank Campus
• Laura Carrick Able2sail Youth Co-ordinator
• David Hill, SO Head Coach & Senior Instructor at Clyde Muirshiel

The On the Water Award went to Mary Christison, Renfrewshire Disability Resource Centre (DRC) Paisley for all the effort she puts in to get as many of her members sailing as possible.  As one person said “We would not be on the water without her work“.  The vast majority of the DRC’s on the water activity takes place at Castle Semple, Lochwinnoch.

A very well done to all the award winners, volunteers and their supporters, what inspirational stories.  It all started (and continues!) at Clyde Muirshiel’s Castle Semple Centre, Lochwinnoch, Scotland’s only Centre of Excellence for accessible sailing.

IMAGES:

Photo 1 – Group photo of all the Award Winners.

From the left Margaret Riley, Able2Sail Secretary; Shannon McGhee; Jamie Cairns; Laura Carrick; Gerry Campbell, Chair Able2Sail; Darren McGregor; Mick Kelly; Rory McKinna; Lewis Nicolson; David Hill; Craig Holland, DRC Member; Mary Christison.

Photo 2 – Close up of The Award

Photo 3 – Hansa 303’s racing on Castle Semple Loch at Multi-Class Regatta Sept 17. (Craig Holland, DRC, Paisley dark blue sails – won the single hander races, Rory McKinna E Ayrshire, red sails won single hander Scottish Traveller Series 2017 overall )

 

Team Scotland’s selections for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games raced past the 200 mark as a further 92 athletes across 10 sports were announced at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum today (14 February). The list of newly selected athletes includes Olympic and World medallists, defending Commonwealth Games champions and a host of athletes breaking through to make a Commonwealth Games debut.

Olympic champions Katie Archibald and Callum Skinner head a list of 16 Cycling selections, with fellow Olympian, Grant Ferguson, also named. Tandem pairing Aileen McGlynn and Louise Haston take to the boards once again, after double silver in Glasgow 2014 while Neil Fachie, double gold medallist four years ago, teams up with Matt Rotherham in the Men’s Tandem events, looking to defend both titles. There is also a raft of young talent on the track with Jack Carlin, Mark Stewart, Jonathan Wale and Neah Evans all medallists on the World Cup circuit in the past two years.

John Archibald, elder brother to Katie, also makes the team following a rapid rise on the track. Better known as a road cyclist, he made the switch in 2017 with the aim of making the Gold Coast Games, a decision that has been vindicated by top results. Most recently brother and sister won Points Race gold on the same weekend at the British Championships.

In Gymnastics, World and Olympic medallist Dan Purvis and reigning British Floor and Vault champion, Frank Baines are the returning members of the team which won a historic silver medal in the Team Event at Glasgow 2014. They are joined by three 19 year-old rising stars; 2017 Scottish All-Around champion Kelvin Cham, double British Championship medallist Hamish Carter and David Weir, who took seven medals at last year’s Scottish Championships including two gold.

After a fifth place in the Team Event in Glasgow, Cara Kennedy leads a women’s trio which includes Shannon Archer, who took four gold, including the All-Around title, at the 2017 Scottish Championships and Scottish Uneven Bars champion, Isabella Tolometti.

Dan Purvis said: “I was so proud and relieved to win the full set of medals in Glasgow, especially with it being a home Games. The biggest medal for me though was the team silver. I felt so proud standing on the podium with my team-mates having created history for Scottish Gymnastics.  It’s something I’ll never forget.

Scotland’s Scott Meenagh has been selected to the ParalympicsGB team for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympic Games, meaning the team will be represented in Para Nordic skiing for the first time since Nagano 1998.

Scott will make his Paralympic debut and will compete in both cross country and biathlon. His selection means that the team will be represented in an historic five sports.

Scott, who was injured whilst on active service in Afghanistan at the age of 21, was encouraged to try Para Nordic Skiing after getting a taste of winter sport during Sochi 2014, which he experienced as part of the Paralympic Inspiration Programme.

He has also competed in Para Rowing at an international level, however he made the switch to Nordic Skiing in March 2016.

Speaking about his selection, Scott said; “It’s an incredible feeling to know my name is on the team sheet and that I’m set to achieve my goal of representing Great Britain at a Paralympic Games. I can’t wait to get out to South Korea to compete and I’m determined to give my very best performance”.

“I’ve totally fallen in love with this sport and I hope that I will encourage others to follow me so that we can develop Para Nordic Skiing further for Beijing 2022.”

Scott’s announcement takes the number of athletes currently selected for the ParalympicsGB team to 17 after athletes were selected in Para Alpine Skiing, Para Snowboard and Wheelchair Curling.

Scott joins fellow Scot’s Aileen Neilson, Angie Malone MBE, Gregor Ewan, Robert McPherson and Hugh Nibloe from Wheelchair Curling and Brett Wilde (guide) from Para Alpine Skiing on the ParalympicsGB team at PyeongChang 2018.

All ParalympicGB sports will come together on Thursday 15^th February to celebrate their selection to the team before the athletes begin to depart for South Korea.

The PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games take place from 9^th – 18^th March.

Scotland’s wheelchair curlers were in action at the GB Wheelchair Curling Championships in Hamilton from 4^th-6^th February. The Scots were up against a strong international and domestic field in what would be the perfect warm up for the forthcoming PyeongChang Winter Paralympic Games.

Scotland progressed through the round robin phase with five wins from five matches, including victories over international sides from Germany and Denmark and Aileen Neilson’s rink went into the semi-finals with high hope of taking the GB title. A maximum of ten points, with 23 ends won, meant Scotland topped Group A after Sunday and Monday’s action. Group B saw Korea match Scotland with a 100 per cent record, while Sweden also showed their strength to finish second with four wins from five matches.

The Scots progressed to a semi-final meeting against a strong Swedish rink and it turned out to be a close run thing with Scotland emerging the winners by 5-4. With Korea beating the rink skipped by Torino 2006 Paralympic silver medallist Michael McCreadie 6-4 in their semi-final, it set up a clash between the two unbeaten sides in Tuesday’s final.

Unfortunately, It was not to be a third British Open title in a row for Aileen with team mates Gregor Ewan, Hugh Nibloe, Robert McPherson and Angie Malone, as the Scots were beaten 6-3 by a strong Korean outfit in an extra end.

Aileen commented;

“The final was an extremely close game with only blank ends and singles being exchanged,”

“Team Scotland had to steal in the extra end and were lying shot until the Korean skip played a great take out through the port to take the victory.

“The event provided a great opportunity to compete in a high class line up and was a great confidence boost beating the German and Swedish Paralympic teams just before the Games.

“We have received lots of messages of support from friends and family and it is nice to know that everyone back home will be rooting for us when we are in PyeongChang competing for Great Britain.”

The Scottish rink will now don the colours of ParalympicsGB as they compete in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympic Games from the 9^th – 18^th  March with their confidence boosted after a successful GB Championships.

Despite the adverse weather conditions many of Scotland’s Top Para Swimmers were in attendance at the National Short Course Performance Swimming Championships on Sunday 21 January, held at the country’s top swimming venue, Tollcross International Swimming Centre in Glasgow.  The strength of the partnership between Scottish Swimming and Scottish Disability Sport is evident with a strong squad of both male and female swimmers progressing to an extremely competitive level.

Thirty nine swimmers were in attendance, with a number withdrawn with injuries and some due to the inclement weather.

Toni Shaw the S9 swimmer from Grampian, recently selected for Team Scotland for the Commonwealth Games, proved her selection with some top performances throughout the day.  She had competition from 100m Backstroke World Record Holder in the S13 classification, Abby Kane from Ren 96 who ran her close in several events.  Toni’s 100m Butterfly performance saw her breaking the Scottish record in a time of 1.11.50.

Conner Morrison the S14 swimmer competing for University of Aberdeen, world record holder in the 100m Breaststroke, was in good form and had some great races against the up and coming youngster from City of Glasgow Swim Team, Louis Lawlor.

The McCulloch twins, Fraser and Lewis, from Inverclyde ASC, again battled it out in the S15 classification, with Lewis coming away with most of the plaudits in their events.

The event was also open to some of Scotland’s up and coming youngsters, swimming as guests, enabling them to experience the competitive environment with timing pads and scoreboard.

The Performance Championships have become a valuable event in the calendar for Scottish Para swimmers, with the Long Course event scheduled for June in Stirling.

We wish Beth Johnston and Toni Shaw the best of luck at the Commonwealth Games and hope they achieve whatever goals they have set for themselves.

 

 

Glasgow 2014 and Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games athlete, former Royal Engineer Micky Yule is a champion Powerlifter winning Gold at the 2016 Invictus Games before going on to represent Britain in the Rio Paralympics later that year.

Not content with his current achievements and thirsty for a huge new challenge, he’s now testing his limits in a highly dangerous sport – Skeleton.

The full article is on the Help for Heroes website here:
https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/news/2018/february/double-amputee-micky-yule-takes-on-epic-sporting-challenge/

You can watch Micky talking about the challenge here:
https://www.facebook.com/HelpforHeroesOfficial/videos/2174124115938286/

There are many opportunities across Scotland for people living with visual impairments. BBC Sport have recently profiled Scottish Visually Impaired Ski Club based at Midlothian Snowsports Centre – click on the link below to see the inspiring guides and skiers:

https://www.facebook.com/bbcsportscotland/videos/2028385220510690/?hc_ref=ARTeq6W_0t8dKrdT0q0bY2Gst5tcCz5Mc9EmxJ2VK8EABIsTAyUWXawpCqW_D_Vg7V4

 

When: Wednesday 11 – Friday 13 July 2018
Where: Badaguish Outdoor Centre, Glenmore, Aviemore PH22 1AD
Who: Young people with a physical disability, visual or hearing impairment aged 10-18 years

The camp is a multi-activity, 2-night residential camp featuring various adapted sport and physical activities supported by experienced and qualified staff in a fun, engaging and supportive environment. It is aimed at youngsters with a physical, visual or hearing impairment aged 10-18 and is ideal for those looking to engage in some form of physical activity or to build confidence and socialisation.

The camp will take place at the Badaguish Centre, Aviemore which is situated in the beautiful surrounds of the Cairngorms National Park. Application forms will be sent out in March but if you have any questions or would like to register interest, please contact us on 0131 317 1130 or admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com.

You can see the photos from our 2016 camp at Badaguish on our Flickr page here.

The 38^th annual Scottish Disability Sport National Carpet Bowls Championships took place at Dundee International Sports Complex (DISC) on February 3 2018.

This event traditionally is one of the first major events in the competition year and brings together many of the nation’s leading indoor and outdoor bowlers. The quality of the bowling on show was frequently of the highest level and yet again demonstrated the standard of bowler regularly playing in Scotland.

Leisure & Culture Dundee and Dundee City Disability Sport proved to be excellent hosts and DISC is a venue ideally suited to the hosting of this Championships, indeed the carpets which for years had been transported from Glasgow will now take up new residence at the centre in lieu of the event being based here for the foreseeable future. Many thanks to all staff involved in the set-up of this event, especially Gordon Quinton, Darren Thomson and his two sons, and Carol Duncan.

This year saw players from Highland, Fife, Lothian, Glasgow, South Lanarkshire and host branch Dundee compete over 5 sections to determine the leading carpet para-bowlers in the country. There was a very slight increase from Lothian and Highland branches and it was gratifying to see a further slight increase in the sections with a learning disability. More identification work is required to unearth bowlers with a physical and sensory disability and SDS and Bowls Scotland will continue to identify bowlers through the grassroots programmes within schools, clubs and branches. SDS Bowls Performance Development Manager Ron McArthur continues to develop the Regional Indoor Hubs. Allied to an extensive Coach Education programme and the comprehensive national events programme the sport is well placed to ensure existing and new para-bowlers in all classifications are well catered for in accessible sessions and competition structure. 

The event featured multiple matches only decided by one point which served to highlight the competitive nature of the event.  

After a successful year in 2017 which saw Team Highland celebrating their first trophy in almost two decades with Evan MacKintosh victorious in the Wheelchair section, they went one better this year with victories in 2 out of the 5 sections. It was the same final as 2017 and history repeated itself as Evan proved too strong emerging the victor by 14 shots to 2.

In the Mixed Ambulant & B3 section Lothian’s Neil Shirley a two-time winner of this event played Fife’s Billy Allan, a winner in this event four times. Following a clean sweep in the group section Billy was unfortunate to meet Neil Shirley, who had left his best bowls until the final, in excellent form.

In the all-Fife section for restricted ambulant & B2 bowlers two former champions went head to head again. Neil Laughlin – champion in 2017 – eventually lost to his stable-mate Kenny Dow, when he retire due to illness whilst ten shots down in the final.

A new name is on the trophy for the section for male bowlers with a learning disability. This section is always extremely competitive which was illustrated by last year’s champion Andrew Harrison making an exit in the first round to Lothian’s Euan Wright. Ultimately, though, it was Highland’s Phillip Hendry who played magnificently to edge the final 15-13 on the final hooter, despite losing the last 7 points of the match.

In the female section last year’s finalist Amanda Craig from Lothian played Glasgow’s Debbie Fotheringham. A slow start for the Lothian bowler saw Debbie take a commanding lead which ultimately proved too much to return from despite a stirring late comeback from Amanda.

Thanks as ever go to our Fife office – Norma Buchanan and Richard Brickley MBE who prepared the programme and draw for the event, with Norma providing crucial administration support on the day. Further thanks to Ron McArthur and Gordon McCormack OBE, Chairperson of the Glasgow Disability Sport branch for their support of this event.

Officials from local Bowling Clubs all provided officials for the day and without this input the event simply would not be possible. The support was again significant with almost 30 officials attending on the day and SDS are indebted to all who attended.

 

This continues to be an incredibly exciting period for bowls in Scotland as preparations for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast gathers momentum and national attention now turns to the SDS National Indoor Championships in April at Falkirk IBC.

Photo: Winners at the 2018 SDS Carpet Bowls Championships: L to R: Phillip Hendry (Highland), Neil Shirley (Lothian), Evan MacKintosh (Highland), Kenny Dow (Fife) and Debbie Fotheringham (Glasgow).