Scott Arnold (R) with NZ Junior Women's team and coaches. Photo © NZCA / Jo Dowling

10 Aug 2017 – Australasia’s top curlers have just completed the World Curling Federation’s Stepping Stones programme at the MCI rink in Naseby.

The current Men’s, Women’s, Junior Women’s and Junior Men’s teams from both Australia and New Zealand were invited to the camp, as were a number of the leading Mixed Doubles athletes from both countries. Each group had a one to two day session.

Expertly led by facilitators Scott Arnold, Julie McMullin and Ken Bagnell, the programme combined on-ice and off-ice training to help national teams prepare for a season of elite curling. It introduced techniques for performance and mental analysis, and helped the athletes develop season plans for them to peak at the right times.

Photo © Lottie Hedley / lottiehedleyphotography.com

31 Jul 2017 – Central Otago curlers were hailing the praises of the weather gods and icemaker Jock Scott after perfect ice conditions last weekend, when they had two days of traditional curling on the Centennial Ponds adjacent to the Maniototo indoor rink.

Five teams from the West Coast Curling Club made their annual pilgrimage to the Maniototo and played their hosts, the Hamiltons Club, on Saturday morning. In the afternoon the inaugural Naseby Council - All Comers Points Match was held.

"This was a 'toe in the water' to try something different from the old tried and true events," said NZ Curling chairman Sam Inder. "It attracted about 30 curlers, the majority of whom were the visiting West Coast Club and who took out all the honours."

Sunday saw the playing of the Baxter Cup for the first time since 2010.

Peter de Boer. Photo © WCF

19 Jul 2017 – The New Zealand Curling Association (NZCA) today named Peter de Boer of Wellington as National Coach.

John Campbell, chairman of the NZCA’s High Performance Committee said, “The appointment of Peter de Boer as our first ever National Coach follows a detailed review of New Zealand’s international curling performance. Our review found that the greatest factor in high international performance was high-quality coaching, combined with committed and dedicated athletes.”

“We are very pleased to appoint Peter to this important role for the future of our sport, and we will support him as he establishes his programs for the next Olympic cycle”.

de Boer, 45, has represented New Zealand as an athlete on 7 occasions. He skipped New Zealand to a 5th place finish at the 2012 World Men’s Curling Championship, and competed in the 2013 Olympic Qualification Event.

Bailey Dowling delivers with Hunter Walker on the broom. Photo © NZ Curling / Jo Dowling

18 Jul 2017 – Although conflicting events meant there were just two teams competing for the NZ Junior Men's Curling Championship this year, there was still a tense competition. Defending titleholders Simon Neilson, Matthew Neilson and Ben Smith, with Anton Hood, were level with their challengers after the regulation eight ends in the first of a best-of-three decider.

They held hammer in the extra end and used that last stone advantage to good effect, scoring the single point they needed to secure a 5-4 win.

Their opponents Hamish Walker, Hunter Walker, Bailey Dowling and Jayden Bishop pushed them all the way in the second match too, but again fell agonisingly short.

2017 NZ Men's champions, L-R Hamish Walker, Warren Dobson, Scott Becker and Sean Becker. Photo © NZ Curling / Robert Giles

11 Jul 2017 – Both the Men's and Women's finals came down to the wire at the weekend's 2017 New Zealand Curling Championships, both games being decided with the final stone.

Although Team Sean Becker went undefeated through the round robin to be top qualifier, they found themselves trailing early in the gold medal match after Peter de Boer stole the first two ends.

Becker got back into the match with a 3 in the third, but de Boer led 4-3 at the fourth end break.

Coming into the final end trailing by 2 points, Becker held last stone advantage. With just his hammer stone left to play Becker had 5 stones in the house. de Boer held the crucial second shot, reasonably well guarded but with just an edge visible.

Peter Becker and Sam Inder with two of the new stones. Photo © George Berry / Winter Games NZ

1 Jul 2017 – The New Zealand Curling Association has purchased new curling stones for top-level competition – national and international events.

"These stones will help ensure that our top curlers have the best possible conditions at our premier events," said NZCA Chairman Sam Inder, "They are also an factor in attracting the best overseas curlers to international events here, and with Winter Games NZ likely to be held annually it was important that we acted sooner rather than later."

He continued, "They will be 'livelier' and more reactive than other stones used here, and also have a perfectly true running surface."

Otago Central, pictured here during their 2012 Nicolson Trophy win, continued their fine run in 2017

28 Jun 2017 – Otago Central Curling Club's history of success in the Nicolson Trophy has continued.

Their two teams won the 2017 match ahead of Alpine, Poolburn and Mt Ida clubs at Alexandra's IceInLine outdoor ice rink today.

The Nicolson Trophy is played between the two top teams from the Idaburn and Naseby Councils, as decided from their respective “One Day Matches” from the previous season.

23 Jun 2017 – The New Zealand Olympic Committee, Auckland Curling and 80 students from Henderson and Kowhai Intermediate Schools have celebrated 2017's Olympic Day with an introduction to curling.

"The fact is that almost all of them have never tried curling," said Rob Page, NZOC's head of education.

"It's an Olympic sport, and for us it's also a way to promote the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games in New Zealand, and create vocations for the future! As these Games will be taking place in the summer for us, there is less interest compared with the Summer Games, where New Zealand is strong. So I’m hoping our schoolchildren will be interested and take up curling seriously: that's our plan!"

2017 champions Kieran Ford, Eleanor Adviento, Brett Sargon and Thivya Jeyaranjan. Photo © NZ Curling / Liz Matthews

5 Jun 2017 – Brett Sargon, Eleanor Adviento, Kieran Ford and Thivya Jeyaranjan backed up their 2016 NZ Mixed Fours title by winning this year's championship in Auckland during Queen's Birthday Weekend.

They headed off five challengers at Auckland's Paradice Avondale rink, but didn't have it all their own way.

The limited ice time available to Auckland Curling meant that the tournament format did not allow extra ends to break a tie, and Team Sargon drew their first game with Garion Long's four.

Another of the opening round games between Iain Craig and Liz Matthews was also drawn, while the remaining Glenys Taylor v Rachel Pirie clash resulted in a one point win to the latter.