NZ Curling Association News

If you're in or about Alexandra this Sunday 2nd May, get down to the town's latest new indoor curling rink and give it a go!

Come along any time after 9:00 am, and there's no charge!

See more on the Alexandra Rink's Facebook page.

This is the first weekend that the rink is open to the public, ahead of the official opening at the end of May.

9 January 1935 - 8 January 2021

Today we farewell our NZCA Life Member and curling stalwart, Stewart McKnight.

Stewart sadly passed away suddenly, aged 85 last Friday 8th January.

He was an all-round sports person who gave his best in every endeavour he undertook, including curling. He was part of our Idaburn Council and was a passionate Blackstone Hill curler.

Stewart contributed in many ways to our curling community, both indoor and outdoor.

Photo © WCF / Céline Stucki

25 Aug 2020 – Exciting opportunities for curlers in NZ to take advantage of scholarships have been provided by the World Curling Federation, through their partnership with the World Academy of Sport. Full details are on the WCF site here.

There are two opportunities:

• Postgraduate Certificate – targeted at individuals with professional experience and an interest in learning more about the industry of International Sports Management
• Athlete Certificate – targeted at students who want to gain a broader understanding of what it takes to become a successful athlete

Sam Inder

28 Jul 2020 – Acclamation greeted the New Zealand Curling Association's unanimous decision to award Life Membership to Sam Inder at its recent Annual General Meeting. The meeting was Sam's last as President of an organisation he has been heavily involved with for many years.

His fellow Life Member and former long-time NZCA Secretary Peter Becker spoke at length of Sam's service to curling and to the New Zealand Curling Association.

Although his final role as President was the statutory 2-year maximum, Sam has served either on the Executive Committee or as an officer from 2007, and was its Chairman for the best part of a decade. At different times he has served on the Board of the Maniototo Curling International rink, and also had a spell as its Manager.

Sam also played a leading role in organising many of the superb international events that have come to our shores in recent years, including the 2012 Pacific-Asia Championships, 2015 Pacific Asia Juniors, 2019 World Qualifying Event, and several Winter Games tournaments.

Everyone involved in curling in New Zealand is grateful for Sam's contribution to our sport, whether they play on the natural ice of the Poolburn Dam, or indoors in Naseby, Dunedin or Auckland.
 

Photo © Malcolm McNeil / NZCA

26 Jul 2020 – The Nicolson Trophy, considered the most prestigious "outdoors" trophy a club can win outside of a National Bonspiel, was played at Naseby Ice Rink on Monday 17 July.

Only four clubs compete in this event, and they must qualify by being one of the top two clubs for the season from each of the Idaburn and Naseby Curling Councils. This year's qualifiers were Kiwi and Ranfurly Curling Clubs representing Naseby Council, and the Alpine and Poolburn Curling Clubs from the Idaburn Council.

Each club puts up two rinks each, and each rink is drawn to play against a side from both of the other Council's clubs. They play one 21-end game in the morning and another in the afternoon.

Photo © Malcolm McNeil / NZCA

23 Jul 2020 – The Idaburn Trophy was contested at Alexandra's IceInLine rink last Friday, 17 July. This is a one-day outdoor "North v South" match between teams from the Naseby Curling Council and the Idaburn Curling Council.

The 10 teams competing each played two 21-end games against a rink from the opposing Council. The curlers saw sun in the afternoon but temperatures never got above zero, so conditions were perfect and the slick ice held well all day.

Idaburn came out winners over Naseby on the day by 7 wins and a draw to 2 wins and a draw. The result was closer than it seemed, with three matches won by a single point and a number of others that came down to the last end.

14 Nov 2019 – New Zealand sport is set to get a massive boost thanks to a ground-breaking grassroots sports initiative launched today by Sky and Olympian and former America's Cup sailor Rob Waddell.

More than 50 National Sports Organisations and rights-holders – including New Zealand Curling – have come together to form the New Zealand Sport Collective, led by Rob Waddell. Together, they will be part of Sky Sport Next, a platform designed to be a launching pad for some of New Zealand's most popular grassroots sports and rising young talent.

Through Sky Sport Next, New Zealanders will get free access to watch more than 50 different sports and thousands of events, many of which wouldn't have otherwise been live streamed or made their way to a leading platform.

Presentation after the Idaburn Trophy's 2017 match. Photo © Lottie Hedley / lottiehedleyphotography.com

13 Aug 2017 – With warm weather signalling the imminent end of the outdoor curling season, a call went out to play the “North-South” one-day match for the Idaburn Trophy last Friday, 11 August.

Icemaker Jock Scott felt that while the ice conditions would be somewhat on the trying side, the ice would probably just about hold out long enough for a day’s curling on Naseby’s Outdoor Ice Rink.

Five teams each from the Naseby and Idaburn Curling Councils started the first of two scheduled 21 end games at 9am. Sluggish ice, and later pools of water, meant that the games progressed quickly – although curlers’ arms were already aching when the first game was completed.

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."