World champion slides in to curling club centenary
Last updated 19:37, Thursday, 20 March 2008
ASPATRIA Curling Club has celebrated its centenary with the help of a world champion.
The club, which meets at Lockerbie ice rink, had some coaching from 30-year-old David Murdoch, Scottish, European and world curling champion.
Members of the Aspatria club were dressed in the way the first members of the Aspatria Curling Club would have dressed to gather around the lake in Brayton Park where they first met.
Now they play at the indoor ice rink in Lockerbie but before it was built, these keen curlers would travel as far as Glasgow to get a game.
Curling has become a popular winter Olympic sport, mainly because of the successes of British teams.
The champions, men and women, come in all ages and make curling look easy - bowls on ice.
“There’s a lot of tactical play but you also have to work hard. You use a lot of muscles,” David said.
Aspatria’s curlers come in all ages.
Secretary Margaret Mitchell said: “All ages can play together. You get 13-year-olds playing against 60-year-olds and they are on a level playing field.”
Chairman of Aspatria Curling Club, Terry Benset, of Cockermouth, said club members came from all over the area.
Now 57, he started curling when he lived in Aviemore in his early 20s.
The club celebrated with a competition night and the group has an annual dinner next month at the Lakeside in Aspatria, which is on the shores of the lake on which the club started.
Anyone interested in learning about curling can contact Mrs Mitchell on 01900 812118.
