MSP CELEBRATES REGION’S CURLING SUCCESS

The debate, entitled “Supporting a sporting nation—celebrating and building on Scotland’s success in youth sport” was a chance to highlight the region’s disproportionate contribution to achieving world class status in the sport.

Speaking during the debate the SNP MSP said:

“Scottish women are world champions at the moment, and the team’s skipper, Eve Muirhead, is certainly in the running to be Scottish sports personality of the year.

“Less well known is that her teammates all hail from the south-west of Scotland.   They include: Anna Sloan, who comes from Lockerbie, who plays third; Vicki Adams, who plays second, who comes from Stranraer; and Claire Hamilton, who is from Dumfries, and who currently plays lead for the Scottish champion rink.

“Scotland, England and Wales all compete separately in international curling. By an agreement between the curling federations of those three home nations, only Scotland can score qualification points on behalf of Great Britain—because, obviously, we are the best.”

Commenting after the debate she said:

“There is good reason to believe that curling as a sport originated in the south-west of Scotland, and it has certainly been a stronghold ever since.

“The massive success of the Scottish women’s team this year shows the worth of investing in tradition.

“I welcome assurances from the Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport that there will be opportunities to develop and support our curling tradition in the future.”

Note to editors:

The full text of the debate can be found here:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28862.aspx?r=8210&mode=pdf