Scottish curling online

We at The Curling News are honoured to spotlight The Scottish Curler, a glossy mag that is actually a wee bit older than us (shhhh!) and which is also chock full of great currrrrrling news from Scoootland every month.

The Scottish Curler now has an online weblog, Curling Today, and we are also honoured to have been the first out there to spot it, and post its first comment.

So there you be. Check in often and read up on all things Scoootish and currrrrrling via your desktop.

Elsewhere:

• Great news from the European curling world as Le Gruyère AOC has renewed its title sponsorship of the European Curling Championships for another two-year term ...

• The Canadian Curling Association has a selection committee currently out west, checking out sites for the 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts. The choice is down to Kelowna or Victoria in B.C.

Steering said committee are the CCA’s Warren Hansen and Jack Bowman, as well as veteran STOH chief Robin Wilson.

The final decision, which will be announced this fall, will be a tough one. Victoria has a strong event pedigree with the lucrative 2005 Ford World Men’s still fresh in memory. Kelowna, however, is currently the talk of curling in B.C. as it is home to world champion Kelly Scott.

Kelowna has also hosted the Scotties, in 1989, and other Season of Champion events like the World Women’s (1986), the Canadian Juniors (1999), and the World Juniors (2002)... and the mammoth Kelowna Curling Club is a very sleek operation, headed by 2007 provincial Mixed champ Jock Tyre.

As for the two arenas in the running, there appears to be little to choose from between Kelowna’s Prospera Place – built in 1999 – with seating for 6,007, and the Save on Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria – still with some fresh drywall during the 05 Worlds – and its capacity of 7, 400.

Nearby Vernon, of course, is hosting the coming 2008 Ford World Women’s Championship, which just scored a $50,000 grant... and the Vernon Curling Club recently hired Dave Merklinger – he of the criticized Tim Horton’s Brier and very much uncriticized Ford Worlds in Edmonton – as ice technician and general manager, who makes the move from Vancouver’s Royal City CC.

• Still in British Columbia, 2006 Paralympic wheelchair champion team member Sonja Gaudet is in the running for Vernon Business Woman of the Year award. The gala takes place tomorrow at the Best Western Vernon Lodge.

Gaudet’s bio reads as follows:

Sonja Gaudet is a dedicated wife and mother, as well as a volunteer, ambassador, motivational speaker and highly accomplished athlete. She was a key member of the Canadian Paralympic Curling Team that won gold at the 2006 Torino Paralympic Games. Her life is an example of grace and achievement as well as selfless determination to make her community a better place. She has used her life experience to inspire others, always with a sense of humor and her signature smile.

• A wee bit further to the southwest, B.C. curling coach Sharon Delver paid a curling visit to New Zealand and Australia this month. And nice to hear more about concrete plans for Oz’ first real curling facility ...

• The Sports Network picked up our exclusive on Brad Gushue’s newest addition. But of course ...

• Finally, a YouTube curling roundup shows excerpts from Sweden’s 2007 men’s final (check out the huge backswing on Per Carlsen)... the women’s final, and also the men’s juniors (note switch of Van Halen backing track to Survivor), plus a cool vid summarizing the 2007 World Juniors in Eveleth. Finally, someone has finally posted Brit comedienne Catherine Tate’s amusing – if predicable – sketch, which features Rhona Martin ...

• Okay, finally here’s the last item, and it’s a warning. Do NOT, under ANY circumstances, click on this link. Just don’t do it ...