WHEELCHAIR SQUAD START SEASON AT FLOWERBOWL IN ENGLAND

Wheelchair curling’s growing appeal across the UK will be showcased this weekend as the British Curling squad makes its season’s debut across the border in Preston.

The Flowerbowl Wheelchair Curling Open (1-3 September) will feature six home-grown teams in an event that will help the leading British players get their season off to a flying start, while providing a particular boost to the England team’s prospects ahead of this season’s World B Championships in which they will be bidding to earn promotion to the top flight alongside their Scottish counterparts.

“We are looking forward to the chance to put our pre-season learnings into action,” said Hugh Nibloe, who skipped the GB team at last year’s Winter Paralympics in Beijing and has travelled all over the world playing the sport. 

“It is quite early in the season for us and we are not used to having competitions as early as this, but we are looking forward to it all the same and it will be my first time at The Flowerbowl.”

The event provides an opportunity to demonstrate the growing strength in depth within the British squad.

 “Sheila Swan (British Curling’s Head Paralympic Coach) has mixed the squad up and it will be interesting playing with different combinations and giving players the chance to get experience in positions they may not normally compete in, so it will be a good test,” Nibloe observed.

“We will be showing off the wider strength of pool of talent and I think most of our British Curling squad have not competed at The Flowerbowl before, so it will be good to head down and help the England team out and help them build towards a successful B Champs in November.

“For us it’s important to remember that we normally aim to peak in March for our Worlds so as much as we like to win and do well in competitions the main goal for me is to see improvement in our pre-season work, on technique and so on to carry that forward over the next few weeks before we look to defend our title at the Stirling Wheelchair International.

“It’s funny to think I have competed all over the world but never played in a venue that is virtually on my front door, so it will be nice from that perspective to experience something new and hope it will be a good competitive weekend, picking up a few pointers on things to do and hone before we get back to training on Tuesday and ahead of Stirling.” 

The Flowerbowl opened in 2018 and is the only dedicated curling rink in the north of England offering year round ice and has provided an opportunity to grow the game, which British Curling has been keen to maximise and this weekend’s team selections reflect a desire to support the game south of the border.

“Our British Curling teams are utilising Team England’s alternate and non travelling reserve for the World B Championships, providing them with valuable game time at this level,“ said British Curling Paralympic Head coach Swan.

“This is an earlier start to the season than usual which will help with their preparations and The Flowerbowl is a great facility providing year round ice which has been very helpful for Team England’s training camps over the summer.

“Hosting this tournament early in the calendar for wheelchair curling provides us with a great start to the season as the countdown to Milan Cortina continues.”

The English Curling Association (ECA) and English Wheelchair Curling Association (EWCA) are supporting this event, with Sport England also supporting wheelchair curling for the first time.

British Curling Teams (with members of Team England and Lockerbie Wheelchair Club):

BC1
Hugh Nibloe
Gary Smith
Jason Kean
Charlotte McKenna

BC2
Gregor Ewan
Gary Logan
Meggan Dawson-Farrell 
Jean Guild

BC3
Martin Sutherland
Jo Butterfield
Daniel Cowan
Alison Cloudsley

England
Stewart Pimblett
Julian Mattison
George Potts
Karen Aspey

Preston Wheelchair Curling Club
Paul Simmons
Jonathan Makin
Michael Shaw
Linda Hartley

Northern Ice Wheelchair Team
Stephen McGarry
David Melrose
Ray Cross
Norma McGarry

Draw:

Images: PPA Graeme Hart