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Friday, September 28, 2012

Wheelchair Curling Open House

 

 

Wheelchair Curling Open House - Sunday October 14, 2012 - 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. - Fort William Curling Club - Free transportation, complimentary coffee and snacks.

 

To register and more information, call Dave at 628-3958.

Come out and try something new .... friendly camaraderie and qualified instructions.

Armstrong doping suspension reduced; Paralympic champ eligible to return immediately

Armstrong doping suspension reduced; Paralympic champ eligible to return immediately

9 22
Jim Armstrong, seen during action at the 2009 world wheelchair curling championship, is again eligible to curl internationally for Canada after having his doping suspension reduced to six months. Photo, Dallas Bittle/World Curling Federation
 
Jim Armstrong will be back on the ice this season, chasing the right to wear the Maple Leaf at international wheelchair curling competitions, including the chance to defend the gold medal he won at the 2010 Paralympics in Vancouver.

The 62-year-old six-time Brier participant, whose curling now has to be done from a wheelchair thanks to a serious car accident and ongoing knee issues, had an 18-month doping suspension from the World Curling Federation reduced to six months (a span that expired on Sept. 5) following a hearing with the Court of Arbitration for Sport over the summer in Toronto. The hearing result was made public on Friday.

“Absolutely, it’s a relief,” said Armstrong on Friday. “Was there an adverse analytical finding? Yes. Could it be explained? Yes. And at the end of the day, that’s what they decided. It certainly doesn’t negate the fact there was an offence. But there’s an asterisk on it. They saw what it was an how it came about and applied a little bit of compassion to a very unwieldy circumstance.”
Armstrong, originally from Vancouver and now living in Ontario, tested positive for Tamoxifen, a drug used to treat breast cancer that has been used by athletes to counter the side-effects of steroid use. Armstrong said he ingested the drug accidentally; his late wife, Carleen, died in 2009 because of breast cancer and was using the drug, and Armstrong said some of her leftover drugs got mixed into the various medicines he takes on a daily basis to deal with his medical problems. The Tamoxifen pills are similar-looking to the ASA 81-mg pills that he (and many other men) take to help prevent heart attacks.

The positive test was revealed to him on the eve of the world wheelchair championship in South Korea last January, and Armstrong immediately came home. The WCF reduced the standard two-year suspension to 18 months because of the circumstances of the case.
Armstrong launched an appeal, and with lawyers Emir Crowne and Christina Khoury backing him up he had his day in court in June in Toronto.

According to the findings of the CAS, “the WCF Panel did not properly exercise its discretion” in assessing the 18-month penalty, noting the accidental nature of the offence and the obvious lack of benefits to Armstrong (quite the opposite, actually; it would do more harm than good) from ingesting the Tamoxifen.

“The sanction imposed on an athlete must not be disproportionate to the offence and must always reflect the extent of the athlete’s guilt,” the CAS report stated.

But the six months of the original suspension remained in place: “The fact that the Appellant stored his own medicine together with the medicine of his wife in a box and also reused containers of Tamoxifen, certainly does not constitute an exercise of utmost caution,” said the report.
With the CAS decision, Armstrong can immediately return to the ice for competitive events and start his bid to be named to the Paralympic team for the Sochi Olympics. According to the Sport Canada website, he’s also eligible to receive Sport Canada funding; a suspension of two years or greater makes you permanently ineligible.

Armstrong was to fly to Vancouver on Friday to take part in a national-team wheelchair camp, as he’s back in the 14-member Team Canada pool to play at the world championship in Sochi, Russia — a test event for the 2014 Paralympics.

“Under the circumstances, I think it’s as close to vindication as I can get,” said Armstrong. “Did I make an inadvertent error? Obviously, I did. But it was explained.”

Jim Armstrong reinstated - WCF reduces Armstrong suspension to 6 months (already served)





UPDATE - as of 28 September 2012: The WCF notes the decision of CAS to confirm the Anti-Doping Rule Violation of Mr Armstrong but to reduce the sanction imposed by the WCF’s Independent Hearing Panel. The new sanction imposed on Mr Armstrong is 6 months meaning he can resume curling activities as from 6 September 2012.

Anti-Doping Rule Violation:
On 17th February 2012, the WCF Doping Hearing Panel rendered the following decision against the athlete Mr James Armstrong (CAN) (“The Athlete”):
IN THE MATTER OF ALLEGED DOPING OFFENCE BY Mr. JIM ARMSTRONG (CANADA)
Contrary to WCF Anti-Doping Regulation 2.1-1
Following the expedited hearing held on 17th February 2012, on behalf of the World Curling Federation, the Independent Panel are unanimous in their view that Mr. Armstrong has committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation and that this constitutes a Doping Offence under ADR Article 2.1. The Panel confirm that the sanction applicable in this case should be 18 months suspension from the date of this decision.
The case was brought before the Independent Panel following an Adverse Analytical Finding in an Out of Competition test on Mr Armstrong. Mr Armstrong tested positive for TAMOXIFEN which is listed in category S4.2 HORMONE ANTAGONISTS AND MODULATORS.

Welcome back Big Jim!

Tom Killin Hall of Fame Article

Tom Killin – born 1950 in Edinburgh and lives in Edinburgh


Tom Killin – born 1950 in Edinburgh and lives in EdinburghTom is one of Scotland’s most talented all round wheelchair sportsmen. His record in international sport is very impressive and he is one of a unique breed of disabled sportsmen who has excelled at Summer and Winter Paralympic Games. Wheelchair fencing, table tennis, basketball and more recently curling are the sports where Tom has made his mark.

Tom has represented Scotland at the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games and was a Summer Paralympian in 1980 and 1984 where he won 2 silver and 2 bronze medals for fencing. He has won medals for Scotland and Great Britain in fencing, table tennis, basketball and wheelchair curling. He has won a considerable number of British Championships and like so many of the wheelchair curling team he is a great team player. Tom played table tennis from his wheelchair in the mainstream Open Edinburgh and Lothian League for many years. In the early years of the SDS Table Tennis Championships, Tom dominated the section for wheelchair players. His chair handling skills were exceptional and his ability to cover the table had to be seen to be believed.

In 2003, Tom joined the Braehead Club and was introduced to wheelchair curling and very quickly established himself within the Scottish team. Tom is now a regular member of Scottish and British wheelchair curling teams. Success in individual and pairs competitions quickly followed and in 2005 he was selected for the Scottish team that went on to win the World Championship at Braehead. Selection for Great Britain soon followed and he was a key member of the GB team that won silver at the Winter Paralympics in Torino. Tom was also a member of Team GB at the Winter Paralympics in Vancouver and is all geared up to challenge for a place in the GB Team for the Winter Paralympics in Russia in 2014.

Tom was Scottish Wheelchair Curling Champion in 2007, 2010 and 2011 and British Champion in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009. He has the record of having competed in every World Championships between 2005 and 2012, the most recent being in South Korea.

Tom is a gentle giant who is ideally equipped for a curling team. He is as passionate now about his sport as he was when he first became involved in the 70’s. Tom’s wife Maggie was an outstanding wheelchair fencer who also achieved great success in international sport. Tom was selected to carry the Olympic Torch for London 2012.

Wheelchair curling returns to Inverness

Wheelchair curling returns to Inverness

by Graham Linton
Action from the Highland Wheelchair Curling Triples competition
Action from the Highland Wheelchair Curling Triples competition
FOR the first time in five years competitive wheelchair curling returned to the Highlands helped by a recent sponsorship deal between Highland Wheelchair Curling Club and Tesco Inverness.
Scotland’s top wheelchair curlers converged on the Highland Capital to take part in the first-ever Highland Wheelchair Curling Triples Competition at Inverness Ice Centre.

There was some very skilful curling on show from all the competitors during the event, which included Scottish/GB and Spokes squad players and club curlers.
Despite several call-offs due to illness, eight teams battled it out and all games were played in a round-robin format.

The team from Moray consisting of Gregor Ewan, Tom Killin and Jim Gault topped the leaderboard at the end of the two-day competition with six wins and one loss.

That defeat came in their first game against the home team of Mo Simpson, Seamus McArdle and guest player Maria Duncan, from Kinross. The Highland trio eventually finished fifth overall.

The Tesco Trophy was presented to the winners by Rhona Brindle, community champion at Tesco Extra, Inverness.

The prizes of diamond paperweights were handed over by Tony Zummack, head GB performance coach.

"Highland Wheelchair Curling Club were delighted that Tesco Inverness agreed to provide sponsorship for this event," said Simpson, Highland Wheelchair Curling Club secretary.

"The two community champions — Shona Patience, of Tesco Inshes and Rhona Brindle, of Tesco Extra, arranged for all four stores in Inverness to work together to raise the money.
"This will enable us to hold a high quality wheelchair curling competition here in the Highlands for the next three years.

"As well as Tesco Inverness providing the main sponsorship, we are extremely grateful to the Highland Council Common Good Fund, Provost Alex Graham, Caley Thistle, staff and directors of Inverness Ice Centre, GOoutdoors, Scottish Wheelchair Curling Association, and Ashers Bakery, Nairn, for their support."

 

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Tom Killin inducted into inaugurall Scottish Disability Sports Hall of Fame


A BIG CONGRATS to Tom Killin long time member of the Scottish/GB curling squad on being inducted into the Scottish Disability Sports Hall of Fame at last nights AGM.

Tom Killin (born 30 March 1950, in Edinburgh) is a British multi-sport Paralympian. Killin was paralysed following a traffic accident at the age of 17.

Killin won two medals in fencing at the 1970 Commonwealth Games. He also represented Scotland and Britain in disability table tennis and basketball for 12 years, including winning a World Championship silver medal in singles table tennis. Tom made his first Paralympic appearance as a wheelchair fencer at the 1980 Summer Games where he won two silver medals, and also competed in the 1984 Summer Paralympics.

He first joined the Braehead Curling Club in 2003. In 2005 he represented Scotland at the World Championships in a team that also contained Frank Duffy, Ken Dickson, Angie Malone and Michael McCreadie. They won the gold medal and all five athletes were selected to compete for Britain in the first Paralympic wheelchair curling event held at the 2006 Winter Paralympics in Turin, Italy.

During the Paralympic tournament Britain won their group games against the teams from Denmark, Sweden, Italy and the United States, and lost the matches against Switzerland, Norway and Canada. Their record of four wins and three loses meant they finished the group stage in second place and advanced to the medal rounds. they beat Sweden in the semifinal and went onto to face Canada in the final. Where they lost 7-4 to Chris Daw (Skip) and his team from Canada finishing as Silver medlists.

In 2010 Killin was again part of Great Britain's Paralympic wheelchair curling team. The team, which also featured Michael McCreadie as skip, Angela Malone, Aileen Neilson and James Sellar had finished fifth at the 2009 World Championships. Britain won three of their nine group games, beating teams from Switzerland, Germany, and Japan. They finished in sixth position, which meant that they did not advance to the medal matches.

In Tom own words"

"A wonderful & a big surprise last night at the Scottish disablilty Sports AGM
it was there inaugurall Hall of fame to those Paralympic athletes who they thought had done the sport proud and had achieved outstanding succsess over the years and deserved to be inducted into the inaugural Hall of Fame. I am so proud and honoured to announce that I was one of the first to be inducted into the new Hall of fame last night.  I am very humbled this tops all my achievments."
 


Again, Congratilations to Tom on his  life of acheivements!

Sincerely my friend!

Chris Daw and the Wheelchair Curling Blog 2 staff

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Stirling Wheelchair Curling Club

Stirling Wheelchair Curling Club

 
Stirling Wheelchair Curling Club

Stirling Wheelchair Curling Club is looking forward to introducing wheelchair users to the Paralympic winter sport of Wheelchair Curling. Therefore, YOU are invited to come and try the sport for FREE.

A Free Come and Try Wheelchair Curling day is being held on Wednesday 10th October from 12.30pm till 2.30pm in the curling rink at The Peak, Stirling

It is all about having a go at a very simple but rewarding sport. All equipment supplied and qualified coaches on hand to introduce you to this friendly and fun sport. The Peak is fully accessible.

Always wanted to have a go...then now is your chance. The Stirling Wheelchair Curling Club meets every Wednesday at 12.30pm and new members are always welcome.

Whether social curler or aspiring Paralympian—come along and see if this is the sport for you. All ages and levels of ability welcome. Ice rinks can be chilly so an extra layer of warmth required.

Contact Neil Hogg M 07792463723 for further information or just turn up.

Click to access poster

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Invitation Czech Wheelchair Curling Tournament

Invitation Czech Wheelchair Curling Tournament

 
7th Open Czech Wheelchair Curling Tournament, 2012
 23th – 25th November 2012.
 Curling hall Praha – Roztyly, Czech Republic.

I. BASIC PART

Organizer: SC JÚ Praha delegated by Spastic Handicap - Cerebral Palsy Czech Sports Federation in cooperation with the Institution of care and schools for handicapped youth – Jedličkův ústav

Date: 23th – 25th November 2012

Venue: Curling hall – Komárkova 12, Praha 4 - Roztyly

Event director: Mgr. Pavel MARTÍNEK

Head referee: Czech Curling Association

 II. TECHNICAL PART

Accommodation: The organizer does not provide accommodation.
You can find list of hotels in attachment.

Boarding: Breakfast at hotel. Teams are responsible for their boarding.

Lunch at Sphera restaurant (at the curling hall)

http://www.crystalhouse.cz/sphera/uvod.html

Transport: Organizer will provide transport from and to airport or railway station according to entry (maximally one day before and after competition).

Entry form: Deadline for Entry form receiving is 23th October 2012.
 

Organizers are able to enter only 6 foreign teams. The first six entered teams will sure participate. Others should participate only in case of replacement.

Entry fee: € 190 per team.

€ 10 per person – transport to and from venue.

€ 15 per person – transport from and to the airport.

Private trips transport is not included.

Entry fee – cash in Prague (to avoid high bank charges).

Presentation: Friday 23th November 2012, 9:00 am at the curling hall

Preliminary Schedule

Thursday 22th November 2012

Until 17:30 arrival and attendance

Friday 23th November 2012

9:30 – 9:45 team manager meeting
10:00 – 11:30 practice
11:30 – 12:30 lunch (venue)
13:00 – 18:00 1st part of competition

Saturday 24th November 2012
9:00 – 18:00 2nd part of competition
11:30 – 12:30 lunch (venue)

Sunday 25th November 2012
9:00 – 16:30 3rd part of competition
11:30 – 12:30 lunch (venue)
16:30 – 17:00 closing ceremony (results)
17:00 departure

III. SPORT APPOINTMENT

Disciplines: Teams

Instruction: Competition will be followed the WCF rules of play for wheelchair curling. Protest fee 30 €.

Liability: The organizing committee undertakes no kind of liability.

Information: E-Mail: scjupraha@centrum.cz

Invitation and entry form – Word document