For the first time in three years, teams from across the country will be chasing the title of Johnny Foxes Inverness Skins champions at the city’s Ice Centre from this Friday.
Prior to the Covid pandemic, one of the most popular events in the Scottish curling calendar was the Inverness Skins and the action will play through until Sunday.
The exciting skins format was developed in Canada in 1986 with teams competing for ‘skins’ rather than the normal shots set-up.
Each skin has a cash value which increases as the games progress. To win a skin, teams must either win an end by more than one shot or steal the end without the last stone. Sides winning the most cash progress.
Prize pot of more than £4,000
In total, 96 curlers across 24 teams will compete for a purse of £4,410, with some multiple Scottish, European and world champions.
On home ice, three-times world champion and Olympian Ewan MacDonald will be chasing glory.
Other top skips include world juniors runner-up Ally Fraser, Scottish champion Scott MacLeod, Scottish junior champion David Robertson, Olympian Kyle Smith and junior Olympians Blair Fraser and Andrew Craigie.
Initially, the competition is played as a round-robin, with four sections of six, with the top two teams from each section progressing to Sunday’s knockout stages.
The final is scheduled for 2.30pm on Sunday, followed by the prize-giving including the distribution of prize money, with Don Lawson, from main sponsor Johnny Foxes, putting £1,000 into that cash pool.
Prize added in memory of George
This year, one lucky player will receive the “Spirit of Curling” award as voted for by their fellow competitors.
This prize will be presented in memory of George Macarthur, who died earlier this year.
George, along with his wife Joan, was an integral part of the organising committee for many years and was well-known and highly respected throughout the curling community.
The committee said it looks forward to welcoming competitors, local sponsors and spectators to the ice rink throughout the weekend to enjoy this appealing form of curling.
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