A civic reception for three-time world curling champion Ewan MacDonald from Inverness has now been set in stone.
The city’s grand Town House will host the event on Thursday, November 9, with the sports star’s former coach and long-time good friend Tom Pendreigh coming up with the plan, supported by Highland Council.
In April, MacDonald was inducted into the World Curling Hall of Fame, and the civic celebration later this year will be the perfect occasion for the 47-year-old to share stories and memories with many of those who helped him reach the top of his game.
MacDonald curled for Scotland more than 200 times and melted the red-hot resistance and class of the Canadians on the way to winning world golds in 1999, 2006 and 2009.
He was also European champion in 1999 and 2008, and represented Team GB at the Winter Olympics in 2002, 2006 and 2010.
Special night in store in November
Pendreigh offered a hint as to what the guest-list for the event to mark MacDonald’s curling career will look like.
He said: “It will be a cracking night. There will be people from the World Curling Federation, UK Sports, sportscotland, as well as being heavily athlete-based.
“Mike Hay, who was national coach back in the 1999 era, and his brother Dave Hay, who was the last coach, will be there. Both men were highly-respected athletes.
“Alan Campbell, a coach who had an early influence early doors, is also attending, while many of Ewan’s team-mates, even way back to his junior days, will be there.”
‘People who were part of the journey’
MacDonald explained why being centre stage in his home city for the evening with all of the people he says contributed to his sporting career will mean so much to him.
He said: “I’m really touched and it’s great Tommy has driven this.
“It’s great Tommy’s had the support and he knows what’s behind the reception.
“I have had incredible support throughout my career, and you could not be where you are without that support, locally and nationally. To have some of these key people be involved in the celebration is really special.
“It is so good of Tommy to be putting in the time and effort for the civic reception. We’re very close and it means a lot to me that he’s gone to this effort to arrange it.
“Having the people who were part of the journey is the other big element for me. That’s what makes it special.
“There will be many people I haven’t seen for a long time, yet they were all instrumental throughout my career. It will be lovely to have everyone together.”
MacDonald is an ‘inspiration’ – coach
Pendreigh’s top-class coaching ability led to gold for Scotland’s men at the 2006 World Championships, and he has plenty more medals in the locker.
He feels MacDonald’s brilliant achievements on ice deserve to be celebrated, because the Highlander has played such an inspirational role for the next generation in the sport.
He added: “There is an element of uniqueness. There are not many triple-world champions inducted into the World Curling Hall of Fame.
“I have been lucky enough at a competitive level to have gone all over the world to coach and play and there are those people who inspire younger players.
“In my day, it was Chuck Hay and Bill Muirhead, and I was lucky enough to curl against them. They were all in my past and that’s how it all evolves.
“You look up to these people and Ewan has been an excellent role model. Perhaps you don’t get the recognition, especially as curling is such a niche sport.
“I thought we need to be banging the drum up here – I felt it was time to up the ante a wee bit.”
Local returns always good for Ewan
Being in local company with good friends has always mattered to MacDonald – even when returning – often from around the globe – as a world, continental or national champion.
He added: “It’s been really nice at times coming back from a successful competition, including the majors, and you simply come and play a super league game.
“You are then around your usual people and that is really nice. Those who you’ve played against locally for many years.
“They talk about it and have followed my progress, so I’ve always liked when I came home.
“I have always tried to give as much time as I can in that regard. It’s an important part of it.
“We’ve never been people who don’t now play at a certain level (because of major successes). We’ve always played super league, (and) been in the local environment.”
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