Curling clash heads to Borders for first time

The Scottish Borders is to host the annual Four Nations curling championships for the first time later this month.

The event at the Border Ice Rink in Kelso from 23 to 25 January will feature more than 70 curlers from across Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales.

They will compete for eight historic trophies between two, three and all four nations.

Long-time Borders curler Keith Prentice is this year's President of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club, and he led the successful bid to bring the international event to his home rink.

"It's a tournament that is held every year and it's Scotland's turn this time, and because I'm president I thought it would be a great opportunity to see if we could bring it to the Borders for the first time," he said.

"We were delighted to hear that our bid was successful, because it takes a lot of work by volunteers to make this happen.

"We're really looking forward now to welcoming more than 70 curlers to the Kelso ice from the Friday night through to the presentations on Sunday afternoon, and the social fun that goes with it."

The Border Ice Rink - the only one in the Borders - was facing a serious threat to its future after the Covid pandemic wiped out income for the best part of two years, and severely reduced numbers of players and volunteers in the Borders.

However, the Kelso club has worked hard in the past two years to raise significant funds to improve the facility which has attracted higher level curling matches and ice hockey teams struggling for ice time elsewhere.

It is also encouraging more young people to try ice skating and has launched its own ice hockey team the Kelso Rams.

Prentice said that, as a result of the input of many people, they were developing a reputation as a "welcoming, friendly and high-quality rink" and hoped to attract more events like the Four Nations in future.