The Jackson Centenary Bonspiel, celebrating the centenary of an Olympic curling gold medal by the Scottish rink of William Kilgour Jackson and his team of Laurence Jackson, Tom Murray and Robin Welsh, in Chamonix, France, has taken place in the capital.
Some 14 teams competed in a three game Bonspiel and watching from the new Curl Edinburgh club rooms were invited guests including descendants of the 1924 team and three of the 2002 women’s Olympic champions – Rhona Howie, Debbie Knox and Janice Rankin.
Amongst those taking part in the Bonspiel were Paralympic medallists Michael McCreadie (silver in 2006) and Aileen Neilson (bronze in 2014).
At the conclusion winners team Whyte – comprising Craig Whyte, Alison Fyfe, Jen Ward and John Wilson – were presented with the Jackson Trophy by Trisha O’Reilly, W K Jackson’s great-granddaughter.
The Jackson Trophy was presented to Edinburgh Curling Club in 1955 by Willie Jackson’s sons Laurence and Elliott, in memory of their Biggar-based father and has been played for virtually every subsequent year.
Scottish Curling Trust were congratulated for tracking down the families and helping organise the Bonspiel; also, Curl Edinburgh and Edinburgh Curling Club were acknowledged for supporting and hosting the event.
Scottish Curling notes that in a three team Olympic competition Great Britain defeated Sweden 38-7 and France (46-4).
However, it was over 80 years later that the event was upgraded from “demonstration” to full Olympic status meaning the Jackson rink could be included in official record books.
Curl Edinburgh has been enjoying a busy season, hosting a number of events including Edinburgh International Seniors, Crabbie Trophy Schools Invitation, an under-21 Slam, Strathcona 2013 Tour Reunion, Sellar Trophy and the Edinburgh Area and Midlothian Province Bonspiels but the Jackson Bonspiel has been credited as the centrepiece of the events calendar.
Evergreen sports journalist. Previously published in many publications around the world. Send me your local sports stories. billlothian1008@gmail.com
