Arguably by far the most popular Curling Competition ever played at The Waterfront Leisure Complex in Greenock was held between 13 and 16 March when Gourock Curling Club hosted an International Bonspiel. The competitive Curling was supplemented by “off Ice” entertainment provided by Gourock Curling Club, including a Jazz Breakfast, a close up Table Magician, many local musicians, a popular local Folk Group who had their audience in the palms of their hands, a Ceilidh Band and the traditional piper.

The Competition, forming part of the Club’s 150th Anniversary year celebrations, attracted 30 Rinks from near and ( very ) far, allowing the Club to reciprocate the very generous hospitality which many of their own members have enjoyed during their own many curling adventures in France and Switzerland.

Thierry Mercier, a former French Champion, brought his Rink over from Megeve in France and there were 8 teams from Switzerland – including one which was skipped by a Gourock émigré, George Henderson.

An innovative feature over the week-end, and one which was greatly appreciated by the competitors, was live coverage from the Ice to a large Screen in a Marquee which had been specially erected in the Car Park. The screen was supplied by the local James Watt College, a team of whose lecturers and students worked round the clock to record the week-end’s fun and who, as this is being written, are back in their studios to produce a commemorative DVD.

The Waterfront Ice Rink, the quality of whose Ice was unanimously praised thanks to their outstanding Ice team led by Mark Callan, had never seen the likes of the spectators present for the final Session on Sunday when a Rink skipped by Heinz Rindlisbacher from Neuchatel, emerged as the Tournament Winners.

At the Gala Dinner, which was held in the Marquee, the various splashes of tartan worn by many of the 240 plus gathering were interspersed by the traditional Swiss dress emphasizing the international nature of the event.

Malcolm Richardson ( President of the European Curling Federation ) was effusive in his praise of the quality of the organization and the standard of curling on display which was very pleasing to President Donald Campbell and those others who had spent countless hours piecing the 4 day Programme together.

A few hundred were present at the Prizegiving on Sunday afternoon when the prizes were presented by Rhona Martin, Skip of the Ladies Rink which won the Gold Medal at the Salt Lake Olympics in 2002, and this made at least one young Inverclyde curler’s dream come true by simply meeting her. Truth to be told, there were many not so young Inverclyde Curlers whose dreams also came true by Rhona simply appearing as part of this great wee Club’s Anniversary celebrations.

The Club was encouraged to consider hosting such an ambitious event after securing the encouragement of the local townsfolk in general and the support and principal sponsorship of the local regeneration company, Riverside Inverclyde in particular. Many other local businesses, far too numerous to mention individually, provided very positive financial help.

The reputation of Gourock Curling Club was greatly enhanced over the week-end and its name, as well as those of other local Clubs, will undoubtedly be spoken of fondly both in Scotland and in Europe.

So far as the members of Gourock are concerned, this was indeed the Mother of all Bonspiels.