Fraser bound for Junior Worlds

Inverness’s Ally Fraser and his team of Steven Mitchell, Scott Andrews and Kerr Drummond are bound for the World Junior Curling Championships in Flims, Switzerland (March 6-14) after winning the Scottish Junior title in Aberdeen yesterday.

Team Fraser completed an undefeated week with a 9-4 win over pre-event favourites, Perth's Glen Muirhead.

“We got off to a good start against Glen in the first game of the week,” said 19 year old Fraser. “We just managed to win that one on an extra end which set us up for the whole week.

“The team played excellently and we just kept on grinding out results and kept winning.”

Fraser has experienced a world championship as part of Team Black which finished eighth in last year’s event in Vancouver. This year he leads his own rink.

“This is a good team and we have had a good season,” said Fraser. “We won a competition in Canada this season; it’s always great to win over there. And we finished third overall on the European Junior Tour.

“For the Worlds, we want to win a medal, hopefully a gold.”

Fraser is supported by the National Academy, which has been created to identify and build a wider base of potential curlers capable of challenging for a place in the Elite Squad.

The Highland Institute of Sport, part of the sportscotland institute of sport’s regional network, provides integrated support in the form of high performance expertise. Its expert teams work together to support Scottish governing body-identified athletes, delivering essential support services locally in sports medicine, sports science, strength and conditioning, and career and lifestyle guidance.

“The National Academy with Rhona Martin and Brad Askew (RCCC Performance Development Coach) and Brad Askew (RCCC Assistant Performance Development Coach) has been a great help,” said Fraser. “They have taken us on foreign trips, coached and funded us.

“I’ve been with the Highland Institute of Sport since July and the support is brilliant. The Strength & Conditioning training has been the big boost for this season and has brought not just me but the whole team on. Physically and mentally I’m a lot stronger. I’ve also had nutritional advice which has been a big help, knowing what and when to eat and drink.”

Fraser has three weeks of training to look forward to before heading to Switzerland for the World Championships. His team are from different parts of the country but that has not hindered their progress and they meet on a regular basis.

“I’m from Inverness, Steve is from Perth, Scott is from Ayr and Kerr is from Forfar, so we are from all over,” said Fraser. “I will be training at home with our coach Ross MacDonald and we will meet for training weekends, starting in Perth this Sunday.”

Said Highland Institute of Sport Manager, Chris Hildrey: “Ally is a delight to work with and has made the best use of our support, incorporating it into his programme in a thoroughly professional manner.

“We are delighted that he has won his place in the World Championships in Switzerland and wish him the greatest success.”


Rob Eyton-Jones