Community Leisure centre hosted an annual fundraiser event for Blind Life IN Durham (B.L.IN.D). Organised with blind awareness in mind, local service groups were invited to take part with there own teams of four individuals in a blindfold New Age Kurling competition.
Eight teams took part, including a variety of ages and abilities, with one team entered from B.L.IN.D. Those who were not visually impaired had to wear a blindfold to create awareness of people with a sight impairment.
New Age Kurling is still in its early days as a sport, but with continued support and growing interest hopefully it will be recognised as an Olympic sport, with several teams having formed a North East Kurling Association already.
On the evening, it was organised so that each team would play every other team at least once and their scores would be tallied up at the end to decide the winners. After seven games two teams were on nine points each (points are given for the number of stones on the target for each game).
So a deciding game was played between "The Real McCoy's" and the "Curly Wurlies" for who was to be the 2009 champions and the runners up.
It was a very tense game and everybody else who wasn't playing, surrounded the court, each player took their turn and it went right up to the last stone, which was played by Jim Welch from the "Real McCoy's".
The spectators looked on as the stone glided it's way down the court, it made it's way through the other stones and landed on the target, 1-0 the final score, the "McCoy's" had won.
A shield for the event champions sponsored by "Wolsingham Community Leisure centre" was presented to the "Real McCoy's" and medals were given to the individual team members, medals were also presented to the runners up, the "Curly Wurlies".
Many thanks go to the staff of the centre for their help and assistance and for hosting the event and all those who took part and volunteered their services.
Simon Newton - Blind Life IN Durham Sports Co-Ordinator
Real McCoy's - Winners
Curly Wurlies - Runners Up
Wolsingham School and Community College