New Zealand Curling

Plenty of local support (Photo USCA)

8 Dec 2014 – The harsh reality of the World Curling Federation's updated world rankings hit home for New Zealand's Curling teams at the just-completed US Curling Grand Prix.

The made-for-TV event featured Men's and Women's rinks from the USA, China, Japan, and New Zealand competing at Minnesota's Fogerty Arena, home of the Four Seasons Curling Club.

The Kiwi sides were the lowest-ranked there, and both finished true to their rankings at the tail of the field – but there were some encouraging moments in their tournament. The Chinese sides, both highest-ranked at 5th in the world, won both events.

Photo © Richard Gray / WCF

15 Nov 2014 – New Zealand's curlers will be returning home empty-handed from the 2014 Pacific-Asia Curling Championships in Karuizawa, Japan.

The Kiwi Women's team of Chelsea Farley, Thivya Jeyaranjan, Tessa Farley and Eleanor Adviento, with alternate Waverley Taylor and coach Liz Matthews, lost their bronze medal game against the Japanese side of Ayumi Ogasawara today.

After an even start, Japan scored 3 points in the fourth end and then stole another 2 to take a 7-2 lead into the fifth end break. NZ patiently blanked the sixth but were then held to just one point in the next. The teams traded singles before Japan ran NZ out of stones in the last end to win the match and the bronze medal 8-4.

In the Women's gold medal match, China stole the extra end to win 7-6 and hand Korea their only loss of the week. With their title, the Chinese also won the right to play in the 2015 World Women's Championship. Japan automatically qualified as hosts.

Pacific-Asia delegates, including Hong Kong and Qatar, at the 2014 World Curling Congress. Photo: WCF

24 Oct 2014, Perth, Scotland – The World Curling Federation (WCF) has formally accepted the Hong Kong Curling Association and the Qatar Curling Federation as conditional Member Associations.

Their acceptance follows a statutory period of consultation with existing Member Associations since the annual World Curling Congress in Reno, USA in September 2014.

Part of the Pacific-Asia Curling zone, both Hong Kong and Qatar will be supported as they continue to work towards establishing the sport of curling in their respective countries.

2014 Auckland champions Cleansweep Photo: Liz Matthews / Auckland CC

13 Oct 2014 – The Cleansweep side of Chelsea Farley, Thivya Jeyaranjan, Tessa Farley, Ryan Lewis and Eleanor Adviento were rewarded for their consistency when they won the 2014 Auckland Premier League. They beat Liz Matthews' Thistles 7-4 in Sunday's Grand Final.

The result was earned after three top-four finishes for the side in the last 4 years, including topping the preliminary round last year and a runner-up finish in 2010.

It was the best possible end to the domestic season for the Farley sisters, Jeyaranjan and Adviento before they and Waverley Taylor represent their country at next month's Pacific-Asia Curling Championships.

30 Sep 2014 – Otago Girls High School and East Otago High School supplied the upset results on home ice to win the Girls' and Boys' finals of the 2014 NZ Secondary School Curling Championships in Dunedin early this week.

OGHS skip Emma Sutherland and her team of Mhairi-Bronté Duncan, Heloise Fitzpatrick, Diana Yeritsyan and Kelsie Mee lined up in the final against Holly Thompson's Maniototo Area School. MAS had recorded one-sided wins against all comers in their round robin games and semi-final.

But it was the Dunedin team who took the early advantage in the gold medal game, covering the pin with their pre-game draw shot and winning the first three ends to put the Maniototo team under unaccustomed pressure, and to take a lead that they did not relinquish. Maniototo replied with a single in the fourth end, but a double to Otago in the next was enough for them to secure their eventual 5-2 win.

24 Sep 2014 – The New Zealand Curling Association has confirmed the National Mixed Doubles and Senior teams to compete in their respective 2015 World Championships in Sochi, Russia next April.

Brett Sargon has also been added to the NZ Men's team for November's 2014 Pacific-Asia Curling Championships in Karuizawa, Japan.

The teams for Sochi are the winning combinations from this year's respective New Zealand Championships, with the addition of Wendy Becker to the Senior Women's team.