BRITISH PARALYMPIC ASSOCIATION

Press Information

For immediate use: Sunday 30^th October 2005

GB announces strong curling team for Winter Paralympic Games

The players that won this year’s World Wheelchair Curling Championships will have the opportunity to challenge for gold at the Torino 2006 Winter Paralympic Games.

All five players who won the World Championships in Glasgow in January are named today (Sunday) by the British Paralympic Association in the GB team for the Winter Paralympic Games.

Britain qualified for Torino – the first time curling has appeared at the Winter Paralympic Games – by virtue of Scotland’s victories at the 2004 and 2005 World Champions.

Frank Duffy, Michael McCreadie, Tom Killin, Angie Malone and Ken Dickson, were today confirmed to represent Great Britain in Torino, with Louise Dodd selected as non-travelling reserve.

Team manager Ena Stevenson said: “It’s a strong team and we’re going out to get into the medal zone. We know there are no easy games at this level, so we can’t take anything for granted.”

Great Britain have a particularly tough start to the competition in Torino – they play the Switzerland and Denmark – the bronze and silver medallists at the 2005 World Championships – on the opening day of competition in Torino.

The GB team includes Michael McCreadie, who played for the Great Britain basketball team at three Paralympic Games and coached at two further Paralympic Games.

Tom Killin also has Paralympic Games experience – he won a silver medal in table tennis in 1984 and silvers in fencing in both 1980 and 1984.

GB curling team for Torino

Frank Duffy – Falkland, Fife (27.08.59)

Michael McCreadie – Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire (16.03.46)

Tom Killin – Edinburgh (30.03.50)

Angie Malone - Girvan (27.05.65)

Ken Dickson – Berwick-upon-Tweed (01.07.44)

Non-travelling reserve:

Louise Dodd – Dingwall, Inverness (26.06.74)

Ena Stevenson from Dunfermline will be team manager, while Tom Pendreigh from Inverness is head coach and Glasgow’s Ali Glover is physiotherapist. Kenny More from Fife will be notational analyst.

Great Britain’s curling fixtures at the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games

Sunday 12^th March

Great Britain v Switzerland

Great Britain v Denmark

Monday 13^th March

Great Britain v Norway

Great Britain v Sweden

Tuesday 14^th March

Great Britain v Italy

Great Britain v Canada

Wednesday 15^th March

Great Britain v USA

Tie-breakers if necessary

Thursday 16^th March

Tie-breaks if necessary

Friday 17^th March

Semi-finals

Bronze medal match

Saturday 18^th March

Final

The British Paralympic Association has already announced the selection of three Alpine skiers to compete in Torino - Russell Docker, Sean Rose and Liz Miller.

Great Britain had another outstandingly successful summer Games at Athens 2004, finishing second in the overall medals table behind China and winning 94 medals – 35 golds, 30 silvers and 29 bronzes.

The British Paralympic Association is sponsored by easynet and Visa, and is also supported by lottery funding through UK Sport.

For further information about the British Paralympic Association contact: The British Paralympic Association's Press Office at Matchtight Ltd on (01225) 383518 or by email at comms@matchtight.co.uk, or see the BPA website at www.paralympics.org.uk