Ice Melters Curling Club

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Club History

The Ice Melters Curling Club was formed in June 2003 by Chris Munns (current Club Webmaster) with the help of Mark Le-Faye (current Club President). At this time no curling ice was available in England whatsoever and so the club's main aim was to organise curling trips to Scotland and mainland Europe where members could benefit from coaching and then enter various bonspiels.

First ever Ice Melters CC team Several of the club's original members (many of whom had no previous curling experience) are Oxford Brookes University Alumni, having previously played for Utopians Football Club (also formed by Chris Munns) during their student years and throughout the 1990s.

Season 2003/04

After coaching trips to Deeside (Wales) and Murrayfield (Edinburgh), the first competitive game contested by an Ice Melters team (Andrew Dodd, Chris Munns, Pete Braithwaite and Paul Heffernan - see photo above right) was against a Lockerbie Select team on 22nd February 2004. Although this 4-end 'challenge' game was lost 3-6, it proved valuable experience for the club's forthcoming first-ever bonspiel appearance in Paris two months later.

Bonspiels	Date	Country	P	W	D	L	Position
29th Viry Cup (Paris)	16-18 Apr 2004		5	0	0	5	26/26
Other Games (2003/04)	x	x	1	0	0	1	x
Totals (2003/04)	x	x	06	00	00	06	x

Season 2004/05

England's first ever dedicated curling rink opened near Tunbridge Wells in November 2004, allowing local club members to train in England once a fortnight and also compete in a number of two-game 'Superleague' tournaments. Indeed on 8 January 2005, the Ice Melters Curling Club won the inaugural 'Superleague' event with two wins out of two but experienced less success in five later events winning two and losing eight games. Five bonspiels were entered with the pick of the performances being the club's visit to Edinburgh in March 2005 while, for the first time, the club was able to enter two teams into the same bonspiel for the 30th Viry Cup in Paris (April 2005).

Bonspiels	Date	Country	P	W	D	L	Position
Grand Opening Bonspiel (Fenton's Rink)	12-14 Nov 2004		4	2	0	2	14/18
19th Tårnby Cup (Copenhagen)	12-14 Nov 2004		4	1	0	3	25/30
1st International Curlers' Gathering (Murrayfield)	25-27 Mar 2005		6	3	0	3	23/28
30th Viry Cup (Paris) [Ice Melters CC '1']	15-17 Apr 2005		5	1	1	3	25/28
30th Viry Cup (Paris) [Ice Melters CC '2']	15-17 Apr 2005		5	1	0	4	26/28
41st I'national Summer Bonspiel (Garmisch-P)	8-10 Jul 2005		4	1	1	2	36/48
Other Games (2004/05)	x	x	12	4	0	8	x
Totals (2004/05)	x	x	40	13	02	25	x

Season 2005/06

With the 'Superleague' events no longer being staged at Fenton's Rink in England, the Ice Melters Curling Club once again turned its focus towards bonspiels entering a total of seven throughout the season. Again pick of the performances was from the Ice Melters team competing in Edinburgh where, on this occasion, three wins and three defeats was enough to secure 4th place (out of 28). One challenge game was also played during the season - a 9-7 win over Tonbridge Curlers at Fenton's Rink.

Bonspiels	Date	Country	P	W	D	L	Position
1st Anniversary Bonspiel (Fenton's Rink)	28-30 Oct 2005		5	2	0	3	11/14
20th Tårnby Cup (Copenhagen) [Team '1']	11-13 Nov 2005		4	1	1	2	21/30
20th Tårnby Cup (Copenhagen) [Team '2']	11-13 Nov 2005		4	1	0	3	24/30
11th Grond Premi da Scuol (Scuol)	20-22 Jan 2006		5	2	0	3	16/20
1st Ramada English Masters (Fenton's Rink)	24-26 Mar 2006		4	0	0	4	8/8
2nd International Curlers' Gathering (Murrayfield)	24-26 Mar 2006		6	3	0	3	4/28
Coupe de l'Amité (Luxembourg)	21-23 Apr 2006		5	2	0	3	10/14
42nd I'national Summer Bonspiel (Garmisch-P)	14-16 Jul 2006		4	0	1	3	44/46
Other Games (2005/06)	x	x	1	1	0	0	x
Totals (2005/06)	x	x	38	12	02	24	x

Season 2006/07

Six bonspiels were contested during the 2006/07 season with the club winning more games than it lost for the first time in a bonspiel while participating in the 21st Tårnby Cup in Copenhagen. This feat was later repeated at Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Bonspiels	Date	Country	P	W	D	L	Position
2nd Anniversary Bonspiel (Fenton's Rink)	10-12 Nov 2006		5	2	0	3	5/12
21st Tårnby Cup (Copenhagen)	10-12 Nov 2006		5	3	0	2	8/30
Schaeffli Cup (Scuol)	16-17 Jan 2007		4	1	0	3	8/10
12th Grond Premi da Scuol (Scuol)	19-21 Jan 2007		4	0	1	3	29/30
3rd International Curlers' Gathering (Murrayfield)	23-25 Mar 2007		6	3	0	3	11/32
43rd I'national Summer Bonspiel (Garmisch-P)	12-15 Jul 2006		6	3	1	2	12/48
Other Games (2006/07)	x	x	0	0	0	0	x
Totals (2006/07)	x	x	30	12	02	16	x

Season 2007/08

The club has so far competed in two bonspiels this season, winning four and losing six games.

Bonspiels	Date	Country	P	W	D	L	Position
13th Grond Premi da Scuol (Scuol)	18-20 Jan 2008		4	1	0	3	25/30
4th International Curlers' Gathering (Murrayfield)	21-23 Mar 2008		6	3	0	3	tba/36
31st Viry Cup (Paris)	30 May-1 Jun 2008
Other Games (2007/08)	x	x	0	0	0	0	x
Totals (2007/08 to date)	x	x	10	04	00	06	x

The Future

The Ice Melters Curling Club needs new members if it is to survive and continue to send teams to overseas bonspiels each season. If you would like to play a part in the club's future, why not join us? Membership is totally free! See our 'about' page for further details and a downloadable membership application form.