KELLYS ARE READY TO FIGHT IT OUT!

Jan 16 2008 Paisley Daily Express

CURLING’S Battle of the Kellys is set to take place at Braehead when Scotland’s Kelly Wood takes on World Champion Kelly Scott.

Canadian Scott and her team are favourite to win the Glynhill Ladies International, which starts on Thursday, and Wood’s rink is second favourite in the event which will feature some of the world’s top curlers from 10 different countries.

But for Wood it’s the chance to even up the score with her rival as the World Champion leads 3-2 in victories over the past two seasons.

The event, being held at Braehead’s Curling Rink from Thursday to Sunday, is part of the World Curling Tour’s European programme and has attracted 20 teams from abroad – including Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Japan, Russia and Germany as well as several Scottish teams.

Wood – whose team took bronze when Scott won gold at the World Women’s Curling Championships, in Japan last year – said: “I am hoping to even things up with Kelly Scott as she is my closest rival and I don’t want a gap to open up between us.

“You want to beat the world champions.

“It’s good to know that Scottish teams are also up there competing at a world-class level.”

Wood – who also won silver at the European Women’s Curling Championship in Germany last month – added: “It’s very exciting that Scotland is hosting a major curling event like this at Braehead and it’s good preparations for the Scottish championships next month.”

Kelly Wood’s team features Jackie Lockhart, Lorna Vevers and Kelly’s sister, Lindsay Wood, while Kelly Scott’s team is Michelle Allen, Sasha Carter and Renee Simons.

Kirsty Letton, co-chairman of the Glynhill Ladies International Committee, said: “We are delighted to be hosting this the first WCT-E tour event in Scotland.

“It is an important addition to the tour and provides a further International Training competition for the athletes.

“Braehead, with eight sheets of curling ice, is an ideal venue and we are looking forward to an excellent competition between 20 of the top women’s rinks worldwide.”

And it’s not the first time that Wood and her Scots team has taken part in a high-profile curling tournament in Renfrewshire.

Three years ago Kelly and her team took part in the Women’s World Curling Championships at the Lagoon in Paisley.

Despite being unable to qualify for the latter stages of the tournament Kelly skipped the team to a highly respectable sixth place overall.

More than 6,000 spectators and over 400 overseas visitors attended the event in Paisley alone.

For further information about tickets for this week’s event telephone 0141 885 1441.