Royal Deeside ready for Braemer Gathering
Scotland‘s Royal Deeside is getting ready for another royal Gathering at Braemar on 4 September 2010. There have been Gatherings of one sort or another at Braemar since the days of King Malcolm Canmore, nine hundred years ago, the Gathering has been run by BRHS since 1832 and by BRHG Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary, since 2002.
During these gatherings much of large crowds have come each year to acclaim their Monarch as Chieftain of the Braemar Gathering. This year also there won’t be any exception. Queen Elizabeth will be the patron of the gathering. Vice-Patrons are The Duke of Fife, Capt. A. A. C. Farquharson of Invercauld and M.C.Capt. Mark Nicolson.
International athletes will take part in the heavy track events. Pipers and dancers will be of the usual high standard while teams from H.M. Forces will compete in the Inter-services Tug of War Championship and in the Services Medley Relay Race. Scottish Pipe Bands will appear at the forefront with the customary Massed Pipe Bands.
The Gathering, always held on the first Saturday in September, is world famous for its friendship and hospitality where large number of visitors are expected to share at the country’s Park beneath the encircling heather clad hills.
St. Andrews Open Championship 2010
Taken the fame as the homeland of golf, in Scotland this time St. Andrews takes up the chance to play the game of golf. St. Andrews is the site for this year’s British Open Championship. The championship has already started on 15th July and will end on 18th July 2010. 
The World’s greatest golfers will battle for the famous Claret Jug, won by Tiger Woods at the last two St Andrews Opens – 2000 and 2005. It will see the famous 17th “Road Hole”, possibly the most famous hole in golf, lengthened for the first time in over 100 years.
For Tiger Woods St. Andrews was his favorite course in the whole tour and the world. Phil Mickelson in turn praises the place by saying that he feels some kind of spirituality come over him when he plays here. Although the first few days here has seen inclement weather, once the first player tees off St. Andrews will work its magic.
Long before the championship, St.Andrews hotels and accommodation have faced tough competition for bookings and for rentals.
Scotland swimmers competing for Commonwealth Games
Scotland is not only known for its sheer variety of natural features and arts and culture but also its people, who bring laurels to the country. With Commonwealth Games, the third largest multi sport event in the world nearing the day, Scotland’s best swimmers will encounter in a sport of swimming in Glasgow’s Tollcross Pool this week.
Remembering the last Melbourne games where Scotland’s swimmers came home as heroes after winning an incredible 12 medals, a tally that has never reached before, its high time Scotland is waiting for its next win!
With already 30 swimmers that have gained qualification and 20 yet to qualify, Scottish national coach Doug Campbell has declared that there is a good talent mixed with adequate experience in the team.
Warning to keep expectations low as 12 medals hauled last time is a tough race to win, a more realistic win of 6 medals has been targeted for the proposed games in India. Hannah Miley, this year’s backbone player of the Scottish team, has won a European medal, broken European records and has risen to world’s number one woman ranked in 400m. Other players who had won medals in recent years are not competing in the present games.
A great event for all the younger Scottish swimmers to race against those who have won medals in Olympic, European and British Champions, its a great privilege to get the chance of being one amongst the Scotland winners. Getting ready in their competitive best, athletes and coaches are going through the final preparations and Scotland’s hope to win is on the rise!
Visually impaired swimmer brothers aiming for Paralympics
Following their sisters footsteps, James and Stephen Clegg are eyeing to make it to the Paralympics. These brothers from the Edinburgh’s Royal Blind School are the only two Scots in the Brithish disability squad who are successfully winning medals in a mix of competitions. Even both have broken British records in their age groups for visually-impaired swimmers.
Being brothers of a silver medal holder in the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing, both James 16 and Stephen 14 are looking up to make it to the Paralympics. Their sister Libby has won medals in both Paralympics and BBC Young sports personality of the year. Even after suffering from Stargardt’s disease – a deteriorating genetic eye condition which affects the central vision, these brothers and sisters have conquered all their odds and proven their talent in many tourneys.
James with his swimming abilities has been selected as an ambassador for the UK school games. Both the boys have performed exceptionally well in many competitions said, Paul Wilson, Disability performance manager at the University of Stirling. The mother of the boys expresses her gratitude towards the Royal blind school which had supported and motivated both the boys. With the aim to participate in the Paralympics James and Stephen are working hard to make it to the Paralympics, these kids have come up as the living examples of the adage “Where there is a will, there is a way”
Glasgow Common Wealth Game 2014 logo triggers row
Finally the new logo for the 2014 commonwealth games was launched amidst some chaos and fanfare. It all started when the logo was found to be almost identical to the design created for the Common Guild 2007. Both the designs do had similarities which triggered a hullabaloo, with the game organisers claiming that the logo was an original piece of artwork.
Meanwhile Glasgow Tory MSP Bill Aitken said that he will be raising the issue with Games organisers due to the similarities among the two logos. The new logo has similarity with the old logo which raises a question on the originality of this new design. On other hand the game organisers strongly felt nothing to suspect regarding the logo, and it is well matched for the money paid for it.
Now it has to be seen that, what will be the fate of this new logo which has triggered a debate over its originality. Whatever the results might come, but all sport enthusiasts do hope this confusion won’t effect the preparations of the Glasgow 2014 games.
News Source : Scotsman