Live curling returns to BBC ALBA

Live curling will return to BBC ALBA this week as it broadcasts exclusive coverage of the Perth Ladies International 2016.

This competition is a new addition to the Curling Champions Tour calendar and is run by the organisers of the Perth Masters, which over the years has become the biggest international curling event in Scotland.

Coverage of the Perth Ladies International, which is being held at the Dewars Centre in Perth from Thursday 31st March – Sunday 3rd April, follows on from the success of BBC ALBA’s live coverage of the 2016 Mercury City of Perth Masters that took place at the start of the year.

BBC ALBA will screen live action each day of the tournament from the opening day through to the final on the fourth day, with a total of nine games being televised.

Ali Maclennan will be presenting each programme with Calum Macaulay commentating alongside world champion Jackie Lockhart.

The event has attracted 20 teams from eight different countries, seven of them in the world’s top 20, including current world champions Team Paetz and their fellow Swiss rink Team Tirinzoni who are currently two places above them at number five in the world rankings.

Scottish rinks include Gina Aitken, who is heading to the World Mixed Doubles Championship next month, as well as her younger sister Karina who will be skipping her own rink.

Sophie Jackson who led the Scottish women’s challenge at that World Junior Championship will also be in the mix along with other up and coming rinks skipped by Lauren Gray, Hannah Fleming and Katie Murray, whose team includes local youngster Mili Smith who made her debut at the Youth Olympics in Lillehammer last month.

The BBC ALBA live coverage is as follows:

Thursday 31st March

16:00 – 18:00

20:00 – 22:00

Friday 1st April

09:00 – 11:00

14:00 – 16:00

Saturday 2nd April

09:00 – 11:00

14:00 – 16:00

19:00 – 21:00

Sunday 3rd April

09:00 – 11:00

13:00 – 15:00

Coverage of the Perth Ladies International 2016 is being produced for BBC ALBA by mneTV, one of Scotland’s leading sports production companies.

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