Kingussie Camanachd
Encyclopedia
Kingussie Camanachd is a shinty
team from Kingussie
, Scotland
and according to the Guinness Book of Records 2005, is World sport's most successful sporting team of all time,http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1432030/Shinty-club-that-cannot-lose-claims-world-record.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/2987928.stm winning 20 consecutive leagues and going 4 years unbeaten at one stage in the early 1990s. The second team plays in North Division 2.
in 1896 and the club has won the cup more times than any other team, apart from Newtonmore.
The senior team once held a 63 game unbeaten record and the junior team achieved 100 games unbeaten in the early 90s. This unprecedented domination of the sport has led to them becoming the World's most successful sporting team.http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/2987928.stm In 1991, the club was forced to play one season at Dunbarry, as the Dell
was under repair.
Between 1996 and 2004, they only lost two games at the Dell. Both of these were against Newtonmore. Lochcarron became the first team to bring this run to an end when the beat them 7-4. All the more surprising as Kingussie had thrashed them 10-3 a couple of weeks previously.http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/smgpubs/access/638833931.html?dids=638833931:638833931&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+16%2C+2004&author=&pub=Sunday+Herald&desc=Shinty%3A+Historic+win+for+Lochcarron&pqatl=google
In defeating Fort William in the 2003 Camanachd Cup final, Ronald Ross drove home the point about the club's total dominance of the sport, "Is there a team out there that can beat us? Well, I don't think so. We did not play all that well, but we destroyed them." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/2987928.stm
The Club's world record of domination in sport was finally brought to an end on the 2nd of September 2006 when old rivals Newtonmore defeated Oban Camanachd
. This meant that Kingussie could not catch the team at the top of the league.
Fort William
won the league in 2006 but Kingussie gained a modicum of revenge by defeating Fort in the 2006 Camanachd Cup Final.
In 2007, they signed Fraser Inglis
from Oban Camanachd who helped Kingussie regain the league again, the club also won the MacAulay Cup in 2007 against Inveraray.
The most notable Kingussie
player of recent times has been Ronald Ross
who has achieved iconic status in the game. Another notable player is Kevin Thain
who is the second highest scorer in the history of the sport, although his total is around half that of Ross'.
The club are now working closely with Newtonmore to help revitalise the grassroots game in the area, whose poor state has been masked by the continued success of the Kingussie senior side. http://www.strathspey-herald.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/2158/Ancient_rivalries_subsumed_to_game's_need.html
Jimmy Gow returned as manager for the third time in 2008. Although the club lost in the Camanchd Cup Final to Fort William , they had a 100% record in the league.http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/8934/Kingussie_s_domination_set_to_be_challenged.html
The 2009 season has been a tumultuous season for Kingussie, they were defeated in the finals of the MacTavish Cup
and Macaulay Cup
by last minute goals and were knocked out of the Camanachd Cup
at the semi-final stage after a replay of a game which was abandoned with Kingussie leading 4-1 against Kyles Athletic
. http://www.strathspey-herald.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/4610/Curse_of_Kings_strikes_again.html They also lost to Glenurquhart
in the Clash of the Camans final.
With the league undecided, Gow announced his intention to stand down at the end of the 2009 season with Stevie Borthwick taking on the role of manager in 2010.http://www.skyecamanachd.com/default.aspx.locid-087new1ad.Lang-EN.htm Kingussie eventually clinched their 24th league title in 25 years on the 5th of December by defeating Kyles Athletic. This saw them overhaul Newtonmore on goal difference.http://skye-camanachd.sitekit.net/default.aspx.locid-087new1d1.Lang-EN.htm
The start of the 2010 season saw Borthwick attempt to blood youngsters. Ronald Ross suffered a freak injsry tripping on a tennis ball whilst coaching youth shinty, the team lost the first game of the season for the first time in living memory and then suffered a poor 6-0 defeat to Fort William Shinty Club. Kingussie have been written off several times before and have always comeback, but 2010 promised to be the most testing season in many years for the club.http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Simpson-warns-against--writing.6186902.jp The club did well after a rocky start to the season and defeated Kilmallie to win the MacTavish Cup and is were in contention for the league until a couple of games to go. The Macaulay Cup
was also added to the honours for the season and with a win in the semi-final of the Camanachd Cup, Kingussie was the only team which could achieve the grand slam
as of the 31st of August 2010. The club was sponsored by npower
for 2010.http://www.rwe.com/web/cms/en/429788/rwe-npower-renewables/benefits/community/kingussie-shinty-club/ However the club lost to local rivals Newtonmore 6-0 in the league which extinguished its league hopes (and ultimately gave its closest rivals its first league title in 25 years) and was beaten 3-2 in the Camanachd Cup Final. This was a fine return for a season of rebuilding.
In 2010, the club started up a new website which also had a vote for the greatest XII in the club's history.http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Changing-room-chat-Shinty-.6516361.jp The club also purchased the Dell from Dochfour Estate, from whom it had leased the park for 100 years previous.http://www.kingussieshinty.com/news
Steven Borthwick was confirmed as manager for 2011 alongside Ronald Ross as captain at the club's 2010 AGM.http://www.skyecamanachd.com/default.aspx.locid-087new2c9.Lang-EN.htm The club had a reasonably successful 2011 winning the MacTavish Cup and reaching the Camanachd Cup Final but in Kingussie terms, this was a disappointing return. The second team also won the Sutherland Cup. Borthwick stood down at the end of 2011.http://www.skyecamanachd.com/default.aspx.locid-087new36a.Lang-EN.htm
Shinty
Shinty is a team game played with sticks and a ball. Shinty is now played mainly in the Scottish Highlands, and amongst Highland migrants to the big cities of Scotland, but it was formerly more widespread, being once competitively played on a widespread basis in England and other areas in the...
team from Kingussie
Kingussie
Kingussie is a small town in the Highland region of Scotland. It is one settlement in the Highland Council ward of Badenoch and Strathspey, and is the capital of the district of Badenoch. It lies beside the A9 road, although the old route of the A9 serves as the town's main street...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and according to the Guinness Book of Records 2005, is World sport's most successful sporting team of all time,http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1432030/Shinty-club-that-cannot-lose-claims-world-record.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/2987928.stm winning 20 consecutive leagues and going 4 years unbeaten at one stage in the early 1990s. The second team plays in North Division 2.
History
The club was founded in 1893. It won the first ever Camanachd CupCamanachd Cup
The Camanachd Association Challenge Cup AKA the Camanachd Cup or Scottish Cup is the premier prize in the sport of shinty...
in 1896 and the club has won the cup more times than any other team, apart from Newtonmore.
The senior team once held a 63 game unbeaten record and the junior team achieved 100 games unbeaten in the early 90s. This unprecedented domination of the sport has led to them becoming the World's most successful sporting team.http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/2987928.stm In 1991, the club was forced to play one season at Dunbarry, as the Dell
The Dell (Kingussie)
The Dell is a shinty stadium in the town of Kingussie, Scotland. It is the home of Kingussie Camanachd and has been a shinty venue for almost 150 years.-Location:...
was under repair.
Between 1996 and 2004, they only lost two games at the Dell. Both of these were against Newtonmore. Lochcarron became the first team to bring this run to an end when the beat them 7-4. All the more surprising as Kingussie had thrashed them 10-3 a couple of weeks previously.http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/smgpubs/access/638833931.html?dids=638833931:638833931&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+16%2C+2004&author=&pub=Sunday+Herald&desc=Shinty%3A+Historic+win+for+Lochcarron&pqatl=google
In defeating Fort William in the 2003 Camanachd Cup final, Ronald Ross drove home the point about the club's total dominance of the sport, "Is there a team out there that can beat us? Well, I don't think so. We did not play all that well, but we destroyed them." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/2987928.stm
The Club's world record of domination in sport was finally brought to an end on the 2nd of September 2006 when old rivals Newtonmore defeated Oban Camanachd
Oban Camanachd
Oban Camanachd is one of the oldest Camanachd clubs playing in the Shinty leagues of Scotland. they were relegated from the Premier League. They have a reserve team called Lochside Rovers.- History:...
. This meant that Kingussie could not catch the team at the top of the league.
Fort William
Fort William Shinty Club
Fort William Shinty Club is a shinty club from Fort William, Lochaber, Scotland. The first team were Camanachd Cup holders four times in succession, between 2007 and 2010 but were knocked out in the second round in 2011...
won the league in 2006 but Kingussie gained a modicum of revenge by defeating Fort in the 2006 Camanachd Cup Final.
In 2007, they signed Fraser Inglis
Fraser Inglis
Fraser Inglis is a retired shinty player who played for Oban Camanachd and Kingussie Camanachd.-Playing Career:Inglis started his career at Oban Camanachd. He was instrumental in the successes of the Lorn club thorughout the 1990s, winning the Camanachd Cup in 1996 and also picking up the Albert...
from Oban Camanachd who helped Kingussie regain the league again, the club also won the MacAulay Cup in 2007 against Inveraray.
The most notable Kingussie
Kingussie
Kingussie is a small town in the Highland region of Scotland. It is one settlement in the Highland Council ward of Badenoch and Strathspey, and is the capital of the district of Badenoch. It lies beside the A9 road, although the old route of the A9 serves as the town's main street...
player of recent times has been Ronald Ross
Ronald Ross (shinty player)
Ronald Ross, MBE is a Scottish shinty player who currently plays for Kingussie Camanachd. He is a renowned forward, the only man to have ever scored more than 1000 goals in the sport and who has broken several other records as an individual and as part of Kingussie's record-breaking first...
who has achieved iconic status in the game. Another notable player is Kevin Thain
Kevin Thain
Kevin Thain is a shinty player from the village of Tomatin, Scotland. He has played almost his whole career for Kingussie Camanachd and has been an integral part of its success since the mid-1980s.-Playing Career:...
who is the second highest scorer in the history of the sport, although his total is around half that of Ross'.
The club are now working closely with Newtonmore to help revitalise the grassroots game in the area, whose poor state has been masked by the continued success of the Kingussie senior side. http://www.strathspey-herald.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/2158/Ancient_rivalries_subsumed_to_game's_need.html
Jimmy Gow returned as manager for the third time in 2008. Although the club lost in the Camanchd Cup Final to Fort William , they had a 100% record in the league.http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/8934/Kingussie_s_domination_set_to_be_challenged.html
The 2009 season has been a tumultuous season for Kingussie, they were defeated in the finals of the MacTavish Cup
MacTavish Cup
The MacTavish Cup is a knock-out cup competition in the sport of shinty. It is competed for by senior teams from the North of Scotland district...
and Macaulay Cup
Macaulay Cup
The MacAulay Association Camanachd Cup is a trophy in the sport of shinty. It is competed for by the eight highest-placed league teams from the north and south areas at the end of the previous season. The first winner of the cup, in 1947, was Newtonmore. It will be sponsored by Artemis from the...
by last minute goals and were knocked out of the Camanachd Cup
Camanachd Cup
The Camanachd Association Challenge Cup AKA the Camanachd Cup or Scottish Cup is the premier prize in the sport of shinty...
at the semi-final stage after a replay of a game which was abandoned with Kingussie leading 4-1 against Kyles Athletic
Kyles Athletic
Kyles Athletic Shinty Club is a shinty team from Tighnabruaich, Argyll, Scotland. It is one of the sport's most illustrious names, presently playing in the Premier Division after recently being outwith the top flight of Scottish Shinty.-History:...
. http://www.strathspey-herald.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/4610/Curse_of_Kings_strikes_again.html They also lost to Glenurquhart
Glenurquhart Shinty Club
Glenurquhart Shinty Club is a shinty team which plays in Drumnadrochit on the banks of Loch Ness, Scotland. It draws its players from the part of the Great Glen which encompasses Drumnadrochit, Lewiston and Glenurquhart...
in the Clash of the Camans final.
With the league undecided, Gow announced his intention to stand down at the end of the 2009 season with Stevie Borthwick taking on the role of manager in 2010.http://www.skyecamanachd.com/default.aspx.locid-087new1ad.Lang-EN.htm Kingussie eventually clinched their 24th league title in 25 years on the 5th of December by defeating Kyles Athletic. This saw them overhaul Newtonmore on goal difference.http://skye-camanachd.sitekit.net/default.aspx.locid-087new1d1.Lang-EN.htm
The start of the 2010 season saw Borthwick attempt to blood youngsters. Ronald Ross suffered a freak injsry tripping on a tennis ball whilst coaching youth shinty, the team lost the first game of the season for the first time in living memory and then suffered a poor 6-0 defeat to Fort William Shinty Club. Kingussie have been written off several times before and have always comeback, but 2010 promised to be the most testing season in many years for the club.http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Simpson-warns-against--writing.6186902.jp The club did well after a rocky start to the season and defeated Kilmallie to win the MacTavish Cup and is were in contention for the league until a couple of games to go. The Macaulay Cup
Macaulay Cup
The MacAulay Association Camanachd Cup is a trophy in the sport of shinty. It is competed for by the eight highest-placed league teams from the north and south areas at the end of the previous season. The first winner of the cup, in 1947, was Newtonmore. It will be sponsored by Artemis from the...
was also added to the honours for the season and with a win in the semi-final of the Camanachd Cup, Kingussie was the only team which could achieve the grand slam
Grand Slam
Grand Slam may refer to:-Card games:* In the game of contract bridge a bid to win all the tricks of that hand. By extension, the taking of all the important elements in an endeavour.-Equestrianism:...
as of the 31st of August 2010. The club was sponsored by npower
Npower
Npower may refer to:* Npower , a gas and electricity supply company in the UK, a subsidiary of RWE* NPower , a network of nonprofit technology assistance providers in the United States...
for 2010.http://www.rwe.com/web/cms/en/429788/rwe-npower-renewables/benefits/community/kingussie-shinty-club/ However the club lost to local rivals Newtonmore 6-0 in the league which extinguished its league hopes (and ultimately gave its closest rivals its first league title in 25 years) and was beaten 3-2 in the Camanachd Cup Final. This was a fine return for a season of rebuilding.
In 2010, the club started up a new website which also had a vote for the greatest XII in the club's history.http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Changing-room-chat-Shinty-.6516361.jp The club also purchased the Dell from Dochfour Estate, from whom it had leased the park for 100 years previous.http://www.kingussieshinty.com/news
Steven Borthwick was confirmed as manager for 2011 alongside Ronald Ross as captain at the club's 2010 AGM.http://www.skyecamanachd.com/default.aspx.locid-087new2c9.Lang-EN.htm The club had a reasonably successful 2011 winning the MacTavish Cup and reaching the Camanachd Cup Final but in Kingussie terms, this was a disappointing return. The second team also won the Sutherland Cup. Borthwick stood down at the end of 2011.http://www.skyecamanachd.com/default.aspx.locid-087new36a.Lang-EN.htm