The men’s lineup for the Olympic Trials is almost set. There’s really just one spot left and two teams in the running for it. The fate of those two teams is out of their hands and in the hands of a third team that’s already in.
Let’s look at who will be filling the final eight spots for the trials process.
From 2008-09
Right now those teams would be:
Brad Gushue (Newfoundland and Labrador)
Mike McEwen (Manitoba)
Joel Jordison (Saskatchewan)
Jean-Michel Menard (Quebec)
From the three-year standings:
Bob Ursel (B.C.)
From the two-year standings:
Greg McAulay (B.C.)
Daley Peters (Manitoba)
From this year:
Ted Appelman (Alberta)
However, this is subject to change based on the play of Appelman. While Appelman’s position is solid, the one team whose fate is questionable is Daley Peters, whose not even at the Players’ Championship.
If Appelman loses his quarterfinals game, then the standings remain as above. However, a win by Appelman would propel him past Menard in getting one of the four spots based on the 2008-09 standings.
Menard then would take one of the two-year spots and McAulay would keep the other knocking Peters out.
That would then take us to the final spot, based on this year’s standings and that would go to Sean Geall of B.C.
So Geall’s hopes are still alive and rest on the shoulders of Appelman.
Now that’s four the final eight spots in Prince George at the pre-trials. But what about the final two direct spots in the Olympic Trials in Edmonton.
Going into this week, Kevin Koe and Wayne Middaugh were in front for those spots but with Middaugh’s failure to qualify for the playoffs at the Players’ the Ontario team has lost that chance.
Kevin Koe, who beat Middaugh to make the playoffs, has now ensured his spot at the Roar of the Rings in Edmonton through the three-year accumulated standings.
For the last spot, through the two-year accumulated standings, Jeff Stoughton’s qualification at the Players’ has almost assured him that spot.
If Stoughton wins his quarterfinal game, he will cinch the spot with 356.7 points.
If he were to lose his quarterfinal game, he would be left with 351.7 points, leaving a small opening for Randy Ferbey. However, the only way Ferbey could get that last spot would be by winning the Players’ and then he would walk away with the crown by less than five points — 356.288. If he loses again in the Players’, then Stoughton can book his tickets for Edmonton and not worry about Prince George.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Women's Olympic Trials set
So, with the semifinals set at the Players’ Championship, the final 16 is set for the two rounds of the Olympic Trials this fall.
Firstly, the four with the direct passes to Olympic Trials in Edmonton have been set for a while, as I reported recently. Those teams are:
Jennifer Jones (Manitoba)
Shannon Kleibrink (Alberta)
Cheryl Bernard (Alberta)
Stefanie Lawton (Saskatchewan)
Now here are the 12 who are going to the pre-trials in Prince George and how they qualified:
Qualified before this season:
Kelly Scott (B.C.)
Sherry Middaugh (Ontario)
Sherry Anderson (Saskatchewan)
Amber Holland (Saskatchewan)
Top 4 from the 2008-09 CTRS standings to fill the 2008-09 spots:
Marie France Larouche (Quebec)
Michelle Englot (Saskatchewan)
Heather Rankin (Alberta)
Rachel Homan (Ontario)
And then the additional four:
One team based on the three-year accumulated standings
Cathy King (Alberta)
Two teams based on the two-year accumulated standings
Krista McCarville (Ontario)
Eve Belisle (Quebec)
And the last team based on this year’s standings:
Crystal Webster (Alberta)
So there we go people, now we know who we’ll be watching in thee trials this fall. It should be fun.
Firstly, the four with the direct passes to Olympic Trials in Edmonton have been set for a while, as I reported recently. Those teams are:
Jennifer Jones (Manitoba)
Shannon Kleibrink (Alberta)
Cheryl Bernard (Alberta)
Stefanie Lawton (Saskatchewan)
Now here are the 12 who are going to the pre-trials in Prince George and how they qualified:
Qualified before this season:
Kelly Scott (B.C.)
Sherry Middaugh (Ontario)
Sherry Anderson (Saskatchewan)
Amber Holland (Saskatchewan)
Top 4 from the 2008-09 CTRS standings to fill the 2008-09 spots:
Marie France Larouche (Quebec)
Michelle Englot (Saskatchewan)
Heather Rankin (Alberta)
Rachel Homan (Ontario)
And then the additional four:
One team based on the three-year accumulated standings
Cathy King (Alberta)
Two teams based on the two-year accumulated standings
Krista McCarville (Ontario)
Eve Belisle (Quebec)
And the last team based on this year’s standings:
Crystal Webster (Alberta)
So there we go people, now we know who we’ll be watching in thee trials this fall. It should be fun.
Friday, April 17, 2009
CTRS Mumble Jumble Women continued
With just one more draw to go for the women before the playoffs at the Players’ Championship in Grande Prairie, I just wanted to take a look at how things are now shaping up for the final eight spots in the Olympic trials.
As mentioned before, Marie France Larouche has already earned a spot since no unqualified team can catch her in this year’s CTRS standings. So, despite her dismal three-and-out performance at the Players’, she still has her place in Prince George.
As for the other seven, here’s how it is shaping up.
Here’s how this season’s points stand for the unqualified teams, going into the three C finals this afternoon:
Marie France Larouche — 183.3 (final)
Michelle Englot — 100.25 (could increase)
Crystal Webster — 83.45 (could increase)
Marla Mallett — 81.6 (final)
Cathy King — 81.35 (final)
Krista McCarville — 81.1 (could increase)
Heather Rankin — 78.8 (could increase)
Rachel Homan — 75.9 (could increase)
Barb Spencer — 75.15 (could increase).
In the three C finals, Spencer plays the already qualified Sherry Middaugh, Webster plays Homan and Rankin plays Englot.
If Webster wins, she assures herself a spot in the pre-trials. Same with Englot. The other three would put themselves in a great position.
If one of these unqualified teams wins the Players’ outright, then there will be three other berths decided via the CTRS for this season (a fourth will be determined using this year’s standings, but only after picking three through the accumulated year totals).
When it comes to the three-year and two-year spots, fewer teams are in the running.
Cathy King, despite losing three straight, has assured herself a spot thanks to her play in previous years (using her current team’s points, which is denoted on the curling.ca website by Cathy King(a)).
If Englot failed to get a spot using this year’s CTRS standings, she would get the three-year spot because no one can catch her (the only one still alive who is within 40 points is McCarville and she would need to win the Players’ to catch Englot. But if she won, she’d get a berth that way and Englot would still get the three-year berth). So, either way Englot’s going to Prince George.
Now, with Englot and Larouche out of the way, that leaves King the top unqualified team on the two-year list. Since there are two spots via the two-year list, King would definitely get a spot since no one who is still alive can catch her. As well, no one can catch Krista McCarville, so she too is guaranteed a spot, even if she doesn’t earn one from this year’s standings.
So, there are in fact now four teams that definitely have a spot:
Marie France Larouche,
Michelle Englot,
Cathy King,
Krista McCarville.
The final four spots will be fought over between Webster, Mallett, Rankin, Homan, Spencer and Eve Belisle who, even though she’s not in Grande Prairie, could win one of the two-year spots depending on whether those above her in the two-year standards first qualify a different way.
As mentioned before, Marie France Larouche has already earned a spot since no unqualified team can catch her in this year’s CTRS standings. So, despite her dismal three-and-out performance at the Players’, she still has her place in Prince George.
As for the other seven, here’s how it is shaping up.
Here’s how this season’s points stand for the unqualified teams, going into the three C finals this afternoon:
Marie France Larouche — 183.3 (final)
Michelle Englot — 100.25 (could increase)
Crystal Webster — 83.45 (could increase)
Marla Mallett — 81.6 (final)
Cathy King — 81.35 (final)
Krista McCarville — 81.1 (could increase)
Heather Rankin — 78.8 (could increase)
Rachel Homan — 75.9 (could increase)
Barb Spencer — 75.15 (could increase).
In the three C finals, Spencer plays the already qualified Sherry Middaugh, Webster plays Homan and Rankin plays Englot.
If Webster wins, she assures herself a spot in the pre-trials. Same with Englot. The other three would put themselves in a great position.
If one of these unqualified teams wins the Players’ outright, then there will be three other berths decided via the CTRS for this season (a fourth will be determined using this year’s standings, but only after picking three through the accumulated year totals).
When it comes to the three-year and two-year spots, fewer teams are in the running.
Cathy King, despite losing three straight, has assured herself a spot thanks to her play in previous years (using her current team’s points, which is denoted on the curling.ca website by Cathy King(a)).
If Englot failed to get a spot using this year’s CTRS standings, she would get the three-year spot because no one can catch her (the only one still alive who is within 40 points is McCarville and she would need to win the Players’ to catch Englot. But if she won, she’d get a berth that way and Englot would still get the three-year berth). So, either way Englot’s going to Prince George.
Now, with Englot and Larouche out of the way, that leaves King the top unqualified team on the two-year list. Since there are two spots via the two-year list, King would definitely get a spot since no one who is still alive can catch her. As well, no one can catch Krista McCarville, so she too is guaranteed a spot, even if she doesn’t earn one from this year’s standings.
So, there are in fact now four teams that definitely have a spot:
Marie France Larouche,
Michelle Englot,
Cathy King,
Krista McCarville.
The final four spots will be fought over between Webster, Mallett, Rankin, Homan, Spencer and Eve Belisle who, even though she’s not in Grande Prairie, could win one of the two-year spots depending on whether those above her in the two-year standards first qualify a different way.
CTRS Mumble Jumble Men continued
Men’s CTRS
With three days down at the Players’ Championship the men’s roster for the Olympic trials is starting to become clearer.
As was stated before, Joel Jordison, Mike McEwen, Brad Gushue, Bob Ursel and Jean-Michel Menard.
However, the crystal ball is starting to become clearer when it comes to the final three spots.
Going into the Players’, we had determined that eight teams had a crack at those last three spots. Those teams were:
Sean Geall
Greg McAulay
Daley Peters
Chris Schille
Dale Matchett
Ted Appelman
and Brad Heidt.
After losing three straight games and being eliminated, Schille is officially out of the picture. But the other seven remain alive.
Even though his team went three and out, Geall still has a ghost of a chance.
If the Players’ was to wrap up right now with the three teams from that list who are still alive not advancing to the playoffs, the last eight spots would be simple.
The four spots from this year’s CTRS would go to:
Gushue,
McEwen,
Jordison
and Menard.
The one spot from the three-year accumulated total would go to:
Ursel.
The two spots from the two-year accumulated total would go to:
McAulay
and Peters.
And the final spot, to be the top team from this year’s 2008-09 CTRS standings, would be:
Geall.
However, if Appelman or Matchett were to qualify for the playoffs (and Matchett has a couple of cracks at it in a B final and a C final, if necessary) then Geall’s dream would be toast.
A defeat in the quarterfinals for either of those teams would give them the eighth and final spot. If they both lost in the quarters, Appelman would score the bid.
For Heidt to get in there, he had have to make it to the final and lose there.
Now, all three of these teams could muddy the waters by winning the Players’ and getting an automatic spot. Appelman and Matchett could muck things up back making it to the semifinals.
If one of them was to make it at least as far as the semifinals, they would take one of the initial four berths from this year’s standings.
Also, if that happened, Peters, who is not at the Players’, would be knocked out of contention.
If just one of the two made it to the semis, while the other missed the playoffs, then Geall would hold on to his last spot. If the other team lost in the quarters, then they would get the spot and Geall would be SOL.
So, with just part of the Players’ to come, there still are several permutations remaining to determine the final three spots but Geall still has a solid hope even though he finished winless.
With three days down at the Players’ Championship the men’s roster for the Olympic trials is starting to become clearer.
As was stated before, Joel Jordison, Mike McEwen, Brad Gushue, Bob Ursel and Jean-Michel Menard.
However, the crystal ball is starting to become clearer when it comes to the final three spots.
Going into the Players’, we had determined that eight teams had a crack at those last three spots. Those teams were:
Sean Geall
Greg McAulay
Daley Peters
Chris Schille
Dale Matchett
Ted Appelman
and Brad Heidt.
After losing three straight games and being eliminated, Schille is officially out of the picture. But the other seven remain alive.
Even though his team went three and out, Geall still has a ghost of a chance.
If the Players’ was to wrap up right now with the three teams from that list who are still alive not advancing to the playoffs, the last eight spots would be simple.
The four spots from this year’s CTRS would go to:
Gushue,
McEwen,
Jordison
and Menard.
The one spot from the three-year accumulated total would go to:
Ursel.
The two spots from the two-year accumulated total would go to:
McAulay
and Peters.
And the final spot, to be the top team from this year’s 2008-09 CTRS standings, would be:
Geall.
However, if Appelman or Matchett were to qualify for the playoffs (and Matchett has a couple of cracks at it in a B final and a C final, if necessary) then Geall’s dream would be toast.
A defeat in the quarterfinals for either of those teams would give them the eighth and final spot. If they both lost in the quarters, Appelman would score the bid.
For Heidt to get in there, he had have to make it to the final and lose there.
Now, all three of these teams could muddy the waters by winning the Players’ and getting an automatic spot. Appelman and Matchett could muck things up back making it to the semifinals.
If one of them was to make it at least as far as the semifinals, they would take one of the initial four berths from this year’s standings.
Also, if that happened, Peters, who is not at the Players’, would be knocked out of contention.
If just one of the two made it to the semis, while the other missed the playoffs, then Geall would hold on to his last spot. If the other team lost in the quarters, then they would get the spot and Geall would be SOL.
So, with just part of the Players’ to come, there still are several permutations remaining to determine the final three spots but Geall still has a solid hope even though he finished winless.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Going for double digits at the Players'
While the Grand Slam of Curling has only been around since the early part of the third millennium, the Players' Championship, the final jewel is grand slam crown that is currently being contested, has been around, at least for the men, for close to two decades.
Looking at the list of winners and runners-up shows that over the years there is one man, above all else, who has been dominant at this event — Kevin Martin (big surprise).
In the previous 16 Players' Championships, Martin has been in the final more than a half of the time — nine times to be precise.
Martin won the Players' five times — 1994, '98, 2000, '05 and '07 — and lost the final four times — 2001, '04, '06 and '08.
So this year, despite Sunday's stunning loss in Moncton, Martin is aiming to make it an unprecedented 10 finals. And judging from Tuesday night's opening round whupping of Pat Simmons of Moose Jaw — Martin scored six in the first en route to a four-end 9-3 win — he's in good shape to get there.
Looking at the list of winners and runners-up shows that over the years there is one man, above all else, who has been dominant at this event — Kevin Martin (big surprise).
In the previous 16 Players' Championships, Martin has been in the final more than a half of the time — nine times to be precise.
Martin won the Players' five times — 1994, '98, 2000, '05 and '07 — and lost the final four times — 2001, '04, '06 and '08.
So this year, despite Sunday's stunning loss in Moncton, Martin is aiming to make it an unprecedented 10 finals. And judging from Tuesday night's opening round whupping of Pat Simmons of Moose Jaw — Martin scored six in the first en route to a four-end 9-3 win — he's in good shape to get there.
CTRS Mumble Jumble Men's Extra
As we are now into the second day of the Players’ Championship, I thought I add to my comments earlier about the men’s qualifying for the curling trials spots.
Here, I want to look at who could get those other two automatic berths to Edmonton and the final trials, skipping past Prince George and the pre-trials.
Only two rinks can possibly earn the three-year accumulated total berth into the Edmonton trials.
Kevin Koe is tops on the three-year list among teams that have not qualified for Edmonton (which is Kevin Martin and Glenn Howard).
Koe is 45 points ahead of Jeff Stoughton, meaning he cannot be caught by Stoughton. The only person who can catch up Randy Ferbey. To do so, Ferbey will need to do 20 points better than Koe at the Players’.
If Koe wins the three-year, then this will leave it up to the two-year accumulated total berth and that will be a real dogfight.
Right now, Koe is tops among teams on the two-year list that don’t yet have a spot in Edmonton. If Ferbey somehow passed Koe on the three-year list, he still has a shot with this list.
However, if Koe wins the three-year berth then this leaves the two-year spot wide open with four teams in range to earn it.
Wayne Middaugh is after Koe with 343.645 points on the two-year list. Then comes Kerry Burtnyk at 332.325, then Jeff Stoughton at 331.7 and finally Ferbey, way back at at 316.288.
So, for the final two direct berths to Edmonton, Kevin Koe is not a lock but he has a firm grip on at least one of the spots. The other teams up for the spots are Ferbey, Middaugh, Burtnyk and Stoughton.
Here, I want to look at who could get those other two automatic berths to Edmonton and the final trials, skipping past Prince George and the pre-trials.
Only two rinks can possibly earn the three-year accumulated total berth into the Edmonton trials.
Kevin Koe is tops on the three-year list among teams that have not qualified for Edmonton (which is Kevin Martin and Glenn Howard).
Koe is 45 points ahead of Jeff Stoughton, meaning he cannot be caught by Stoughton. The only person who can catch up Randy Ferbey. To do so, Ferbey will need to do 20 points better than Koe at the Players’.
If Koe wins the three-year, then this will leave it up to the two-year accumulated total berth and that will be a real dogfight.
Right now, Koe is tops among teams on the two-year list that don’t yet have a spot in Edmonton. If Ferbey somehow passed Koe on the three-year list, he still has a shot with this list.
However, if Koe wins the three-year berth then this leaves the two-year spot wide open with four teams in range to earn it.
Wayne Middaugh is after Koe with 343.645 points on the two-year list. Then comes Kerry Burtnyk at 332.325, then Jeff Stoughton at 331.7 and finally Ferbey, way back at at 316.288.
So, for the final two direct berths to Edmonton, Kevin Koe is not a lock but he has a firm grip on at least one of the spots. The other teams up for the spots are Ferbey, Middaugh, Burtnyk and Stoughton.
CTRS Women's Mumble Jumble
So after sifting through the CTRS to look at the chances to qualify for the Olympic Trials for the men a few days, let’s do the same for the women.
Currently, there are eight teams qualified for the trials or pre-trials. Jennifer Jones and Shannon Kleibrink are into the trials in Edmonton, while Kelly Scott, Sherry Anderson, Cheryl Bernard, Amber Holland and Sherry Middaugh are qualified for the Prince George pre-trials.
Since Jones won the Scotties and Kleibrink won the Canada Cup, that leaves two spots that will be decided by this year’s CTRS standings.
Also, Marie-France Larouche (183.3) can only catch Kleibrink (217.95) in this year’s CTRS if Kleibrink goes winless while Larouche wins the Players’ Championship. However, if Larouche wins the Players’, she’ll get the automatic spot for winning the Players’. Since no one else can catch Kleibrink, there’s another spot that will be determined by the CTRS.
If Larouche goes three and out at the Players’, she’ll still qualify for the pre-trial, since the closest unqualified team, Michelle Englot, is almost 90 points back (94.25), and 30 points is the most any team can get without winning the Players’ and its automatic spot.
So that makes Larouche’s team No. 9 but it still leaves at least two spots from this year to be determined by the CTRS.
In the standings, Michelle Englot is next in line for a spot from this year’s standings, but she is not unassailable. There are, in fact, six teams who could catch Englot for the second spot without winning the Players’ — Cathy King, Marla Mallett, Crystal Webster, Heather Rankin, Rachel Homan and Barb Spencer. Plus, Krista McCarville of Thunder Bay could catch King for the third spot, so they can’t be forgotten.
Next, comes the four extra spots.
For the one spot based on the three-year standings, Englot and King are also in the top two spots for that post. If they hold their spots and win a position through this year’s CTRS, then McCarville is next in line for the 3-year spot, with a 16.038 lead on Crystal Webster.
With the two-year rankings, again, Englot, King and McCarville lead the way. The next team in line Quebec’s Eve Belisle. Since Belisle is not at the Player’s, this is her only hope to qualify. She does have a 19.033 lead on the next team, Webster.
After Webster at 99.550, Rachel Homan at 95.485 and Martha Mallett at 92.413 are close, in the push for one fo thtose two spots.
Finally, the last slot goes to the highest unqualified team on this year’s list. That leaves the following rinks with a shot at one of the seven remaining spots:
At the Players’:
Michelle Englot
Cathy King
Marla Mallett
Crystal Webster
Heather Rankin
Rachel Homan
Barb Spencer
Krista McCarville
Not at the Players’:
Eve Belisle
The other question with the women is who will get the two remaining direct passes to the trials in Edmonton, to join Jones and Kleibrink.
Right now, Kleibrink has earned her spot because she is uncatchable on the three-year accumulated total. Therefore, that leaves to final spots to be decided via the two-year accumulated total. Since there is no way for the next team that does not have a direct pass to catch them, Cheryl Bernard and Stefanie Lawton’s rinks will earn those direct passes.
However, if Kleibrink wins the Players’, she will get the spot because she won three events — this year's Canada Cup, the Players' and the CTRS.
If Kleibrink takes that route, then one spot goes to the next highest on the CTRS 3-year standings. There's only two rinks that could get that spot — Stefanie Lawton or Cheryl Bernard, whoever does better at the Players'. (While Kelly Scott is within 40 points of both Lawton and Bernard, barely, if she were to get the full 40 for winning the Players Kleibrink would be getting the 3-year spot, so Scott cannot earn it — 30 points for second place would not be enough to catch either Bernard or Lawton). If they have equal success, then Bernard would win the spot less than three points. The other spot goes to the top one on the 2-year, and that will be either Bernard or Lawton who are more than 50 points ahead of the teams behind them.
If Kleibrink doesn't win this weekend, then the final two spots will go to the top two unqualified teams on the 2-year list and that's Bernard and Lawton, they cannot be caught on either the list.
Currently, there are eight teams qualified for the trials or pre-trials. Jennifer Jones and Shannon Kleibrink are into the trials in Edmonton, while Kelly Scott, Sherry Anderson, Cheryl Bernard, Amber Holland and Sherry Middaugh are qualified for the Prince George pre-trials.
Since Jones won the Scotties and Kleibrink won the Canada Cup, that leaves two spots that will be decided by this year’s CTRS standings.
Also, Marie-France Larouche (183.3) can only catch Kleibrink (217.95) in this year’s CTRS if Kleibrink goes winless while Larouche wins the Players’ Championship. However, if Larouche wins the Players’, she’ll get the automatic spot for winning the Players’. Since no one else can catch Kleibrink, there’s another spot that will be determined by the CTRS.
If Larouche goes three and out at the Players’, she’ll still qualify for the pre-trial, since the closest unqualified team, Michelle Englot, is almost 90 points back (94.25), and 30 points is the most any team can get without winning the Players’ and its automatic spot.
So that makes Larouche’s team No. 9 but it still leaves at least two spots from this year to be determined by the CTRS.
In the standings, Michelle Englot is next in line for a spot from this year’s standings, but she is not unassailable. There are, in fact, six teams who could catch Englot for the second spot without winning the Players’ — Cathy King, Marla Mallett, Crystal Webster, Heather Rankin, Rachel Homan and Barb Spencer. Plus, Krista McCarville of Thunder Bay could catch King for the third spot, so they can’t be forgotten.
Next, comes the four extra spots.
For the one spot based on the three-year standings, Englot and King are also in the top two spots for that post. If they hold their spots and win a position through this year’s CTRS, then McCarville is next in line for the 3-year spot, with a 16.038 lead on Crystal Webster.
With the two-year rankings, again, Englot, King and McCarville lead the way. The next team in line Quebec’s Eve Belisle. Since Belisle is not at the Player’s, this is her only hope to qualify. She does have a 19.033 lead on the next team, Webster.
After Webster at 99.550, Rachel Homan at 95.485 and Martha Mallett at 92.413 are close, in the push for one fo thtose two spots.
Finally, the last slot goes to the highest unqualified team on this year’s list. That leaves the following rinks with a shot at one of the seven remaining spots:
At the Players’:
Michelle Englot
Cathy King
Marla Mallett
Crystal Webster
Heather Rankin
Rachel Homan
Barb Spencer
Krista McCarville
Not at the Players’:
Eve Belisle
The other question with the women is who will get the two remaining direct passes to the trials in Edmonton, to join Jones and Kleibrink.
Right now, Kleibrink has earned her spot because she is uncatchable on the three-year accumulated total. Therefore, that leaves to final spots to be decided via the two-year accumulated total. Since there is no way for the next team that does not have a direct pass to catch them, Cheryl Bernard and Stefanie Lawton’s rinks will earn those direct passes.
However, if Kleibrink wins the Players’, she will get the spot because she won three events — this year's Canada Cup, the Players' and the CTRS.
If Kleibrink takes that route, then one spot goes to the next highest on the CTRS 3-year standings. There's only two rinks that could get that spot — Stefanie Lawton or Cheryl Bernard, whoever does better at the Players'. (While Kelly Scott is within 40 points of both Lawton and Bernard, barely, if she were to get the full 40 for winning the Players Kleibrink would be getting the 3-year spot, so Scott cannot earn it — 30 points for second place would not be enough to catch either Bernard or Lawton). If they have equal success, then Bernard would win the spot less than three points. The other spot goes to the top one on the 2-year, and that will be either Bernard or Lawton who are more than 50 points ahead of the teams behind them.
If Kleibrink doesn't win this weekend, then the final two spots will go to the top two unqualified teams on the 2-year list and that's Bernard and Lawton, they cannot be caught on either the list.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
1980 Moncton Air Canada Silver Broom — Part 7
With the 2009 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship underway in
Moncton, New Brunswick, Curling into the Past will focus on the last men’s world championship in Moncton, the 1980 Air Canada Silver Broom, with a day-by-day, draw-by-draw look at that event from 29 years ago.
For part seven of the 1980 Silver Broom, we’ll look at the fifth draw, held in the afternoon of the third day of competition, Wednesday, March 26.
Canada entered the day as the only remaining undefeated team with a 4-0 record.
In the afternoon draw on Wednesday, March 26, Canada had no problems extending that record to 5-0, thanks to a 10-4 pasting of West Germany.
Initially, Rick Folk’s Canada rink gave up a deuce to the Germans in the first end. But Canada roared back with a deuce of its own in two and a steal of one in three.
After the Germans tied it at 3-3 with a single in four, the wheels fell off for the Germans. Folk took two in five and then stole two in six and stole another in the seventh end. He would add another deuce in nine to seal the victory.
After the game, German fourth man Hans Dieter Kiesel told The Canadian Press that his rink wasn’t that good and it didn’t have much hope to make the semis.
This seems like an odd statement to make when you consider the loss put the Germans at 3-2 and in a tie for third with Italy, Switzerland, Sweden and the U.S. However, the Germans at this point had yet to play any of those teams with its two losses coming against first place Canada and second place Norway and the three wins against the three bottom-feeders — Scotland, Denmark and France.
Jurg Tanner did not play again in this draw, due to his injured hip, but it was not a problem as Switzerland stole six straight points in ends five through eight to blow open a 3-1 game and win 9-1 over France after eight ends.
Sweden and the U.S. played in a tight rollercoaster game. Former world champ Ragnar Kamp scored deuces in the second and sixth ends to take a 4-2 lead into the seventh. But after a single in the eighth end and a steal of one in the ninth, the game was tied 4-4 going into 10. Kamp was able to get his single with the hammer to move up to 3-2 and bring Paul Pustovar down to that level.
Here are the linescores from the fifth draw:
Switzerland 200 122 11x x - 9
France 001 000 00x x - 1
Norway 111 000 201 x - 6
Italy 000 111 010 x - 4
U.S. 100 100 011 0 - 4
Sweden 020 002 000 1 - 5
Canada 021 022 102 x -10
West Germany 200 100 010 x - 4
Denmark 001 010 020 0 - 4
Scotland 010 201 000 1 - 5
Standings
Canada 5-0
Norway 4-1
Italy 3-2
Switzerland 3-2
Sweden 3-2
W. Germany 3-2
U.S. 3-2
Scotland 1-4
Denmark 0-5
France 0-5
Moncton, New Brunswick, Curling into the Past will focus on the last men’s world championship in Moncton, the 1980 Air Canada Silver Broom, with a day-by-day, draw-by-draw look at that event from 29 years ago.
For part seven of the 1980 Silver Broom, we’ll look at the fifth draw, held in the afternoon of the third day of competition, Wednesday, March 26.
Canada entered the day as the only remaining undefeated team with a 4-0 record.
In the afternoon draw on Wednesday, March 26, Canada had no problems extending that record to 5-0, thanks to a 10-4 pasting of West Germany.
Initially, Rick Folk’s Canada rink gave up a deuce to the Germans in the first end. But Canada roared back with a deuce of its own in two and a steal of one in three.
After the Germans tied it at 3-3 with a single in four, the wheels fell off for the Germans. Folk took two in five and then stole two in six and stole another in the seventh end. He would add another deuce in nine to seal the victory.
After the game, German fourth man Hans Dieter Kiesel told The Canadian Press that his rink wasn’t that good and it didn’t have much hope to make the semis.
This seems like an odd statement to make when you consider the loss put the Germans at 3-2 and in a tie for third with Italy, Switzerland, Sweden and the U.S. However, the Germans at this point had yet to play any of those teams with its two losses coming against first place Canada and second place Norway and the three wins against the three bottom-feeders — Scotland, Denmark and France.
Jurg Tanner did not play again in this draw, due to his injured hip, but it was not a problem as Switzerland stole six straight points in ends five through eight to blow open a 3-1 game and win 9-1 over France after eight ends.
Sweden and the U.S. played in a tight rollercoaster game. Former world champ Ragnar Kamp scored deuces in the second and sixth ends to take a 4-2 lead into the seventh. But after a single in the eighth end and a steal of one in the ninth, the game was tied 4-4 going into 10. Kamp was able to get his single with the hammer to move up to 3-2 and bring Paul Pustovar down to that level.
Here are the linescores from the fifth draw:
Switzerland 200 122 11x x - 9
France 001 000 00x x - 1
Norway 111 000 201 x - 6
Italy 000 111 010 x - 4
U.S. 100 100 011 0 - 4
Sweden 020 002 000 1 - 5
Canada 021 022 102 x -10
West Germany 200 100 010 x - 4
Denmark 001 010 020 0 - 4
Scotland 010 201 000 1 - 5
Standings
Canada 5-0
Norway 4-1
Italy 3-2
Switzerland 3-2
Sweden 3-2
W. Germany 3-2
U.S. 3-2
Scotland 1-4
Denmark 0-5
France 0-5
1980 Moncton Air Canada Silver Broom — Part 6
With the 2009 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship underway in
Moncton, New Brunswick, Curling into the Past will focus on the last men’s world championship in Moncton, the 1980 Air Canada Silver Broom, with a day-by-day, draw-by-draw look at that event from 29 years ago.
For part six of the 1980 Silver Broom, we’ll look at the fourth draw, held in the evening of the second day of competition, Tuesday, March 25.
Rick Folk was starting to develop a pattern at the Moncton Silver Broom — huge victory in the afternoon draw followed by a tight game in the evening draw. That continued in Draw 4.
Even though Scotland was winless in its first three games, Silver Broom rookie Barton Henderson of Aberdeen Curling Club (in what would be his only world's appearance) was anything but an easy mark for the Sasktoon rink.
The two teams went back and forth with only deuce by Folk in the third making a difference. With a 5-4 lead in the ninth end, Folk salted the game away with an excellent angle raise to get his two and win the game 7-4.
The victory put Folk all alone on top at 4-0. He called being on top, unbeaten, "a super feeling."
On another sheet the game was anything but close between the only two former world champion skips in the Silver Broom, Norway's Kristian Soerum and Sweden's Ragnar Kamp.
Kamp was having trouble with his team and had a meeting midway through the game against Soerum. According, to The Canadian Press, Kamp and his third Hakan Stahlbro had "minor differences" throughout the game.
The problem was the fact Norway scored two in the first and then singles in the second and third for a 4-0 lead. After Kamp put up a single in the fourth, Soerum threw up two more deuces, including a steal in the sixth.
After the game, Kamp was asked about the meeting. He said the rink discussed some changes in tactics but the strategy turned out to be wrong as Norway won the game 10-2 in eight ends.
As for Switzerland skip Jurg Tanner, he took a painkiller and froze his injured hip before the fourth draw so he could return after missing the third draw.
Tanner admitted that the hip, which he had banged up several months earlier, still bothered him during the game — but you wouldn't know it based on the result as he dropped a five on Giuseppe Dal Molin of Italy in the fifth as part of a 10-3 drubbing. The win unceremoniously dropped Italy out of the unbeaten ranks while Tanner moved to an even record of 2-2.
For seven ends, France looked like it would have a serious shot at winning its first game. After seven, France led the U.S. 3-2.
However, in the eighth, Paul Pustovar plopped a big six down on the French and ended the game 8-3.
Here is the scores from Draw 4:
Norway 211 022 02x x - 10
Sweden 000 100 10x x - 2
Denmark 010 010 011 0 - 4
West Germany 200 101 000 1 - 5
Canada - 102 010 102 x - 7
Scotland - 010 101 010 x - 4
Italy - 000 101 10x x - 3
Switzerland - 030 050 02x x - 10
U.S. - 010 100 06x x - 8
France - 100 001 10x x - 3
Standings
Canada 4-0
Italy 3-1
Norway 3-1
U.S. 3-1
West Germany 3-1
Sweden 2-2
Switzerland 2-2
Denmark 0-4
France 0-4
Scotland 0-4
Moncton, New Brunswick, Curling into the Past will focus on the last men’s world championship in Moncton, the 1980 Air Canada Silver Broom, with a day-by-day, draw-by-draw look at that event from 29 years ago.
For part six of the 1980 Silver Broom, we’ll look at the fourth draw, held in the evening of the second day of competition, Tuesday, March 25.
Rick Folk was starting to develop a pattern at the Moncton Silver Broom — huge victory in the afternoon draw followed by a tight game in the evening draw. That continued in Draw 4.
Even though Scotland was winless in its first three games, Silver Broom rookie Barton Henderson of Aberdeen Curling Club (in what would be his only world's appearance) was anything but an easy mark for the Sasktoon rink.
The two teams went back and forth with only deuce by Folk in the third making a difference. With a 5-4 lead in the ninth end, Folk salted the game away with an excellent angle raise to get his two and win the game 7-4.
The victory put Folk all alone on top at 4-0. He called being on top, unbeaten, "a super feeling."
On another sheet the game was anything but close between the only two former world champion skips in the Silver Broom, Norway's Kristian Soerum and Sweden's Ragnar Kamp.
Kamp was having trouble with his team and had a meeting midway through the game against Soerum. According, to The Canadian Press, Kamp and his third Hakan Stahlbro had "minor differences" throughout the game.
The problem was the fact Norway scored two in the first and then singles in the second and third for a 4-0 lead. After Kamp put up a single in the fourth, Soerum threw up two more deuces, including a steal in the sixth.
After the game, Kamp was asked about the meeting. He said the rink discussed some changes in tactics but the strategy turned out to be wrong as Norway won the game 10-2 in eight ends.
As for Switzerland skip Jurg Tanner, he took a painkiller and froze his injured hip before the fourth draw so he could return after missing the third draw.
Tanner admitted that the hip, which he had banged up several months earlier, still bothered him during the game — but you wouldn't know it based on the result as he dropped a five on Giuseppe Dal Molin of Italy in the fifth as part of a 10-3 drubbing. The win unceremoniously dropped Italy out of the unbeaten ranks while Tanner moved to an even record of 2-2.
For seven ends, France looked like it would have a serious shot at winning its first game. After seven, France led the U.S. 3-2.
However, in the eighth, Paul Pustovar plopped a big six down on the French and ended the game 8-3.
Here is the scores from Draw 4:
Norway 211 022 02x x - 10
Sweden 000 100 10x x - 2
Denmark 010 010 011 0 - 4
West Germany 200 101 000 1 - 5
Canada - 102 010 102 x - 7
Scotland - 010 101 010 x - 4
Italy - 000 101 10x x - 3
Switzerland - 030 050 02x x - 10
U.S. - 010 100 06x x - 8
France - 100 001 10x x - 3
Standings
Canada 4-0
Italy 3-1
Norway 3-1
U.S. 3-1
West Germany 3-1
Sweden 2-2
Switzerland 2-2
Denmark 0-4
France 0-4
Scotland 0-4
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
1980 Moncton Air Canada Silver Broom — Part 5
With the 2009 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship underway in
Moncton, New Brunswick, Curling into the Past will focus on the last men’s world championship in Moncton, the 1980 Air Canada Silver Broom, with a day-by-day, draw-by-draw look at that event from 29 years ago.
For part five of the 1980 Silver Broom, we’ll look at the third draw, held in the afternoon of the second day of competition, Tuesday, March 25.
For Draw 3, Canada’s Rick Folk and Company — Ron Mills, Tom and Jim Wilson — were not challenged at all by Denmark’s Jorn Blach.
Coming into Tuesday after two losses on Monday, the Danes knew they’d be in trouble against the Canadians and that became obvious early on.
Folk put up a deuce to kick off the scoring in the second end. After forcing Denmark to take one in three, Folk came back with another deuce in four and a steal of two in five.
By then the game was virtually out of hand. After Blach made the score 6-2, Folk threw up a four-spot in the eighth end and then it was handshakes, with a final score of 10-2.
Blow-outs were on the menu Tuesday afternoon in all of the other games except one.
The U.S. blitzed a Jurg Tanner-less Switzerland. Tanner sat out the game with the hip injury he had aggravated the night before versus Canada.
Paul Pustovar of Hibbing, Minn., stole four points in the second half of the game with singles in six and seven and a deuce in eight to turn a 3-1lead into a 7-1 victory.
Sweden put up the first six of the competition en route to obliterating France 15-3.
After three ends the game was just 2-2 but the six points in the fourth, coupled with steals of two in the fifth and sixth ends and a three in the eighth put away the French.
Norway took what was a close 3-2 game after six ends and scored four in the seventh and three in the ninth to defeat West Germany 10-4. The loss was the first defeat for the Germans.
In the only close game, Scotland’s Barton Henderson and Italy’s Giuseppe Dal Molin went back and forth until Henderson forced an extra end with a single in the 10th. In the 11th, Dal Molin got his single to win 6-5. With the victory, Dal Molin became the unlikely co-resident of the unbeaten ranks with Folk. However, while Folk had defeated Norway and Switzerland, Dal Molin had only defeated the three winless teams.
Scores from Draw 3
U.S. 020 011 12x x - 7
Switzerland 001 000 00x x - 1
Sweden 020 622 03x x -15
France 002 000 10x x - 3
West Germany 000 200 020 x - 4
Norway 021 000 403 x - 10
Denmark 001 001 00x x - 2
Canada 020 220 04x x -10
Scotland 002 000 200 10 - 5
Italy 100 210 010 01 - 6
Standings after Draw 3
Canada 3-0
Italy 3-0
U.S. 2-1
Norway 2-1
W. Germany 2-1
Sweden 2-1
Switzerland 1-2
Scotland 0-3
France 0-3
Denmark 0-3
Moncton, New Brunswick, Curling into the Past will focus on the last men’s world championship in Moncton, the 1980 Air Canada Silver Broom, with a day-by-day, draw-by-draw look at that event from 29 years ago.
For part five of the 1980 Silver Broom, we’ll look at the third draw, held in the afternoon of the second day of competition, Tuesday, March 25.
For Draw 3, Canada’s Rick Folk and Company — Ron Mills, Tom and Jim Wilson — were not challenged at all by Denmark’s Jorn Blach.
Coming into Tuesday after two losses on Monday, the Danes knew they’d be in trouble against the Canadians and that became obvious early on.
Folk put up a deuce to kick off the scoring in the second end. After forcing Denmark to take one in three, Folk came back with another deuce in four and a steal of two in five.
By then the game was virtually out of hand. After Blach made the score 6-2, Folk threw up a four-spot in the eighth end and then it was handshakes, with a final score of 10-2.
Blow-outs were on the menu Tuesday afternoon in all of the other games except one.
The U.S. blitzed a Jurg Tanner-less Switzerland. Tanner sat out the game with the hip injury he had aggravated the night before versus Canada.
Paul Pustovar of Hibbing, Minn., stole four points in the second half of the game with singles in six and seven and a deuce in eight to turn a 3-1lead into a 7-1 victory.
Sweden put up the first six of the competition en route to obliterating France 15-3.
After three ends the game was just 2-2 but the six points in the fourth, coupled with steals of two in the fifth and sixth ends and a three in the eighth put away the French.
Norway took what was a close 3-2 game after six ends and scored four in the seventh and three in the ninth to defeat West Germany 10-4. The loss was the first defeat for the Germans.
In the only close game, Scotland’s Barton Henderson and Italy’s Giuseppe Dal Molin went back and forth until Henderson forced an extra end with a single in the 10th. In the 11th, Dal Molin got his single to win 6-5. With the victory, Dal Molin became the unlikely co-resident of the unbeaten ranks with Folk. However, while Folk had defeated Norway and Switzerland, Dal Molin had only defeated the three winless teams.
Scores from Draw 3
U.S. 020 011 12x x - 7
Switzerland 001 000 00x x - 1
Sweden 020 622 03x x -15
France 002 000 10x x - 3
West Germany 000 200 020 x - 4
Norway 021 000 403 x - 10
Denmark 001 001 00x x - 2
Canada 020 220 04x x -10
Scotland 002 000 200 10 - 5
Italy 100 210 010 01 - 6
Standings after Draw 3
Canada 3-0
Italy 3-0
U.S. 2-1
Norway 2-1
W. Germany 2-1
Sweden 2-1
Switzerland 1-2
Scotland 0-3
France 0-3
Denmark 0-3
1980 Moncton Air Canada Silver Broom — Part 4
With the 2009 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship underway in
Moncton, New Brunswick, Curling into the Past will focus on the last men’s world championship in Moncton, the 1980 Air Canada Silver Broom, with a day-by-day, draw-by-draw look at that event from 29 years ago.
For part three of the 1980 Silver Broom, we’ll look at the second
draw on the first day of competition, Monday, March 24.
With Canada’s Rick Folk getting off to a stellar start by trouncing
the defending Silver Broom champions Norway, skipped by Kristian
Soerum, the team was ready for another tough challenge against the
1978 European champion, Jurg Tanner of Switzerland.
This game was not as easy as, according to The Canadian Press
reports, Folk’s team struggled somewhat.
The trouble really started in the fifth end, when Switzerland the
hammer and was down 3-1.
“We got a little careless in the fourth end, allowing Switzerland to
score three points,” Canada third Ron Mills said to the media.
“We missed two back-to-back takeouts, which put us behind at the
time. But we got two key points in the sixth end, which gave us a 5-4
lead and we played better after that.”
In the seventh end, Tanner aggravated a hip injury and pulled himself
out of the game in the eighth.
Folk made an open draw to the eight-foot in the eighth, when
Switzerland was shorthanded, to go up 7-5. After a single in nine for
the Swiss, Folk and crew ran the team of three out of rocks.
Norway’s Kristian Soerum was able to put the thumping by Canada in
the afternoon behind him. Norway stole three in seven and a deuce in
eight to solidify an 8-1 drubbing of the U.S. and Paul Pustovar.
As well, 1977 champion skip Ragnar Kamp of Sweden came back from a
loss in the afternoon to Switzerland to defeat Denmark 7-3.
In its game against France, Italy opened by scoring in each of the
first five ends to take a 7-0 lead before closing it out 8-4 in 10.
Here are the scores from the evening draw on the first day.
Scotland 000 020 103 x - 6
West Germany 020 302 030 x - 10
Switzerland 010 030 101 x - 6
Canada 102 002 020 x - 7
France 000 000 110 2 - 4
Italy 212 110 001 0 - 8
Norway 000 101 321 x - 8
U.S. 000 010 000 x - 1
Sweden 101 001 011 2 - 7
Denmark 010 110 000 0 - 3
Moncton, New Brunswick, Curling into the Past will focus on the last men’s world championship in Moncton, the 1980 Air Canada Silver Broom, with a day-by-day, draw-by-draw look at that event from 29 years ago.
For part three of the 1980 Silver Broom, we’ll look at the second
draw on the first day of competition, Monday, March 24.
With Canada’s Rick Folk getting off to a stellar start by trouncing
the defending Silver Broom champions Norway, skipped by Kristian
Soerum, the team was ready for another tough challenge against the
1978 European champion, Jurg Tanner of Switzerland.
This game was not as easy as, according to The Canadian Press
reports, Folk’s team struggled somewhat.
The trouble really started in the fifth end, when Switzerland the
hammer and was down 3-1.
“We got a little careless in the fourth end, allowing Switzerland to
score three points,” Canada third Ron Mills said to the media.
“We missed two back-to-back takeouts, which put us behind at the
time. But we got two key points in the sixth end, which gave us a 5-4
lead and we played better after that.”
In the seventh end, Tanner aggravated a hip injury and pulled himself
out of the game in the eighth.
Folk made an open draw to the eight-foot in the eighth, when
Switzerland was shorthanded, to go up 7-5. After a single in nine for
the Swiss, Folk and crew ran the team of three out of rocks.
Norway’s Kristian Soerum was able to put the thumping by Canada in
the afternoon behind him. Norway stole three in seven and a deuce in
eight to solidify an 8-1 drubbing of the U.S. and Paul Pustovar.
As well, 1977 champion skip Ragnar Kamp of Sweden came back from a
loss in the afternoon to Switzerland to defeat Denmark 7-3.
In its game against France, Italy opened by scoring in each of the
first five ends to take a 7-0 lead before closing it out 8-4 in 10.
Here are the scores from the evening draw on the first day.
Scotland 000 020 103 x - 6
West Germany 020 302 030 x - 10
Switzerland 010 030 101 x - 6
Canada 102 002 020 x - 7
France 000 000 110 2 - 4
Italy 212 110 001 0 - 8
Norway 000 101 321 x - 8
U.S. 000 010 000 x - 1
Sweden 101 001 011 2 - 7
Denmark 010 110 000 0 - 3
1980 Moncton Air Canada Silver Broom — Part 3
With the 2009 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship underway in
Moncton, New Brunswick, Curling into the Past will focus on the last men’s world championship in Moncton, the 1980 Air Canada Silver Broom, with a day-by-day, draw-by-draw look at that event from 29 years ago.
For part three of the 1980 Silver Broom, we’ll look at the first draw
on the first day of competition, Monday, March 24.
On each of the first four days of the round-robin, there would be two
draws per day, with five sheets and all 10 teams in the event in each
draw.
For Canada’s Rick Folk, his team would not have an easy start. Folk
would start the Silver Broom against the defending champion, Norway’s
Kristian Soerum.
In the evening draw would be another tough match, the 1978 European
champion, Jurg Tanner of Switzerland.
Before the start of the event, Folk told The Canadian Press he was
looking forward to the challenge right off the bat.
“It just might be good for us to play Norway and Switzerland. If we
win, it would get us off in high gear,” Folk said.
Folk also indicated that he felt the calibre of competition here was
about the same as it was at the Calgary Brier he had just won.
He also talked about the Saskatoon rink’s strategy.
“We’ll take gambles ... go for the freeze instead of hitting. It’s
just a matter of going afte the other team instead of waiting for them
to come to you.”
The strategy obviously worked in the opening draw.
Folk curled 88 per cent in hammering Soerum 7-2.
“We decided we were going to go right after them and whatever chance
we had, we put a draw in behind and kept them looking at tough shots
all the way through those first three ends,” said Folk to The Canadian
Press.
Canada scored one point in each of the first three ends and did not
look back from there.
Another interesting game had Paul Pustovar of the U.S. scoring two in
nine to take a one-point lead and then stealing two in 10 to cement a
7-4 victory over Barton Henderson of Scotland.
Here are the results of the first draw:
Canada 111 010 03x x - 7
Norway 000 101 00x x - 2
Italy 120 020 010 x - 6
Denmark 001 101 002 x - 5
U.S. 010 100 102 2 - 7
Scotland 100 011 010 0 - 4
Sweden 010 101 010 0 - 4
Switzerland 102 000 200 1 - 6
West Germany 000 100 202 x - 5
France 010 001 000 x - 2
Moncton, New Brunswick, Curling into the Past will focus on the last men’s world championship in Moncton, the 1980 Air Canada Silver Broom, with a day-by-day, draw-by-draw look at that event from 29 years ago.
For part three of the 1980 Silver Broom, we’ll look at the first draw
on the first day of competition, Monday, March 24.
On each of the first four days of the round-robin, there would be two
draws per day, with five sheets and all 10 teams in the event in each
draw.
For Canada’s Rick Folk, his team would not have an easy start. Folk
would start the Silver Broom against the defending champion, Norway’s
Kristian Soerum.
In the evening draw would be another tough match, the 1978 European
champion, Jurg Tanner of Switzerland.
Before the start of the event, Folk told The Canadian Press he was
looking forward to the challenge right off the bat.
“It just might be good for us to play Norway and Switzerland. If we
win, it would get us off in high gear,” Folk said.
Folk also indicated that he felt the calibre of competition here was
about the same as it was at the Calgary Brier he had just won.
He also talked about the Saskatoon rink’s strategy.
“We’ll take gambles ... go for the freeze instead of hitting. It’s
just a matter of going afte the other team instead of waiting for them
to come to you.”
The strategy obviously worked in the opening draw.
Folk curled 88 per cent in hammering Soerum 7-2.
“We decided we were going to go right after them and whatever chance
we had, we put a draw in behind and kept them looking at tough shots
all the way through those first three ends,” said Folk to The Canadian
Press.
Canada scored one point in each of the first three ends and did not
look back from there.
Another interesting game had Paul Pustovar of the U.S. scoring two in
nine to take a one-point lead and then stealing two in 10 to cement a
7-4 victory over Barton Henderson of Scotland.
Here are the results of the first draw:
Canada 111 010 03x x - 7
Norway 000 101 00x x - 2
Italy 120 020 010 x - 6
Denmark 001 101 002 x - 5
U.S. 010 100 102 2 - 7
Scotland 100 011 010 0 - 4
Sweden 010 101 010 0 - 4
Switzerland 102 000 200 1 - 6
West Germany 000 100 202 x - 5
France 010 001 000 x - 2
Monday, April 6, 2009
CTRS Mumble Jumble
This isn’t so much about history as it is about the present, although it leads into this summer major project.
Once we get into the warm weather, Curling Into the Past will slow down to about one blog entry per week. But in that time we’ll be doing multi-part series on Canada’s four previous Olympic Curling Trials, as we build to the pre-trials in Prince George and the Roar of the Rings in Edmonton.
With that in mind, I was looking at the CTRS standings on the Canadian Curling Association’s website. Currently, the site still lists only 8 teams qualified for either level for the men. However, while their placings are not official, there are five teams that have mathematically clinched a spot with just the Player’s Championship to come.
At the end of last season, eight teams had spots clinched — Glenn Howard and Kevin Martin had already qualified for Edmonton. Meanwhile, six other teams had qualified for Prince George. Those teams are: Randy Ferbey, Kevin Koe, Pat Simmons, Jeff Stoughton, Kerry Burtnyk and Wayne Middaugh.
So, that leaves everyone else looking for one of those eight remaining spots.
Now, here’s where we get into some math, so bear with me.
The lone remaining event is the Players’ Championship. The most points anyone can get out of that is 40, which will go to the winner. The runner-up gets 30 points. Keep that 30 in mind because it’s important since the winner would get an automatic berth if they are not one of the eight mentioned above.
There are four automatic berths, the one I just mentioned for the Player’s Championship, plus one for winning the Brier, one for winning the Canada Cup and one for being the top team in the CTRS. Kevin Martin won both the Brier and Canada Cup, meaning those spots will be given to a team based on the final CTRS for 2008-09. Since the closest team that hasn’t qualified is 100 points back of the leader, no one who hasn’t qualified can win the CTRS, so that spot too will go to a team that hasn’t yet qualified based on this year’s standings.
So, there’s at least three spots that will be based on the CTRS standings for this year.
The fourth-highest team in the standings that does not have a berth in the trials is Jean-Michel Menard. However, he’s stuck at 99.5 points because he’s not in the Player’s, so we’ll have to use Sean Geall since he is in the player’s. At 89.150, the most points Geall can have without winning the Players’ is 119.150. That is well below the current totals of both Brad Gushue of Newfoundland (191.15) and Mike McEwen (158.95). This means those two are mathematically guaranteed spots in the trials. So that’s two more.
Now, the final four spots will be based on three criteria in this order: one spot will go to the unqualified team with the best total over the past three seasons; two spots go to the unqualified teams with the best totals over the past two seasons; and the last spot goes to the best unqualified team in this year’s standings.
First , with the three-year standings, the best unqualified team is Joel Jordison at 235.931.
The closest team playing in the Players’ is Ontario’s Dale Matchett at 91.873. Since he can’t catch Jordison and the other seven teams between them can’t increase their totals, Jordison’s Moose Jaw rink has mathematically qualified for the trials even if it bombs at the Player’s.
That’s three teams into the trials.
Now, looking at the two-year total, we find that Bob Ursel, B.C., (173.775) and Menard (157.378), who are not in the Player’s, still can’t be caught by any unqualified team in the Players’. That means both of those rinks are in.
And that brings us to the final spot, which is decided by the current year’s CTRS. That is still in flux with the Players’ championship coming up.
But there are five teams that are now mathematically in, although the CCA has not made it official: Brad Gushue, Mike McEwen, Joel Jordison, Bob Ursel and Jean-Michel Menard.
That means there are still three spots. Let’s have a look at who those could go to.
If Jordison (who has 102.1 this season) does not win a game at the Players’, he can be caught by the following teams: Geall (89.15), Chris Schille (79.05), Ted Appelman (78.15) and Dale Matchett (72.85).
If Jordison stays ahead of those four, however, he would get the third spot.
Now, any of the unqualified teams can make life easy by winning the Players’, but if it is won by a qualified team, then that would mean a fourth spot would be determined by the CTRS.
Menard, at 99.5 is currently next in line for that spot but Geall could catch him with a quarterfinal finish. Appelman and Schille could catch him with a semifinal finish and Matchett can do it with a runner-up finish.
Now, if Jordison gets one of the spots for being one of the top four unqualified teams this year, that would free up a spot from the three-year standings.
Next in line for the three-year spot is Bob Ursel and no one at the Player’s can catch him. So he would get a spot through that method.
That would free up his spot through the two-year total.
Greg McAulay would get that spot, since he sits at 137.638 in the two-year accumulated standings and the closest team to him in the Players’ is Geall at 89.150. If Geall finished second, he would still be 8.488 points short of McAulay (if Geall won, he wouldn’t have to worry about this spot).
So, Greg McAulay has a reason to root on Joel Jordison.
If none of the teams behind Menard in the single season standings catch up to him through the Player’s, then that would open up another slot through the two-year total.
If Geall, scored 20 or more points, he could be next behind McAulay and that could give him a chance. That’s only if, however, somebody below him on the single year passes him in the race to catch Menard in that standings. If they don’t then he’d take Menard’s spot and we wouldn’t be discussing this.
So, if Geall did not make the playoffs of the Players’, the second two-year spot would actually go to Daley Peters.
So, we have three remaining spots and there are several teams that have a shot at it, depending on how those that are in the Player’s do in that event:
Sean Geall
Greg McAulay (who’s not in the Player’s and will be cheering for Joel Jordison)
Daley Peters (also not in the Player’s, hoping no one catches Jordison or Menard)
Chris Schille
Dale Matchett
Ted Appelman
and Brad Heidt (who has the longest chance).
The final spots will go to three of those teams.
Sorry, if I bogged you down in numbers but I hope it shows who has already qualified mathematically and who, that is remaining, has a shot at going to Prince George.
Once we get into the warm weather, Curling Into the Past will slow down to about one blog entry per week. But in that time we’ll be doing multi-part series on Canada’s four previous Olympic Curling Trials, as we build to the pre-trials in Prince George and the Roar of the Rings in Edmonton.
With that in mind, I was looking at the CTRS standings on the Canadian Curling Association’s website. Currently, the site still lists only 8 teams qualified for either level for the men. However, while their placings are not official, there are five teams that have mathematically clinched a spot with just the Player’s Championship to come.
At the end of last season, eight teams had spots clinched — Glenn Howard and Kevin Martin had already qualified for Edmonton. Meanwhile, six other teams had qualified for Prince George. Those teams are: Randy Ferbey, Kevin Koe, Pat Simmons, Jeff Stoughton, Kerry Burtnyk and Wayne Middaugh.
So, that leaves everyone else looking for one of those eight remaining spots.
Now, here’s where we get into some math, so bear with me.
The lone remaining event is the Players’ Championship. The most points anyone can get out of that is 40, which will go to the winner. The runner-up gets 30 points. Keep that 30 in mind because it’s important since the winner would get an automatic berth if they are not one of the eight mentioned above.
There are four automatic berths, the one I just mentioned for the Player’s Championship, plus one for winning the Brier, one for winning the Canada Cup and one for being the top team in the CTRS. Kevin Martin won both the Brier and Canada Cup, meaning those spots will be given to a team based on the final CTRS for 2008-09. Since the closest team that hasn’t qualified is 100 points back of the leader, no one who hasn’t qualified can win the CTRS, so that spot too will go to a team that hasn’t yet qualified based on this year’s standings.
So, there’s at least three spots that will be based on the CTRS standings for this year.
The fourth-highest team in the standings that does not have a berth in the trials is Jean-Michel Menard. However, he’s stuck at 99.5 points because he’s not in the Player’s, so we’ll have to use Sean Geall since he is in the player’s. At 89.150, the most points Geall can have without winning the Players’ is 119.150. That is well below the current totals of both Brad Gushue of Newfoundland (191.15) and Mike McEwen (158.95). This means those two are mathematically guaranteed spots in the trials. So that’s two more.
Now, the final four spots will be based on three criteria in this order: one spot will go to the unqualified team with the best total over the past three seasons; two spots go to the unqualified teams with the best totals over the past two seasons; and the last spot goes to the best unqualified team in this year’s standings.
First , with the three-year standings, the best unqualified team is Joel Jordison at 235.931.
The closest team playing in the Players’ is Ontario’s Dale Matchett at 91.873. Since he can’t catch Jordison and the other seven teams between them can’t increase their totals, Jordison’s Moose Jaw rink has mathematically qualified for the trials even if it bombs at the Player’s.
That’s three teams into the trials.
Now, looking at the two-year total, we find that Bob Ursel, B.C., (173.775) and Menard (157.378), who are not in the Player’s, still can’t be caught by any unqualified team in the Players’. That means both of those rinks are in.
And that brings us to the final spot, which is decided by the current year’s CTRS. That is still in flux with the Players’ championship coming up.
But there are five teams that are now mathematically in, although the CCA has not made it official: Brad Gushue, Mike McEwen, Joel Jordison, Bob Ursel and Jean-Michel Menard.
That means there are still three spots. Let’s have a look at who those could go to.
If Jordison (who has 102.1 this season) does not win a game at the Players’, he can be caught by the following teams: Geall (89.15), Chris Schille (79.05), Ted Appelman (78.15) and Dale Matchett (72.85).
If Jordison stays ahead of those four, however, he would get the third spot.
Now, any of the unqualified teams can make life easy by winning the Players’, but if it is won by a qualified team, then that would mean a fourth spot would be determined by the CTRS.
Menard, at 99.5 is currently next in line for that spot but Geall could catch him with a quarterfinal finish. Appelman and Schille could catch him with a semifinal finish and Matchett can do it with a runner-up finish.
Now, if Jordison gets one of the spots for being one of the top four unqualified teams this year, that would free up a spot from the three-year standings.
Next in line for the three-year spot is Bob Ursel and no one at the Player’s can catch him. So he would get a spot through that method.
That would free up his spot through the two-year total.
Greg McAulay would get that spot, since he sits at 137.638 in the two-year accumulated standings and the closest team to him in the Players’ is Geall at 89.150. If Geall finished second, he would still be 8.488 points short of McAulay (if Geall won, he wouldn’t have to worry about this spot).
So, Greg McAulay has a reason to root on Joel Jordison.
If none of the teams behind Menard in the single season standings catch up to him through the Player’s, then that would open up another slot through the two-year total.
If Geall, scored 20 or more points, he could be next behind McAulay and that could give him a chance. That’s only if, however, somebody below him on the single year passes him in the race to catch Menard in that standings. If they don’t then he’d take Menard’s spot and we wouldn’t be discussing this.
So, if Geall did not make the playoffs of the Players’, the second two-year spot would actually go to Daley Peters.
So, we have three remaining spots and there are several teams that have a shot at it, depending on how those that are in the Player’s do in that event:
Sean Geall
Greg McAulay (who’s not in the Player’s and will be cheering for Joel Jordison)
Daley Peters (also not in the Player’s, hoping no one catches Jordison or Menard)
Chris Schille
Dale Matchett
Ted Appelman
and Brad Heidt (who has the longest chance).
The final spots will go to three of those teams.
Sorry, if I bogged you down in numbers but I hope it shows who has already qualified mathematically and who, that is remaining, has a shot at going to Prince George.
1980 Moncton Air Canada Silver Broom — Part 2
With the 2009 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship underway in
Moncton, New Brunswick, Curling into the Past will focus on the last men’s world championship in Moncton, the 1980 Air Canada Silver Broom, with a day-by-day, draw-by-draw look at that event from 29 years ago.
For part two of the 1980 Silver Broom, we’ll look at the field of 10 teams.
For the 1980 Silver Broom, Canada was, yet again, represented by a team of rookies — to the world’s. But Rick Folk’s experienced rink of cornslingers from Saskatoon — Ron Mills, third, Tom Wilson, second, Jim Wilson lead (pictured here) — was anything but inexperienced. Many Canadians thought the team could erase Labonte’s Curse (see previous entry).
The defending champ was back for an attempt at back-to-back crowns.
Norway’s Kristian Soerum had returned with most of his rink from 1979. One key ingredient, his brother Morten, was no longer at third. In his place, Eigil Ramsfjell moved up from second. Gunnar Meland moved up from lead to second and Harald Ramsfjell joined the team at lead.
Another world champion skip was also back in the mix.
Ragnar Kamp of Sweden won the world title in is home country in 1977. This was his first time back to the Silver Broom since that win and would be his last appearance ever, although that was not for a lack of trying.
After moving to a new country, Kamp twice tried to win that nation’s crown, skipping Nova Scotia in the 1984 and 1989 Briers.
Kamp had a whole new team with him in 1980 from the world championship squad of just three years earlier. Among the team was second Thomas Hakansson, who, like Kamp, would skip Nova Scotia at a Brier (1988).
Also in the lineup of skips was future world champ Jurg Tanner of Switzerland. This was his first world championship but he had won the European Championship in 1978.
Also in the field was Paul Pustovar of Hibbing, Minn., who would represent the U.S. on a few more occasions over the next 25 years.
Interestingly, there were three rinks that had the skips throwing something other than the last rocks.
France’s Henri Muller threw lead stones, while Germany’s Franz Engler and Italy’s Giuseppe Dal Molin were throwing third rocks
Dal Molin was experienced at the world level. This was his sixth world championship in seven years. He had only missed out on the 1978 Silver Broom. Dal Molin’s best performance had been a fifth at the 1976 Silver Broom. In all of his previous Silver Broom appearances, Dal Molin threw last rocks and skipped. This was the first time he had relinquished control of the final stones to Andrea Pavani.
The other skips were Barton Henderson of Scotland and Jorn Blach of Denmark.
Next up: the opening day
Moncton, New Brunswick, Curling into the Past will focus on the last men’s world championship in Moncton, the 1980 Air Canada Silver Broom, with a day-by-day, draw-by-draw look at that event from 29 years ago.
For part two of the 1980 Silver Broom, we’ll look at the field of 10 teams.
For the 1980 Silver Broom, Canada was, yet again, represented by a team of rookies — to the world’s. But Rick Folk’s experienced rink of cornslingers from Saskatoon — Ron Mills, third, Tom Wilson, second, Jim Wilson lead (pictured here) — was anything but inexperienced. Many Canadians thought the team could erase Labonte’s Curse (see previous entry).
The defending champ was back for an attempt at back-to-back crowns.
Norway’s Kristian Soerum had returned with most of his rink from 1979. One key ingredient, his brother Morten, was no longer at third. In his place, Eigil Ramsfjell moved up from second. Gunnar Meland moved up from lead to second and Harald Ramsfjell joined the team at lead.
Another world champion skip was also back in the mix.
Ragnar Kamp of Sweden won the world title in is home country in 1977. This was his first time back to the Silver Broom since that win and would be his last appearance ever, although that was not for a lack of trying.
After moving to a new country, Kamp twice tried to win that nation’s crown, skipping Nova Scotia in the 1984 and 1989 Briers.
Kamp had a whole new team with him in 1980 from the world championship squad of just three years earlier. Among the team was second Thomas Hakansson, who, like Kamp, would skip Nova Scotia at a Brier (1988).
Also in the lineup of skips was future world champ Jurg Tanner of Switzerland. This was his first world championship but he had won the European Championship in 1978.
Also in the field was Paul Pustovar of Hibbing, Minn., who would represent the U.S. on a few more occasions over the next 25 years.
Interestingly, there were three rinks that had the skips throwing something other than the last rocks.
France’s Henri Muller threw lead stones, while Germany’s Franz Engler and Italy’s Giuseppe Dal Molin were throwing third rocks
Dal Molin was experienced at the world level. This was his sixth world championship in seven years. He had only missed out on the 1978 Silver Broom. Dal Molin’s best performance had been a fifth at the 1976 Silver Broom. In all of his previous Silver Broom appearances, Dal Molin threw last rocks and skipped. This was the first time he had relinquished control of the final stones to Andrea Pavani.
The other skips were Barton Henderson of Scotland and Jorn Blach of Denmark.
Next up: the opening day
Sunday, April 5, 2009
1980 Moncton Air Canada Silver Broom — Part 1
With Saturday being the opening day of the 2009 World Men’s Curling Championship in Moncton, New Brunswick, Curling into the Past will focus on the last men’s world championship in Moncton, the 1980 Air Canada Silver Broom, with a day-by-day, draw-by-draw look at that event from 29 years ago.
To start, we’ll look at Canada going into the championship and, specifically, a painful little streak of which Canadians were tired.
As the 2009 World Men’s Championships started in Moncton, we as Canadians could look back on the past and seven years and be fairly happy with our recent record at the world’s. Sure, it’s not perfection but from 2002 to 2008, Canada had won the world title five times, with Mark Dacey coming up with a bronze in 2004 and Jean-Michel Menard taking silver in 2006 to interrupt the run.
Well, as the Air Canada Silver Broom began in Moncton in late March of 1980, the record over the previous seven years was devastating. In that time frame, from 1973 to 1979, Canada had zero world titles to show for it. This was especially tough for Canadians to swallow considering the fact Canada won all but two of the first 14 world titles, running from Ernie Richardson in 1959 to Orest Meleschuk in 1972.
There had to be an explanation for such a bizarre turn-of-events and thus, the Curse of Labonte was created. The curse was attributed to members of the media after the streak had started to stretch.
As most of you know, Labonte’s Curse referred to U.S. skip Bob Labonte of North Dakota who came close to winning the 1972 championship in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, West Germany.
In the 10th end of that championship, Labonte was up by two over Winnipeg’s Orest Meleschuk. With his last stone, Meleschuk had to hit and stick for two to force an extra end. But as Meleschuk’s shot stone rolled after the hit, U.S. third Frank Aasand looked at where the Canadian rock stopped, signalled that the U.S. was second shot and kicked off the fateful celebration.
Upon seeing Aasand’s celebration, Labonte, with cigarette dangling from his lips, ran into the house to celebrate with his third. Labonte was jumping up and down when he entered the house and then slipped and fell. As he landed on his tuchas, his foot hit the Canadian rock that was either second or third shot.
When the burned rock went undeclared, the stones were measured. Now whether the Canadian rock was moved closer to the button by Labonte’s errant foot is not clear but what was clear was that the measurement went in favour of Canada, giving it the deuce and forcing an 11th end.
In the extra, Canada stole one from Labonte to win the crown. That would be the last win for a while for Canada. After a few defeats in a row, a reporter came up with the theory that Labonte had put a hex on Canada after losing to Meleschuk in a controversial fashion, leading to Canada’s inability to win after that.
This is what faced Canada as the 1980 Silver Broom began with Saskatoon’s Rick Folk and his team of cornslingers carrying the Canadian colours. Many Canadian curling fans hoped it would be Folk’s team who could end the so-called curse.
Here's a video of the fabled Labonte incident from 1972.
Next: A look at the field of the 1980 Air Canada Silver Broom.
To start, we’ll look at Canada going into the championship and, specifically, a painful little streak of which Canadians were tired.
As the 2009 World Men’s Championships started in Moncton, we as Canadians could look back on the past and seven years and be fairly happy with our recent record at the world’s. Sure, it’s not perfection but from 2002 to 2008, Canada had won the world title five times, with Mark Dacey coming up with a bronze in 2004 and Jean-Michel Menard taking silver in 2006 to interrupt the run.
Well, as the Air Canada Silver Broom began in Moncton in late March of 1980, the record over the previous seven years was devastating. In that time frame, from 1973 to 1979, Canada had zero world titles to show for it. This was especially tough for Canadians to swallow considering the fact Canada won all but two of the first 14 world titles, running from Ernie Richardson in 1959 to Orest Meleschuk in 1972.
There had to be an explanation for such a bizarre turn-of-events and thus, the Curse of Labonte was created. The curse was attributed to members of the media after the streak had started to stretch.
As most of you know, Labonte’s Curse referred to U.S. skip Bob Labonte of North Dakota who came close to winning the 1972 championship in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, West Germany.
In the 10th end of that championship, Labonte was up by two over Winnipeg’s Orest Meleschuk. With his last stone, Meleschuk had to hit and stick for two to force an extra end. But as Meleschuk’s shot stone rolled after the hit, U.S. third Frank Aasand looked at where the Canadian rock stopped, signalled that the U.S. was second shot and kicked off the fateful celebration.
Upon seeing Aasand’s celebration, Labonte, with cigarette dangling from his lips, ran into the house to celebrate with his third. Labonte was jumping up and down when he entered the house and then slipped and fell. As he landed on his tuchas, his foot hit the Canadian rock that was either second or third shot.
When the burned rock went undeclared, the stones were measured. Now whether the Canadian rock was moved closer to the button by Labonte’s errant foot is not clear but what was clear was that the measurement went in favour of Canada, giving it the deuce and forcing an 11th end.
In the extra, Canada stole one from Labonte to win the crown. That would be the last win for a while for Canada. After a few defeats in a row, a reporter came up with the theory that Labonte had put a hex on Canada after losing to Meleschuk in a controversial fashion, leading to Canada’s inability to win after that.
This is what faced Canada as the 1980 Silver Broom began with Saskatoon’s Rick Folk and his team of cornslingers carrying the Canadian colours. Many Canadian curling fans hoped it would be Folk’s team who could end the so-called curse.
Here's a video of the fabled Labonte incident from 1972.
Next: A look at the field of the 1980 Air Canada Silver Broom.
Masters of curling
As the 2009 Canadian Masters wraps up today in Saskatoon, I’d thought I’d look at the list of former champions of the masters and some of the notable names from the over-60 national curling championship.
There are several curlers on this list who have done the masters-seniors double. The very first men’s champions from Ontario in 2000, Jim Sharples, Brian Longley, Joe Gurowka and Art Lobel, had also won the seniors crown as a team 1992. The only difference then was that Lobel was at third and Longley was the lead in 1992, roles they switched in 2000.
The same team won the seniors title in 1989 except with Peter Warren at lead instead of Longley. In the masters, Longley would come back and win another title as second for 2007 champ Bob Edmondson.
Lobel is one of two men to pull off the trifecta — the Brier, the Seniors and the Masters.
Lobel was Jim Ursel’s third when Quebec won the Brier in 1977.
The other man on the list who has pulled off the trifecta is John Helston of Manitoba.
Helston won the masters playing third for Martin Bailey in 2004. In 1991, Helston was the second for Jim Ursel’s seniors winning team from Manitoba. In 1984, he played second for Mike Riley’s Brier-winning rink.
There are a couple of other Brier winners on this list.
In 2001, former Brier-winning skips Barry Fry (1979) and Don Duguid (1970, ’71 and 1965 as third for Terry Braunstein) won the masters with Fry at skip and Duguid at third.
Canadian Masters
Men’s
2000 Ontario
Jim Sharples, Brian Longley, Joe Gurowka, Art Lobel Toronto, Royals CC
2001 Manitoba
Barry Fry, Don Duguid, Winston Warren, Barry Coleman
2002 Manitoba
Ken Grove, John Usackis, Bob Lesko, Richard Schroeder
2003 Quebec
Dave Moon, Mac Baines, Bob Suderman, Dan McConnell
2004 Manitoba
Martin Bailey, John Helston, Brian Taylor, Gary Smith
2005 Manitoba
Doug Armour, Frank Gudz, Don Barr, Ken Sabad
2006 British Columbia
Dale McKenzie, Roy Giles, Sheldon Paulger, Fred Trussell
2007 Ontario
Bob Edmondson, David Stewart, Brian Longley, Graham MacEachern – Oakville CC
2008 British Columbia
Rick Pughe, John Zawarych, Jack Finnbogason, Bob Bryn – Royal City CC
The only woman who has won both the seniors and masters crown is Betty Clarke of Alberta, who won as lead for Linda Wagner in 2007. Clarke won the seniors title in 1994 as second for Cordella Schwengler.
The other notable name is Sue Ann Bartlett, masters champion skip in 2006 for Nova Scotia. Although this was her first national crown, Bartlett is better known for representing Newfoundland at 12 national women’s championships.
She came close to winning twice for Newfoundland, losing in the final in 1981 to Alberta’s Susan Seitz (in Newfoundland, no less) and in 1985 to B.C.'s Linda Moore.
Women’s
2000 Alberta
Phyl Raymond, Toni Ironside, Vida Rosebloom, Jackie Ogryzlo - Calgary CC
2001Alberta
Shirley Tucker, Ruth Kimmitt, Lorna Priddle, Betty Jean Buchanan
2002 New Brunswick
Marlene Vaughan, Ellen Brennan, Rose Donovan, Pierette MacNaughton
2003 Ontario
Gloria Sorley, Jacki Lococo, Lynne Coull, Marg Newton
2004 New Brunswick
Marlene Vaughan, Ellen Brennan, Sandra Franey, Fran Meehan
2005 Ontario
Gloria Sorley, Jacki Lococo, Lynne Coull, Marg Newton
2006 Nova Scotia
Sue Ann Bartlett, Adine Boutilier, Carol Whitmore, Marjorie MacKay
2007 Alberta
Linda Wagner, Sandra Turner, Marilyn Toews, Betty Clarke - Calgary CC
2008 Alberta
Mary Lynn Oates, Heather Paul Scott, Sylvia Babich, Linda Pratt - Calgary CC
There are several curlers on this list who have done the masters-seniors double. The very first men’s champions from Ontario in 2000, Jim Sharples, Brian Longley, Joe Gurowka and Art Lobel, had also won the seniors crown as a team 1992. The only difference then was that Lobel was at third and Longley was the lead in 1992, roles they switched in 2000.
The same team won the seniors title in 1989 except with Peter Warren at lead instead of Longley. In the masters, Longley would come back and win another title as second for 2007 champ Bob Edmondson.
Lobel is one of two men to pull off the trifecta — the Brier, the Seniors and the Masters.
Lobel was Jim Ursel’s third when Quebec won the Brier in 1977.
The other man on the list who has pulled off the trifecta is John Helston of Manitoba.
Helston won the masters playing third for Martin Bailey in 2004. In 1991, Helston was the second for Jim Ursel’s seniors winning team from Manitoba. In 1984, he played second for Mike Riley’s Brier-winning rink.
There are a couple of other Brier winners on this list.
In 2001, former Brier-winning skips Barry Fry (1979) and Don Duguid (1970, ’71 and 1965 as third for Terry Braunstein) won the masters with Fry at skip and Duguid at third.
Canadian Masters
Men’s
2000 Ontario
Jim Sharples, Brian Longley, Joe Gurowka, Art Lobel Toronto, Royals CC
2001 Manitoba
Barry Fry, Don Duguid, Winston Warren, Barry Coleman
2002 Manitoba
Ken Grove, John Usackis, Bob Lesko, Richard Schroeder
2003 Quebec
Dave Moon, Mac Baines, Bob Suderman, Dan McConnell
2004 Manitoba
Martin Bailey, John Helston, Brian Taylor, Gary Smith
2005 Manitoba
Doug Armour, Frank Gudz, Don Barr, Ken Sabad
2006 British Columbia
Dale McKenzie, Roy Giles, Sheldon Paulger, Fred Trussell
2007 Ontario
Bob Edmondson, David Stewart, Brian Longley, Graham MacEachern – Oakville CC
2008 British Columbia
Rick Pughe, John Zawarych, Jack Finnbogason, Bob Bryn – Royal City CC
The only woman who has won both the seniors and masters crown is Betty Clarke of Alberta, who won as lead for Linda Wagner in 2007. Clarke won the seniors title in 1994 as second for Cordella Schwengler.
The other notable name is Sue Ann Bartlett, masters champion skip in 2006 for Nova Scotia. Although this was her first national crown, Bartlett is better known for representing Newfoundland at 12 national women’s championships.
She came close to winning twice for Newfoundland, losing in the final in 1981 to Alberta’s Susan Seitz (in Newfoundland, no less) and in 1985 to B.C.'s Linda Moore.
Women’s
2000 Alberta
Phyl Raymond, Toni Ironside, Vida Rosebloom, Jackie Ogryzlo - Calgary CC
2001Alberta
Shirley Tucker, Ruth Kimmitt, Lorna Priddle, Betty Jean Buchanan
2002 New Brunswick
Marlene Vaughan, Ellen Brennan, Rose Donovan, Pierette MacNaughton
2003 Ontario
Gloria Sorley, Jacki Lococo, Lynne Coull, Marg Newton
2004 New Brunswick
Marlene Vaughan, Ellen Brennan, Sandra Franey, Fran Meehan
2005 Ontario
Gloria Sorley, Jacki Lococo, Lynne Coull, Marg Newton
2006 Nova Scotia
Sue Ann Bartlett, Adine Boutilier, Carol Whitmore, Marjorie MacKay
2007 Alberta
Linda Wagner, Sandra Turner, Marilyn Toews, Betty Clarke - Calgary CC
2008 Alberta
Mary Lynn Oates, Heather Paul Scott, Sylvia Babich, Linda Pratt - Calgary CC
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Firefighters update
I wrote a blog earlier about the Canadian Firefighters Curling Championship and its rich history. The 50th edition of the championship is now well underway. I had noted in that blog that Johnny Mo himself won the Alberta crown as skip but seeing as he has to be in Moncton for the World Curling Championships starting this weekend, Johnny Mo is a little busy. So, I found it neat to discover that with Morris out the Alberta team has found a pretty solid ringer as a replacement. Jim Henderson, who I wrote about in that blog, is replacing Morris at skip. That's a pretty impressive replacement considering the fact that Henderson has the second most firefighter titles to his name, eight, behind only Southern Ontario's Neil Harrison who has 10. However, Henderson is the all-time leader for wins as a skip, since seven of his eight has come as a skip and Harrison only won six as skip. Henderson most recent crown was in 2005.
At this point, however, Henderson may be hard-pressed to make it nine since his Alberta rink is mid-table with just a handful of games left.
At this point, however, Henderson may be hard-pressed to make it nine since his Alberta rink is mid-table with just a handful of games left.
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