HeartChart Feb 2nd

Issue 4 – Tuesday, February 2, 2010 • An Official Publication of the Canadian Curling Association.

Stumblin’ in the Soo Defending champions fall back into the pack with two stunning defeats ■ Perfect records go poof!

From left to right, Canada’s Dawn Askin, Jill Officer and Jennifer Jones reflect on Monday’s losses to the Territories and Newfoundland.

■ Youth ■ Party Line: being served Your guide to in 2010 the festivities

Page 2

Page 5

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HeartChart

So much for perfect records at the 2010 Scotties

Larry Wood HeartChart Editor

I

t will be yet another curling winter before a team amasses an undefeated record at the Scotties Tournament Of Hearts.

That fact was assured on Monday when, for the second straight year, the Territories and Newfoundland/ Labrador entries upended defending champion Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, thus ending her unbeaten skein at three games.

Earlier, on the breakfast shift, Krista McCarville’s Ontario champ was beaten for the first time in four games when Amber Holland of Saskatchewan executed a last-rock double-raise takeout for a hard-fought 7-6 victory.

But McCarville survived a gut-clencher on the late draw, slipping past a long guard for a precise takeout to score two and a 7-6 lastrock decision over former champion Kelly Scott of Kelowna.

Hence McCarville and Prince Edward Island’s Kathy O’Rourke shared the top rung on the ladder heading into today’s three-draw schedule, each with 4-and-1 records.

Jammed right behind at 3-and-2 were Jones, Scott,

Valerie Sweeting of Alberta, Jill Thurston of Manitoba and Eve Belisle of Quebec.

“It’s a good thing when you know there’s no undefeated teams and there’s a logjam behind you,” said McCarville late Monday.

“You know it’s a good field when that happens and there’s the possibility of a lot of tiebreakers which we want to stay out of this time.”

The Thunder Bay skip was referring to her plight at Edmonton in the Olympic Trials when she played three games in one day, winning two tiebreakers before losing the semi-final.

The last team to run the gauntlet without a loss was skipped by Linda Moore of West Vancouver in 1985.

That squad went on to win a world championship in Sweden and the gold medal

when curling was a demo sport at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary.

Jones suffered two of four losses a year ago to teams from the Territories and Newfie, but not by the lopsided scores registered Monday.

Sharon Cormier’s Yellowknifers delivered a 10-4 spanking in the afternoon before St. John’s smoothie Shelley Nichols dealt an 8-4 blow in the evening.

The Polars threw up an immaculate defence after assuming a 5-1 lead with a four-count in the third end and refused to surrender as much as a deuce.

“I saw how we did it last year,” admitted Cormier, “but we had no particular game plan for them. We just wanted to play our game, which is pretty aggressive, and get some breaks. We did, we got the breaks, they missed a few and that’s how it added up.”

Cormier is the daughter of veteran Yellowknife skip Al Delmage, who represented the Territories in five Briers during the 1980s.

The Nichols team gave a superb display of keeping counters jammed in the four-foot behind guards.

Jones led 3-1 after three but

Top left, Tara George and Kari MacLean brush their hearts out, but it couldn’t prevent their first loss of the week to Saskatchewan.

Bottom left, Sharon Cormier and her team from the Territories walloped Team Canada 10-4. Above, Erin Carmody and P.E.I. sport a 4-1 record.

Nichols tied it with a deuce and stole five points over the next four ends.

“A win is a win, and it feels as good every single time,” chuckled Nichols.

“Everybody has a bad day, and they’re fantastic curlers.

We had things going our way and that hasn’t happened every game here for us. It’s curling. It’s why we love it and it’s why we hate it.”

Please see SMOKE, Page 12

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Page 3

OUT OF THE HACK: At right, Newfoundland’s Colette Lemon and Stephanie LeDrew prepare to lay the brushes on a shot by Shelley Nichols.

Far right, Quebec’s Eve Belisle sends a stone down the ice under the care of Martine Comeau and Julie Rainville.

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Page 4

HeartChart

Sweepfest gives local businesses a big boost

JIM CRONIN

HeartChart Columnist

N

o one has to convince Chris Lepore of the economic boost provided to Sault Ste. Marie by the 2010 Scotties Tournament of Hearts. All he has to do is look out at the crowded tables in his 85-seat restaurant and count up the day’s receipts to know what a cash bonus the Scotties is to this city.

The 34-year-old Lepore is the owner and chef at Solo Trattoria, which has the distinct competitive advantage of being located directly across the street from the Essar Centre, home of this year’s Scotties.

Curling teams, fans and officials have been filling his

restaurant on a daily basis since the national curling event started last week, and it’s kept him and his staff hopping.

“Definitely a lot busier. I noticed it from the first day,” says Lepore. “Steady all day, especially lunch. The restaurant has been full and we had to turn people away, but they simply booked for the next day or have made repeat reservations.”

Business is so good at Solo that Lepore is opening earlier in the morning and has brought in additional staff, including extra cooks.

He’s also opening on Sundays during the Scotties.

Normally the restaurant is closed on that day.

The trattoria owner, who opened his business on Queen Street three years ago, says his location across from the main entrance to the Essar Centre is a big selling point for curling teams and fans.

“It’s easy for them to scoot over,” says Lepore. “Many of them don’t have vehicles, so it’s easy for them to just pop over for breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

And Lepore’s location also makes for easy advertising. All he has to do each morning is put a chalkboard in front of his restaurant with the day’s specials, in full view of the curling teams and fans arriving at the Essar Centre.

And it appears that his curling customers, particularly the women curlers, are eating healthy when they sit down at Solo’s.

“They love the food but they don’t eat a lot of starches. They have a lot of salads and vegetables with their entrees,” says Lepore, who also notes that out-oftown curlers have adapted well to Sault Ste. Marie’s well-known variety of Italian cooking, with their favourites being panninis and gourmet pizza at his restaurant.

The timing of the Scotties tournament couldn’t have been better for Bill Durnford, general manager of Delta Sault Ste. Marie that officially opened Jan. 19.

Please see CRONIN, Page 10

Healthy and Vibrant Communities We are pleased to support the 2010 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in promoting sports and recreational opportunities in Sault Ste. Marie.

Call us to discuss ideas for your community.

Des communautés saines et dynamiques Nous sommes heureux d'appuyer le Tournoi des Coeurs Scotties de 2010 qui participera à la promotion des activités de sports et loisirs à Sault Ste. Marie.

Appelez-nous pour discuter de vos idées au sujet de votre communauté.

1.800.263.2887 www.trilliumfoundation.org

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Page 5

Youth grabs the spotlight in the Soo LARRY WOOD HeartChart Editor

T

he current Scotties field has eaten up a lot of mileage in the direction of waylaying fears in the curling world that youth no longer is being served by the game.

Look around the Essar Centre and you’ll see there are examples of young people tossing rocks on practically every sheet of ice.

Here are some statistical facts.

You can add up the ages of the 60 participants (yes, including the fifth players) in the current group and compare the total to the cor-

responding number from the 2009 lineup in Victoria. The difference, would you believe, is a miraculous 50 years!

Only two of the current groups of combatants are older and, in the case of one of these, it kind of figures.

Everybody on the defending champion Jennifer Jones team would, naturally, be a year older, right?

In recent years, the number of rookies qualifying for the Scotties has been relatively minuscule. A year ago, there were 10 newcomers operating at the Save-On Memorial Centre. This time around? The rookies total 24! And the average age of those 24? Just 26 young years. Included in there are three 20-year-olds and four 21-year-olds.

Then there’s Valerie Sweeting of Alberta, the youngest skip in the field at 22. And Erin Carmody of Prince Edward Island, the youngest thrower of the last rock at 21.

Quick now, name (a) the last time a 22-year-old

skip appeared in the Scotties, and (b) the last time a 21-year-old threw last bricks at the Scotties?

Well, as surprising as it seems, you can find the answer to both parts of that question on the Essar ice, too.

New Brunswick’s Andrea Kelly was 21 when she made her skipping debut at London in 2006.

For the record, Quebec’s Marie-France Larouche was a 21-year-old skip in 2001, Julie Sutton (Skinner) of Victoria was 21 in 1989, Christine Stevenson of Victoria was 21 in 1988 and Colleen Jones was 21 at Edmonton in 1980.

The youngest skip ever?

Maureen Moss (Miller) of Yellowknife in 1984.

She was 19. Rebecca-Jean MacPhee of Charlottetown in 1995 and Darcy Kirkness (Robertson) of Winnipeg in 1986 both were 20.

Please see WOOD, Page 10

Sault Ste. Marie O N TA R I O

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Page 6

HeartChart

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

New Brunswick: Skip: Andrea Kelly Home: Aroostook, N.B. (currently Fredericton) Began curling at age: 7 Delivery: Right Occupation/title: Human resources manager Employer: Canadian Forces Personnel and Family Support Services Date of birth: July 31, 1985 Place of birth: PerthAndover, N.B. Marital status: Commonlaw Spouse/partner: Tyler Crawford Children: None First vehicle: Chevrolet Cavalier Current vehicle: Mazda azda 3 Favourite food: Chicken icken bruschetta and hash h brown casserole osmos Favourite drink: Cosmos Club special an: Celebrity dream man: Sidney Crosby Most annoying celebrity: ebrity: None All-time favourite movie: None.

Last movie she loved: ved: None Last movie she hated: ted: None Tattooed? No. Never leaves home e withphone out: Purse and cellphone Competed in: 02, 04, 05 Junior Nationals; 05 World tties Juniors; 06, 09 Scotties

Third: Denise ise Nowlan Home: Moncton Began curling at age: ge: 12 Delivery: Right Occupation/title: Most important and prestigious gious job there is: “Motherr of my children” Employer: Nowlan family Date of birth: July 28, 1971 Place of birth: Moncton cton

Marital status: Single Spouse/partner: None.

Children: Joshua (9), Jacob (6) First vehicle: Ford Tempo Current vehicle: Dodge Caravan Favourite food: Italian Favourite drink: Bud Light Lime Celebrity dream man: Matthew McConaughey Most annoying celebrity: Jon and Kate (are they really celebrities?)

All-time favourite movie: Pretty Woman Last movie she loved: The Hangover!

Last movie she hated: Doesn’t know Tattooed? No Never leaves home without: Her cellphone (but she forgets to turn it on) Competed in: 90, 91 Junior Nationals (beat Jill Thurston (Staub), Jennifer Jones and Kelly Scott in the final, they were all on the same team); 91 Canada Winter Games, 92 World Junior, 93, 07, 09 Scotties, 06 Canada Cup (fifth)

Second: Jillian Babin Home: Fredericton Began curling at age: 7 Delivery: Right Occupation/title: Student Employer: University of New Brunswick Date of birth: November 7, 1989 Place of birth: Dalhousie, N.B. Marital status: Single Spouse/partner: None Children: None.

First vehicle: Subaru Impreza Sport Current vehicle: Honda Civic Favourite food: Pasta Favourite drink: Vodka Lime, Porn Star Celebrity dream man: Ryan Reynolds Most annoying celebrity: Spencer Pratt All-time favourite movie: Back To The Future Last movie she loved: The Blind Side Last movie she hated: Zoolander

Pizza, wine, Crosby crushes and sci-fi shudders

Tattooed? None Never leaves home without: Cellphone and GPS Competed in: 09 Junior Nationals, 07 Canada Winter Games

Lead: Lianne Sobey Home: Fredericton Began curling at age: 12 Delivery: Left Occupation/title: Crime analyst, RCMP Employer: Royal Canadian Mounted Police Date of birth: April 1, 1984 Place of birth: Miramichi, N.B. Marital status: Married Spouse/partner: Robert Faulkner Children: None First vehicle: Mazda Protege Current vehicle: Mazda 3 Favourite food: Pasta Favourite drink: Club Special Celebrity dream man: Ryan

Reynolds Most annoying celebrity: Rosie O’Donnell All-time favourite movie: That Thing You Do Last movie she loved: The Proposal Last movie she hated: Anything sci-fi Tattooed? None Never leaves home without: BlackBerry Competed in: 04, 05 Junior Nationals, 05 World Juniors, 06 (fifth), 09 Scotties.

Fifth: Jodie deSolla Home: Fredericton Began curling at age: 11 Delivery: Right Occupation/title: Social work student, St. Thomas University Employer: National Student Loan Centre Date of birth: April 11, 1985

Place of birth: Montreal Marital status: Partner Spouse/partner: Jonathan Wilson Children: None First vehicle: Toyota Corolla Current vehicle: Cavalier (Gina) Favourite food: Pizza Favourite drink: Wine Celebrity dream man: John Krasinski Most annoying celebrity: Spencer Pratt All-time favourite movie: Pretty Woman Last movie she loved: Sex and the City Last movie she hated: Not sure . . .

Tattooed? None Never leaves home without: Cellphone witho Competed in: 03 Comp Canada Games,02, 04, Canad Junior Nationals, 05 005 Ju World Juniors, 06, 09 Scotties Scottie

Coach: Daryell Co Nowlan Home Moncton Home: Occupation/title: DirecOccup tor ge general, policy Employer: Atlantic Emplo Canada Opportunities Canad Agency (federal governAgenc ment) Date of o birth: June 4, 1969 Place of birth: Lahr, Germany Germa Player: 86, 87, 88 Playe Juniors (P.E.I.), 97 Brier Junior (N.B.) Coach: 92 Juniors Coac (P.E.I.) 94 Brier (P.E.I.) (P.E. (N.B.), 2009 95 Juniors Ju Scotties (N.B.) 2009 Scott Brier (N.B.); Team Leade Leader/Coach World Junior Juniors 2006 (Canada) Jillian Babin, left, and Lianne Sobey

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Page 7

Putting media ‘distractions’ on hold

GEORGE KARRYS The Curling News

M

ike Harris couldn’t believe his eyes.

The skip of Canada’s Olympic men’s team 12 years earlier, Harris had just fired off an congratulations e-mail to Calgary’s Cheryl Bernard.

It was Dec. 14, just 48 hours after Bernard had defeated Shannon Kleibrink to

qualify to represent Canada in Vancouver.

“I got an automated reply,” said Harris, who now commentates on CBC’s curling broadcasts.

“It thanked me for the message and mentioned how she won’t be checking this account regularly, and then it asked media to contact someone named Karen at this number, and so on.

“Looked like the CCA got to her. That was fast.”

The CCA is the Canadian Curling Association, and Karen is Karen McDonald, the media attache for Canada’s curling teams headed to Vancouver.

Prior to last weekend, McDonald had been working in communications for 2010 Legacies Now, which develops community legacies through and following the 2010 Games.

Streamlining athlete access as Olympic spotlight heats up She also had been consulting for CCA teams as a media relations resource since 2007 and is now working full-time with the Olympians through February, in the volunteer role.

“I understand for previous Games that the media attache role was planned later, once the teams had been declared,” McDonald said.

“This time the CCA wanted someone in place much earlier, to develop a media plan and help manage the distractions for the teams and their coaches.”

Hence the automated e-reply to Harris, and other well-wishers who tried to contact Bernard and the other victorious curlers in the days following the

Olympic Trials.

“We handled the media ourselves back in 1998,” Harris said. “And we had tons of requests. We enjoyed it because nobody really knew who these guys from Toronto were.”

McDonald acknowledges the plan to help the athletes manage their communications, beginning with simple e-mails, from the moment they became Team Canada.

“John Morris (of Kevin Martin’s men’s team) changed his answering machine to direct media to my attention,” McDonald said. “It’s tough for some of the regular curling beat writers, because they’re used to unlimited, direct access to these curlers and now these curlers are

swamped. I’m here to help the media with that access.”

Four years ago, Canadian media produced 1,006 hours of coverage from the 2006 Games in Italy. This month, Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Consortium alone is projected to produce 4,400 hours of coverage.

The media glare is glowing hotter by the day, but the plans appear to be sound.

The Bernard and Martin teams dropped into the Olympic fishbowl on Saturday, stepping onto the ice in Richmond, B.C., in a carefully co-ordinated series of media interviews and photo ops. Canadian media were there, as well as some foreign outlets, including a TV crew from Japan.

“That was for the Vancouver market and visiting media,” McDonald said.

“There were quite a few in

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town for the flag-bearer announcement.”

McDonald hinted that there is more to come.

“Cheryl’s team did something for Calgary recently, and the Martin team will be doing something for Edmonton in a few days.”

Meanwhile, a nonplussed Harris reached out to a friend to contact the Bernard team members through other means.

“Someone found them through Facebook,” Harris laughed. “I think there’s always a way to reach out and find people these days. It’s up to the athlete to put down the phone or BlackBerry and focus when they have to. Things have changed since I was there, that’s for sure.”

Question is, for the better?

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The Party Line • Your guide to what’s goin’ on

Page 8

your guide to what’s goin’ on

High Octane Country Hits the HeartStop!

If you’re new to the Soo, you may think twice about a trip to the Bone Yard! But local country music fans will assure you, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable journey.

Bone Yard happens to be one of the region’s most popular bands. And they’ll be on stage at 10:30 tonight in the HeartStop Lounge.

The group – comprised of Greg Simpson, Ric Datsun, Kevin Tallon and Brad Stephen – has a style described as “Certified GRADE A High Octane Country”.

on stage Wednesday, February 3 – College

Battle of the Bands • 10:00 pm Thursday, February 4 – Dirty Little Swing Thing • 10:30 pm Friday, February 5 – Superfreak Disco Band • 10:30 pm Saturday, February 6 – Rockstar Live • 10:00 pm

Take a

Free Ride

Day Two at the Soo for Cool Curlers The Cool Curling competition moves into the second day of the round robin today in the HeartStop Lounge.

The curlers will be playing in the preliminary stage until Thursday, with their sights set on a spot in the playdowns, and the chance to share in the cash prizes. Check out the draw schedule – you may still have a chance to get into the game!

Shuttle service is available daily between the Essar Centre and HeartStop Lounge at the Soo Curlers Association. The service is provided by Tim Hortons and the City of Sault Ste. Marie. Shuttles will depart every half hour to both venues. Departure points are the main parking lot near the front entrance of the Essar Centre and front door of the Soo Curlers Association.

Full schedules are posted at both departure points and online at seasonofchampions.ca

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Page 9

It’s Simply up close

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The Whole Town’s Talking About the Jones Girls!

Available Daily 11 am – 8 pm Provided by Rico’s

Daily Menu

Today – 6:30 pm

When the Scotties Tournament of Hearts hit the ice in Victoria last year, fans watched four women from Winnipeg wearing Team Canada colours. Well, it’s a “re-do in the Soo” because twotime defending champ Jennifer Jones is back looking to steal yet another heart!

up close

Pasta and Meatballs $6.00 • Soup and Sandwich $6.00 Salads (Garden, Caesar or Greek) $4.00

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&personal In the past two Scotties, the Jones team has been a little slow out of the hacks before displaying a classic touch in the clutch. With the chance for a “threepeat” on the line, you can be sure they’ll be up to their competitive best.

Make sure you’re there to meet one of the greatest women’s teams to ever play the game!

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A tasty array of food options are available nightly from 8pm to 1am Provided by Soo Curlers Restaurant

Twenty-four young curlers - representing clubs in Sault Ste. Marie and surrounding communities - were selected as Junior Stars through a random draw of applicants. The lucky Stars receive: a hat, event pin, jacket, photo with their assigned team, a tour of the TSN mobile and event tickets to their team’s draw for themselves and two chaperones.

Tuesday 7:30 pm feature Stars:

Team New Brunswick

David Risi Conner Sonke Come and meet your favourite curlers!

From today until Friday teams will be featured in the HeartStop Lounge.

Today

2:00 pm NB – Andrea Kelly 6:30 pm BC – Kelly Scott

AB – Valerie Sweeting

Wednesday 1:00 pm MB – Jill Thurston 5:30 pm ONT – Krista McCarville

Team Prince Edward Island

Nicholas Servant Scott Morphet

Thursday 2:00 pm QB – Eve Belisle

NL – Shelley Nichols 6:30 pm NWT/Y – Sharon Cormier

Sunday, January, 31

Friday

6:30 pm Olympic

Team – Cheryl Bernard

Peter Bruno - ticket number 4350 - won $1,494

Page 10

From Page 4

CRONIN The Delta is the host hotel for the Scotties, and Durnford says of his 195 rooms, more than 170 have been filled by people associated with the national women’s curling event.

Durnford says the benefits to his hotel are two-fold.

“Obviously, from a pure dollars-and-cents standpoint, there is the fact they are filling my hotel for the week and, prior to the event, spinoff for my food and beverage facilities and meeting space,” he says.

From Page 5

WOOD The Sweeting team — ages 23, 22, 21 and 21 — is representative of the new wave in a province that has been dominated by six skips since 1995 and, with one exception, since 1988.

Which is to say, for these young people, the dark ages.

And these “kids,” two of whom are southpaws, outlasted four of the six skips in their recent provincial scuffle at the Calgary Curling Club. A fifth wasn’t on hand. Something about the impending Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.

Their provincial win was the shock to the province and a shock to them. But the shock hasn’t manifested itself into the heebie-jeebies

HeartChart “But more than that, it was a great opportunity for the Delta brand, which has been involved with the Scotties across the country.”

Durnford says his establishment has received extremely positive feedback from the teams and visitors about the facilities and the friendliness of Sault Ste. Marie. The gala wrap-up dinner for the Scotties will be held Sunday night at the Delta.

And just across the street at the Station Mall, Hans Geenan, the property manager for the 110-store shopping centre, says the critical mass created by the Scotties benefits all of the business community.

“There’s an obvious increase in traffic in the mall, particularly in between the draws, but we expect the biggest crowds later in the

at the Scotties. That has happened before. To a lot of young teams. But not this time. It hasn’t happened to the Sweetings.

In fact, seldom has a young team arrived on the scene with such a calm and unassuming posture. You’d think this outfit was embarking on a beach holiday, or some such.

So what’s the deal here, anyway? Why aren’t they positively scared spitless at the sight of the Jones team, Kelly Scott, Krista McCarville, et al?

“Usually, I’m just pretty mellow,” says the Saskatchewan-born, lefthanded Sweeting. “Plus, we beat a lot of these kinds of teams to get here. You can’t really let big names throw you off. Experience or no experience, you still have to make your shots.

“We’ve been playing well

and we haven’t got worked up about anything. I just don’t think getting worked up helps you at all. So I try to remain calm and make my shots and that’s all you can do. It’s a good thing, though, that we’re here making shots, isn’t it?”

Sure is. But it’s probably a departure from the norm for raw rookie teams from anywhere.

Some teams make a big deal of staying inside an imaginary bubble, within themselves, operated with blinders. They rationalize that any outside force is villainous, dangerous and potentially fatal to the cause.

But not these Albertans.

“It’s the overall experience we want to enjoy,” says Sweeting, warming to the discussion. “We love the whole atmosphere. We had

tournament,” says Geenan.

“Just the fact you have a lot of people in the downtown area is a direct spillover benefit to us.”

Geenan says some of the restaurants in the mall have been opening early to accommodate curling fans catching the morning draw.

The Sault Ste. Marie host committee for the 2010 Scotties has also congratulated local businesses for their strong support of this year’s national curling event. The committee encouraged local merchants to put up special displays in their store windows during the month of January, creating additional excitement leading up to the first curling stones being thrown.

The special citywide program was called the Paint the Town window decorating display contest, and the local business community

did a fantastic job promoting the Scotties.

The local 2010 Scotties host committee awarded ticket prize packs to the top four businesses in the Paint the Town contest.

And the winners were . . .

First place: Cross Country Automotive, 475 Pim Street Second place: Jasmine’s Ladies Fashion Boutique, 446 Queen St. E Tied for third place: Creations, 464 Queen St. E; and Feel’n Fabulous, 618 Queen St. E All four winning businesses received tickets to Monday evening’s Scotties draw at the Essar Centre. Thanks to all Sault Ste. Marie businesses that took part in the contest.

an up-close-and-personal at the HeartStop. We were really excited to help out with the Sandra Schmirler fundraising. It’s great to sit with the fans and give autographs and things like that. It’s just awesome.”

But hold it. All those distractions take your mind off the primary job at hand, don’t they?

“I think we all just enjoy it,” says Sweeting. “Hey, this really is a dream come true for a team so young. So why not enjoy it? Why not take advantage of everything there is to offer?”

Something else.

Since winning the Alberta title, Sweeting’s phone hasn’t stopped ringing. A lot of the calls have been from media types she’s never heard of before . . . and vice-versa. And most young curlers would be running for

cover or donning earplugs.

“I think it’s great,” she says. “It doesn’t bother me at all. It’s fun. We’ve seen the other side of it, watching on TV and reading in the papers. Now we’re the subject. It’s an honour and it’s exciting.”

With this kind of attitude, Scotties opponents should be on the lookout. And not only for that reason. Sweeting was shooting last rocks at an 84 per cent clip after three games. She was 95 in her debut against the Scotts.

This is another one of those teams one or two years beyond junior elibility. Yet only Sweeting ever made it to the Nationals . . . as Teejay Surik’s vice-skip out of Saskatoon in 2007.

Born in Redvers near the Manitoba border, Sweeting currently works for federal immigration at Vegreville,

which just happens to be the self-acclaimed Ukrainian capital of the nation.

“Megan (third Einarson from Edmonton) and I curled together last year and we decided to put a team together for this,” recalls Sweeting.

“We were looking for people we knew who had played junior. So we got Whitney (second More of Red Deer) and then Lindsay (lead Makichuk of Lloydminster).”

This is only the second winter during which Sweeting, who started curling a dozen years ago, has stood on a teehead and thrown last rock. Talk about your meteoric rises!

“I don’t know how to explain it,” she says “We’re just feeling good and playing well. And we’re very happy.”

And curling poobahs hope the team, and others like it, signal a dazzling future.

Chris Lepore’s Solo Trattoria is “definitely a lot busier” with the Scotties in town.

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Page 11

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

Quebec: Skip: Eve Belisle Home: Montreal Began curling at age: 15 Delivery: Right Occupation/title: Computer programmer Employer: Centre For Research In Computational Thermochemistry Date of birth: September 14, 1979 Place of birth: Montreal Marital status: Relationship Spouse/partner: Christian Bouchard Children: None ubishi First vehicle: Mitsubishi Lancer Oz Current vehicle: Subaru Impreza 2.5i alian Favourite food: Italian Favourite drink: Diet Coke Celebrity dream man: Roger Federer elebrity: Most annoying celebrity: Novak Djokovic All-time favourite movie: The Big Lebowski oved: Last movie she loved: Australia ated: Last movie she hated: Land Of The Lost Tattooed? No me Never leaves home ne without: Her iPhone 5, 2007 Competed in: 2005, 006 Mixed Nationals, 2006 mpic Scotties, 2009 Olympic pre-Trials

Third: Brenda nda Nicholls s Nickname: Bren Home: Quebec City ty Began curling at age: 12 Delivery: Right Occupation/title: Customer assurance cooodinator Employer: ExFO Date of birth: Aug.. 9, 1972 Place of birth: Quebec ebec City Marital status: Cohabitahabita-

Dissing Djokovic, off the deep end for Despatie, cheese, pasta and . . . we don’t roll on Shabbos!

tion Spouse/partner: Vincent Racine Children: None First vehicle: Volkswagen Golf Current vehicle: BMW 325xi Favourite food: Cheese Favourite drink: Red wine Celebrity dream man: Alexandre Despatie (Olympic diver) Most annoying celebrity: Jim Carrey All-time favourite movie: The Sixth Sense Last movie she loved: Marley and Me Last movie she hated: Bride Wars

Tattooed? No, but pierced navel Never leave home without: Her Scotties gold chain.

Competed in: 1991 Junior Nationals, 1996, 2005, 2007 (fifth) Scotties, 2009 Olympic pre-Trials.

Second: Martine Comeau Nickname: Tine Home: Montreal Began curling at age: 16 Delivery: Right Occupation/title: Registered nurse, neurology clinical trials assistant coordinator.

Employer: MaisonneuveRosemont Hospital Date of birth: Sept. 17, 1979 Place of birth: Montreal Marital status: Relationship Spouse/partner: Benoit Laliberte Children: None

First vehicle: Toyota Tercel Current vehicle: 2009 Toyota Matrix Favourite food: Mexican Favourite drink: Red, brown or amber beers and grape juice.

Celebrity dream man: Shemar Moore Most annoying celebrity: Lindsay Lohan All-time favourite movie: Apollo 13 Last movie she loved: Bruno Last movie she hated: Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past Tattooed? Nope Never leave home without: Cellphone

Competed in: 2005, 2007 Mixed Nationals, 2006 Scotties, 2009 Olympic pre-Trials

Lead: Julie Rainville Home: Levis, Que. Began curling at age: 13 Delivery: Right Occupation/title: Human resources tech Employer: Desjardins Financial Security Date of birth: Aug. 17, 1972 Place of birth: St-Romuald Marital status: status Relationship Spouse/partne Spouse/partner: Eric Sylvain Children: Non None First vehicle: Suzuki Esteem.

Current vehicle: vehic Volkswagen Golf Favourite food food: Mom’s roast beef, Thai Tha food Favourite drin drink: Smirnoff ice Celebrity dream d man: Tiger Woods Woo Most annoying an celebrit celebrity: None All-time favourite movie movie: Uncertain Last movie m she loved: Curious Case Of Benjamin Button you Last movie m hated hated: Doesn’t remem remember.

Tattooed? No Tatto Neve Never leaves home without: Her purse p Competed in: Comp 1996, 2005 2 Scot2009 Olympic ties, 20 pre-Trials pre-Tr From left, Martine Comeau, Brenda Nicholls and Julie Rainville

Fifth: France Charette Home: Gatineau, Que. Began curling at age: 22 Delivery: Right Occupation/title: Business owner Employer: Self-employed Date of birth: April 8, 1957 Place of birth: Masson, Que. Marital status: Married Spouse/partner: Pierre Charette Children: Duff (28), Kim (26) First vehicle: 1973 Chevy Monte Carlo Current vehicle: Honda Civic 2009 Favourite food: Pasta Favourite drink: Wine Celebrity dream man: Eric Dane (Grey’s Anatomy McSteamy) Most annoying celebrity: Paris Hilton All-time favourite movie: Ghost Last movie she loved: This Is It Last movie she hated: Miss March Tattooed? No Never leaves home without: Essentials, cellphone Competed in: 86 Mixed, 89, 92, 93, 94, 97 Scotties

Coach: Bill Tschirhart Home: North Saanich, B.C. Occupation/title: President, True North Curling Inc. Employer: Self-employed Date of birth: March 21, 1946 Place of birth: Kitchener, Ont. Coached/played: Former CCA national team coach based at Calgary

Page 12

HeartChart “Our lead put our rocks in the right positions every end and I think I threw about eight guards that game.

And that’s what you look forward to doing.”

Jones, who wrecked on many of those guards or was unable to make the direct runbacks, was in a less jovial frame of mind.

“This is not the place we want to be, for sure,” she said. “I didn’t make enough shots and it didn’t work out.

I just didn’t execute the way I need to execute. It’s one of those days. Maybe it’s good to have it early in the week.”

In other late games, Alberta’s Sweeting saw her bubble burst in a 9-1 drubbing at the hands of Quebec’s Belisle, and Manitoba’s Thurston scored an 11th-end deuce to drop Holland 9-7 after Holland had rallied for five points in three ends to force overtime.

“We just all-around struggled,” said Sweeting.

“We were flat and we have to put that behind us. But we had a couple of games that were worse than that during our provincials and we bounced back.”

Said two-game winner Belisle: “They weren’t throwing the rock well and she didn’t look confident with her calls. But they’re a good team and they’ll be better. But we improved 50 per cent today. We played better, we were more together and we controlled out weight better. And now it looks like we’re right back in there!”

Kathy O’Rourke’s P.E.

From Page 2

SMOKE: ‘Didn’t execute’ Islanders, with young Erin Carmody issuing last rocks, survived an afternoon tightfit with three in the last end that required a measure for a 7-6 win over Thurston.

“Pretty impressive for little old P.E.I., eh?” queried O’Rourke.

“It feels pretty good. We only had the one game

today and we wanted to be a little more precise. When Geri-Lynn (third Ramsay) made that corker to set up the last-end three, it was great.”

Each team traded thefts of two in the late going before the pesky Islanders cracked their climactic trio.

Scott stole three in the second end for a 4-0 lead and cruised past Andrea Kelly of Fredericton 8-3 while Sweeting out-manouevred winless Nancy McConnery of Nova Scotia 8-5.

In one other morning tussle, Belisle’s fleur-delis gang trumped Nichols’ Newfoundlanders 9-3.

Amber Holland’s Saskatchewan outfit defeated Ontario on Monday morning, but was derailed

by Manitoba in the evening in an extra-end defeat.

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Page 13

Time out for trivia Larry Wood HeartChart Editor

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Four skips in Canadian women’s curling championship history have won 11 games in a single tournament and failed to win that tournament. They were?

2. Name the skips who won those tournaments in what years.

3. In the history of the Canadian women’s curling championship, only one Ontario representative failed to win more than two games in a tournament.

Name the skip, her hometown and the year.

4. Name the last skip to be blanked, her province/ territory and in which year?

5. One skip in Canadian women’s curling championship history has beaten the eventual champion in three consecutive renewals of the event — in this case, the Scott Tournament of Hearts. Name the giant-killer.

6. Where is she from and in which consecutive years did she beat the champ?

7. Who were those conquered champs?

8. Name the only curlers who have skipped winners in both the Scott Tourna-

ment of Hearts and the national junior women’s curling championship, and the provinces they represented in both.

9. Did any of them win a world women’s title? If so, who and when?

10. Name the only province that can boast 10 or more Canadian women’s curling titles.

11. Name its last winning skip and the year of that win.

12. One skip defeated the eventual Scott Tournament of Hearts champion twice in the same year. Name her.

13. The name of the champ she twice defeated and the year?

14. Three skips have been required to win a dozen games each in order to win the Scott Tournament of Hearts. Name them.

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QofD: Linda Moore, Cathy King, Ann Merklinger, Shannon Kleibrink.

2. Marilyn (Darte) Bodogh, 1986, Connie Laliberte, 1005, Kelley Law, 2000, Jennifer Jones, 2008.

3, Helen Sillman, Thunder Bay, 1972 4. Sandra Hatton, Yukon, 2000.

5. Michelle Englot (Schneider, Ridgway).

6. Regina, in 1988, 1989

and 1990.

7. Heather Houston in ’88 and ’89; Alison Goring in ’90.

8. Kelly Scott, British Columbia-Manitoba, Jennifer Jones, Manitoba, Alison Goring, Ontario; Julie (Sutton) Skinner, British Columbia; Cathy (Borst) King, Alberta.

9. Skinner won the world junior championship in 1988 as a skip and the

world women’s championship in 2000 as a vice-skip; Jones skipped a world women’s championship in 2008, Scott skipped the world junior champ in 1995 and the world women’s titlist in 2007.

10. Saskatchewan.

11. Sandra Schmirler, 1997.

12. Sherry Anderson.

13. Colleen Jones in 2002.

14. Connie Laliberte, Marilyn Bodogh. Cathy King.

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Page 14

HeartChart

SCOTTIES CUMULATIVE STATS Skips

Editor: Larry Wood

Associate Editor: Todd Kimberley

Photography: Andrew Klaver

Name Kelly Scott (B.C.) Valerie Sweeting (Alta.)

Amber Holland (Sask.)

Krista McCarville (Ont.) Jill Thurston (Man.) Jennifer Jones (Canada) Erin Carmody (P.E.I.) Sharon Cormier (NWT/YT) Shelley Nichols (N.L.) Nancy McConnery (N.S.) Andrea Kelly (N.B.) Eve Belisle (Que.)

Seconds % age 82 79 75 75 73 73 71 70 66 64 62 61

Name Sasha Carter (B.C.) Ashley Miharija (Ont.) Tammy Schneider (Sask.)

Leslie Wilson (Man.) Jill Officer (Canada) Whitney More (Alta.)

Jillian Babin (N.B.) Kathy O’Rourke (P.E.I.) Martine Comeau (Que.) Rhonda Rogers (N.L.) Sheena Gilman (N.S.) Megan Cormier (NWT/YT)

Thirds

% age 79 78 77 77 75 75 74 73 71 70 67 67

Leads

Name Cathy Overton-Clapham (Canada) Kristen Phillips (Man.) Jeanna Schraeder (B.C.) Tara George (Ont.) Megan Einarson (Alta.)

Stephanie LeDrew (N.L.) Denise Nowlan (N.B.) Geri-Lynn Ramsay (P.E.I.) Jennifer Crouse (N.S.) Brenda Nicholls (Que.) Tara Naugler (NWT/YT) Kim Schneider (Sask.)

% age 79 78 76 76 76 76 74 73 72 71 70 69

British Columbia (Scott) Canada (Jones) Manitoba (Thurston) Ontario (McCarville) Alberta (Sweeting) Saskatchewan (Holland)

% age 79 78 77 77 77 75

Name Dawn Askin (Canada) Heather Kalenchuk (Sask.)

Jacquie Armstrong (B.C.) Tricia Affleck (P.E.I.) Jill Thomas (N.S.) Lindsay Makichuk (Alta.)

Raunora Westcott (Man.) Kari MacLean (Ont.) Colette Lemon (N.L.) Julie Rainville (Que.) Lianne Sobey (N.B.) Danielle Ellis (NWT/YT)

% age 87 81 81 79 79 79 78 77 77 76 75 72

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P.E.I. (O’Rourke) Newfoundland/Labrador (Nichols) Nova Scotia (McConnery) New Brunswick (Kelly) Quebec (Belisle) Territories (Cormier)

% age 74 72 71 71 70 70

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Page 15

SCOTTIES SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

Standings

Today’s Games

Team Ontario P.E.I. Canada Quebec Alberta B.C. Manitoba Saskatchewan Nfld/Labrador Territories New Brunswick Nova Scotia

Draw 9 (10:30 a.m.)

P.E.I. vs. Nova Scotia B.C. vs. Manitoba Territories vs. N.B. Alberta vs. Canada Draw 10 (3 p.m.)

Alberta vs. Manitoba Ontario vs. Nfld/Labrador B.C. vs. Canada Quebec vs. Saskatchewan Draw 11 (7:30 p.m.)

Quebec vs. Territories N.B. vs. Saskatchewan Ontario vs. P.E.I. N.S. vs. Nfld/Labrador

Draw 6 Results

Draw 7 Results

W 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 0

L 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 5

Draw 8 Results

Saskatchewan* Ontario %age Saskatchewan Ontario

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 Lead Second Third 73 89 76 80 80 70

8 9 10 T 1 0 1 7 0 1 0 6 Skip Team 83 80 79 77

B.C.* New Brunswick %age B.C. New Brunswick

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 Lead Second Third 69 81 73 81 78 66

8 9 10 T 2 x x 8 0 x x 3 Skip Team 91 79 69 73

Nfld/Labrador Canada* %age Nfld/Labrador Canada

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 0 0 2 2 1 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 Lead Second Third 88 65 83 84 71 69

8 9 10 T 1 0 x 8 0 1 x 4 Skip Team 79 79 46 68

Quebec* Nfld/Labrador %age Quebec Nfld/Labrador

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 2 0 0 2 1 0 3 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 Lead Second Third 82 77 83 86 84 83

8 9 10 T 1 x x 9 0 x x 3 Skip Team 66 77 53 77

Canada Territories* %age Canada Territories

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 4 0 1 2 0 Lead Second Third 95 68 83 79 58 69

8 9 10 T 1 0 x 4 0 2 x 10 Skip Team 65 77 76 71

Alberta Quebec* %age Alberta Quebec

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 1 0 5 Lead Second Third 68 64 70 70 68 68

8 9 10 T x x x 1 x x x 9 Skip Team 46 62 73 70

Alberta Nova Scotia %age Alberta Nova Scotia

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 Lead Second Third 85 81 79 84 89 74

8 9 10 T 2 0 1 8 0 1 0 5 Skip Team 89 83 68 78

Saskatchewan Manitoba* %age Saskatchewan Manitoba

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 2 3 0 Lead Second Third 83 73 73 79 72 78

9 10 11 T 1 2 0 7 0 0 2 9 Skip Team 77 76 68 74

Manitoba P.E.I.* %age Manitoba P.E.I.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 Lead Second Third 89 88 83 79 76 79

8 9 10 T 2 2 0 6 0 0 3 7 Skip Team 68 82 58 73

B.C.* Ontario %age B.C. Ontario

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 1 Lead Second Third 91 66 57 79 79 79

8 9 10 T 2 1 0 6 0 0 2 7 Skip Team 80 74 74 78

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Page 16

HeartChart

ROAD TO THE SCOTTIES

Cormier emerges from northern scrap

Larry Wood HeartChart Editor

C

ontrary to expectations, the meagre field of three teams contesting the Territories triple round-robin championship at the Yellowknife Curling Club produced an excitement-packed competition chock full of drama.

For openers, all three teams wound up with 3-3 records following the nine rounds of action.

Defending champion Kerry Galusha of Yellowknife, attempting to record her sixth straight title, raced out to a 3-and-0 start, but then lost four straight including a 10-4 tiebreaker walloping to clubmate Sharon Cormier.

The veteran Cormier, who had lost her first three

matches, proceeded to lay claim to her seventh trip to the Scotties by defeating Leslie Grant of Whitehorse 8-5 in the championship final. Grant drew the bye among tied teams due to a first placing during preevent skills competition.

TERRITORIES A theft of a seventh-end deuce provided Cormier with the impetus for her fifth straight win in the final.

Tied 3-3 at the half, the Yellowknife skip scored

two in the sixth and two in the seventh. Grant managed a pair in the eighth but yielded one in the ninth and ran out of granite in the last exchange.

Galusha blew three outright chances to win in matches including a finalround tussle with Grant that ended with the Yukon team in control by a narrow 6-5 margin that created the three-way deadlock.

For the record, here’s how the championship evolved: Round One: Galusha (1-0) 7, Cormier (0-1) 6 Round Two: Grant (1-0) 6, Cormier (0-2) 5 (decided by a stole point in an extra end).

Round Three: Galusha (2-0) 11, Grant (1-1) 8.

Round Four: Galusha (3-0) 9, Cormier (0-3) 5.

Round Five: Cormier

(1-3) 8, Grant (1-2) 5 Round Six: Grant (2-2) 10, Galusha (3-1) 6 Round Seven: Cormier (2-3) 14, Galusha (3-2) 8 Round Eight: Cormier (3-3) 6, Grant (2-3) 5 (extra end).

Round Nine: Grant (3-3) 6, Galusha (3-3) 5.

Tiebreaker: Cormier (4-3) 10, Galusha (3-4) 4 Final: Cormier 5-3) 8, Grant (3-4) 5 Cormier’s team featured vice-skip Tara Naugler, a former Novs Scotia junior champion, second Megan Cormier (the skip’s daughter) and Danielle Ellis at lead.

Veteran Dawn Moses, who played third for Galusha, will be the Cormier team’s fifth player at the Tournament Of Hearts.

Cormier was Galusha’s fifth

player at last year’s Scotties in Victoria.

Cormier’s late mother, Dora Delmage, played lead for Territories contender at the 1977 and 1978 Macdon-

From left, Danielle Ellis, Megan Cormier and Tara Naugler make up Sharon Cormier’s NWT crew.

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