Extra End Magazine - 2009/2010 Annual

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2009-2010

NORTH AMERICANS ROCKED BY WORLD’S BEST

JONES, MARTIN WIN BACK-TO-BACK NATIONAL TITLES

Canada’s top teams take aim at Olympic berths

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A CONVERSATION WITH GREG STREMLAW

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Curling’s governing body posts second straight season surplus

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SCOTTIES TOURNAMENT OF HEARTS

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Team Canada’s Jennifer Jones wins back-to-back titles

BY LARRY WOOD

TIM HORTONS BRIER CCA BOARD OF GOVERNORS

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SEASON OF CHAMPIONS HOST COMMITTEE CONTACTS 10 JONES FOURSOME LEADS WOMEN’S TRIALS FIELD

CANADA CUP OF CURLING

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Bingyu Wang gives China first-ever global crown

BY DAVE KOMOSKY

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Curling fans still analyzing Kevin Martin’s “non-shot”

FORD WORLD MEN’S

Art director Otto Pierre Production director Marylou Morris

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Managing editor Warren Hansen Associate editor Larry Wood

Kevin Martin, Shannon Kleibrink earn tidy paycheques

Winnipeggers hope recent success dress rehearsal for Olympic glory BEHIND THE HACK

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Alberta’s Kevin Martin repeats with another perfect 13-0 record

Editor Laurie Payne

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Scotland’s David Murdoch steals his way to gold medal

Printer World Color Press Inc. Cover photography Ian McCausland Photography Michael Burns

BY LARRY WOOD

MARTIN, HOWARD MEN’S TOP TRIALS CONTENDERS

THE 2010 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES 18

Top two teams face Canada’s best in hunt for Olympic berth

OLYMPIC CURLING DRAW

BY LARRY WOOD

FORD HOT SHOTS

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Big prizes for winners in individual skills contests TEAM NORTH AMERICA ROCKED BY WORLD’S BEST

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ROAR OF THE RINGS PROFILES 62 22

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Here’s to the teams that won 2009 national and global titles M&M MEAT SHOPS CANADIAN JUNIORS

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ROAD TO THE ROAR PROFILES 56 ROAD TO THE ROAR DRAW

Thomas Ulsrud clinches cup with triple-raise takeout A SALUTE TO CHAMPIONS

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Nations begin process of selecting Olympic reps

ROAR OF THE RINGS DRAW

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THE LAST END

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It’s time to reap benefits of five-person rosters

BY WARREN HANSEN

Scotties Tournament of Hearts photography Andrew Klaver National marketing director David Beesley Chief operating officer Pat Ray Extra End magazine is published by the Canadian Curling Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written consent is prohibited. The opinions expressed by writers in Extra End do not necessarily reflect the views or the position of the Canadian Curling Association or World Curling Federation.

PRINTED IN CANADA.

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Kaitlyn Lawes, Brett Gallant skip their teams to national titles www.seasonofchampions.ca 3

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A Conversation With Greg Stremlaw

BY LARRY WOOD

A

NOTHER CURLING SEASON COMPLETE, another huge financial success for the Canadian game’s administrative body.

That was the story from the Canadian Curling Association’s annual general meeting last June, and no one was more delighted with the turn of fiscal events than chief executive officer Greg Stremlaw.

And why not? The CCA was wallowing in red ink to the tune of $1.3 million before Stremlaw came along. During his first year at the helm, 2007-08, the red turned to black with a single-year surplus of $1.4 million. And last season?

The surplus was $879,692, to be precise. And the total accumulated surplus bound primarily for the CCA’s financial reserve fund, which was introduced as a result of the first-year windfall? A cool $1.7 million and change.

During a wide-ranging off-season interview, Stremlaw had this to say: Q: With yet another very successful year financially behind you, what about the future? Do you think curling will suffer from post-Olympic withdrawal? Do you anticipate any reduction in sponsors, viewers, fans, or any other setback that might adversely affect the fiscal picture?

A: As you know, this has been a significant turnaround for our organization, which has introduced fiscal stabilization methods to ensure the long-term viability and success of the Canadian Curling Association. And, with $1.7 in reserve, the outlook continues to be positive.

In terms of post-Olympic withdrawal, I think there will be varying degrees of success and interest generated for our sport and others from the Olympics. The key for curling is that we have substantial guaranteed television coverage in the years after 2010, which should continue to assist with our fan support and overall popularity. At this stage, we continue to work diligently with those aims in mind so that in the long term, curling will be in a very stable position in the post-2010 era compared to many sports.

Q: What is the future for the Continental Cup? I understand it will continue. Will the World Curling Federation continue to be part of the arrangement? And, if so, how long would such an agreement be in place?

A: I am pleased to report that the future of the Continental Cup looks very promising. After considerable

Chief executive officer Greg Stremlaw recently announced that the CCA has reached an agreement and a new partnership with the WCF to see the hugely popular Continental Cup continue for the next quadrennial.

dialogue, the CCA is genuinely excited to have reached an agreement and a new partnership with the WCF to see the Continental Cup continue for the next quadrennial. The agreement currently runs through and includes 2014.

Many of our athletes are passionate about this event and we are happy to have injected an unprecedented level of long-term financial stability and consistency to it. The latter will see the same broadcast partner (TSN), with 28 www.seasonofchampions.ca 5

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hours of live coverage each year, an established time slot in the event calendar (probably early January) and, for the first time ever, we have agreed to host the event in an Olympic year (2014).

In addition, we are pleased that much of this consistency has been aided and abetted by a brand new title sponsor — World Financial Group. With the support of the World Financial Group and Monsanto Canada Inc., a long-term presenting sponsor, the Continental Cup would appear to be in its best shape ever.

Q: This is great news. The concept definitely is worth pursuing. And what is the future of the Canada Cup? A: The Canada Cup will be a mainstay of the CCA’s Season of Champions for the next quadrennial. We plan to move the event to ideal locations around the country, like we did last year with Yorkton, Saskatchewan. It made a significant difference to the event’s bottom line, which was in need of fiscal stabilization and a new plan.

The Canada Cup has a number of unique features and provides our championship inventory with some diversification. We are pleased that TSN will be showing a minimum of 14 hours per event going forward. After input from multiple stakeholders, the Canada Cup will move to an earlier time slot in the curling season, likely the week after Grey Cup (early December). This not only reduces the load of an overburdened March schedule, but also lets the Canada Cup stand on its own at a preferred time of year.

Q: In a few months, the 2010 Olympics will be history.

What is the plan for qualifying teams for the 2014 Olympics? Will there still be trials? And if so, what will be the process of determining where the trials will be held?

And will the Canadian Team Rating System continue?

A: At this stage, a full plan for qualifying teams for 2014 has not been completed. The CCA wants to consider the results of the pre-trials Road To The Roar, the Tim Hortons Canadian Curling Trials Roar Of The Rings, and the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, so we can take them into account in our assessment and consultation process.

There most certainly will be trials in the lead-up to 2014.

We’re currently looking at a formal tender process, which would be the first of its kind for the curling trials. The upcoming trials will be incredibly successful on a number of fronts and from a business standpoint we feel there is good value in raising the bar with such a process for 2014.

We may look at interested bidders and release the tender to parties that meet the initial criteria as early as this year’s trials in Edmonton.

I can confirm that the CTRS point system has accomplished everything it was put in place to do and, although we may see some modifications, I think it’s fair to say that our high-performance team has a keen interest in its continuing.

Q: Word from the June annual general meeting indicated that the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut will each have access to the mixed and seniors in 2012. How will two additional teams be added to these events?

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A: At the National Curling Congress and AGM, one of the approved motions read: “Subject to the ongoing work of the Team Entry Committee and the acceptance of an implementation process of the membership at the 2010 AGM, all member associations will have the ability to access all national curling championships. The intent of this notice is to begin with implementation of the mixed, senior women’s and senior men’s in 2012.”

I think it’s important to consider that the motion is contingent on an ad hoc committee of the board completing its work on this subject, which has not yet transpired. Also that any implementation process that involves accessibility of all member associations must be approved by the majority of our members. And likely most important, that subject to the aforementioned, the motion is about “accessibility” not “direct accessibility.”

In other words, this doesn’t necessarily mean two additional teams will be added to these two events. What it means, should it come to fruition, is that we would have all 14 of our members having the right to access these two events.

There are many ways to achieve this; it could include a challenge round, a playoff format, or a selection of X number of teams based on performance-based criteria, for example. We only need to look at other sports — the IIHF, Olympics, World Cup Soccer, FIBA — and the accessibility procedures they use for teams to gain access to a specific event.

The key is that right now we have members who can’t play in our championships because they don’t even have the right to enter playdowns or be chosen. This lack of general accessibility is the primary mandate of the Team Entry Committee.

Q: Do you have any comment regarding rumoured format changes to the Brier and other national championships following the 2009-10 season?

A: We are continuously looking at ways to improve all of our championships. General improvements on the entertainment value of the properties, aesthetics, and television coverage and exposure continue to be the impetus. Certainly the Brier is one of our flagship properties and, as such, we need to be very careful with any format changes that might alter the success of this iconic event.

Last year’s Brier in Calgary again showed it is a highly popular entity with a format wildly embraced by Canadian curling fans. So it would be premature at this time to comment on any format changes pertaining to post-2010 events.

Larry Wood is a Calgary-based communications consultant and associate editor of Extra End magazines

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Canadian Curling Association

Board of Governors CHAIR Graham Prouse

Graham Prouse, a driving force in Alberta and Northern British Columbia curling for nearly 30 years, lives in Fort Nelson, British Columbia.

Prouse became a member of the Fort Nelson Curling Club board in 1979 and during his 25-year tenure served as president twice. He was president of the Peace Curling Association in 1996-97 and 1997-98 and the Alberta Curling Federation in 1999-2000.

Elected to the CCA’s board in 2005, Prouse served as chair of the Curling Hall of Fame and Awards Committee, the CEO Search Committee and was a member of the Finance and Audit Committee. In addition to being association chair in 2010, Prouse will serve as a member of the CCA International Committee.

An avid curler, Prouse played in the Alberta mixed and men’s championships on several occasions. A certified Level I coach and Level I official, he has dedicated many hours to coaching and instructing.

Among his many distinctions, Prouse was the recipient of Fort Nelson’s Citizen of the Year Award in 2004.

The 2009-10 Canadian Curling Association board of governors: (back row, from left) Ron Hutton, Georgina Granchelli and Elaine de Ryk; (middle row) Mitch Tarapasky, Laura Lochanski and Jim Campbell; (front row) Bernadette McIntyre, Graham Prouse, Jack Bowman and Fran Todd.

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Season of Champions Host Committee Contacts

ROAD TO THE ROAR Presented by Monsanto Canada Inc. CN Centre 100-2187 Ospika Boulevard South Prince George, British Columbia V2N 6Z1 Host co-chair: Neil King Tel: (250) 561-1215 Email: nking@telus.net Host co-chair: Larry Parker Tel: (250) 964-1952 Email: larry_parker@telus.net

M&M MEAT SHOPS CANADIAN JUNIORS Presented by AMJ Campbell Van Lines

TIM HORTONS BRIER Presented by Monsanto Canada Inc. Halifax Metro Centre 1800 Argyle Street Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2V9

Le Colisée Cardin de Sorel-Tracy 200 Rue Victoria Sorel-Tracy, Quebec J3P 7K1 and Club de curling Aurèle Racine 3010 place des loisirs Sorel-Tracy, Quebec J3P 7K1

Event manager: Craig Moore Tel: (902) 421-5263 Email: cmoore@curling.ca

Host co-chair: Guy Hemmings Tel: (450) 561-6027 Email: guycurling@videotron.ca Host co-chair: Luc Chevalier Tel: (514) 605-6660 Email: luc.chevalier@videotron.ca

FORD WORLD WOMEN’S Presented by Monsanto Canada Inc.

TIM HORTONS ROAR OF THE RINGS Presented by Monsanto Canada Inc.

SCOTTIES TOURNAMENT OF HEARTS

Rexall Place 7424 118 Avenue N.W. Edmonton, Alberta T5B 4M9

Essar Centre 269 Queen Street East Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario P6A 1Y9

Event manager: Janna Tominuk Tel: (780) 442-3313 Email: jtominuk@curling.ca

Event manager: Gord McNabb Tel: (306) 737-7079 Email: gmcnabb@curling.ca

Credit Union i-plex 2001 Chaplin Street East Swift Current, Saskatchewan S9H 0L1

For ticket information visit www.seasonofchampions.ca

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Event manager: Rob Dewhirst Tel: (306) 550-7041 Email: rdewhirst@curling.ca

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Jones Foursome Leads Women’s Trials Field

BY DAVE KOMOSKY

PHOTO: ANDREW KLAVER © KRUGER PRODUCTS

Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones may be the favourite going into the trials, but she says any team could win. “They’ll all be tough, great teams that deserve to be there. It’s inevitable that one team will get on a roll and win.”

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PHOTO: ANDREW KLAVER © KRUGER PRODUCTS

J

ENNIFER JONES WILL TELL YOU THAT ONE OF the major keys to success in curling is the ability to focus and resist the urge to freak out when the pressure builds.

Jones, the redoubtable skip out of the St. Vital Curling Club in Winnipeg, has proven adept at focusing in her relatively short but brilliant career on the ice. Her ability to block out pressure and perform well in the crucible of the game’s most intense situations is one of the reasons she’s a three-time Canadian and one-time world champion.

Jones already has faced a lifetime’s worth of pressure situations in her career but acknowledges the needle will turn even higher — and the need to focus will be even greater — when the top eight women’s and men’s teams in the country gather at Edmonton’s Rexall Place December 6 to 13 to decide Canada’s representatives at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

“It’s a pretty exciting year for all of us in the sport,” says Jones. “The Olympics is the epitome of sports and it would be amazing to represent Canada at the Olympics in your own country. I can’t begin to describe how amazing that would be.”

Team Canada’s Jennifer Clark-Rouire, Dawn Askin, Jill Officer, Cathy Overton-Clapham and Jennifer Jones take the now-familiar walk down the final game sheet to be presented with the Hearts championship trophy.

She’s not alone. Every player on every team that qualifies for the Canadian Curling Trials understands the magnitude of the situation. They had to hack their way through the jungle of the Canadian Curling Association’s tough three-year qualifying process just to get to Edmonton, and the reward is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent their country, in their country, in the biggest sporting spectacle on the planet.

Now that’s pressure.

And as if that weren’t enough, they all know that every school child, shopkeeper, politician and poet in Canada will be counting on the trials winners to bring home gold.

No wonder Jones was content to stay at home most of the summer to “decompress” after another rigorous winter on the ice and gear up for the season to end all seasons.

“It’s important to wind down and take a breath,” says Jones, who cemented her reputation and that of her remarkable team — third Cathy Overton-Clapham, second Jill Officer and lead Dawn Askin — as one of the greatest Canadian teams in history by winning a third Scotties Tournament of Hearts national title last season in Victoria.

Jones had one big advantage as she cooled her heels during the off-season. Hers was one of four teams with

PHOTO: MICHAEL BURNS PHOTOGRAPHY

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Calgary’s Cheryl Bernard, Susan O’Connor, Carolyn Darbyshire and Cori Bartel secured a berth in the Roar Of The Rings curling trials via their Canadian Team Ranking System points total during the last three seasons.

One of four teams to earn direct entry into the Canadian Curling Trials, Saskatoon’s Stefanie Lawton, Marliese Kasner, Sherri Singler and Lana Vey punched their tickets to Edmonton courtesy of the team’s CTRS points total.

tickets already punched for Edmonton’s Roar Of The Rings, having secured enough points after their 2008 Hearts and world wins to qualify for the trials. The others with secured spots are no slouches either — Calgary’s Shannon Kleibrink and Cheryl Bernard, and Stefanie Lawton of Saskatoon.

The trials already have an Olympic flavour. Kleibrink brought home a bronze medal from the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy, while Edmonton’s Kevin Martin, assured of a place in the men’s action, settled for silver in Salt Lake City in 2002.

The other qualifiers for the trials have a little more work to do.

A dozen élite men’s and women’s teams didn’t earn enough points for Edmonton, but piled up enough for berths in the A bronze medallist at the 2006 Winter Games, Canadian Curling Calgary’s Shannon Kleibrink would like nothing Pre-Trials event — more that to get another crack at Olympic gold.

Road To The Roar — November 10 to 14 at the CN Centre in Prince George, British Columbia.

Jones is hoping all of her recent success over the past five seasons will have been a dress rehearsal for Olympic glory in Vancouver in February.

Not many doubt she can do it, given her unflappable nature and ability to walk a high wire to victory. Jones

pulled off what is widely considered the greatest walk-off shot in a national curling championship ever — her famous “in-off” carom shot for four to sink Ontario’s Jenn Hanna — in the final of the 2005 Hearts.

That was just for openers. Her team became just the second in Canadian women’s history to sneak into the playoffs through a tiebreaker and then go on to win it all, en route to the 2008 world title in Vernon, British Columbia. And earlier this year, she took the same tiebreaker route to her third Canadian title in Victoria.

In doing so, she revealed all of the qualities of greatness — sternness of purpose, courage and resiliency in the face of adversity.

Three Canadian titles have produced only one world title, but Jones can live with that.

“That’s going to happen,” says the 35-year-old corporate lawyer for the investment firm Wellington West, who didn’t win a medal at either the worlds in Paisley, Scotland, in 2005, or at GangNeung City, Korea, in ’09. “It just didn’t work out for us, but I think we’re going to learn from that.”

Jones has no doubt Edmonton will be rockin’ for the entire trials process.

“It will be electrifying,” she predicts. “Edmonton’s going to have great crowds. We’ve never competed there but the men have and we hear great things. It will be great to play in a curling community that loves the sport and curl in one of the biggest events in Canadian curling. Edmonton is going to be that. It’s going to be an amazing experience if you allow it to be. We’ve played in big games before, so we know what to expect.”

Jones may be the favourite, but she says any team could win.

“When you’re dealing with the eight best teams in Canada, any one of these teams can go on to win the event.

They’ll all be tough, great teams that deserve to be there.

It’s inevitable that one team will get on a roll and win.

“Hopefully, that will be us.”

Dave Komosky is a freelance writer who lives in Winnipeg www.seasonofchampions.ca 13

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Behind The Hack

BY LARRY WOOD

IT

HAPPENED LAST Easter Sunday. It should have long since faded from memory, right?

Uh, wrong. Not this particular Easter-Sunday happening. Not this one particular Easter-Sunday curling shot. Or maybe that should be one particular non-shot. It hasn’t been forgotten and, it seems, won’t be forgotten any time soon.

Since last Easter Sunday, you understand, any mention of curling has prompted the same questions, repetitive to the point of monotony.

What was Kevin Martin doing in that last end? Why did he throw that rock away? How did he explain that first rock of the 10th end? And so on and so forth, ad nauseam.

Some people would have you believe that Martin didn’t just toss aside his first rock of the last end of the Ford World Men’s Curling Championship gold-medal match in Moncton, New Brunswick, last Easter Sunday. Some people would have you believe that Martin tossed away the world title, the gold medal, the whole shebang!

Which, of course, is an unbelievable premise, not to mention a ridiculous one, since you’re talking about a four-time Brier champion and the only skip who has twice represented his country at the Olympic Winter Games.

Well, it would seem so…. But there’s no denying something just as unbelievable and seemingly ridiculous did actually transpire.

In the event you were in hibernation or on vacation on Mars and missed the endless TV replays and haven’t seen the clip on YouTube, the situation was this: Martin’s Team Canada, which had already lost tight-fit round-robin and Page 1-2 playoff debates to David Murdoch’s gang from the auld sod, was tied playing the final end of the final match and in possession of the final stone. With three rocks remaining to be played, two by Martin, Canada was counting one on the corner of the button, buried. Scotland’s obvious and only real last-rock choice was going to be an angle double-bump of some description, to attain a shot position it hadn’t enjoyed at any time during the 10th end.

Martin and mates discussed the options, and discussed them, and discussed them — guard, draw around with the other turn, a peel-weight double-kill to open up the situation, a raise of his own No. 5 counter in the eight-foot — for at least seven minutes.

“No matter what we did, I couldn’t see us improving our position,” Martin explained later.

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At the time, the on-ice dialogue went something like this: Martin: I don’t like the guard. I’m thinking of throwing it away.

Lead Ben Hebert: I don’t like that. I don’t like throwing it away. I don’t like drawing the back of the four-foot either.

Martin: I don’t like blasting. If we jam it here and he noses, we lose. Don’t you think things are looking good for us right now?

Can you think of something we can do that doesn’t help him?

Second Marc Kennedy: I can’t.

Hebert: You’re serious?

In the end, Martin tossed the stone into the boards.

“He’s either going to be a genius or the biggest fool,” Murdoch opined to Team Canada third John Morris before the delivery.

(And that — genius or fool? — is still up for argument. But I digress.)

Murdoch then executed the obvious double-bump to count one, leaving Martin with a fairly tight out-turn peel-weight runback double-kill to win.

“I don’t like this,” Hebert was heard to say as Martin squatted in the hack.

And then Martin threw narrow and missed it by a couple of inches. He said he wanted “just off the nose” on the hit. He got less than a half rock.

“I really didn’t think they had us in much trouble,” Martin allowed afterward. “I wanted to make sure I had a shot to win and I thought that, throwing it away, we would have a shot to win. And we did. I was just a hair tight. It just had to curl a little less. We moved the shot rock, we just had to move it another couple of feet.”

So much for Martin’s explanation. His long-time Edmonton arch rival, Randy Ferbey, watching the debacle on TV, was flabbergasted.

“We’d never, ever have thrown that rock away,” Ferbey told Sun Media columnist Terry Jones.

“Kevin is known as the best hitter in the game. Why not throw a high hard one? The other three guys on the team didn’t want him to throw that rock away. In 100 years of curling, in the millions of ends of curling, no one has ever thrown one away in the 10th end like that.

“The bottom line is that he over-analyzed it. But the one thing that nobody is talking about, where he really gave the game away, is when he didn’t start peeling those guards with Marc Kennedy’s first shot of the 10th end. In the 50 games we’ve played against each other over the years, Kevin never left guards like that up there. I know if the roles were reversed and I did that, he’d be saying the same thing about me.”

Scottish lead Euan Byers stationed two guards on the centre

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line to begin the 10th end. Hebert missed a “tick” attempt to move one of the guards off centre, then was called to draw around to the top of the button. Kennedy hit Scottish stones in the rings with both his shots. Martin didn’t call for a peel of guards until Morris’s first delivery.

“It was a bit of a gong show,” Morris told reporters later. “It (throwing away the first skip rock) was a team decision. I probably wouldn’t have thrown it away, but Kevin was happy with it and we support him in his decision. We win and lose as a team, and it was a team decision.”

“You rarely get opportunities like we had today,” Kennedy told CanWest Media’s Allan Cameron, “and you don’t really want to piss them down the tank like we just did.”

“I was a little surprised he wasn’t peeling the guards,” admitted Murdoch, the joyful recipient of the decision. “But he wanted to control that top-of-four-foot zone, and he did it well, but he left us a few openings at the end and it worked to our advantage.”

Going in, Martin’s Canucks — winners of the Brier and Canada Cup back-to-back — had been such heavy favourites that opposing skips spent most of the week parrying questions about having to beat the unbeatable.

But Murdoch and eventual bronze-medallist Thomas Ulsrud of Norway, were two who didn’t buy that Martin was unbeatable.

“I don’t think any of the teams in the Brier hit top form against Kevin,” said Murdoch, who was a spectator in Calgary.

“No one else was close to matching them that week. But I think the world field definitely is tougher than the Brier I saw. “(Martin) is the best in the world just now, so there’s definite intimidation there. But I think there are a lot of teams that can play their own game and make the shots they know they’re capable of making and control their own course.”

And Ulsrud, who had no personal success against the Canadians in Moncton, said: “The longer (Martin) keeps winning, the greater the chances someone will beat him. Hey, common sense tells you (Canada) can’t just keep on winning forever. It just doesn’t happen.

They’re on an incredible run. But sooner or later, they’ll lose.”

And lose they did. But nobody had predicted how they would lose. No one had seen that finish coming.

So what about the throwaway? Martin gave his version.

Ferbey’s suggestion that his old foe over-analyzed the situation seems plausible. The criticism that Martin ignored those deadly guards out front carries merit, too. And months later, not one other curler on the planet has come to Martin’s defence and said, “Hey, I’d have done the same thing.”

The bottom line, though, may be that if there’s one curler on the planet who can bear the burden of that questionable Easter-Sunday decision and rebound as though it had never happened, that curler is Kevin Martin.

Larry Wood is a Calgary-based communications consultant and associate editor of Extra End magazines

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Martin, Howard Men’s Top Trials Contenders

BY LARRY WOOD

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PHOTOS: MICHAEL BURNS PHOTOGRAPHY

HERE WASN’T MUCH DOUBT ABOUT THE TOP two choices.

As hot curling teams go, they haven’t been any hotter the past three seasons than Kevin Martin’s Edmonton juggernaut and Glenn Howard’s Ontario gang from Coldwater.

The two teams have dominated the Slam circuit, not to mention the Brier every year since the last round of Olympic scuffling in Torino, Italy.

Martin is 26-and-zip over the span of the last two Briers and he’s represented Alberta in the past four.

Howard won the 2007 Brier, was in the finals in 2006 and ’08, and made the semi-final in ’09.

So it was a no-brainer that Martin, and his teammates John Morris, Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert, and Howard, supported by Richard Hart, Brent Laing and Craig Savill, would earn direct entry to the 2009 Roar Of The Rings at Edmonton’s Rexall Place December 6 to 13.

Martin’s current lineup was formed after the 2006 Brier with a shot at the 2010 Olympics specifically in mind. Third Don Walchuk, who now plays with Kerry Burtnyk, and second Carter Rycroft, now with Kevin Koe, were dropped and veteran lead Don Bartlett retired. Howard’s batting order has been intact since 2002.

And what about the rest of the contenders?

Alberta’s Kevin Martin, John Morris, Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert acknowledge the fans after defending their Brier title. The Martin lineup was formed in 2006 with a shot at the 2010 Olympics specifically in mind.

One of the hottest teams in the past three years, Craig Savill, Brent Laing, Richard Hart and Glenn Howard — third place finishers at the 2009 Brier — secured a berth in the Roar Of The Rings by winning three major events.

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Well, it’s been a long struggle for teams attempting to pile up Canadian Team Ranking System points. It proved to be far more curling — and provided more stress and overwork — than most of them would normally have chosen.

Edmonton’s Koe, with Blake MacDonald throwing the last bricks and Rycroft and Nolan Thiessen manning the front end, amassed enough points to get the nod during the latter part of last season.

And six-time Brier champ Randy Ferbey and his Edmonton unit of last-rock tosser David Nedohin, second Scott Pfeifer and lead Marcel Rocque escaped relegation to the pre-trials on the last day of last season, upending Howard in the final of the Players Championship in Grande Prairie, Alberta.

“There was so much riding on this,” Nedohin told Terry

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Farrell of The Peace Country Sun after executing his last shot to win the Players. “It’s just an incredible feeling.

“We were laughing that three years of working at this every single weekend to try to get into the trials comes down to one shot at the end of the season. It was a great way to end it.”

And Ferbey, who calls the game, throws third stones and reached the grand old age of 50 last May, said: “Who would have thought it would come down to the last shot after three years of trying to get to the trials? Coming down to the last shot of the last game of the year? Unbelievable.

“You have the best teams in the world here — with all due respect to (2009 world champion from Scotland) Dave Murdoch — but these are the best teams. And you think this was good? Wait until Edmonton in December!”

Teams qualified by winning three specific events from a selection of the Brier, worlds, Canada Cup and Players Championship over a three-season period — September 2006 to May 2009 — or by their cumulative points total on the CTRS during that time.

“The guys, from top to bottom, played exceptionally well,” said Ferbey of his team’s last-ditch triumph. “The front end played good all week and we always say if our front end outplays their front end, we’re going to win most games. But, whew, getting to the trials in our home town has been a long haul.”

And it was probably tougher than The Ferb ever anticipated.

The alternative was a berth in the Road To The Roar pre-trials event November 10 to 14 in Prince George, British Columbia. A triple-knockout Glenn Howard and his Ontario gang competition, one winner from Coldwater will look to improve from A, one from B and two on their 5-4 record at the 2005 trials. from C will advance to the Edmonton showdown.

The field includes reigning Olympic gold medallist Brad Gushue of St. John’s, Newfoundland, former world champions Jeff Stoughton and Kerry Burtnyk of Winnipeg, Greg McAulay of Richmond, British Columbia, Toronto’s Wayne Middaugh, and 2006 Brier winner Jean-Michel Ménard, of St-Romuald, Quebec. Other qualifiers are Kevin Martin will be shooting for his Mike McEwen and Jason third Winter Games appearance in front of a partisan home-town crowd. Gunnlaugson, both of

Edmonton’s Kevin Koe, Blake MacDonald, Carter Rycroft and Nolan Thiessen amassed enough Canadian Team Ranking System points during the latter part of last season to earn direct entry into the Canadian Curling Trials.

Edmonton’s Randy Ferbey, Dave Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer and Marcel Rocque escaped pre-trials relegation by winning the 2009 Players Championship.

“Getting to the trials in our home town has been a long haul,” said Ferbey.

Winnipeg, Kelowna’s Bob Ursel, Joel Jordison of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Edmonton’s Ted Appelman and Pat Simmons of Davidson, Saskatchewan.

The winner in Edmonton, of course, will represent Canada at the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver February 16 to 27.

No fewer than eight former Olympians remain in the hunt, including Edmonton’s Martin, who will be shooting for a third Olympic appearance.

Martin skipped Team Canada at the 1992 Games in Albertville, France, and at the 2002 renewal in Salt Lake City, Utah. He won silver in ’02.

The other former Olympians include Gushue; his third, Mark Nichols, and lead Jamie Korab from the 2006 Olympic gold medal-winning team; 1998 silver medallist Richard Hart, who now plays third for Glenn Howard; 2002 silver medallists Walchuk and Rycroft; and 1992 Olympian Kevin Park, who now plays vice-skip for Stoughton.

Martin and his current vice-skip, John Morris, skipped teams in the 2005 trials along with winner Gushue, runner-up Stoughton, Ferbey and Howard.

Failing to return for a shot at the latest bauble are Mark Dacey and Shawn Adams of Halifax, Jay Peachey of New Westminster, British Columbia, and veteran Pat Ryan, then of Kelowna.

Larry Wood is a Calgary-based communications consultant and associate editor of Extra End magazines www.seasonofchampions.ca 19

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Ford Hot Shots PHOTO: ANDREW KLAVER © KRUGER PRODUCTS

T

HE FORD HOT SHOTS CELEBRATED ITS 15TH season at the 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts and Tim Hortons Brier.

When the Ford Motor Co. of Canada became part of international curling in 1995 as title sponsor of the Ford World Curling Championships, it introduced an opportunity for Hearts and Brier curlers to participate in individual skills competitions known as the Ford Hot Shots.

Points curling has long been part of the game in most corners of the curling world. While some countries have individual curling competitions, Ford Hot Shots is the first skills competition at major curling events that pits the abilities of championship curlers against one another’s.

In each round of competition, each curler delivers six skill-testing shots — hit and stay, draw the button, draw the port, the raise, hit and roll and double takeout.

Each shot is worth a maximum five points, with the final location of the shooter being valued as follows: button — 5

Ford regional manager Gerald Wood hands over the keys to a new Ford Flex SEL FWD to Alberta skip Cheryl Bernard. Bernard outscored Saskatchewan’s Sherri Singler 23-19 to win the Ford Hot Shots title.

FORD HOT SHOTS RESULTS SCOTTIES TOURNAMENT OF HEARTS

TIM HORTONS BRIER

Preliminary round (top eight advance) Cheryl Bernard, Alberta Sheena Gilman, Nova Scotia Nancy Bélanger, Quebec Lana Vey, Saskatchewan Sherri Singler, Saskatchewan Heather Strong, Newfoundland/Labrador Cathy Overton-Clapham, Team Canada Rebecca Jean MacPhee, P.E.I.

Preliminary round (top eight advance) Andrew Gibson, Nova Scotia John Morris, Alberta Kevin Martin, Alberta Joel Jordison, Saskatchewan Bruce Lohnes, Nova Scotia Jason Vaughan, New Brunswick Martin Gavin, N.W.T./Yukon Craig Savill, Ontario

25 22 21 20† 20† 20† 19 19

28 26 25† 25† 25† 25† 25† 24

† The tied players drew to the button for playoff seeding purposes

† The tied players drew to the button for playoff seeding purposes

Quarter-finals (top four advance) Cheryl Bernard, Alberta Nancy Bélanger, Quebec Heather Strong, Newfoundland/Labrador Sherri Singler, Saskatchewan Rebecca Jean MacPhee, P.E.I. Cathy Overton-Clapham, Team Canada Sheena Gilman, Nova Scotia Lana Vey, Saskatchewan

25 21 20 18 16 14 12 11

Quarter-finals (top four advance) John Morris, Alberta Kevin Martin, Alberta Craig Savill, Ontario Martin Gavin, N.W.T./Yukon Joel Jordison, Saskatchewan Jason Vaughan, New Brunswick Andrew Gibson, Nova Scotia Bruce Lohnes, Nova Scotia

23 21 20 19† 19† 18 17 14

Semi-finals (top two advance) Cheryl Bernard, Alberta Sherri Singler, Saskatchewan Nancy Bélanger, Quebec Heather Strong, Newfoundland/Labrador

26 20 18* 17

Semi-finals (top two advance) Craig Savill, Ontario Martin Gavin, N.W.T./Yukon Kevin Martin, Alberta John Morris, Alberta

27 23 20* 18

Final Cheryl Bernard, Alberta Sherri Singler, Saskatchewan

23 19

Final Craig Savill, Ontario Martin Gavin, N.W.T./Yukon

24 22

* Third-place finish

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* Third-place finish

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points, four-foot circle — 4 points, eight-foot circle — 3 points, 12-foot circle — 2 points. On each shot a single point is awarded if the shot has been missed on the professional side or is deemed to have provided some sort of positive result.

The 2009 Scotties Tournament of

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Hearts Hot Shots winner was awarded a two-year lease on a new Ford Flex SEL FWD and the Tim Hortons Brier Hot Shots winner a two-year lease on a 2009 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4, each valued in excess of $20,000. Runners-up received $2,000 and third-place finishers were awarded $1,000.

FORD HOT SHOTS HONOUR ROLL Scotties Tournament of Hearts

Tim Hortons Brier

2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995

2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995

Alberta Manitoba Yukon/N.W.T. Nova Scotia Ontario Ontario P.E.I. British Columbia Team Canada British Columbia Alberta New Brunswick British Columbia Manitoba Saskatchewan

Craig Savill Steve Laycock John Morris Steve Gould Mark Nichols Randy Ferbey Marc LeCocq Pat Ryan Jeff Lacey Don Bartlett Steve Gould Greg McAulay Mike Coulter Rick Perron Ed Werenich

Ontario Saskatchewan Alberta Manitoba N.L. Alberta New Brunswick British Columbia New Brunswick Alberta Manitoba British Columbia Northern Ontario New Brunswick Ontario

Get ready for a full house.

PHOTO: MICHAEL BURNS PHOTOGRAPHY

Cheryl Bernard Jill Officer Kelli Turpin Colleen Jones Jenn Hanna Andrea Lawes Suzanne Gaudet Kristy Lewis Kelley Law Kelley Law Marcy Balderston Allison Franey Sherry Fraser Gerri Cooke Kay Montgomery

Ontario’s Craig Savill accepts the keys to his new Ford F-150 XLT 4X4 from Ford regional manager Gerald Wood after defeating Martin Gavin in the 2009 Ford Hot Shots Brier final. On hand for the presentation were Savill’s teammates, from left, Brent Laing, Richard Hart and Glenn Howard.

ford.ca

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Team North America Rocked By World’s Best

Cathy Overton-Clapham and Jennifer Jones are all eyes as Team World’s Anette Norberg holds the broom in skins action. The World won 41-14.

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PHOTOS: MICHAEL BURNS PHOTOGRAPHY

T

EAM WORLD EVENED THE score with North America, at three wins apiece, by winning the sixth Continental Cup 208-192 in Camrose, Alberta.

The end came early in the 55-point men’s skins game between Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud and Canada’s Kevin Martin, the then-reigning world champion.

Team World entered the final match leading North America 193-152 and needing only eight points to claim the title after Sweden’s Anette Norberg defeated Canada’s Jennifer Jones 41-14 in the 55-point women’s skins game.

Martin’s unenviable task was either to take skins or force carryovers.

After the teams traded four-point

A jubilant Team World celebrates after winning the 2008 Continental Cup. The final score was Team World 208, Team North America 192. Fielding one of its strongest teams ever, Team World dominated play throughout the four-day event, winning three of the four disciplines by comfortable margins.

skins in the first two ends, Martin had to sweep all of the remaining points.

But after a third-end carryover, when Martin couldn’t count a deuce on a hit, it was left to Ulsrud to perform the fourth-end heroics.

With hammer, he made an incredible triple-raise takeout with his last stone, removing a Martin rock biting the button and sticking his shooter for a deuce and the 11-point skin. That elevated the World total to 208, seven more than necessary to claim the cup.

“That was a nice way to win it,” Ulsrud said of his clinching shot. “That was probably a tough shot. I’m guessing maybe one out of five I make in practice… maybe not even that.

“So it was just a beautiful feeling. I told the guys we’re going to get some chances, but not many against Kevin, so we’ll take the first one.

“After that, it was tough to stay focused. But this is beautiful. I just

hope (the cup) comes back. This is the best experience I’ve had in my curling career.”

Later in the season, it was confirmed that the event would indeed return for the 2010-11 campaign.

The last four ends of the final match simply constituted a formality, with Martin eventually prevailing 40-15.

“We couldn’t play our normal skins game. We were in a situation where we couldn’t miss many,” said Martin, who was a member of the winning North America side at the inaugural cup in 2002, when the men’s skins game went down to last rock between him and Sweden’s Peja Lindholm.

“We had to play real defensive and go as long as we could and try to survive. But (Ulsrud) made a great shot to take it.”

Of those on the victorious Team World, it was a third win for Sweden’s Norberg, Cathrine Lindahl and Anna

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Svärd. Dual winners were Scotland’s David Murdoch, Ewan MacDonald and Euan Byers, and Switzerland’s Mirjam Ott, Valeria Spälty and Janine Greiner.

World captain Pål Trulsen was a previous two-time winner as a player, while World coach Lindholm was a member of the winning team in 2003.

The first event in curling’s Season of Champions, the Continental Cup includes men’s and women’s team games, mixed doubles, singles and men’s, women’s and mixed skins. The first side to score 201 points is the winner. Each member of the winning team received $2,000, while each losing team member took home $1,400.

North America held a 3-2 edge in victories heading into the 2008 edition, having won the inaugural in 2002 in Regina, then renewals in Medicine Hat, Alberta, in 2004 and ’07. World teams won in 2003 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and in ’06 in Chilliwack, British Columbia.

The seventh end of the women’s skins finale proved to be the crucial turning point, with Jones holding a 14-11 lead over Norberg, holding the hammer with an 18-point carryover on the line, and facing several Norberg counters in the rings. Jones had two options. She could throw an open draw to force another carryover or execute a makeable triple-kill to count at least two and take the skin. She opted for the latter but missed, allowing Norberg to steal and claim the clinching skin.

In the 12-point final end, with a tonne of rocks in play and Norberg angling for another steal, Jones tried a tapback with her last rock to force a carryover — which would have been resolved by a draw to the button — but missed again and Norberg added to the World total with a 41-14 victory.

“I think the result was better than how we played it,” said Norberg, the 2006 Olympic gold medallist and two-time world champion.

The previous evening, completing Day Three of the four-day competition, controversy reigned as North America briefly stormed back into contention, closing a 38-point gap to just 14 heading into the two final skins games.

In the 30-point skins, Kevin Koe’s

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Team North America skips Kevin Martin, Jennifer Jones, Craig Brown, Stefanie Lawton, Kevin Koe and Debbie McCormick. North America closed the gap to 14 points going into the last skins games, but after Jones lost her match, Martin was left with the daunting task of keeping the World off the scoreboard.

Edmonton team demolished Scotland’s David Murdoch 28-2, while Saskatoon’s Stefanie Lawton registered a key double takeout in the seventh end, earning a skin worth 16 points after three carryovers, which keyed a 19-11 win over Switzerland’s Mirjam Ott. When it was brought to the attention of officials that Team North America had named ineligible lineups for both the mixed skins games, it was ruled that the points be equally divided regardless of the outcome, erasing North America’s 15-5 win in the 20-point match and the 16-14 win by Team World in the 30-point game. Both teams were awarded 25 points.

The rules state that the mixed skins lineups must include two players who are named in the 20-point skins, two players named in the 30-point skins and four players in the 55-point skins games.

Team North America coach Jim Waite and captain Russ Howard iced a 20-point lineup that included three players who had been named to compete in the 30-point skins and one named for the 55-point skins game. Their 30-point lineup listed four players named for the 55-point skins game, meaning five players in 55-point games — instead of four — were used, while no players from the 20-point skins game were included.

In earlier action, Team World dominated mixed doubles play 27-9 and the singles competition 22-10 (includes an eight-point bonus). The World controlled women’s team play, winning five games and tying the other. Team North America won four of six men’s team matches.

How sweet it is! Team World’s Thomas Ulsrud clinched the Continental Cup victory with a fourthend “circus” shot in the final men’s skins game.

Team World’s Mirjam Ott throws a rock to her sweepers. The World controlled women’s team play, winning five games and tying the other.

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A SALUTE TO 20 0 WORLD Juniors

CANADIAN Masters

From left, Danish coach Gert Larsen, fifth Martin Poulsen, lead Troels Harry, second Oliver Dupont, third Mikkel Krause and skip Rasmus Stjerne.

From left, Manitoba skip Ray Orr, third Dennis Peckover, second Brian Manns and lead John Mendrikis.

From left, coach Isobel Hannen, fifth Kay Adams, lead Sarah MacIntyre, second Vicki Adams, third Anna Sloan and skip Eve Muirhead of Scotland.

From left, skip Lee Morrison, third Bernice Van Der Velden, second Peggy Hergott and lead Marg Griffiths of Saskatchewan.

CANADIAN Wheelchair

WORLD Wheelchair

Front row, from left: B.C. fifth Darryl Neighbour, lead Jacqueline Roy, second Whitney Warren, third Frank LaBounty and skip Jim Armstrong; back row: coach Melissa Soligo and team leader Cindy Tucker.

From left, skip Jim Armstrong, third Darryl Neighbour, second Ina Forrest, coach Joe Rea, lead Sonja Gaudet and alternate Chris Sobkowicz of Canada.

24 www.seasonofchampions.ca

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0 09 CHAMPIONS WORLD Seniors

CANADIAN Seniors

From left, Ontario lead George Mitchell, second Duncan Jamieson, third Rick Bachand and skip Bruce Delaney.

Back row, from left: lead Dave Folk, second Verne Anderson, third Kevin Kalthoff and skip Eugene Hritzuk; front row: lead Christine Jurgenson, second Roselyn Craig, third Cheryl Noble and skip Pat Sanders of Canada.

CANADIAN Mixed From left, Nova Scotia skip Colleen Pinkney, third Wendy Currie, second Karen Hennigar and lead Susan Creelman.

WORLD Mixed

From left, Manitoba skip Sean Grassie, third Allison Nimik, second Ross Derksen and lead Kendra Green.

From left, Switzerland’s Toni Müller and Irene Schori.

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M&M Meat Shops Canadian Juniors Played in Salmon Arm, British Columbia, at the Salmon Arm Curling Club and Sunwave Centre January 31 to February 8, 2009

Northern Ontario’s Dylan Johnston forced P.E.I.’s Brett Gallant to draw to the full eight-foot for the win after Johnston was light on a draw.

26 www.seasonofchampions.ca

PHOTOS: MICHAEL BURNS PHOTOGRAPHY

P

RINCE EDWARD ISLAND, skipped by Brett Gallant of Charlottetown, won the 2009 M&M Meat Shops Canadian junior men’s championship at the Sunwave Centre in Salmon Arm, British Columbia, edging Northern Ontario’s Dylan Johnston 7-6 in the final.

It was only the second Canadian junior men’s title for a Prince Edward Island team since the championship began in 1950. Skip Bill Jenkins won the first 33 years ago, in 1976, in Kapuskasing, Ontario.

In a game that featured some excellent shot-making, it all came down to the 10th end, when Gallant — lying one with hammer but needing a deuce — drew to the full eight-foot for the win after Johnston was light on a draw.

The match didn’t start well for the

The Canadian junior men’s trophy went to, from left, P.E.I.’s Brett Gallant, Adam Casey, Anson Carmody and Jamie Danbrook. The Charlottetown squad edged Dylan Johnston of Northern Ontario 7-6 in the final to give the Garden province only its second junior men’s title and first since 1976.

Islanders, with Northern Ontario jumping to a 3-0 lead in the first end.

But by the sixth end, Gallant had squared the account.

Northern Ontario blanked the seventh but was forced to take the go-ahead single in the eighth and then Gallant blanked the ninth before posting the winning deuce at the finish.

The 2007 Canadian juniors runner-up — he lost in an extra end to Alberta’s Charley Thomas — Gallant directed third Adam Casey, second Anson Carmody and lead Jamie Danbrook.

“Finally,” said the elated 18-year-old, a business student at the University of Prince Edward Island. “We played a great game. We were very prepared for this game. The first end was really

unlucky, a picked rock and a jam. But then we had some good ends. We just had to keep the pressure on them.”

Northern Ontario and Prince Edward Island had finished the round robin with identical 9-3 records, but Northern Ontario earned the bye to the final thanks to its 9-8 extra-end, round-robin win over the Islanders.

It was a game in which Northern Ontario stole four singles, including one in the extra for the victory, after Prince Edward Island, ironically, had gotten off to a 3-0 start.

Casey and Danbrook were named to the first all-star team, along with Alberta skip Kevin Yablonski and New Brunswick second Robbie Doherty.

Gallant and Carmody were named to the second all-star team.

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2009 JUNIOR MEN JUNIOR MEN’S FINAL Northern Ontario (Dylan Johnston) *301 010 010 0 P.E.I. (Brett Gallant) 010 202 000 2 * Last-rock advantage

6 7

PERCENTAGES

First-team all-star honours went to, from left, Alberta skip Kevin Yablonski, third Adam Casey of Prince Edward Island, second Robbie Doherty of New Brunswick and lead Jamie Danbrook of Prince Edward Island.

The Islanders hammered Yablonski’s Albertans 13-3 in the semi-final, opening with a deuce, then stealing a pair in the second for a quick 4-0 lead.

Alberta finished the round robin with an 8-4 record. New Brunswick’s Steve Burgess skipped the only other team with a plus-.500 record, checking in at 7-5.

Ontario’s Bowie Abbis-Mills, Bryan Kedziora of British Columbia, Quebec’s Andrew Leigh, Sam Good of Manitoba, Saskatchewan’s Mike Armstrong and Kelly Schuh of Newfoundland/Labrador all sawed off at 6-6. Nova Scotia’s Paul Dexter was 4-8, Yukon’s Thomas Scoffin was 3-9 and Colin Miller’s team from the Northwest Territories won twice in 12 matches.

KEN WATSON AWARD

The 2009 winners of the Ken Watson Award are New Brunswick skip Ashley Howard and Quebec skip Andrew Leigh. The awards are voted on by the players in the Canadian Junior Men’s and Women’s Curling Championships and presented to the curlers who best combine playing ability with sportsmanship.

ASHAM COACHING AWARD Recipients of the 2009 Ken Watson Award are Quebec’s Andrew Leigh and New Brunswick’s Ashley Howard.

National junior coach Helen Radford is flanked by coaching award winners Rob Meakin, left, and Wade Scoffin.

The 2009 Asham National Coaching Award winners are junior men’s coach Wade Scoffin of the Yukon and junior women’s coach Rob Meakin of Manitoba.

The award winners are chosen by coaches at the Canadian Junior Men’s and Women’s Curling Championships, who are asked to select an opposing team coach who best exemplifies the attributes of coaching.

Northern Ontario Dylan Johnston Cody Johnston Michael Makela Mike Badiuk

76% 76% 65% 89%

Prince Edward Island Brett Gallant 79% Adam Casey 81% Anson Carmody 88% Jamie Danbrook 84%

Team totals

77%

83%

SEMI-FINAL Alberta (Kevin Yablonski) P.E.I. (Brett Gallant)

001 010 10X X *220 303 03X X

3 13

FINAL STANDINGS Playoffs Prince Edward Island (Brett Gallant) Northern Ontario (Dylan Johnston) Alberta (Kevin Yablonski)

Wins 2 0 0

Losses 0 1 1

Round robin Northern Ontario (Dylan Johnston) Prince Edward Island (Brett Gallant) Alberta (Kevin Yablonski) New Brunswick (Steve Burgess) Ontario (Bowie Abbis-Mills) British Columbia (Bryan Kedziora) Quebec (Andrew Leigh) Manitoba (Sam Good) Saskatchewan (Mike Armstrong) Newfoundland/Labrador (Kelly Schuh) Nova Scotia (Paul Dexter) Yukon (Thomas Scoffin) Northwest Territories (Colin Miller)

Wins 9 9 8 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 4 3 2

Losses 3 3 4 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 8 9 10

ALL-STAR TEAMS First-team all-stars Skip Kevin Yablonski, Alberta Third Adam Casey, Prince Edward Island Second Robbie Doherty, New Brunswick Lead Jamie Danbrook, Prince Edward Island Second-team Skip Third Second Lead

all-stars Brett Gallant, Prince Edward Island Taylor McIntyre, Manitoba Anson Carmody, Prince Edward Island David Aho, Northwest Territories

All-star selections were determined by overall shooting percentages during the round robin. In the case of a tie, the player with the best plus-minus was awarded the all-star position.

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CANADIAN JUNIOR MEN’S CHAMPIONS 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003

P.E.I. Quebec Alberta Alberta Saskatchewan New Brunswick Saskatchewan

2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971

Manitoba Newfoundland British Columbia Ontario Ontario Alberta Northern Ontario Manitoba Alberta Nova Scotia Quebec Northern Ontario Ontario British Columbia British Columbia New Brunswick Manitoba Alberta Manitoba Saskatchewan Ontario Manitoba Quebec Manitoba Alberta Alberta P.E.I. Alberta Alberta Ontario Alberta Saskatchewan

1970

New Brunswick

1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950

Saskatchewan Ontario Alberta Alberta Saskatchewan Northern Ontario Alberta Saskatchewan British Columbia Alberta Alberta Northern Ontario Ontario Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Ontario Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Saskatchewan

Brett Gallant, Adam Casey, Anson Carmody, Jamie Danbrook William Dion, Jean-Michel Arsenault, Erik Lachance, Miguel Bernard Charley Thomas, Brock Virtue, Matthew Ng, Kyle Reynolds Charley Thomas, Geoff Walker, Rollie Robinson, Kyle Reynolds Kyle George, Justin Mihalicz, David Kidby, Chris Hebert Ryan Sherrard, Jason Roach, Darren Roach, Jared Bezanson Steve Laycock, Christopher Haichert, Michael Jantzen, Kyler Broad David Hamblin, Ross Derksen, Kevin Hamblin, Ross McCannell Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brent Hamilton, Mike Adam Brad Kuhn, Kevin Folk, Ryan Kuhn, Hugh Bennett John Morris, Craig Savill, Jason Young, Brent Laing John Morris, Craig Savill, Andy Ormsby, Brent Laing Ryan Keane, Scott Pfeifer, Blayne Iskiw, Peter Heck Jeff Currie, Greg Given, Andrew Mikkelsen, Tyler Oinonen Chris Galbraith, Scott Cripps, Brent Barrett, Bryan Galbraith Colin Davison, Kelly Mittelstadt, Scott Pfeifer, Sean Morris Shawn Adams, Ben Blanchard, Jon Philip, Robert MacArthur Michel Ferland, Marco Berthelot, Steve Beaudry, Steve Guetre Jason Repay, Aaron Skillen, Scott McCallum, Trevor Clifford Noel Herron, Robert Brewer, Steve Small, Richard Polk Dean Joanisse, David Nantes, Tim Coombes, Jef Pilon Mike Wood, Mike Bradley, Todd Troyer, Greg Hawkes Jim Sullivan, Charlie Sullivan, Craig Burgess, Dan Alderman Hugh McFadyen, Jon Mead, Norman Gould, John Lange Kevin Martin, Richard Feeney, Daniel Petryk, Michael Berger Bob Ursel, Brent Mendella, Gerald Chick, Mike Ursel Jamie Schneider, Danny Ferner, Steven Leippi, Kelly Vollman John Base, Bruce Webster, Dave McAnerney, Jim Donahoe Mert Thompsett, Bill McTavish, Joel Gagne, Mike Friesen Denis Marchand, Denis Cecil, Yves Barrette, Larry Phillips Mert Thompsett, Lyle Derry, Joel Gagne, Mike Friesen Darren Fish, Lorne Barker, Murray Ursulak, Barry Barker Paul Gowsell, John Ferguson, Doug MacFarlane, Kelly Stearne Bill Jenkins, John Scales, Sandy Stewart, Alan Mayhew Paul Gowsell, Neil Houston, Glen Jackson, Kelly Stearne Robb King, Brad Hannah, Bill Fowlis, Chris King Mark McDonald, Lloyd Emmerson, Phillip Tomsett, Jon Clare Lawrence Niven, Rick Niven, Jim Ross, Ted Poblawski Greg Montgomery, Don Despins, Jeff Montgomery, Rod Verboom Ronald Ferguson, Garth Jardine, Brian Henderson, Cyril Sutherland Robert Miller, Roger Rask, Lloyd Helm, William Aug William Hope, Bruce Lord, Brian Domney, Dennis Gardiner Stanley Trout, Doug Dobry, Allan Kullay, Donald Douglas Brian Howes, Blair Pallesen, John Thompson, Chris Robinson Dan Fink, Ken Runtz, Ron Jacques, Larry Lechner Bob Ash, Bill Ash, Terry Armstrong, Fred Prier Wayne Saboe, Ron Hampton, Rick Aldridge, Mick Adams Mike Lukowich, Ed Lukowich, Doug McLeod, David Moore Jerry Caughlin, Jack Cox, Mike Shippitt, David Jones Tommy Kroeger, Jack Isaman, Ron Nelson, Murray Sorenson John Trout, Bruce Walker, Dave Woods, Allen Sharpe Tom Tod, Neil McLeod, Patrick Moran, David Allin Ian Johnston, Peter Galsworthy, Dave Robinson, Mike Jackson Bob Hawkins, Ted Clarke, Bruce Beveridge, Dave Williams Bayne Secord, Stan Austman, Merv Mann, Gary Stevenson Bayne Secord, Don Snider, Stan Austman, Don Brownell Bob Walker, Duncan Brodie, Claire Peacock, George MacGregor Gary Thode, Gary Cooper, Doug Conn, Roy Hufsmith Gary Thode, Gary Cooper, Orest Hyrniuk, Roy Hufsmith Bill Clarke, Gary Carlson, Ian Innes, Harold Grassie

28 www.seasonofchampions.ca

M

ANITOBA’S 20-YEAR-OLD Kaitlyn Lawes of Winnipeg successfully defended her Canadian junior women’s title in Salmon Arm, defeating Ontario’s Rachel Homan 7-4 in the final shootout.

Lawes became the first skip to win back-to-back Canadian junior titles since Prince Edward Island’s Suzanne Gaudet in 2001 and ’02. It was Manitoba’s ninth women’s title since the championship began in 1971.

The final was conservatively contested for the first six ends, after which Ottawa’s 19-year-old Homan held a 2-1 lead. But a deuce by Manitoba in the seventh gave the Bisons a 3-2 edge and that set the stage for the turning point.

Homan tried to nudge a Manitoba counter with her last rock of the eighth to score a deuce, but she rubbed off the stone and gave Manitoba a steal of one and a 4-2 lead. In the ninth, Homan got her deuce to tie it, although she was almost heavy with an open draw to the eight-foot after Lawes failed to double out two Ontario stones in the four-foot.

So it came down to the 10th end, Manitoba with hammer, and Lawes had stationed a host of rocks in the rings.

With her last stone, Homan tried to hit and roll but was wide and heavy, hitting and rolling out and leaving Lawes with three counters without having to throw her last stone.

“We had to go out there and hope for the best and wait for our

Facing a host of Manitoba granite with her last rock, Ontario’s Rachel Homan missed her shot, leaving Manitoba with three points and the win.

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2009 JUNIOR WOMEN JUNIOR WOMEN’S FINAL Ontario (Rachel Homan) Manitoba (Kaitlyn Lawes) * Last-rock advantage

*001 001 002 0 000 010 210 3

4 7

PERCENTAGES Ontario Rachel Homan Emma Miskew Alison Kreviazuk Lynn Kreviazuk

63% 75% 76% 86%

Manitoba’s Kaitlyn Lawes, Jenna Loder, Laryssa Grenkow and Breanne Meakin shaded Alberta 7-6 in a semi-final thriller before defeating Ontario’s Rachel Homan 7-4 to capture the 2009 Canadian junior women’s title.

Team totals

75%

opportunities,” said Lawes. “We hung in there and played our game and didn’t really let them take control.

“They didn’t play as sharp as they did against us in the round robin,” which Ontario won 7-4.

It was the second title for Lawes and her third, Jenna Loder, but the first for second Laryssa Grenkow and lead Breanne Meakin.

“We struggled and we didn’t play our best, for sure,” said Homan, who later in the season qualified for November’s Road To The Roar pre-trials. Lawes will also be there, playing third for veteran two-time national junior champion Cathy King of Edmonton.

Loder and Meakin won accolades as first-team all-stars along with skip Casey Scheidegger and second Jessie Scheidegger, both of Alberta. Skip Homan and Ontario second Alison Kreviazuk were named second-team all-stars.

Ontario finished atop the round robin with a 10-2 record, while Alberta was 9-3 and Manitoba was 8-4.

But Lawes defeated Scheidegger 7-6 in a gut-clenching, extra-end semi-final.

“It was an unreal game,” said Lawes. “Both teams played lights out.”

Alberta took one in the third after two blanks before Manitoba responded with a deuce in the fourth. Then it was

Manitoba (Kaitlyn Lawes) Alberta (Casey Scheidegger)

72% 85% 74% 91% 81%

SEMI-FINAL 000 203 010 0 1 *001 020 200 1 0

7 6

FINAL STANDINGS Playoffs Manitoba (Kaitlyn Lawes) Ontario (Rachel Homan) Alberta (Casey Scheidegger)

Wins 2 0 0

Losses 0 1 1

Round robin Ontario (Rachel Homan) Alberta (Casey Scheidegger) Manitoba (Kaitlyn Lawes) Prince Edward Island (Erin Carmody) Quebec (Kristen Richard) Northern Ontario (Vanessa Maloney) British Columbia (Kelly Shimizu) Nova Scotia (Marie Christianson) New Brunswick (Ashley Howard) Yukon (Sarah Koltun) Saskatchewan (Brooklyn Lemon) Newfoundland/Labrador (Erin Porter) N.W.T. (Katie Maksymowich)

Wins 10 9 8 7 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 4 2

Losses 2 3 4 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 8 10

ALL-STAR TEAMS First-team all-stars Skip Casey Scheidegger, Alberta Third Jenna Loder, Manitoba Second Jessie Scheidegger, Alberta Lead Breanne Meakin, Manitoba Second-team Skip Third Second Lead

The 2009 Canadian junior women’s first-team all-stars, from left, skip Casey Scheidegger of Alberta, third Jenna Loder of Manitoba, second Jessie Scheidegger of Alberta and lead Breanne Meakin of Manitoba.

Manitoba Kaitlyn Lawes Jenna Loder Laryssa Grenkow Breanne Meakin

all-stars Rachel Homan, Ontario Kalynn Park, Alberta Alison Kreviazuk, Ontario Kaitlynd Burns, Northern Ontario

All-star selections were determined by overall shooting percentages during the round robin. In the case of a tie, the player with the best plus-minus was awarded the all-star position.

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2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971

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CANADIAN JUNIOR WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS

FAIR PLAY AWARDS

Manitoba Manitoba Nfld./Labrador Saskatchewan New Brunswick Nova Scotia Saskatchewan P.E.I. P.E.I. Saskatchewan Quebec

Lead Second Third Skip Coach

Kaitlyn Lawes, Jenna Loder, Laryssa Grenkow, Breanne Meakin Kaitlyn Lawes, Jenna Loder, Liz Peters, Sarah Wazney Stacie Devereaux, Stephanie Guzzwell, Sarah Paul, Julie Devereaux Mandy Selzer, Erin Selzer, Kristen Mitchell, Megan Selzer Andrea Kelly, Kristen MacDiarmid, Jodie deSolla, Lianne Sobey Jillian Mouzar, Paige Mattie, Blisse Comstock, Chloe Comstock Marliese Miller, Teejay Surik, Janelle Lemon, Chelsey Bell Suzanne Gaudet, Robyn MacPhee, Carol Webb, Kelly Higgins Suzanne Gaudet, Stefanie Richard, Robyn MacPhee, Kelly Higgins Stefanie Miller, Marliese Miller, Stacy Helm, Amanda MacDonald Marie-France Larouche, Nancy Bélanger, Marie-Eve Létourneau, Valerie Grenier New Brunswick Melissa McClure, Nancy Toner, Brigitte McClure, Bethany Toner Nova Scotia Meredith Doyle, Beth Roach, Tara Hamer, Candice MacLean Alberta Heather Godberson, Carmen Whyte, Kristie Moore, Terelyn Bloor Manitoba Kelly MacKenzie, Joanne Fillion, Carlene Muth, Sasha Bergner Manitoba Jennifer Jones, Trisha Baldwin, Jill Officer, Dana Malanchuk Ontario Kim Gellard, Corie Beveridge, Lisa Savage, Sandy Graham Saskatchewan Amber Holland, Cindy Street, Tracy Beach, Angela Street New Brunswick Heather Smith, Denise Cormier, Suzanne LeBlanc, Lesley Hicks Saskatchewan Atina Ford, Darlene Kidd, Leslie Beck, Cindy Ford Manitoba Cathy Overton, Tracy Baldwin, Carol Harvey, Tracy Bush Alberta LeDawn Funk, Sandy Symyrozum, Cindy Larsen, Laurelle Funk British Columbia Julie Sutton, Judy Wood, Susan Auty, Marla Geiger British Columbia Jodie Sutton, Julie Sutton, Dawn Rubner, Chris Thompson Saskatchewan Kimberley Armbruster, Sheila Calcutt, Wanda Figitt, Lorraine Krupski Manitoba Darcy Kirkness, Barb Kirkness, Janet Harvey, Barbara Fetch Ontario Alison Goring, Kristin Holman, Cheryl McPherson, Lynda Armstrong British Columbia Sandra Plut, Sandra Rainey, Leigh Fraser, Debra Fowles Manitoba Karen Fallis, Karen Tresoor, Caroline Hunter, Lynn Fallis Nova Scotia Kay Smith, Krista Gatchell, Cathy Caudle, Peggy Wilson Saskatchewan Denise Wilson, Judy Walker, Dianne Choquette, Shannon Olafson Alberta Cathy King, Brenda Oko, Maureen Olsen, Diane Bowes Alberta Cathy King, Robin Ursuliak, Maureen Olsen, Mary Kay James Saskatchewan Colleen Rudd, Carol Rudd, Julie Burke, Lori Glenn Saskatchewan Patricia Crimp, Colleen Rudd, Judy Sefton, Merrill Greabeiel Manitoba Chris Pidzarko, Cathy Pidzarko, Patti Vanderkerckhove, Barbara Rudolph Saskatchewan Janet Crimp, Carol Davis, Chris Gervais, Susan Carney Manitoba Chris Pidzarko, Cathy Pidzarko, Beth Brunsden, Barbara Rudolph Alberta Shelby McKenzie, Marlene Pargeter, Arlene Hrdlicka, Debbie Goliss

Alberta’s turn for a pair, taking a 3-2 lead into the fifth-end break.

Lawes stormed back, drawing in for a three-spot in the sixth end after Scheidegger was light with her draw. But in the seventh end, Alberta tied the game at five when Lawes hit and rolled out, leaving Scheidegger a hit and roll of her own for a deuce.

After Manitoba was forced to one in the eighth end, Alberta blanked the ninth before drawing for one in the 10th to force the extra. And facing two Alberta counters in the back four, Lawes calmly drew a piece of the button for the win.

30 www.seasonofchampions.ca

Alberta had beaten Manitoba 6-5 in an extra end during the round robin.

Behind the three leaders were Prince Edward Island’s Erin Carmody at 7-5 and Quebec’s Kristen Richard, Northern Ontario’s Vanessa Maloney and British Columbia’s Kelly Shimizu at 6-6. Nova Scotia’s Marie Christianson, New Brunswick’s Ashley Howard, the Yukon’s Sarah Koltun and Saskatchewan’s Brooklyn Lemon checked in at 5-7. Newfoundland/ Labrador’s Erin Porter was 4-8 and the Northwest Territories’ Kate Maksymowich was 2-10.

Junior Men

Terry Arnold, Ontario Robbie Doherty, N.B. Ben Vezeau, Quebec Paul Dexter, Nova Scotia Eugene Trickett, N.L.

Junior Women

Lead Second Third Skip Coach

Jenna Duncan, Yukon Janelle Sakamoto, B.C. Valisa Aho, N.W.T. Vanessa Maloney, N. Ont. Rob Meakin, Manitoba

The Fair Play Award winners are selected by the junior men’s and women’s officials.

JOAN MEAD LEGACY AWARD

Saskatchewan skip Brooklyn Lemon and Ontario second Scott Hindle are the 2009 winners of the Joan Mead Legacy Award.

Mead was the CBC’s curling producer for many years and produced its curling coverage at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. After she died suddenly in January 2000, the CBC Legacy Award was re-named in her memory and in honour of the great work she had done for curling on behalf of the CBC. The awards began after the CBC was presented with the Golden Rings Award by the International Olympic Association for its excellence in broadcasting curling from the Nagano games. CBC decided to fund an annual award for junior curlers in Canada as an ongoing legacy of the Golden Rings Award and established the CBC Legacy Awards.

CCA liaison Janie Hobart, centre, presents the Joan Mead Legacy Award to Saskatchewan’s Brooklyn Lemon and Ontario’s Scott Hindle.

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Scotties Tournament of Hearts Played in Victoria, B.C., at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre February 21 to March 1, 2009

Team Canada’s Jennifer Jones won her third national crown, defeating round-robin leader Marla Mallett of B.C. 8-5 in the Hearts final.

32 www.seasonofchampions.ca

PHOTOS: ANDREW KLAVER © KRUGER PRODUCTS

T

EAM CANADA’S JENNIFER Jones moved into illustrious company with her second straight Scotties Tournament of Hearts title at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria, British Columbia.

The 34-year-old skip and her Winnipeg teammates — third Cathy Overton-Clapham, second Jill Officer and lead Dawn Askin — successfully defended their title by defeating British Columbia’s Marla Mallett 8-5 in the 2009 Hearts final.

With the win, the Jones foursome became only the sixth in Canadian women’s championship history to repeat, joining Nova Scotia’s Colleen Jones, who won four in a row; Saskatchewan’s Vera Pezer, who won three straight; Sandra Schmirler of Saskatchewan, Ontario’s Heather

The 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts champions: from left, Team Canada’s Jennifer Jones, Cathy Overton-Clapham, Jill Officer and Dawn Askin. It was back-to-back titles for the foursome, who battled back from the brink of elimination with five straight sudden-death wins to emerge victorious.

Houston and British Columbia’s Kelly Scott.

For Overton-Clapham, it was her fourth national title — she has three with Jones and one with Connie Laliberte in 1995 — putting her in a group of just eight players to have won four or more Canadian women’s titles.

The others are Colleen Jones, Mary-Anne Arsenault, Kim Kelly, Nancy Delahunt, Joyce McKee, Lee Morrison and Vera Pezer.

“It’s unbelievable. I can’t believe we’ve now won three, and Cathy’s won four,” said Jones. “I dreamed of this as a little kid, and to do it with this team.… We work so hard, we put so much into it. It’s so very special for us right now.”

And as this team is wont to do, it was

forced to battle back from the brink of elimination to emerge victorious. They won what amounted to five straight sudden-death matches to claim the title, feeding off their experience of last year, when they won eight in a row after losing four of their first seven outings.

This time, Jones sustained her fourth loss — 8-7 to Prince Edward Island’s Rebecca Jean MacPhee — with but one round-robin game to go. She then bounced back with a 6-5 decision over front-running Mallett of B.C., stole a 6-5 extra-end tiebreaker win against P.E.I.’s MacPhee, defeated Saskatchewan’s Stefanie Lawton 8-6 in the Page 3-4 playoff, walloped Quebec’s Marie-France Larouche in the semi-final and then reinforced her superiority over Mallett in the final.

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2009 SCOTTIES TOURNAMENT OF HEARTS FINAL Team Canada (Jennifer Jones) British Columbia (Marla Mallett) * Last-rock advantage

102 020 201 X *020 200 010 X

8 5

PERCENTAGES Team Canada Jennifer Jones C. Overton-Clapham Jill Officer Dawn Askin

89% 80% 91% 79%

Team totals

85%

British Columbia Marla Mallett Grace MacInnes Diane Gushulak Jacalyn Brown

78% 71% 76% 85% 78%

SEMI-FINAL Team Canada (Jennifer Jones) Quebec (Marie-France Larouche)

*140 020 203 X 002 302 010 X

12 8

PAGE SYSTEM 1-2 PLAYOFF Quebec (Marie-France Larouche) British Columbia (Marla Mallett) British Columbia’s Jacalyn Brown, left, and Diane Gushulak apply the brooms to Marla Mallett’s rock in final-game action. Mallett surrendered a steal of two in the seventh to give Canada a commanding 7-4 lead.

Team Canada took an early lead, stealing a single in the first end that was set up by Overton-Clapham’s draw to the button behind a centre guard. Mallett’s last-rock angle-raise attempt overcurled.

The teams then traded deuces for the next four ends, and B.C. blanked the sixth. In the seventh, Jones executed a perfect hit and roll behind cover to sit two, forcing Mallett to draw the full eight-foot for a single point. But Mallett came up light, giving Team Canada a decisive steal of two and a commanding 7-4 lead.

“It was just a little soft out of my hand, and on this ice, if you let it out soft, it’s going to grab the curl and go, which is exactly what happened,” said Mallett. “Of course, it’s very disappointing. I certainly would have liked to come out on the other side, but we did have a great week. We learned a lot and we’ll bring it back next year.”

001 010 101 1 *010 103 020 0

5 7

PAGE SYSTEM 3-4 PLAYOFF Saskatchewan (Stefanie Lawton) Team Canada (Jennifer Jones)

*100 010 202 0 021 101 020 1

6 8

*012 010 100 0 0 000 201 001 1 1

5 6

TIEBREAKER P.E.I. (Rebecca Jean MacPhee) Team Canada (Jennifer Jones)

FINAL STANDINGS Playoffs Team Canada (Jennifer Jones) British Columbia (Marla Mallett) Quebec (Marie-France Larouche) Saskatchewan (Stefanie Lawton) P.E.I. (Rebecca Jean MacPhee)

Wins 4 1 0 0 0

Losses 0 1 2 1 1

Round robin Wins British Columbia (Marla Mallett) 8 Quebec (Marie-France Larouche) 7 Saskatchewan (Stefanie Lawton) 7 P.E.I. (Rebecca Jean MacPhee) 7 Team Canada (Jennifer Jones) 7 Ontario (Krista McCarville) 6 Alberta (Cheryl Bernard) 6 New Brunswick (Andrea Kelly) 5 Newfoundland/Labrador (Heather Strong) 5 N.W.T./Yukon (Kerry Galusha) 4 Nova Scotia (Nancy McConnery) 2 Manitoba (Barb Spencer) 2

Losses 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 9 9

ALL-STAR TEAMS First-team all-stars Skip Stefanie Lawton, Saskatchewan Third Cathy Overton-Clapham, Team Canada Second Diane Gushulak, British Columbia Lead Lana Vey, Saskatchewan

First-team Scotties Tournament of Hearts all-stars: Saskatchewan lead Lana Vey, second Diane Gushulak of British Columbia, Team Canada third Cathy Overton-Clapham and Saskatchewan skip Stefanie Lawton.

Second-team all-stars Skip Marla Mallett, British Columbia Third Grace MacInnes, British Columbia Second Sherri Singler, Saskatchewan Lead Joëlle Sabourin, Quebec

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CANADIAN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005

Team Canada Manitoba Team Canada British Columbia Manitoba

2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996

Team Canada Team Canada Team Canada Nova Scotia British Columbia Nova Scotia Alberta Saskatchewan Ontario

1995 1994 1993

Manitoba Team Canada Saskatchewan

Jennifer Jones, Cathy Overton-Clapham, Jill Officer, Dawn Askin Jennifer Jones, Cathy Overton-Clapham, Jill Officer, Dawn Askin Kelly Scott, Jeanna Schraeder, Sasha Carter, Renee Simons Kelly Scott, Jeanna Schraeder, Sasha Carter, Renee Simons Jennifer Jones, Cathy Overton-Clapham, Jill Officer, Cathy Gauthier Colleen Jones, Kim Kelly, Mary-Anne Arsenault, Nancy Delahunt Colleen Jones, Kim Kelly, Mary-Anne Waye, Nancy Delahunt Colleen Jones, Kim Kelly, Mary-Anne Waye, Nancy Delahunt Colleen Jones, Kim Kelly, Mary-Anne Waye, Nancy Delahunt Kelley Law, Julie Skinner, Georgina Wheatcroft, Diane Nelson Colleen Jones, Kim Kelly, Mary-Anne Waye, Nancy Delahunt Cathy Borst, Heather Godberson, Brenda Bohmer, Kate Horne Sandra Schmirler, Jan Betker, Joan McCusker, Marcia Gudereit Marilyn Bodogh, Kim Gellard, Corie Beveridge, Jane Hooper Perroud Connie Laliberte, Cathy Overton, Cathy Gauthier, Janet Arnott Sandra Peterson, Jan Betker, Joan McCusker, Marcia Gudereit Sandra Peterson, Jan Betker, Joan McCusker, Marcia Gudereit

1992 1991 1990

Manitoba British Columbia Ontario

Connie Laliberte, Laurie Allen, Cathy Gauthier, Janet Arnott Julie Sutton, Jodie Sutton, Melissa Soligo, Karri Willms Alison Goring, Kristin Turcotte, Andrea Lawes, Cheryl McPherson

1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980

Team Canada Ontario British Columbia Ontario British Columbia Manitoba Nova Scotia Nova Scotia Alberta Saskatchewan

Heather Houston, Lorraine Lang, Diane Adams, Tracy Kennedy Heather Houston, Lorraine Lang, Diane Adams, Tracy Kennedy Pat Sanders, Georgina Hawkes, Louise Herlinveaux, Deb Massullo Marilyn Darte, Kathy McEdwards, Chris Jurgenson, Jan Augustyn Linda Moore, Lindsay Sparkes, Debbie Jones, Laurie Carney Connie Laliberte, Chris More, Corinne Peters, Janet Arnott Penny LaRocque, Sharon Horne, Cathy Caudle, Pam Sanford Colleen Jones, Kay Smith, Monica Jones, Barbara Jones-Gordon Susan Seitz, Judy Erickson, Myrna McKay, Betty McCracken Marj Mitchell, Nancy Kerr, Shirley McKendry, Wendy Leach

1979 1978

British Columbia Manitoba

1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970

Alberta British Columbia Quebec Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Saskatchewan

1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963

Saskatchewan Alberta Manitoba Alberta Manitoba British Columbia New Brunswick

1962 1961

British Columbia Saskatchewan

Lindsay Sparkes, Dawn Knowles, Robin Wilson, Lorraine Bowles Cathy Pidzarko, Chris Pidzarko, Iris Armstrong, Patty Vanderkerckhove Myrna McQuarrie, Rita Tarnava, Barb Davis, Jane Rempel Lindsay Davie, Dawn Knowles, Robin Klassen, Lorraine Bowles Lee Tobin, Marilyn McNeil, Michelle Garneau, Laurie Ross Emily Farnham, Linda Saunders, Pat McBeath, Donna Collins Vera Pezer, Sheila Rowan, Joyce McKee, Lenore Morrison Vera Pezer, Sheila Rowan, Joyce McKee, Lenore Morrison Vera Pezer, Sheila Rowan, Joyce McKee, Lenore Morrison Dorenda Schoenhals, Cheryl Stirton, Linda Burnham, Joan Anderson Joyce McKee, Vera Pezer, Lenore Morrison, Jennifer Falk Hazel Jamison, Gale Lee, Jackie Spencer, June Coyle Betty Duguid, Joan Ingram, Laurie Bradawaski, Dot Rose Gale Lee, Hazel Jamison, Sharon Harrington, June Coyle Peggy Casselman, Val Taylor, Pat MacDonald, Pat Scott Ina Hansen, Ada Callas, Isabel Leith, May Shaw Mabel DeWare, Harriet Stratton, Forbis Stevenson, Marjorie Fraser Ina Hansen, Ada Callas, Isabel Leith, May Shaw Joyce McKee, Sylvia Fedoruk, Barbara MacNevin, Rosa McFee

34 www.seasonofchampions.ca

It had looked like Team Canada would breeze past Quebec in the semi; Canada scored one in the first end, then stole four in the second when Larouche was light on her draw for a single point. But Quebec fought back to tie it, scoring two in the third end, then stealing three in the fourth when Jones raised a Quebec rock into the rings on her own attempt to draw for one.

The teams then exchanged deuces before Canada put two more on the board in the seventh, then held Quebec to a crucial single in the eighth when Larouche was heavy on an attempted angle double raise to the four-foot.

The jig was up for Quebec in the ninth when Larouche’s last shot crashed on a guard, giving Jones a draw to score three.

Jones needed a last-rock draw to defeat Saskatchewan, and the win was no gimme until her stone nestled up to backing in the four-foot.

Team Canada took control of the Page 3-4 matchup by scoring a second-end deuce and cashing in stolen singles for the next two exchanges.

Lawton fought back with deuces in the seventh and ninth ends to cut Canada’s lead to one and force Jones to make the last shot for the win in the 10th.

Mallett catapulted her team directly to the final with a 7-5 win over Larouche in the Page 1-2 playoff.

The teams were tied 2-2 through five ends in a defensive struggle. But in six, Larouche’s attempt to hit and roll behind a guard failed to curl enough and Mallett made the open hit to score a crushing three. Then Larouche missed an opportunity for two in the seventh and yielded a killer deuce in eight.

The key victory in Team Canada’s charge was when the defending champs stole points in the 10th and 11th ends of a tiebreaker to squeak out a 6-5 win against Prince Edward Island.

Last-rock thrower Robyn MacPhee was faced with tough but makeable shots for a win in both ends after Jones had drawn to bite the button behind centre guards. In both cases, MacPhee’s rocks made contact with the target stones but spun off just far enough to give Jones the points she needed.

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BUILDERS AWARD WINNERS 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001

Linda Bolton Don Wittman Muriel Fage Robin Wilson Shirley Morash Vera Pezer Vic Rauter Warren Hansen Lloyd Stansell

SHOT-OF-THE-WEEK AWARD

Winner of the 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts sportsmanship award, Alberta lead Cori Bartel is flanked by TSN’s Cathy Gauthier, left, and Nancy Marcus of Kruger Products. The award is named in memory of Marj Mitchell, who skipped Canada to its first world title in 1980.

When all was said and done, Team Canada finished with an 11-4 record, B.C. was 9-4, Quebec was 7-6, and Saskatchewan and P.E.I. logged in at 7-5.

Alberta’s Cheryl Bernard and Ontario’s Krista McCarville missed the playoffs by one game, finishing at 6-5.

Veteran Heather Strong of Newfoundland/Labrador and New Brunswick’s Andrea Kelly skipped their teams to 5-6 records, while the Northwest Territories/Yukon’s Kerry Galusha was 4-7. Tied with 2-9 records were Nova Scotia’s Nancy McConnery and Barb Spencer of Manitoba.

Total attendance for the 2009 Hearts

was 70,218, the ninth highest in event history.

MARJ MITCHELL AWARD

Alberta lead Cori Bartel won the Marj Mitchell Award for best embodying the spirit of curling at the 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

The award is named in memory of Marj Mitchell, who skipped Canada to its first world title in 1980. In 1983, shortly after the second Hearts, Mitchell died of cancer at the age of 35.

The winner is selected each year in a vote by all players at the tournament.

Presented to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts player determined to have completed the Hearts’ most outstanding shot, the 2009 Shot-Of-The-Week Award went to Northwest Territories/Yukon skip Kerry Galusha.

It was the 10th end of the round-robin game between Team Canada’s Jennifer Jones and the Northwest Territories/Yukon and Canada was trailing 9-8 with last rock.

Facing a cluster of Team Canada stones in the four-foot, Galusha made a clutch hit and roll behind cover to avert giving up a possible losing deuce with her final stone.

The rock was good for a steal of one and a 10-8 victory when Jones wasn’t able to execute a tricky hit and roll with her last stone.

SANDRA SCHMIRLER AWARD

Presented in the name of the late Sandra Schmirler, the Most Valuable Player Award was presented to Team Canada skip Jennifer Jones after she was chosen the most outstanding player in the 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts playoffs.

SCOTTIES TOURNAMENT OF HEARTS BUILDERS AWARD

Nancy Marcus of Kruger Products, right, presents Team Canada skip Jennifer Jones with the 2009 Sandra Schmirler Most Valuable Player Award.

Presented in the name of Joan Mead, the 2009 Builders Award was presented to Linda Bolton of Kamloops, British Columbia, for her significant contribution to the growth and development of women’s curling in Canada. Bolton first volunteered at the 2000 Hearts in Prince George, British Columbia, and hasn’t missed the women’s championship since.

Northwest Territories/Yukon Team Canada

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Tim Hortons Brier Presented by Monsanto Canada Inc. Played in Calgary at the Pengrowth Saddledome March 7 to 15, 2009

36 www.seasonofchampions.ca

PHOTOS: MICHAEL BURNS PHOTOGRAPHY

A

LBERTA’S KEVIN MARTIN proved invincible once again in 2009, winning his second straight Tim Hortons Brier title in Calgary’s Saddledome, ousting Manitoba’s Jeff Stoughton 10-4 in the final.

It was Alberta’s 24th Brier championship; Manitoba leads with 26.

It was Martin’s fourth title as a skip and his second forged inside the Saddledome — he won his second title in the building back in 1997.

Directing an Edmonton-Calgary combination — third John Morris of Calgary, second Marc Kennedy of Edmonton and lead Ben Hebert of Calgary — Martin scored three-enders in the second and fourth ends and shot a Brier record 97 per cent in a game the Alberta foursome controlled from the outset.

“Man, the guys curled well. I don’t know if John (Morris) missed a shot,” said Martin, who stretched his two-year Brier unbeaten streak to 26 games. “All those rolls, he made them perfectly and set up the ends. It was an amazing thing.

I didn’t have to make as many as John.

It was a real fun game. I just loved it.

We put the pressure on; the rocks were all placed right. It was great.”

With Alberta lying two in the second end and holding hammer, Stoughton needed a perfect freeze with his last rock to bail out but the stone wrecked on a guard out front and rolled open, leaving Martin an open hit for three.

Two ends later, it was Manitoba lying one when Martin played a perfect runback to score his second three-ender and effectively put the game away.

The 2009 Tim Hortons Brier champions: from left, Alberta skip Kevin Martin, third John Morris, second Marc Kennedy and lead Ben Hebert. The Edmonton foursome stretched its two-year unbeaten Brier streak to 26 games with a 10-4 romp over Manitoba’s Jeff Stoughton in the final.

Martin was named the first-team all-star skip, while Kennedy and Hebert formed the all-star front end, joining Ontario third Richard Hart. Morris was named second-team all-star third.

Stoughton advanced to the final with an 8-6 semi-final win over Ontario’s Glenn Howard.

It was Stoughton’s fifth straight win, including two over Newfoundland/ Labrador’s Brad Gushue — 8-3 in penultimate round-robin action and 8-7 in the Page 3-4 playoff; a 7-5 last-rounder against Saskatchewan’s Joel Jordison and a 6-3 tiebreaker against Quebec’s Jean-Michel Ménard.

Stoughton needed an in-turn draw — something that had befuddled him

all game — with the last rock of the 10th end to secure the victory over an Ontario foursome that had been beaten just twice all week in the round robin but lost back-to-back games in the playoffs, including a heart-wrenching 7-6 extra-end loss to Alberta in the Page 1-2 playoff.

“I let the guys down there,” Howard said following the loss to Manitoba. “I didn’t play very well.”

Alberta’s Martin drew the four-foot with the last rock of the Page 1-2 tilt. It was the second time in as many nights that Alberta had beaten Ontario and proved to be another exceptionally well-played contest, similar to their earlier round-robin game, with Howard

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2009 TIM HORTONS BRIER FINAL Alberta (Kevin Martin) Manitoba (Jeff Stoughton) * Last-rock advantage

*030 302 02X X 001 020 10X X

10 4

PERCENTAGES Alberta Kevin Martin John Morris Marc Kennedy Ben Hebert

97% 93% 93% 86%

Team totals

92%

Manitoba Jeff Stoughton Kevin Park Rob Fowler Steve Gould

81% 82% 86% 100% 88%

SEMI-FINAL Manitoba (Jeff Stoughton) Ontario (Glenn Howard)

040 101 010 1 *201 010 101 0

8 6

PAGE SYSTEM 1-2 PLAYOFF Alberta (Kevin Martin) Ontario (Glenn Howard)

*010 201 002 0 1 102 010 010 1 0

7 6

PAGE SYSTEM 3-4 PLAYOFF Nfld./Labrador (Brad Gushue) Manitoba (Jeff Stoughton) Sweepers Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert jump on Kevin Martin’s rock right out of his hand. Martin shot a Brier record 97 per cent in the championship final, a game the Alberta foursome controlled from the outset.

challenging Martin throughout and looking like he had a chance to win several times.

But Martin rose to the occasion in both games and simply found a way. Alberta masterfully played the 10th end in the playoff, forcing Howard to take one with the hammer and send the game to an extra end — a first for Martin in the tournament.

With Howard lying two and one on the four-foot in the 11th, Martin didn’t hesitate to call a draw with his last rock.

It looked a little light out of his hand but sweepers Hebert and Kennedy dragged it to the full four-foot, where it

*101 010 211 0 020 202 000 2

7 8

010 010 001 0 *102 002 000 1

3 6

TIEBREAKER Quebec (Jean-Michel Ménard) Manitoba (Jeff Stoughton)

FINAL STANDINGS Playoffs Alberta (Kevin Martin) Manitoba (Jeff Stoughton) Ontario (Glenn Howard) Newfoundland/Labrador (Brad Gushue) Quebec (Jean-Michel Ménard)

Wins 2 3 0 0 0

Losses 0 1 2 1 1

Round robin Alberta (Kevin Martin) Ontario (Glenn Howard) Nfld./Labrador (Brad Gushue) Manitoba (Jeff Stoughton) Quebec (Jean-Michel Ménard) British Columbia (Sean Geall) New Brunswick (Russ Howard) Saskatchewan (Joel Jordison) N.W.T./Yukon (Jamie Koe) Nova Scotia (Mark Dacey) Northern Ontario (Mike Jakubo) P.E.I. (Rod MacDonald)

Wins 11 9 8 7 7 6 6 3 3 2 2 2

Losses 0 2 3 4 4 5 5 8 8 9 9 9

ALL-STAR TEAMS First-team all-stars Skip Kevin Martin, Alberta Third Richard Hart, Ontario Second Marc Kennedy, Alberta Lead Ben Hebert, Alberta

The 2009 Tim Hortons Brier first-team all-stars, from left, lead Ben Hebert and second Marc Kennedy, both of Alberta, Ontario third Richard Hart and skip Kevin Martin of Alberta.

Second-team all-stars Skip Glenn Howard, Ontario Third John Morris, Alberta Second Éric Sylvain, Quebec Lead Steve Gould, Manitoba

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CANADIAN MEN’S CHAMPIONS 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927

Alberta Alberta Ontario Quebec Alberta Nova Scotia Alberta Alberta Alberta British Columbia Manitoba Ontario Alberta Manitoba Manitoba British Columbia Ontario Manitoba Alberta Ontario Alberta Alberta Ontario Alberta Northern Ontario Manitoba Ontario Northern Ontario Manitoba Saskatchewan Manitoba Alberta Quebec Newfoundland Northern Ontario Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba Manitoba Manitoba Alberta Alberta Ontario Alberta Manitoba British Columbia Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Alberta Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Alberta Alberta Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta Manitoba Manitoba Nova Scotia Northern Ontario Manitoba British Columbia Manitoba Alberta Manitoba Alberta Manitoba Ontario Manitoba Alberta Manitoba Ontario Manitoba Alberta Manitoba Manitoba Manitoba Manitoba Manitoba Nova Scotia

Kevin Martin, John Morris, Marc Kennedy, Ben Hebert Kevin Martin, John Morris, Marc Kennedy, Ben Hebert Glenn Howard, Richard Hart, Brent Laing, Craig Savill Jean-Michel Ménard, François Roberge, Éric Sylvain, Maxime Elmaleh Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque Mark Dacey, Bruce Lohnes, Rob Harris, Andrew Gibson Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque Greg McAulay, Brent Pierce, Bryan Miki, Jody Sveistrup Jeff Stoughton, Jonathan Mead, Garry Van Den Berghe, Doug Armstrong Wayne Middaugh, Graeme McCarrel, Ian Tetley, Scott Bailey Kevin Martin, Don Walchuk, Rudy Ramcharan, Don Bartlett Jeff Stoughton, Ken Tresoor, Garry Van Den Berghe, Steve Gould Kerry Burtnyk, Jeff Ryan, Rob Meakin, Keith Fenton Rick Folk, Pat Ryan, Bert Gretzinger, Gerry Richard Russ Howard, Glenn Howard, Wayne Middaugh, Peter Corner Vic Peters, Dan Carey, Chris Neufeld, Don Rudd Kevin Martin, Kevin Park, Dan Petryk, Don Bartlett Ed Werenich, John Kawaja, Ian Tetley, Pat Perroud Pat Ryan, Randy Ferbey, Don Walchuk, Don McKenzie Pat Ryan, Randy Ferbey, Don Walchuk, Don McKenzie Russ Howard, Glenn Howard, Tim Belcourt, Kent Carstairs Ed Lukowich, John Ferguson, Neil Houston, Brent Syme Al Hackner, Rick Lang, Ian Tetley, Pat Perroud Mike Riley, Brian Toews, John Helston, Russ Wookey Ed Werenich, Paul Savage, John Kawaja, Neil Harrison Al Hackner, Rick Lang, Bob Nicol, Bruce Kennedy Kerry Burtynk, Mark Olson, Jim Spencer, Ron Kammerlock Rick Folk, Ron Mills, Tom Wilson, Jim Wilson Barry Fry, Bill Carey, Gord Sparkes, Bryan Wood Ed Lukowich, Mike Chernoff, Dale Johnston, Ron Schindle Jim Ursel, Art Lobel, Don Aitken, Brian Ross Jack MacDuff, Toby McDonald, Doug Hudson, Ken Templeton Bill Tetley, Rick Lang, Bill Hodgson, Peter Hnatiw Hec Gervais, Ron Anton, Warren Hansen, Darrel Sutton Harvey Mazinke, Billy Martin, George Achtymichuk, Dan Klippenstein Orest Meleschuk, Dave Romano, John Hanesiak, Pat Hailley Don Duguid, Rod Hunter, Jim Pettapiece, Bryan Wood Don Duguid, Rod Hunter, Jim Pettapiece, Bryan Wood Ron Northcott, Dave Gerlach, Bernie Sparkes, Fred Storey Ron Northcott, Jim Shields, Bernie Sparkes, Fred Storey Alf Phillips Jr., John Ross, Ron Manning, Keith Reilly Ron Northcott, George Fink, Bernie Sparkes, Fred Storey Terry Braunstein, Don Duguid, Ron Braunstein, Ray Turnbull Lyall Dagg, Leo Hebert, Fred Britton, Barry Naimark Ernie Richardson, Arnold Richardson, Garnet Richardson, Mel Perry Ernie Richardson, Arnold Richardson, Garnet Richardson, Wes Richardson Hec Gervais, Ron Anton, Ray Werner, Wally Ursuliak Ernie Richardson, Arnold Richardson, Garnet Richardson, Wes Richardson Ernie Richardson, Arnold Richardson, Garnet Richardson, Wes Richardson Matt Baldwin, Jack Geddes, Gordon Haynes, Bill Price Matt Baldwin, Gordon Haynes, Art Kleinmeyer, Bill Price Billy Walsh, Al Langlois, Cy White, Andy McWilliams Garnet Campbell, Don Campbell, Glen Campbell, Lloyd Campbell Matt Baldwin, Glenn Gray, Pete Ferry, Jim Collins Ab Gowanlock, Jim Williams, Art Pollon, Russ Jackman Billy Walsh, Al Langlois, Andy McWilliams, John Watson Don Oyler, George Hanson, Fred Dyke, Wally Knock Tom Ramsay, Len Williamson, Bill Weston, Bill Kenny Ken Watson, Grant Watson, Lyle Dyker, Charles Reid Frenchy D’Amour, Bob McGhie, Fred Wendell, Jim Mark Jimmy Welsh, Alex Welsh, Jack Reid, Harry Monk Bill Rose, Bart Swelin, Austin Smith, George Crooks Ken Watson, Grant Watson, Charlie Scrymgeour, Jim Grant Howard Palmer, Jack Lebeau, Art Gooder, Clare Webb Howard Wood, Ernie Pollard, Howard Wood Jr., Roy Enman Bert Hall, Perry Hall, Ernie Parkes, Cam Seagram Ab Gowanlock, Bung Cartmell, Bill McKnight, Tom McKnight Cliff Manahan, Wes Robinson, Ross Manahan, Lloyd McIntyre Ken Watson, Grant Watson, Marvin MacIntyre, Charles Kerr Gordon Campbell, Don Campbell, Gord Coates, Duncan Campbell Leo Johnson, Lorne Stewart, Linc Johnson, Marno Frederickson Cliff Manahan, Harold Deeton, Harold Wolfe, Bert Ross Jimmy Congalton, Howard Wood, Bill Noble, Harry Mawhinney Bob Gourlay, Ernie Pollard, Arnold Lockerbie, Ray Stewart Howard Wood, Jimmy Congalton, Victor Wood, Lionel Wood Gordon Hudson, Don Rollo, Ron Singbusch, Bill Grant Gordon Hudson, Sam Penwarden, Ron Singbusch, Bill Grant Murray Macneill, Al MacInnes, Cliff Torey, Jim Donahoe

38 www.seasonofchampions.ca

Manitoba skip Jeff Stoughton, standing behind Alberta’s Kevin Martin, gave up two three-enders to all but put the championship beyond his reach.

out-counted Howard’s by barely an inch.

In their round-robin encounter, Ontario forged in front with an eighth-end deuce but Alberta matched it in nine and then stole an insurance point for a 7-5 win in the final frame.

Stoughton made a double-raise

Canadian Curling Association chairman Fran Todd presents the 2009 Ross Harstone sportsmanship award to Saskatchewan lead Dean Hicke.

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HEC GERVAIS AWARD

Presented to the most valuable player in the Tim Hortons Brier playoffs, the 2009 Hec Gervais Award was won by Alberta skip Kevin Martin.

SHOT-OF-THE-WEEK AWARD

Tom Wyndels of JELD-WEN Windows & Doors, left, presents the Shot-Of-The-Week Award to Ontario’s Glenn Howard. Two down with hammer and facing a pair of Saskatchewan rocks evenly split across the rings, Howard made “an angle-raise, double re-direct” to score three and win the round-robin game 7-6.

takeout with his last rock to sideline Gushue in the sudden-death Page 3-4 matchup.

Trailing Newfoundland 7-6 in the 10th, Stoughton was facing a Newfoundland counter buried on the four-foot and elected to drive a Newfoundland stone out front on to a Manitoba stone in the rings and then on to the Newfoundland counter to count one.

A measure on two opposing stones in the 12-foot was necessary to determine who was counting No. 2. Manitoba won the measure and the game.

Gushue said he felt that his team left their best on the ice. “We feel kind of snakebitten with that last one, but what a shot!” he exclaimed.

Stoughton and Ménard finished the round robin with identical 7-4 records and Stoughton was spectacular in the tiebreaker victory, making four runback doubles to bail his team out of trouble.

Manitoba finished at 10-5 behind Alberta’s 13-0 record. Ontario was 9-4, Newfoundland/Labrador was 8-4 and Quebec was 7-5.

British Columbia rookie Sean Geall and veteran two-time champion Russ Howard of New Brunswick were 6-5, while Saskatchewan and Northwest Territories/Yukon hopeful Jamie Koe were 3-8. Prince Edward Island’s Rod

MacDonald, Northern Ontario’s Mike Jakubo and 2004 champion Mark Dacey of Nova Scotia were 2-9.

Total attendance was 246,126, third highest in Brier history.

The 2009 Shot-Of-The-Week Award, for executing the most outstanding shot in the Tim Hortons Brier, went to Ontario skip Glenn Howard for the second year in a row.

It was the 10th end of the round-robin game between Ontario and Saskatchewan’s Joel Jordison. Two down with hammer when he went to throw his final stone, Howard was facing a pair of Saskatchewan rocks, evenly split across the rings.

With few shot options available, Howard successfully executed what Ontario third Richard Hart would later call “an angle-raise, double re-direct” to score three and win the game 7-6.

ROSS HARSTONE AWARD

Saskatchewan lead Dean Hicke is the winner of the 2009 Ross Harstone Award, whose recipient is selected by the players in the Tim Hortons Brier.

The award is presented to the player who best combines playing ability and sportsmanship.

John Deere’s Jennifer Christie presents the 2009 Hec Gervais Award to Alberta skip Kevin Martin.

The award goes to the playoffs’ MVP.

Ontario Saskatchewan

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Canada Cup of Curling Presented by Richardson International Played in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, at Farrell Agencies Arena in the Gallagher Centre March 18 to 22, 2009

E

PHOTOS: MICHAEL BURNS PHOTOGRAPHY

DMONTON’S KEVIN MARTIN and his Saville Sports Centre team followed up their second straight Brier win by taking the 2009 men’s Canada Cup final 8-5 over long-time rival Randy Ferbey at Farrell Agencies Arena in Yorkton, Saskatchewan.

It was the third cup title for Martin, who also won in 2005 and ’06 in Kamloops, British Columbia.

Down and almost out after giving up a four-ender in the third, Martin and his crew — third John Morris, second Marc Kennedy and lead Ben Hebert — rallied to tie the game at the fifth-end break, then took control for good in the seventh.

In the women’s final, Calgary’s Shannon Kleibrink — with third Amy Nixon, second Bronwen Webster and lead Chelsey Bell — defeated Edmonton’s Kevin Martin, John Morris, Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert defeated cross-town rival Randy Ferbey 8-5 to win the 2009 Canada Cup. Bouncing back after a 6-2 loss to Ferbey in the A1 vs B1 Page Playoff, Martin ousted Jeff Stoughton 8-3 in the semi to set up a re-match with Ferbey in the final.

Randy Ferbey looked to be on his way to victory when he took four in the third, but Kevin Martin rebounded to take seven of the last eight points.

40 www.seasonofchampions.ca

Marie-France Larouche of St-Romuald, Quebec, 6-4.

It was the second Canada Cup title for Kleibrink, who also won in 2005 in Kamloops. She became the first female skip to win twice in the seven-year history of the event.

By comparison, Martin and Ferbey are both three-time winners. In fact, Alberta teams have won every men’s title; Kevin Koe’s team won the title in 2008.

Ferbey appeared to blow the men’s final wide open in the third end when Martin wrecked on a guard, leaving last rock-tosser David Nedohin a chance for five on a split. But Nedohin settled for four and a 4-1 lead.

Martin responded with a deuce in the fourth end and then turned what appeared to be a possible three-point end for Ferbey into a steal of one with a precise hit and roll in the fifth. That left Nedohin with a tough draw to the button and his shot was inches light.

Ferbey was forced to take one in the sixth before Martin made a quiet hit for two in the seventh end to assume a 6-5 lead. Another steal of two in the eighth all but put the game away for the four-time Brier winner.

“We had to regroup to win this one,” said Martin. “When we got here (after a 13-0 unbeaten Brier performance a week earlier), we did not play well. We should have been 0-3 and out of this

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thing. But we got a little lucky, hung around, got some sleep and started to play better.”

Before the final win, Nedohin said Martin was playing “really, really well. He’s on a roll. We were there a few years ago. We know what it’s like. We came to the Canada Cup one time after winning the Brier and right before going to Victoria for the worlds and kind of looked around and said, ‘How fast can we get out of here?’ And we won the thing. It’s just when momentum is going well for you, it’s going well for you.”

Martin’s team pocketed $28,200 — $25,000 for winning the final, plus $3,200 for its four round-robin wins at $800 each.

Ferbey caught Martin with a cold hand to advance to the final in the A1-B1 playoff with a 6-2 decision anchored by a three-ender in the seventh panel.

The loss was the second straight for the Martin team after winning five at provincials, 13 at the Brier and its first four at this Canada Cup. Martin bounced back Saturday night in a re-match of the previous week’s Brier final and defeated Winnipeg’s Jeff Stoughton 8-3 in the semi-final.

“You have to make shots to win any game, whether it’s against him (Martin) or anybody else,” Stoughton later reasoned.

“We didn’t get any rocks in play and you can’t beat these guys if you don’t make any shots. Last week (in the Brier final) I missed a draw in the second end, a draw in the third, that was pretty much it. We were done and it was chasing after that.

“But I don’t think you have to be perfect. We watched their games this week and they certainly weren’t perfect.

They could have had three losses early when guys were choking their brains out. But they definitely played their best game of the week right here. That’s what they needed to do.”

Stoughton reached the semi by dealing out Toronto’s Wayne Middaugh 5-3 in the sudden-death A2-B2 playoff match.

The first half of the women’s final saw each team count and steal single points, as the fifth end came to a close knotted at two apiece.

Kleibrink singled in six but Larouche executed a nifty double takeout to blank the seventh and retain hammer. The move paid off with an eighth-end deuce and a 4-3 edge after Kleibrink missed a double-kill.

Kleibrink responded with a deuce of her own in the ninth.

In the 10th, with two Kleibrink counters in the rings, Larouche attempted to force an extra end with a hit and stay in the eight-foot, but her shooter rolled too far, yielding a steal and a 6-4 decision.

“The game went pretty much how we thought it would,” said Kleibrink, Canada’s 2006 Olympic representative. “If we’d made a mistake, they could have run away with it. We just had to make sure we were on top of our game the whole time. This has been one of our best weeks as a team this season. My shots were so easy. My team was just amazing.”

2009 CANADA CUP MEN’S FINAL Kevin Martin Randy Ferbey * Last-rock advantage

*100 210 220 X 004 001 000 X

8 5

PERCENTAGES Team Martin Kevin Martin John Morris Marc Kennedy Ben Hebert

78% 85% 86% 96%

Team totals

86%

Team Ferbey Randy Ferbey David Nedohin Scott Pfeifer Marcel Rocque

79% 63% 88% 94% 81%

SEMI-FINAL Kevin Martin Jeff Stoughton

*112 030 10X X 000 201 00X X

8 3

010 001 0XX X *100 110 3XX X

2 6

*201 010 001 X 010 001 100 X

5 3

A1 VS B1 PLAYOFF Kevin Martin Randy Ferbey

A2 VS B2 PLAYOFF Jeff Stoughton Wayne Middaugh

FINAL STANDINGS Playoffs Kevin Martin Randy Ferbey Jeff Stoughton Wayne Middaugh

Wins 2 1 1 0

Round robin Pool A Wins Kevin Martin 4 Wayne Middaugh 3 Brad Gushue 2 Mike McEwen 2 Russ Howard 1

Losses 1 2 3 3 4

Losses 1 1 1 1

Pool B Randy Ferbey Jeff Stoughton Kevin Koe Ted Appelman Kerry Burtnyk

Wins 4 4 3 1 1

Losses 1 1 2 4 4

PRIZE SUMMARY Kevin Martin Randy Ferbey Jeff Stoughton Wayne Middaugh Kevin Koe

$28,200 $18,200 $13,200 $7,400 $2,400

Brad Gushue Mike McEwen Ted Appelman Kerry Burtnyk Russ Howard

$1,600 $1,600 $800 $800 $800

CANADA CUP MEN’S CHAMPIONS 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003

Kevin Martin, John Morris, Marc Kennedy, Ben Hebert Kevin Koe, Blake MacDonald, Carter Rycroft, Nolan Thiessen Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque Kevin Martin, Don Walchuk, Carter Rycroft, Don Bartlett Kevin Martin, Don Walchuk, Carter Rycroft, Don Bartlett Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque

The Kleibrink foursome banked $28,200 — $25,000 for the win, plus $3,200 for its four round-robin wins at $800 each.

Kleibrink finished first in Pool A, while Larouche was the Pool B winner, both with 4-1 marks.

In the women’s A1-B1 game, Kleibrink also proved a 6-4 www.seasonofchampions.ca 41

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2009 CANADA CUP WOMEN’S FINAL Shannon Kleibrink Marie-France Larouche * Last-rock advantage

*011 001 002 1 000 110 020 0

6 4

PERCENTAGES Team Kleibrink Shannon Kleibrink Amy Nixon Bronwen Webster Chelsey Bell

76% 89% 69% 86%

Team totals

80%

Team Larouche Marie-France Larouche Annie Lemay Joëlle Sabourin Véronique Brassard

73% 75% 76% 91% 79%

SEMI-FINAL Marie-France Larouche Cheryl Bernard

*200 101 101 0 1 002 010 020 1 0

7 6

001 020 120 X *000 101 002 X

6 4

*240 010 010 X 001 200 101 X

8 5

*100 210 001 1 0 003 001 110 0 1

6 7

A1 VS B1 PLAYOFF Calgary skip Shannon Kleibrink, third Amy Nixon, second Bronwen Webster and lead Chelsey Bell captured the 2009 Canada Cup title with a 6-4 decision over Marie-France Larouche of St-Romuald, Quebec, in the final.

winner over Larouche. A steal of two in the eighth gave Kleibrink a 6-2 cushion in the earlier fracas.

Larouche advanced to the women’s final by edging veteran Cheryl Bernard of Calgary 7-6 in an extra-end semi-final.

The issue came down to last rock, with Larouche faced with a choice of drawing to the four-foot or making a precise hit on a Bernard counter in the eight-foot, for the win. She decided on the hit, and although there were some anxious moments after she released her rock, it managed to remove the Bernard counter and stay in the eight-foot for the victory.

“I was a little nervous on the last one,” said Larouche.

“But I was sure that rock would curl and it curled enough.”

Larouche played without her regular third, Nancy Marie-France Larouche tried to force an extra Bélanger, who wasn’t end with a hit and stay in the eight-foot but able to make the trip rolled too far, giving up a steal and the win. because of work commitments. So Annie Lemay, who usually plays second, moved to third, while Joëlle Sabourin was elevated from lead to second, and alternate Véronique Brassard stepped in to play lead.

Bernard ousted Regina’s Michelle Englot 8-5 in the sudden-death A2-B2 playoff after Englot shaded Halifax’s Mary-Anne Arsenault 7-6 in a tiebreaker.

The total attendance for the five-day event was 27,188.

42 www.seasonofchampions.ca

Shannon Kleibrink Marie-France Larouche

A2 VS B2 PLAYOFF Cheryl Bernard Michelle Englot

TIEBREAKER Mary-Anne Arsenault Michelle Englot

FINAL STANDINGS Playoffs Shannon Kleibrink Marie-France Larouche Cheryl Bernard Michelle Englot Mary-Anne Arsenault

Wins 2 1 1 1 0

Round robin Pool A Wins Losses Shannon Kleibrink 4 1 Mary-Anne Arsenault 3 2 Michelle Englot 3 2 Kelly Scott 2 3 Sherry Middaugh 0 5

Losses 0 2 1 1 1

Pool B Wins Losses Marie-France Larouche 4 1 Cheryl Bernard 3 2 Amber Holland 2 3 Cathy King 2 3 Stefanie Lawton 2 3

PRIZE SUMMARY Shannon Kleibrink Marie-France Larouche Cheryl Bernard Michelle Englot Mary-Anne Arsenault

$28,200 $18,200 $12,400 $7,400 $2,400

Amber Holland Cathy King Stefanie Lawton Kelly Scott Sherry Middaugh

$1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 0

CANADA CUP WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003

Shannon Kleibrink, Amy Nixon, Bronwen Webster, Chelsey Bell Stefanie Lawton, Marliese Kasner, Sherri Singler, Lana Vey Jennifer Jones, Cathy Overton-Clapham, Jill Officer, Dawn Askin Cathy King, Lori Armitstead, Raylene Rocque, Tracy Bush Shannon Kleibrink, Amy Nixon, Glenys Bakker, Christine Keshen Colleen Jones, Kim Kelly, Mary-Anne Arsenault, Nancy Delahunt Sherry Middaugh, Kirsten Wall, Andrea Lawes, Sheri Cordina

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Mount Titlis World Women’s Curling Championship Presented by Capital One Played in GangNeung City, Korea, at the GangNeung Indoor Ice Rink March 21 to 29, 2009

T

PHOTOS: LESLIE INGRAM-BROWN

HE SEEMINGLY imperturbable 24-year-old Bingyu Wang gave China its first-ever global crown at the 2009 World Women’s Curling Championship with an 8-6 gold-medal victory over former champion Anette Norberg of Sweden.

Playing in GangNeung City, on Korea’s east coast, Wang’s team from Harbin — with third Yin Liu, second Qingshuang Yue and lead Yan Zhou — improved on its No. 2 finish in 2008, when it lost the gold-medal game to Canada’s Jennifer Jones in Vernon, British Columbia.

“I was a little nervous and a little

China’s Bingyu Wang, Yin Liu, Qingshuang Yue, Yan Zhou, Jinli Liu and Dan Rafael are all smiles after capturing the 2009 world women’s curling crown. China’s only blemish on the week was an 11-5 loss to Canada’s Jennifer Jones in its initial outing but the team bounced back with 12 straight victories.

China’s 24-year-old Bingyu Wang avenged her loss to Canada in the 2008 gold-medal game with an 8-6 victory over Sweden’s Anette Norberg.

44 www.seasonofchampions.ca

excited (before the final), but I just told myself, ‘One more game,’” said Wang. “‘Don’t think too much; just play Sweden,’ and we play well.”

China was in control the whole way, scoring deuces in the fourth, sixth and eighth ends. In the 10th, Sweden had two rocks in the rings but Wang removed both with her final delivery to clinch the gold.

Meanwhile, Denmark’s Angelina Jensen captured the bronze medal, defeating defending champion Jones 7-6 with a last-end point when Jones’s final come-around tap on a Danish rock failed to curl sufficiently.

The Canadian loss marked only the fifth time in 31 years of world women’s

championship play that Canada finished out of the medals.

Denmark scored three in the fifth end, and was up 6-3 after seven. But Canada came back to tie it going into the 10th. Denmark’s Madeleine Dupont, who throws last rock, made a perfect freeze with her first stone of the 10th and wasn’t required to throw her last rock.

“They played very well today, and they can get a lot more movement out of their rocks,” said Jones, who was backed by third Cathy Overton-Clapham, second Jill Officer and lead Dawn Askin.

“We just couldn’t follow them down on the last one. Perfect weight and it

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2009 WORLD WOMEN GOLD-MEDAL GAME Sweden (Anette Norberg) China (Bingyu Wang) * Last-rock advantage

010 010 202 0 *100 202 020 1

6 8

PERCENTAGES Sweden Anette Norberg Eva Lund Cathrine Lindahl Margaret Sigfridsson

88% 76% 85% 88%

Team totals

84%

China Bingyu Wang Yin Liu Qingshuang Yue Yan Zhou

84% 81% 81% 90% 84%

BRONZE-MEDAL GAME Denmark (Angelina Jensen) Canada (Jennifer Jones)

*101 030 100 1 010 101 021 0

7 6

022 000 200 1 *100 210 020 0

7 6

*100 100 300 1 001 010 001 0

6 3

SEMI-FINAL Sweden (Anette Norberg) Denmark (Angelina Jensen)

PAGE SYSTEM 1-2 PLAYOFF China (Bingyu Wang) Denmark (Angelina Jensen)

PAGE SYSTEM 3-4 PLAYOFF Sweden (Anette Norberg) Canada (Jennifer Jones)

000 001 012 0 1 *010 010 100 1 0

5 4

FINAL STANDINGS Playoffs China (Bingyu Wang) Sweden (Anette Norberg) Denmark (Angelina Jensen) Canada (Jennifer Jones)

Wins 2 2 1 0

Losses 0 1 2 2

Round robin China (Bingyu Wang) Denmark (Angelina Jensen) Canada (Jennifer Jones) Sweden (Anette Norberg) Switzerland (Mirjam Ott) Germany (Andrea Schöpp) Russia (Liudmila Privivkova) Scotland (Eve Muirhead) United States (Debbie McCormick) Korea (Mi-Yeon Kim) Norway (Marianne Rørvik) Italy (Diana Gaspari)

Wins 10 9 9 7 6 6 5 5 4 3 1 1

Losses 1 2 2 4 5 5 6 6 7 8 10 10

just didn’t curl enough. It’s disappointing, hugely disappointing, but hopefully we’ll be back here again.”

Jones dropped a 5-4 extra-end decision to Norberg in the Page 3-4 playoff game. The Canadians held a 3-2 lead through eight ends but gave up a crucial steal of two in the ninth when Jones’s last-rock draw wrecked on a guard.

Jones then settled for one in the 10th end to force the extra, and in the 11th Norberg made a draw to backing in the four-foot for the victory and a berth in the semi-final.

China’s Qingshuang Yue, left, and Yan Zhou keep the path of their skip’s final rock clean en route to a double takeout and an historic championship win over two-time world champion Anette Norberg of Sweden.

In that affair, Sweden stole a third-end deuce for a 4-1 lead and refused to relinquish control, defeating Denmark 7-6. The Danes had earlier dropped a 6-3 decision to the Chinese in the Page 1-2 playoff, leading directly to the final.

Canada won its initial outing 11-5 over China before Wang and Co. won 10 straight to top the round-robin Sweden’s Anette Norberg upended Canada 5-4 in segment of the the Page 3-4 playoff and Denmark 7-6 in the competition. semi-final to advance to the gold-medal match.

Jones completed her round-robin schedule with a 10-7 triumph over Switzerland’s Mirjam Ott to post a 9-2 record, tied with Denmark. But Denmark finished second by virtue of its round-robin win over Canada and a last-round 9-3 conquest of former champion Debbie McCormick of the United States.

That left Canada ranked third for playoff purposes.

Sweden grabbed the No. 4 berth with a 7-4 record. www.seasonofchampions.ca 45

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WORLD WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS

Canada’s Jennifer Jones bowed 7-6 to Denmark in the bronze-medal game when her final comearound tap on a Danish rock failed to curl enough.

Switzerland’s Ott, a bronze medallist in 2008, finished 6-5 along with German veteran Andrea Schöpp.

Scotland’s Eve Muirhead and Russia’s Liudmila Privivkova were 5-6, and McCormick was a dismal 4-7, a game in front of Korea’s Mi-Yeon Kim. Norway’s Marianne Rørvik and Diana Gaspari of Italy each finished with one win in 11 starts.

FRANCES BRODIE AWARD WINNERS 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989

Marianne Rørvik Mirjam Ott Lindsay Wood Junko Sonobe Cassie Johnson Madeleine Dupont Dordi Nordby Mi-Yeon Kim Ann Swisshelm Silver Rhona Martin Marianne Aspelin Jackie Lockhart Jaana Jokela* Kirsty Hay Ayako Ishigaki Helena Blach-Lavrsen Jaana Jokela* Amy Hatten Wright Veronika Huber Almut Hege-Scholl Christina Lestander

Norway Switzerland Scotland Japan United States Denmark Norway Korea United States Scotland Norway Scotland Finland Scotland Japan Denmark Finland United States Austria Germany Switzerland

*Two-time winner

46 www.seasonofchampions.ca

2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003

China Canada Canada Sweden Sweden Canada United States

2002 2001 2000 1999

Scotland Canada Canada Sweden

1998

Sweden

1997 1996 1995

Canada Canada Sweden

1994 1993 1992

Canada Canada Sweden

1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979

Norway Norway Canada Germany Canada Canada Canada Canada Switzerland Denmark Sweden Canada Switzerland

Bingyu Wang, Yin Liu, Qingshuang Yue, Yan Zhou Jennifer Jones, Cathy Overton-Clapham, Jill Officer, Dawn Askin Kelly Scott, Jeanna Schraeder, Sasha Carter, Renee Simons Anette Norberg, Eva Lund, Cathrine Lindahl, Anna Svärd Anette Norberg, Eva Lund, Cathrine Lindahl, Anna Bergström Colleen Jones, Kim Kelly, Mary-Anne Arsenault, Nancy Delahunt Debbie McCormick, Allison Pottinger, Ann Swisshelm Silver, Tracy Sachtjen Jackie Lockhart, Sheila Swan, Katriona Fairweather, Anne Laird Colleen Jones, Kim Kelly, Mary-Anne Waye, Nancy Delahunt Kelley Law, Julie Skinner, Georgina Wheatcroft, Diane Nelson Elisabet Gustafson, Katarina Nyberg, Lousie Marmont, Elisabeth Persson Elisabet Gustafson, Katarina Nyberg, Louise Marmont, Elisabeth Persson Sandra Schmirler, Jan Betker, Joan McCusker, Marcia Gudereit Marilyn Bodogh, Kim Gellard, Corie Beveridge, Jane Hooper Perroud Elisabet Gustafson, Katarina Nyberg, Louise Marmont, Elisabeth Persson Sandra Schmirler, Jan Betker, Joan McCusker, Marcia Gudereit Sandra Schmirler, Jan Betker, Joan McCusker, Marcia Gudereit Elisabet Gustafson, Katarina Nyberg, Louise Marmont, Elisabeth Persson Dordi Nordby, Hanne Pettersen, Mette Halvorsen, Anne Jotun Dordi Nordby, Hanne Pettersen, Mette Halvorsen, Anne Jotun Heather Houston, Lorraine Lang, Diane Adams, Tracy Kennedy Andrea Schöpp, Almut Scholl, Monika Wagner, Suzanne Fink Pat Sanders, Georgina Hawkes, Louise Herlinveaux, Deb Massullo Marilyn Bodogh, Kathy McEdwards, Chris Jurgenson, Jan Augustyn Linda Moore, Lindsay Sparkes, Debbie Jones, Laurie Carney Connie Laliberte, Chris More, Corinne Peters, Janet Arnott Erika Mueller, Barbara Meyer, Barbara Meier, Christina Wirz Marianne Jörgensen, Helena Blach, Astrid Birnbaum, Jette Olsen Elisabeth Högström, Carina Olsson, Birgitta Sewik, Karin Sjögren Marj Mitchell, Nancy Kerr, Shirley McKendry, Wendy Leach Gaby Casanova, Rosie Manger, Linda Thommen, Betty Bourguin

FRANCES BRODIE AWARD

Skip Marianne Rørvik of Norway is the 2009 winner of the Frances Brodie Award. The award winner is selected annually by competitors in the World Women’s Curling Championship as the player who best combines playing ability with sportsmanship. The award was named in honour of Scotland’s Frances Brodie, one of curling’s pioneering women.

Brodie helped establish the women’s world championship and chaired the first such event in Perth, Scotland, in 1979. The award was presented for the first time in 1989.

The Royal Caledonian Curling Club’s Sheila Miller, left, presents the 2009 Frances Brodie Award to Norwegian skip Marianne Rørvik. The award was first presented in 1989.

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Ford World Men’s Curling Championship Played in Moncton, New Brunswick, at the Moncton Coliseum April 4 to 12, 2009

S

PHOTOS: MICHAEL BURNS PHOTOGRAPHY

COTLAND’S DAVID MURDOCH captured his country’s fifth gold medal at the 2009 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship at the Moncton Coliseum.

Murdoch’s Lockerbie team — third Ewan MacDonald, second Peter Smith, lead Euan Byers, alternate Graeme Connal and coach David Hay — stole the winning point in the 10th end for a thrilling 7-6 victory over Canada’s Kevin Martin.

The Canadian skip shocked curling fans by purposely throwing his first rock of the 10th end through the rings, then was narrow on his last rock, a short runback takeout that left Scotland sitting shot rock for the victory. It was Murdoch’s second gold medal in four years and it avenges his loss to Martin in the 2008 gold-medal game in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

“It shows we’re doing something

Scotland’s David Murdoch had Canada’s number throughout the week, posting three straight wins, including a 7-6 victory in the final.

48 www.seasonofchampions.ca

The 2009 world champions from Scotland: David Murdoch, Ewan MacDonald, Peter Smith, Euan Byers and Graeme Connal. It all came down to the last rock between Canada’s Kevin Martin and Scotland and when Martin was narrow on a short runback takeout, it was a steal of one and gold for the Scots.

right,” said 30-year-old Murdoch.

“We’re playing a tough game. We managed to beat an unbeatable Canadian team three times. I think that shows the belief this team has.”

The teams traded deuces in the first two ends, but Canada then forced Scotland to one in the third, took two back in the fourth and held the lead through eight ends. Canada stole a point in the eighth but Scotland tied it on Murdoch’s draw for a pair after Martin missed a double takeout.

That set the stage for the 10th-end dramatics and completed Scotland’s third straight win over Canada; the Scots were 6-5 winners in round-robin play and then posted a 7-5 victory in the Page 1-2 playoff, leading directly to the championship final.

“Unbelievable,” said a happy

MacDonald. “To beat these guys three times in three days is unbelievable. But that’s what we train for, that’s what we work for, and we managed to come up with the goods. Absolutely unbelievable.”

Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud defeated Ralph Stöckli’s outfit from Switzerland — skipped by Markus Eggler — 6-4 in the bronze-medal showdown.

The Norwegians, who also won bronze in 2006 and ’08, found themselves down 4-3 through seven ends, but Ulsrud took out a Swiss counter to put a go-ahead deuce on the board in the eighth and stole an insurance point with a perfect hit and roll behind a centre guard in the ninth.

Canada’s Martin and third John Morris, second Marc Kennedy and lead Ben Hebert defeated Eggler 6-5 in the

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semi-final to earn a third crack at the Scots.

The teams played it close to the vest for five ends before Canada broke it open with three in the sixth. Kennedy made two perfect freezes to set up the end, and Martin made a delicate tap to remove a Swiss counter and post the triple count.

Eggler, the 1992 men’s world champion, defeated Ulsrud 5-4 in the Page 3-4 playoff tilt. Stöckli drew the four-foot in an extra end to clinch that decision.

It was Switzerland’s seventh straight win since Stöckli handed off the shot-calling duties to Eggler early in the Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud won his third competition. world bronze medal with a 6-4 decision Murdoch reached the over Switzerland’s Ralph Stöckli. gold-medal game on the strength of a 7-5 win over Canada in the Page 1-2 affair.

Scotland scored three in the second end and stole one more in the fourth and held off a Canadian comeback in the late stages. Murdoch, whose team finished second to Canada’s 10-1 round-robin record with an 8-3 tally, made terrific shots in both the seventh and ninth ends to prevent Canada from scoring multiple points.

The Swiss and Norwegians required tiebreaker victories to advance to the final four. Switzerland rebounded from an early 3-1 deficit by scoring three in the fourth end and three more in the seventh en route to an 8-7 win over Germany’s Andy Kapp. And Norway scored early and often in piling up a 10-2 win over John Shuster of the United States. All four teams had finished the preliminary scuffling with 7-4 records.

Scotland posted a dramatic 6-5 extra-end triumph over Canada at round-robin’s close that was sparked by a terrific double takeout by Murdoch to score three points in the eighth end.

Denmark’s Ulrik Schmidt clinched an Olympic berth with a 5-6 record, while Thomas Dufour of France and China’s Fengchun Wang were 4-7. Jirˇí Snítil of the Czech Republic and Japan’s Yusuke Morozumi were 3-8, and Finland’s Kalle Kiiskinen was held to a single victory in 11 starts.

Attendance for the nine-day championship totalled 78,470.

COLIN CAMPBELL MEMORIAL AWARD

Chinese skip Fengchun Wang is the 2009 winner of the Colin Campbell Memorial Award. The award winner is selected annually by competitors in the World Men’s Curling

2009 FORD WORLD MEN GOLD-MEDAL GAME Scotland (David Murdoch) Canada (Kevin Martin) * Last-rock advantage

*201 001 002 1 020 200 110 0

7 6

PERCENTAGES Scotland David Murdoch Ewan MacDonald Peter Smith Euan Byers

91% 88% 73% 90%

Team totals

85%

Canada Kevin Martin John Morris Marc Kennedy Ben Hebert

89% 85% 94% 91% 90%

BRONZE-MEDAL GAME Switzerland (Ralph Stöckli) Norway (Thomas Ulsrud)

*100 100 200 X 011 010 021 X

4 6

001 000 021 1 *110 003 100 0

5 6

SEMI-FINAL Switzerland (Ralph Stöckli) Canada (Kevin Martin)

PAGE SYSTEM 1-2 PLAYOFF Canada (Kevin Martin) Scotland (David Murdoch)

*100 020 101 0 030 101 010 1

5 7

PAGE SYSTEM 3-4 PLAYOFF Switzerland (Ralph Stöckli) Norway (Thomas Ulsrud)

*101 001 001 0 1 010 100 010 1 0

5 4

Norway (Thomas Ulsrud) United States (John Shuster)

*210 220 3XX X 001 001 0XX X

10 2

Germany (Andy Kapp) Switzerland (Ralph Stöckli)

*201 002 011 0 010 300 300 1

7 8

TIEBREAKERS

FINAL STANDINGS Playoffs Scotland (David Murdoch) Canada (Kevin Martin) Norway (Thomas Ulsrud) Switzerland (Ralph Stöckli) United States (John Shuster) Germany (Andy Kapp)

Wins 2 1 2 2 0 0

Losses 0 2 1 2 1 1

Round robin Canada (Kevin Martin) Scotland (David Murdoch) United States (John Shuster) Germany (Andy Kapp) Switzerland (Ralph Stöckli) Norway (Thomas Ulsrud) Denmark (Ulrik Schmidt) France (Thomas Dufour) China (Fengchun Wang) Japan (Yusuke Morozumi) Czech Republic (Jirˇí Snítil) Finland (Kalle Kiiskinen)

Wins 10 8 7 7 7 7 5 4 4 3 3 1

Losses 1 3 4 4 4 4 6 7 7 8 8 10

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Championship as the player who best combines playing ability with sportsmanship. The award was instituted in 1979 to honour the memory of Colin A. Campbell, who served as president of the International Curling Federation (now the World Curling Federation) from 1969 until his death in 1978.

June Perry, daughter of the late Colin Campbell, presents the 2009 Colin Campbell sportsmanship award to skip Fengchun Wang of China.

COLIN CAMPBELL MEMORIAL AWARD WINNERS 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979

Fengchun Wang Thomas Dufour Ralph Stöckli Ewan MacDonald Marco Mariani Sean Becker* Markku Uusipaavalniemi* Pål Trulsen Spencer Mugnier Greg McAulay Sean Becker* Markku Uusipaavalniemi* Jussi Uusipaavalniemi* Mikael Hasselborg Peja Lindholm Gert Larsen Hugh Millikin Jussi Uusipaavalniemi* Markus Eggler Tommy Stjerne* Tommy Stjerne* Bo Bakke Goran Roxin Uli Sutor Tim Wright Mike Hay Keith Wendorf* Rick Lang Mark Olson Greig Henderson Keith Wendorf*

China France Switzerland Scotland Italy New Zealand Finland Norway France Canada New Zealand Finland Finland Sweden Sweden Denmark Australia Finland Switzerland Denmark Denmark Norway Sweden Germany United States Scotland Germany Canada Canada Scotland Germany

*Two-time winner

50 www.seasonofchampions.ca

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WORLD MEN’S CHAMPIONS 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959

Scotland Canada Canada Scotland Canada Sweden Canada Canada Sweden Canada Scotland Canada Sweden Canada Canada Canada Canada Switzerland Scotland Canada Canada Norway Canada Canada Canada Norway Canada Canada Switzerland Canada Norway United States Sweden

David Murdoch, Ewan MacDonald, Peter Smith, Euan Byers Kevin Martin, John Morris, Marc Kennedy, Ben Hebert Glenn Howard, Richard Hart, Brent Laing, Craig Savill David Murdoch, Ewan MacDonald, Warwick Smith, Euan Byers Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque Peja Lindholm, Tomas Nordin, Magnus Swartling, Peter Narup Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque Peja Lindholm, Tomas Nordin, Magnus Swartling, Peter Narup Greg McAulay, Brent Pierce, Bryan Miki, Jody Sveistrup Hammy McMillan, Warwick Smith, Ewan MacDonald, Peter Loudon Wayne Middaugh, Graeme McCarrel, Ian Tetley, Scott Bailey Peja Lindholm, Tomas Nordin, Magnus Swartling, Peter Narup Jeff Stoughton, Ken Tresoor, Garry Vandenberghe, Steve Gould Kerry Burtnyk, Jeff Ryan, Rob Meakin, Keith Fenton Rick Folk, Pat Ryan, Bert Gretzinger, Gerry Richard Russ Howard, Glenn Howard, Wayne Middaugh, Peter Corner Markus Eggler, Frédéric Jean, Stefan Hofer, Bjorn Schröder David Smith, Graeme Connal, Peter Smith, David Hay Ed Werenich, John Kawaja, Ian Tetley, Pat Perroud Pat Ryan, Randy Ferbey, Don Walchuk, Don McKenzie Eigil Ramsfjell, Sjur Loen, Morten Sogaard, Bo Bakke Russ Howard, Glenn Howard, Tim Belcourt, Kent Carstairs Ed Lukowich, John Ferguson, Neil Houston, Brent Syme Al Hackner, Rick Lang, Ian Tetley, Pat Perroud Eigil Ramsfjell, Sjur Loen, Gunnar Meland, Bo Bakke Ed Werenich, Paul Savage, John Kawaja, Neil Harrison Al Hackner, Rick Lang, Bob Nicol, Bruce Kennedy Jürg Tanner, Jürg Hornisberger, Patrik Loertscher, Franz Tanner Rick Folk, Ron Mills, Tom Wilson, Jim Wilson Kristian Soerum, Morten Soerum, Eigil Ramsfjell, Gunnar Meland Bob Nichols, Bill Strum, Tom Locken, Bob Christman Ragnar Kamp, Hakan Rudstrom, Bjorn Rudstrom, Christer Martensson United States Bruce Roberts, Joe Roberts, Gary Kleffman, Jerry Scott Switzerland Otto Danieli, Roland Schneider, Rolf Gautschi, Ueli Mülli United States Bud Somerville, Bob Nichols, Bill Strum, Tom Locken Sweden Kjell Oscarius, Bengt Oscarius, Tom Schaeffer, Boa Carlman Canada Orest Meleschuk, Dave Romano, John Hanesiak, Pat Hailley Canada Don Duguid, Rod Hunter, Jim Pettapiece, Bryan Wood Canada Don Duguid, Rod Hunter, Jim Pettapiece, Bryan Wood Canada Ron Northcott, Dave Gerlach, Bernie Sparkes, Fred Storey Canada Ron Northcott, Jimmy Shields, Bernie Sparkes, Fred Storey Scotland Chuck Hay, John Bryden, Alan Glen, David Howie Canada Ron Northcott, George Fink, Bernie Sparkes, Fred Storey United States Bud Somerville, Bill Strum, Al Gagne, Tom Wright Canada Lyall Dagg, Leo Hebert, Fred Britton, Barry Naimark Canada Ernie Richardson, Arnold Richardson, Garnet Richardson, Mel Perry Canada Ernie Richardson, Arnold Richardson, Garnet Richardson, Wes Richardson Canada Hector Gervais, Ray Werner, Vic Raymer, Wally Ursuliak Canada Ernie Richardson, Arnold Richardson, Garnet Richardson, Wes Richardson Canada Ernie Richardson, Arnold Richardson, Garnet Richardson, Wes Richardson

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PHOTO: VANCOUVER PARK BOARD

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The 2010 Olympic Winter Games 52 www.seasonofchampions.ca

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OR THE FOURTH TIME IN Olympic Winter Games history, curling will be a full-medal sport in 2010, when the Vancouver Olympic Centre/Vancouver Paralympic Centre — located near scenic Queen Elizabeth Park — hosts the curling competition February 16 to 27.

The Games officially welcomed curling in July 1992, when the International Olympic Committee announced that curling would be recognized for the first time as a medal sport at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Japan. Curling made

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its Olympic debut as a full-medal sport February 9 to 15, 1998, at Kazakoshi Park Arena in Karuizawa, Japan, about an hour from downtown Nagano.

Curling made its next Olympic appearance in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 11 to 22, 2002, at The Ice Sheet arena on the campus of Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, 45 kilometres north of Salt Lake City.

Four years later, the Olympic curling competition took place February 13 to 24 at the Palaghiaccio, a multi-purpose ice arena in Pinerolo,

Located near scenic Queen Elizabeth Park, the Vancouver Olympic/Paralympic Centre hosts the 2010 Winter Games curling competition.

Italy, 35 kilometres southwest of Torino.

In 2010, the draw is a 10-team format played on four sheets of ice. As a result, two teams from each competition will have a bye on each draw.

The 10 men’s and 10 women’s teams will play in a round robin, followed by four-team, sudden-death playoffs. The losers of the first round of playoffs will play for the bronze medal. www.seasonofchampions.ca 53

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OLYMPIC QUALIFIERS

The World Curling Federation has 45 member associations, but only 10 are allowed to participate at the medal level of the 2010 Games.

Canada, as host nation, has a berth in both the men’s and women’s competitions. The remaining nine berths were assigned on the basis of points accumulated at the 2007, ’08 WORLD CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS Ranking Women 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Canada* China Denmark Sweden Switzerland United States Scotland** Germany Russia Japan Italy Korea Czech Republic Norway

Ranking Men 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Canada* Scotland** United States Germany Norway Switzerland France Denmark China Sweden Australia Finland Japan Czech Republic Korea

Pts. Pts. Pts. Pts. 2007 2008 2009 Total 14 6 12 7.5 7.5 9 10 4 4 4 1.5 0 1.5 0

14 12 8 7 10 6 3 4 5 9 2 0 1 0

9 14 10 12 8 4 5 7 6 0 1 3 0 2

37 32 30 26.5 25.5 19 18 15 15 13 4.5 3 2.5 2

Pts. Pts. Pts. Pts. 2007 2008 2009 Total 14 3.5 10 12 3.5 9 6.5 3.5 0 8 3.5 6.5 0 0 1

14 12 6 5 10 2 8 4 9 3 7 0 0 1 0

12 14 8 7 10 9 5 6 4 0 0 1 3 2 0

* Canada qualifies as host country ** Scotland will represent Great Britain

40 29.5 24 24 23.5 20 19.5 13.5 13 11 10.5 7.5 3 3 1

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and ’09 world championships. (Points were awarded according to the final ranking of each of the 12 participating teams as follows: 14, 12, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.)

Although Scotland, Wales and England compete individually in the world championships, Great Britain has only one entry in the Olympics. For 2010, only Scotland was allocated Olympic qualifying points for Great Britain.

PLAYOFF COUNTRIES Canada

Eight men’s and eight women’s teams will compete in the Roar Of The Rings Canadian Curling Trials to determine Canada’s two representatives in the 2010 Games. Round-robin preliminaries, followed by three-team playoffs, will take place in Edmonton at Rexall Place December 6 to 13.

United States

Ten men’s and 10 women’s teams took part in the 2009 U.S. Curling Nationals — which doubled as the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team Trials — February 21 to 28, 2009, in Broomfield, Colorado.

The winning teams of John Shuster, Jason Smith, Jeff Isaacson, John Benton and Chris Plys, and Debbie McCormick, Allison Pottinger, Nicole Joraanstad, Natalie Nicholson and Tracy Sachtjen will represent the United States in Vancouver.

Denmark/Germany/Switzerland

Denmark, Germany and Switzerland each earned the right to send men’s and women’s teams. The playoffs to determine the representatives had not been played at press time.

NON-PLAYOFF COUNTRIES

A number of the qualified member associations will have their representatives appointed by National Olympic Committees.

Scotland’s David Murdoch, Ewan MacDonald, Peter Smith, Euan Byers and Graeme Connal, and Eve Muirhead, Jackie Lockhart, Kelly Wood, Lorna Vevers and Karen Addison have been selected to represent Great Britain.

China and Sweden will each be represented by men’s and women’s teams. Norway and France will each send a men’s team and Russia and Japan will each send a women’s team. The teams had not been appointed at press time.

ROAD TO THE ROAR QUALIFIERS MEN’S RANKING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

WOMEN’S RANKING

Jeff Stoughton 1 Kelly Scott Wayne Middaugh 2 Sherry Middaugh 3 Marie-France Larouche Brad Gushue 4 Michelle Englot Mike McEwen 5 Heather Rankin Kerry Burtnyk 6 Rachel Homan Joel Jordison Jean-Michel Ménard 7 Crystal Webster Ted Appelman 8 Cathy King Bob Ursel 9 Krista McCarville Pat Simmons 10 Amber Holland Greg McAulay 11 Eve Bélisle Jason Gunnlaugson 12 Sherry Anderson

ROAR OF THE RINGS QUALIFIERS MEN’S RANKING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Kevin Martin Glenn Howard Kevin Koe Randy Ferbey Pre-trials A qualifier Pre-trials B qualifier Pre-trials C qualifier Pre-trials C qualifier

WOMEN’S RANKING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Jennifer Jones Shannon Kleibrink Cheryl Bernard Stefanie Lawton Pre-trials A qualifier Pre-trials B qualifier Pre-trials C qualifier Pre-trials C qualifier

THE CANADIAN ROAD TO VANCOUVER The 2009 Roar Of The Rings Canadian Curling Trials qualifying system, introduced before the 2006-07 season to determine Canada’s two representatives at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, was designed to reward consistent play over a three-season period.

A pool of 16 men’s and 16 women’s teams qualified from September 2006 to May 2009.

Four men’s and four women’s teams gained direct entry into the trials based on victories in major championships, including the Brier, Hearts, Canada Cup, Players’ and world championships, as well as topping the Canadian Team Ranking System. Other entries were determined based on the highest three-year CTRS total, and, if necessary, the highest two-year CTRS total based on the past two seasons.

Twelve men’s and 12 women’s teams qualified for the Road To The Roar pre-trials in Prince George, British Columbia, based on wins in the major championships and CTRS points. The event, which takes place at the CN Centre November 10 to 14, is a triple-knockout competition that will determine the final four men’s and four women’s teams to compete at the trials in Edmonton.

54 www.seasonofchampions.ca

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Olympic Curling Draws February 16-27, 2010 WOMEN DATE

TIME

DRAW

SHEET A

Tuesday, February 16

2 p.m.

1

United States vs Japan

Wednesday, February 17

9 a.m.

7 p.m.

2 3

China vs Great Britain Russia vs Denmark

Thursday, February 18

2 p.m.

4

Canada vs Germany

Friday, February 19

9 a.m.

7 p.m.

5 6

Germany vs Great Britain Denmark vs Canada

SHEET B

SHEET C

SHEET D

Denmark vs Sweden

Germany vs Russia

Canada vs Switzerland

Germany vs United States Great Britain vs Swden

Switzerland vs Sweden

Japan vs Canada China vs Switzerland

China vs Japan

Russia vs Great Britain

Denmark vs United States

Russia vs United States Sweden vs China

China vs Denmark Great Britain vs Japan

Switzerland vs Russia

Saturday, February 20

2 p.m.

7

Sweden vs Russia

United States vs Great Britain

Denmark vs Switzerland

Germany vs China

Sunday, February 21

9 a.m.

7 p.m.

8 9

Great Britain vs Switzerland

Germany vs Denmark China vs Canada

Canada vs United States Japan vs Germany

Russia vs Japan United States vs Sweden

Monday, February 22

2 p.m.

10

Russia vs China

Japan vs Switzerland

Sweden vs Canada

Great Britain vs Denmark

Tuesday, February 23

9 a.m.

7 p.m.

11 12

Japan vs Sweden Switzerland vs United States

Switzerland vs Germany Canada vs Russia

United States vs China Japan vs Denmark

Canada vs Great Britain Sweden vs Germany

MEDAL ROUND TIEBREAKERS (if necessary)

Wednesday, February 24, 9 a.m., 2 p.m., 7 p.m.

SEMI-FINALS

Thursday, February 25, 9 a.m.

BRONZE-MEDAL GAME

Friday, February 26, 9 a.m.

GOLD-MEDAL GAME

Friday, February 26, 3 p.m.

MEN DATE

TIME

DRAW

SHEET A

SHEET B

SHEET C

SHEET D

Tuesday, February 16

9 a.m.

7 p.m.

1 2

Great Britain vs Sweden Canada vs Germany

Norway vs Canada China vs France

United States vs Germany

Switzerland vs Denmark United States vs Norway

Wednesday, February 17

2 p.m.

3

Great Britain vs France

United States vs Switzerland

Denmark vs China

Germany vs Sweden

Thursday, February 18

9 a.m.

7 p.m.

4 5

Denmark vs United States Sweden vs China

Germany vs Norway Great Britain vs Denmark

Canada vs Sweden Norway vs Switzerland

Great Britain vs Switzerland France vs Canada

Friday, February 19

2 p.m.

6

Germany vs Switzerland

Denmark vs Canada

France vs United States

Norway vs China

Saturday, February 20

9 a.m.

7 p.m.

7 8

Norway vs Denmark

France vs Germany Switzerland vs China

China vs Great Britain Sweden vs France

Sweden vs United States Canada vs Great Britain

Sunday, February 21

2 p.m.

9

United States vs Great Britain

Norway vs Sweden

Switzerland vs Canada

Denmark vs Germany

Monday, February 22

9 a.m.

7 p.m.

10 11

France vs Norway

Canada vs United States Germany vs Great Britain

Germany vs China France vs Denmark

Switzerland vs Sweden China vs United States

Tuesday, February 23

2 p.m.

12

China vs Canada

Sweden vs Denmark

Great Britain vs Norway

Switzerland vs France

MEDAL ROUND TIEBREAKERS (if necessary)

Wednesday, February 24, 9 a.m., 2 p.m., 7 p.m.

SEMI-FINALS

Thursday, February 25, 2 p.m.

BRONZE-MEDAL GAME

Saturday, February 27, 9 a.m.

GOLD-MEDAL GAME

Saturday, February 27, 3 p.m.

All games Pacific Standard Time

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Canadian Cur li CN CENTRE, PRINCE GEORGE, BRITISH TEAM ANDERSON Granite Curling Club, Saskatoon

Sherry Anderson

Kim Hodson

Heather Walsh

SKIP: Sherry Anderson BORN: January 6, 1964 OCCUPATION: Sales representative

SECOND: Heather Walsh BORN: May 16, 1968 OCCUPATION: Senior clerical associate

VICE-SKIP: Kim Hodson BORN: June 8, 1966 OCCUPATION: Full-time mother

LEAD: Donna Gignac BORN: December 16, 1963 OCCUPATION: Dental assistant

Donna Gignac

TEAM BÉLISLE Town of Mount Royal Curling Club, Montreal

Eve Bélisle

Brenda Nicholls

Martine Comeau

SKIP: Eve Bélisle BORN: September 14, 1979 OCCUPATION: Computer programmer

SECOND: Martine Comeau BORN: September 17, 1979 OCCUPATION: Nurse

VICE-SKIP: Brenda Nicholls BORN: August 9, 1972 OCCUPATION: Customer service co-ordinator

LEAD: Julie Rainville BORN: August 17, 1972 OCCUPATION: Human resources technician

Julie Rainville

TEAM ENGLOT Tartan Curling Club, Regina SKIP: Michelle Englot BORN: January 22, 1964 OCCUPATION: Manager, external communications

Michelle Englot

Deanna Doig

Roberta Materi

Cindy Simmons

VICE-SKIP: Deanna Doig BORN: March 13, 1972 OCCUPATION: Engineer/regional manager

SECOND: Roberta Materi BORN: April 6, 1975 OCCUPATION: Human resources manager LEAD: Cindy Simmons BORN: April 11, 1974 OCCUPATION: Financial planner

TEAM HOLLAND Kronau Curling Club, Kronau, Saskatchewan

Amber Holland

Kim Schneider

SKIP: Amber Holland BORN: July 10, 1974 OCCUPATION: Executive director

SECOND: Tammy Schneider BORN: November 12, 1982 OCCUPATION: Office manager

VICE-SKIP: Kim Schneider BORN: August 21, 1984 OCCUPATION: Recreation therapist

LEAD: Heather Kalenchuk BORN: March 14, 1984 OCCUPATION: High school teacher

Tammy Schneider Heather Kalenchuk

TEAM HOMAN Ottawa Curling Club, Ottawa

Rachel Homan

Emma Miskew

Alison Kreviazuk

SKIP: Rachel Homan BORN: April 5, 1989 OCCUPATION: Student

SECOND: Alison Kreviazuk BORN: September 27, 1988 OCCUPATION: Student

VICE-SKIP: Emma Miskew BORN: February 14, 1989 OCCUPATION: Student

LEAD: Lynn Kreviazuk BORN: May 2, 1991 OCCUPATION: Student

Lynn Kreviazuk

TEAM KING Saville Sports Centre, Edmonton

Cathy King

Kaitlyn Lawes

Raylene Rocque

56 www.seasonofchampions.ca

Tracy Bush

SKIP: Cathy King BORN: September 3, 1959 OCCUPATION: Full-time mother

SECOND: Raylene Rocque BORN: September 12, 1967 OCCUPATION: X-ray technologist

VICE-SKIP: Kaitlyn Lawes BORN: December 16, 1988 OCCUPATION: Student

LEAD: Tracy Bush BORN: April 10, 1973 OCCUPATION: Full-time mother

CO

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r ling Pre-Trials

SH

COLUMBIA, NOVEMBER 10 TO 14, 2009 TEAM LAROUCHE Etchemin Curling Club, St-Romuald, Quebec

Marie-France Larouche

Nancy Bélanger

Annie Lemay

SKIP: Marie-France Larouche BORN: June 5, 1980 OCCUPATION: Teacher

SECOND: Annie Lemay BORN: May 16, 1977 OCCUPATION: Junior project officer

VICE-SKIP: Nancy Bélanger BORN: September 2, 1978 OCCUPATION: Elementary school teacher

LEAD: Joëlle Sabourin BORN: May 28, 1972 OCCUPATION: Senior business analyst

Joëlle Sabourin

TEAM MCCARVILLE Fort William Curling Club, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Krista McCarville

Tara George

Kari MacLean

SKIP: Krista McCarville BORN: November 10, 1982 OCCUPATION: Teacher

SECOND: Kari MacLean BORN: December 25, 1977 OCCUPATION: Client facilitator

VICE-SKIP: Tara George BORN: September 15, 1973 OCCUPATION: Casino shift manager

LEAD: Lorraine Lang BORN: October 8, 1956 OCCUPATION: College program co-ordinator

Lorraine Lang

TEAM MIDDAUGH Coldwater & District Curling Club, Coldwater, Ontario

Sherry Middaugh

Kirsten Wall

Kim Moore

SKIP: Sherry Middaugh BORN: October 11, 1966 OCCUPATION: Full-time mother

SECOND: Kim Moore BORN: October 20, 1967 OCCUPATION: Elementary school teacher

VICE-SKIP: Kirsten Wall BORN: November 27, 1975 OCCUPATION: Genetic technologist

LEAD: Andra Harmark BORN: November 26, 1977 OCCUPATION: Senior analyst, microbiology

Andra Harmark

TEAM RANKIN Calgary Winter Club and Calgary Curling Club, Calgary

Heather Rankin

Lisa Eyamie

Heather Jensen

SKIP: Heather Rankin BORN: April 30, 1965 OCCUPATION: Management consultant

SECOND: Heather Jensen BORN: March 8, 1985 OCCUPATION: Full-time mother

VICE-SKIP: Lisa Eyamie BORN: April 10, 1977 OCCUPATION: Project manager

LEAD: Kyla MacLachlan BORN: September 27, 1979 OCCUPATION: X-ray technologist

Kyla MacLachlan

TEAM SCOTT Kelowna Curling Club, Kelowna, British Columbia

Kelly Scott

Jeanna Schraeder

Sasha Carter

SKIP: Kelly Scott BORN: June 1, 1977 OCCUPATION: Financial officer

SECOND: Sasha Carter BORN: July 20, 1974 OCCUPATION: Business manager

VICE-SKIP: Jeanna Schraeder BORN: September 21, 1976 OCCUPATION: Data warehouse architect

LEAD: Jacquie Armstrong BORN: March 19, 1976 OCCUPATION: Software development manager

Jacquie Armstrong

TEAM WEBSTER Calgary Curling Club, Calgary

Crystal Webster

Lori Olson-Johns

Sam Preston

SKIP: Crystal Webster BORN: February 26, 1975 OCCUPATION: Mortgage specialist

SECOND: Sam Preston BORN: December 15, 1984 OCCUPATION: Marketing administrator

VICE-SKIP: Lori Olson-Johns BORN: November 24, 1976 OCCUPATION: Business owner/teacher

LEAD: Stephanie Malekoff BORN: March 31, 1984 OCCUPATION: Nurse

Stephanie Malekoff

www.seasonofchampions.ca 57

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Page 3

Canadian Cur li CN CENTRE, PRINCE GEORGE, BRITISH TEAM APPELMAN Saville Sports Centre, Edmonton

Ted Appelman

Tom Appelman

Brandon Klassen

SKIP: Ted Appelman BORN: August 27, 1980 OCCUPATION: Project manager

SECOND: Brandon Klassen BORN: November 28, 1985 OCCUPATION: Engineer

VICE-SKIP: Tom Appelman BORN: June 28, 1982 OCCUPATION: Cabinet maker

LEAD: Brendan Melnyk BORN: September 19, 1980 OCCUPATION: Greenhouse owner/operator

Brendan Melnyk

TEAM BURTNYK Assiniboine Memorial Curling Club, Winnipeg

Kerry Burtnyk

Don Walchuk

Richard Daneault

SKIP: Kerry Burtnyk BORN: November 24, 1958 OCCUPATION: Investment advisor

SECOND: Richard Daneault BORN: December 24, 1976 OCCUPATION: Draftsman

VICE-SKIP: Don Walchuk BORN: March 6, 1963 OCCUPATION: Investment advisor

LEAD: Garth Smith BORN: May 18, 1969 OCCUPATION: President

Garth Smith

TEAM GUNNLAUGSON Beausejour Curling Club, Beausejour, Manitoba

Jason Gunnlaugson

Justin Richter

Braden Zawada

SKIP: Jason Gunnlaugson BORN: July 2, 1984 OCCUPATION: Poker player

SECOND: Braden Zawada BORN: October 29, 1988 OCCUPATION: Student

VICE-SKIP: Justin Richter BORN: December 3, 1980 OCCUPATION: Managing partner

LEAD: Tyler Forrest BORN: July 8, 1984 OCCUPATION: Office manager

Tyler Forrest

TEAM GUSHUE Bally Haly Golf & Curling Club, St. John’s SKIP: Brad Gushue BORN: June 16, 1980 OCCUPATION: Vice-president of marketing/ partner

Brad Gushue

Mark Nichols

Ryan Fry

Jamie Korab

VICE-SKIP: Mark Nichols BORN: January 1, 1980 OCCUPATION: Personal trainer

SECOND: Ryan Fry BORN: July 25, 1978 OCCUPATION: Bartender LEAD: Jamie Korab BORN: November 28, 1979 OCCUPATION: Marketing sponsorship co-ordinator

TEAM JORDISON Bushell Park Curling Club, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

Joel Jordison

Scott Bitz

Aryn Schmidt

SKIP: Joel Jordison BORN: March 11, 1978 OCCUPATION: Chemical operator

SECOND: Aryn Schmidt BORN: April 12, 1976 OCCUPATION: Dentist

VICE-SKIP: Scott Bitz BORN: October 29, 1973 OCCUPATION: Chiropractor

LEAD: Dean Hicke BORN: May 8, 1967 OCCUPATION: Software analyst

Dean Hicke

TEAM MCAULAY Richmond Curling Club, Richmond, British Columbia

Greg McAulay

Ken Maskiewich

Deane Horning

58 www.seasonofchampions.ca

Aaron Watson

SKIP: Greg McAulay BORN: January 2, 1960 OCCUPATION: Auto body technician

SECOND: Deane Horning BORN: September 22, 1967 OCCUPATION: Accountant

VICE-SKIP: Ken Maskiewich BORN: May 21, 1966 OCCUPATION: Sales/marketing representative

LEAD: Aaron Watson BORN: September 23, 1977 OCCUPATION: Food service loader

CO

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r ling Pre-Trials

SH

COLUMBIA, NOVEMBER 10 TO 14, 2009 TEAM MCEWEN Assiniboine Memorial Curling Club, Winnipeg

Mike McEwen

B.J. Neufeld

Matt Wozniak

SKIP: Mike McEwen BORN: July 30, 1980 OCCUPATION: Realtor

SECOND: Matt Wozniak BORN: January 6, 1983 OCCUPATION: Business owner

VICE-SKIP: B.J. Neufeld BORN: February 28, 1986 OCCUPATION: Assistant golf professional

LEAD: Denni Neufeld BORN: January 25, 1981 OCCUPATION: Realtor

Denni Neufeld

TEAM MÉNARD Etchemin Curling Club, St-Romuald, Quebec

Jean-Michael Ménard

Martin Crête

Éric Sylvain

SKIP: Jean-Michael Ménard BORN: January 19, 1976 OCCUPATION: Human resources consultant

SECOND: Éric Sylvain BORN: June 16, 1971 OCCUPATION: Golf course general manager

VICE-SKIP: Martin Crête BORN: March 12, 1985 OCCUPATION: Computer programmer

LEAD: Jean Gagnon BORN: October 22, 1970 OCCUPATION: Technical administrator

Jean Gagnon

TEAM MIDDAUGH St. George’s Golf and Country Club, Toronto

Wayne Middaugh

Jon Mead

John Epping

Scott Bailey

SKIP: Wayne Middaugh BORN: September 20, 1967 OCCUPATION: Country club general manager

SECOND: John Epping BORN: March 20, 1983 OCCUPATION: Medical sales consultant

VICE-SKIP: Jon Mead BORN: April 10, 1967 OCCUPATION: Business development manager

LEAD: Scott Bailey BORN: March 12, 1970 OCCUPATION: Contractor

TEAM SIMMONS Davidson Curling Club, Davidson, Saskatchewan

Pat Simmons

Jeff Sharp

Gerry Adam

Steve Laycock

SKIP: Pat Simmons BORN: November 21, 1974 OCCUPATION: Chiropractor

SECOND: Gerry Adam BORN: December 13, 1963 OCCUPATION: Plumber

VICE-SKIP: Jeff Sharp BORN: June 7, 1977 OCCUPATION: Business development manager

LEAD: Steve Laycock BORN: October 29, 1982 OCCUPATION: Human resources analyst

TEAM STOUGHTON Charleswood Curling Club, Winnipeg SKIP: Jeff Stoughton BORN: July 26, 1963 OCCUPATION: Finance business systems co-ordinator

Jeff Stoughton

Kevin Park

Rob Fowler

Steve Gould

VICE-SKIP: Kevin Park BORN: September 2, 1964 OCCUPATION: Database manager

SECOND: Rob Fowler BORN: June 29, 1975 OCCUPATION: Car dealer LEAD: Steve Gould BORN: October 6, 1972 OCCUPATION: National sales representative

TEAM URSEL Kelowna Curling Club, Kelowna, British Columbia

Bob Ursel

Jim Cotter

Kevin Folk

SKIP: Bob Ursel (third stone) BORN: February 12, 1965 OCCUPATION: RCMP officer

SECOND: Kevin Folk BORN: July 26, 1980 OCCUPATION: Senior account manager

VICE-SKIP: Jim Cotter (fourth stone) BORN: October 15, 1974 OCCUPATION: Computer programmer

LEAD: Rick Sawatsky BORN: February 26, 1976 OCCUPATION: Utilities technician

Rick Sawatsky

www.seasonofchampions.ca 59

EE10_PreTrialsDraws:EE4_Ford_HotShots

9/28/09

9:19 PM

Page 1

Canadian Curli n WOMEN’S DRAW

November 10 to 14, 2009 • CN Centre, Pr (8) KING

WA1

Tuesday, Nov. 10 8:30 a.m. (Loser WB12)

(9) MCCARVILLE (5) RANKIN

(1) SCOTT

(12) ANDERSON (6) HOMAN

WA6

WA9

Wednesday, Nov. 11 4:30 p.m. (Loser WB17)

(4) ENGLOT

(11) BÉLISLE

Thursday, Nov. 12 6:30 p.m. (Loser WB20)

WA7 Tuesday, Nov. 10 4:30 p.m. (Loser WB15)

(3) LAROUCHE WA4

Tuesday, Nov. 10 8:30 a.m. (Loser WB13)

(10) HOLLAND

WA11

Tuesday, Nov. 10 4:30 p.m. (Loser WB14)

WA3

Tuesday, Nov. 10 8:30 a.m. (Loser WB13)

(7) WEBSTER

Tuesday, Nov. 10 4:30 p.m. (Loser WB14)

WA2

Tuesday, Nov. 10 8:30 a.m. (Loser WB12)

A Side

WA5

WA8

WA10

Wednesday, Nov. 11 8:30 p.m. (Loser WB16)

Tuesday, Nov. 10 4:30 p.m. (Loser WB15)

(2) S. MIDDAUGH All games Pacific Standard Time

B Side

WB12 Wednesday, Nov. 11 8:30 a.m. (Loser WC22)

WB16 Thursday, Nov. 12 12:30 p.m. (Loser WC24)

WB13 Wednesday, Nov. 11 8:30 a.m. (Loser WC22)

WB17

WB19 Friday, Nov. 13 8:30 a.m. (Loser WC27)

Thursday, Nov. 12 8:30 a.m. (Loser WC24) Friday, Nov. 13 6:30 p.m. (Loser WC28)

WB14 Wednesday, Nov. 11 8:30 a.m. (Loser WC23)

WB15

WB18 WB20 Thursday, Nov. 12 6:30 p.m. (Loser WC27)

Wednesday, Nov. 11 8:30 a.m. (Loser WC23)

Friday, Nov. 13 8:30 a.m. (Loser WC26)

C Side

WC22 Thursday, Nov. 12 12:30 p.m. (Loser out) WC23

WC25 Friday, Nov. 13 1 p.m. (Loser out)

WC24

WC26 Saturday, Nov. 14 10 a.m. (Loser out) WC27 Friday, Nov. 13 6:30 p.m. (Loser out)

60 www.seasonofchampions.ca

WC28 Saturday, Nov. 14 11:30 a.m. (Loser out)

Thursday, Nov. 12 12:30 p.m. (Loser out)

Friday, Nov. 13 1 p.m. (Loser out)

WB21

WC29 Saturday, Nov. 14 6:30 p.m. (Loser out)

EE10_PreTrialsDraws:EE4_Ford_HotShots

9/28/09

9:20 PM

Page 2

li ng Pre-Trials MEN’S DRAW

re, Prince George, British Columbia (8) APPELMAN

MA1

Tuesday, Nov. 10 12:30 p.m. (Loser MB12)

(9) URSEL (5) BURTNYK

(1) STOUGHTON

(12) GUNNLAUGSON (6) JORDISON

MA6

MA9

Wednesday, Nov. 11 4:30 p.m. (Loser MB17)

(4) MCEWEN

(11) MCAULAY

Thursday, Nov. 12 12:30 p.m. (Loser MB20)

MA7 Tuesday, Nov. 10 8:30 p.m. (Loser MB15)

(3) GUSHUE MA4

Tuesday, Nov. 10 12:30 p.m. (Loser MB13)

(10) SIMMONS

MA11

Tuesday, Nov. 10 8:30 p.m. (Loser MB14)

MA3

Tuesday, Nov. 10 12:30 p.m. (Loser MB13)

(7) MÉNARD

Tuesday, Nov. 10 8:30 p.m. (Loser MB14)

MA2

Tuesday, Nov. 10 12:30 p.m. (Loser MB12)

A Side

MA5

MA8

MA10

Wednesday, Nov. 11 4:30 p.m. (Loser MB16)

Tuesday, Nov. 10 8:30 p.m. (Loser MB15)

(2) W. MIDDAUGH All games Pacific Standard Time

B Side

MB12 Wednesday, Nov. 11 12:30 p.m. (Loser MC22)

MB16 Thursday, Nov. 12 8:30 a.m. (Loser MC24)

MB13 Wednesday, Nov. 11 12:30 p.m. (Loser MC22)

MB17

MB19 Thursday, Nov. 12 6:30 p.m. (Loser MC27)

Thursday, Nov. 12 8:30 a.m. (Loser MC24) Friday, Nov. 13 1 p.m. (Loser MC28)

MB14 Wednesday, Nov. 11 12:30 p.m. (Loser MC23)

MB15

MB18 MB20 Thursday, Nov. 12 8:30 a.m. (Loser MC27)

Wednesday, Nov. 11 12:30 p.m. (Loser MC23)

Thursday, Nov. 12 6:30 p.m. (Loser MC26)

C Side

MC22 Wednesday, Nov. 11 8:30 p.m. (Loser out) MC23

MC25 Friday, Nov. 13 8:30 a.m. (Loser out)

MC24

MC28 Saturday, Nov. 14 10 a.m. (Loser out)

Wednesday, Nov. 11 8:30 p.m. (Loser out)

Friday, Nov. 13 8:30 a.m. (Loser out)

MB21

MC26 Friday, Nov. 13 6:30 p.m. (Loser out) MC27

MC29 Saturday, Nov. 14 5 p.m. (Loser out)

Friday, Nov. 13 1 p.m. (Loser out)

www.seasonofchampions.ca 61

EE10_ROR_Profiles:EE4_Ford_HotShots

9/29/09

8:19 AM

Page 1

Canadian Cu r REXALL PLACE, EDMONTON, TEAM FERBEY

TEAM KOE

Saville Sports Centre, Edmonton

Saville Sports Centre, Edmonton

Randy Ferbey

David Nedohin

Scott Pfeifer

Marcel Rocque

Kevin Koe

Blake MacDonald

Carter Rycroft

SKIP: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Randy Ferbey (third stone) May 30, 1959 Curling store owner

SKIP: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Kevin Koe January 11, 1975 Oil and gas landman

VICE-SKIP: BORN: OCCUPATION:

David Nedohin (fourth stone) December 20, 1973 Executive vice-president

VICE-SKIP: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Blake MacDonald April 10, 1976 Chief operating officer

SECOND: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Scott Pfeifer January 5, 1977 Leasing executive

SECOND: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Carter Rycroft August 29, 1977 Business owner

LEAD: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Marcel Rocque June 22, 1971 Teacher/curler

LEAD: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Nolan Thiessen November 6, 1980 Chartered accountant

TEAM HOWARD

TEAM MARTIN

Coldwater & District Curling Club, Coldwater, Ontario

Saville Sports Centre, Edmonton

Glenn Howard

Richard Hart

Brent Laing

Craig Savill

Kevin Martin

John Morris

Marc Kennedy

SKIP: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Glenn Howard July 17, 1962 Beer store manager

SKIP: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Kevin Martin July 31, 1966 Sports store owner

VICE-SKIP: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Richard Hart October 14, 1968 Electrical contractor

VICE-SKIP: BORN: OCCUPATION:

John Morris December 16, 1978 Firefighter

SECOND: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Brent Laing December 10, 1978 Lawn care operations manager

SECOND: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Marc Kennedy February 5, 1982 Frozen food store owner

LEAD: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Craig Savill October 25, 1978 Real estate appraiser

LEAD: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Ben Hebert March 16, 1983 Marketing representative

62 www.seasonofchampions.ca

Nolan Thiessen

Ben Hebert

DE

EE10_ROR_Profiles:EE4_Ford_HotShots

9/29/09

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Page 2

u rling Trials

N,

DECEMBER 6 TO 13, 2009 TEAM BERNARD

TEAM KLEIBRINK

Calgary Curling Club and Calgary Winter Club, Calgary

Calgary Winter Club, Calgary

Cheryl Bernard

Susan O’Connor

Carolyn Darbyshire

Cori Bartel

Shannon Kleibrink

Amy Nixon

Bronwen Webster

SKIP: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Cheryl Bernard June 30, 1966 Curler/author

SKIP: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Shannon Kleibrink October 7, 1968 Community association manager

VICE-SKIP: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Susan O’Connor May 3, 1977 Respiratory therapist

VICE-SKIP: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Amy Nixon September 29, 1977 Lawyer

SECOND: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Carolyn Darbyshire December 6, 1963 Office manager

SECOND: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Bronwen Webster August 2, 1978 Workforce recruiter

LEAD: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Cori Bartel June 21, 1971 Professional recruiter

LEAD: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Chelsey Bell September 1, 1982 Dietitian

TEAM JONES

TEAM LAWTON

St. Vital Curling Club, Winnipeg

CN Curling Club, Saskatoon

Jennifer Jones

Cathy Overton-Clapham

Jill Officer

Dawn Askin

Stefanie Lawton

Marliese Kasner

Sherri Singler

SKIP: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Jennifer Jones July 7, 1974 Lawyer

SKIP: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Stefanie Lawton June 20, 1980 Chartered accountant

VICE-SKIP: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Cathy Overton-Clapham July 19, 1969 Business owner

VICE-SKIP: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Marliese Kasner January 8, 1982 Teacher

SECOND: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Jill Officer June 2, 1975 Speaker/writer

SECOND: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Sherri Singler February 19, 1974 Customer service representative

LEAD: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Dawn Askin July 3, 1980 Case officer

LEAD: BORN: OCCUPATION:

Lana Vey April 6, 1984 Analyst

Chelsey Bell

Lana Vey

www.seasonofchampions.ca 63

EE10_MMMeatshops_ad:EE4_Ford_HotShots

9/30/09

7:00 PM

Page 1

EE10_TrialsDraw:EE4_Ford_HotShots

9/28/09

9:50 PM

Page 1

Tim Hortons Canadian Curling Trials December 6 to 13, 2009 Rexall Place, Edmonton DATE

TIME

DRAW

SHEET A

SHEET B

SHEET C

SHEET D

1 p.m.

1

KLEIBRINK vs PRE-TRIALS A

JONES vs PRE-TRIALS C2

BERNARD vs PRE-TRIALS B

PRE-TRIALS C1 vs LAWTON

6 p.m.

2

HOWARD vs PRE-TRIALS A

MARTIN vs PRE-TRIALS C2

KOE vs PRE-TRIALS B

PRE-TRIALS C1 vs FERBEY

Monday December 7

8:30 a.m.

3

PRE-TRIALS C2 vs BERNARD

KLEIBRINK vs PRE-TRIALS C1

LAWTON vs PRE-TRIALS A

PRE-TRIALS B vs JONES

Monday December 7

1 p.m.

4

PRE-TRIALS C2 vs KOE

HOWARD vs PRE-TRIALS C1

FERBEY vs PRE-TRIALS A

PRE-TRIALS B vs MARTIN

6 p.m.

5

JONES vs PRE-TRIALS C1

PRE-TRIALS B vs LAWTON

PRE-TRIALS C2 vs KLEIBRINK

BERNARD vs PRE-TRIALS A

Tuesday December 8

8:30 a.m.

6

MARTIN vs PRE-TRIALS C1

PRE-TRIALS B vs FERBEY

PRE-TRIALS C2 vs HOWARD

KOE vs PRE-TRIALS A

Tuesday December 8

1 p.m.

7

LAWTON vs PRE-TRIALS C2

PRE-TRIALS A vs JONES

PRE-TRIALS C1 vs BERNARD

KLEIBRINK vs PRE-TRIALS B

6 p.m.

8

FERBEY vs PRE-TRIALS C2

PRE-TRIALS A vs MARTIN

PRE-TRIALS C1 vs KOE

HOWARD vs PRE-TRIALS B

Wednesday December 9

8:30 a.m.

9

PRE-TRIALS C1 vs PRE-TRIALS B

BERNARD vs KLEIBRINK

JONES vs LAWTON

PRE-TRIALS A vs PRE-TRIALS C2

Wednesday December 9

1 p.m.

10

PRE-TRIALS C1 vs PRE-TRIALS B

KOE vs HOWARD

MARTIN vs FERBEY

PRE-TRIALS A vs PRE-TRIALS C2

7:30 p.m.

11

BERNARD vs JONES

PRE-TRIALS C2 vs PRE-TRIALS B

PRE-TRIALS A vs PRE-TRIALS C1

LAWTON vs KLEIBRINK

Thursday December 10

8:30 a.m.

12

KOE vs MARTIN

PRE-TRIALS C2 vs PRE-TRIALS B

PRE-TRIALS A vs PRE-TRIALS C1

FERBEY vs HOWARD

Thursday December 10

1 p.m.

13

PRE-TRIALS B vs PRE-TRIALS A

LAWTON vs BERNARD

KLEIBRINK vs JONES

PRE-TRIALS C2 vs PRE-TRIALS C1

6 p.m.

14

PRE-TRIALS B vs PRE-TRIALS A

FERBEY vs KOE

HOWARD vs MARTIN

PRE-TRIALS C2 vs PRE-TRIALS C1

Sunday December 6 Sunday December 6

PLAYOFFS TIEBREAKERS One draw Two draws Three draws

(if necessary) Friday, December 11 Friday, December 11 Thursday, December 10 Friday, December 11

1 p.m.

8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

10:30 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

WOMEN’S SEMI-FINAL

Friday, December 11

6 p.m.

MEN’S SEMI-FINAL

Saturday, December 12

1 p.m.

WOMEN’S FINAL

Saturday, December 12

6 p.m.

MEN’S FINAL

Sunday, December 13

1 p.m.

All games Mountain Standard Time

www.seasonofchampions.ca 65

EE10_LastEnd:EE4_Ford_HotShots

9/28/09

9:12 PM

Page 1

The Last End

BY WARREN HANSEN

I

T’S TIME FOR CANADIAN curling to reap the benefits of teams being recognized as five people, not four, and for players’ positions to be named with more flexibility.

The current rules of player substitution date from 1982, two years after the Canadian Curling Association assumed responsibility for Brier rules from the Macdonald Tobacco Company, which had been the Brier’s title sponsor from 1927 until 1979. During its reign, the tobacco giant made all of the organizational decisions for the Brier, those that applied both on the ice and off.

Macdonald laid down the procedure to be followed if a Brier participant wasn’t able to play because of an accident, illness or — as the rules of the day stated — extenuating circumstance. What that meant was that the rules of substitution could be applied if a player was so incapacitated that he couldn’t make it to the ice surface or that an immediate family member had died.

The rules of substitution were difficult to apply, at best.

The only curlers eligible to act as substitutes were members of the player’s home club who hadn’t entered that year’s Brier playdowns, even at the club level. Needless to say, even when they were most badly needed, substitutes were seldom used.

However, it was much easier to pick up a sweeper, the only requirement being that he be a male with Canadian citizenship. On more than one occasion, a Brier team found itself playing six or seven games with a sweeper from the area where the Brier was being played.

When Labatt Breweries assumed the role of title sponsor in 1980, the door opened for the Canadian Curling Association to become actively involved in the technical aspects of the Brier, including procedures such as substitution. The CCA changed the substitution rules for the 1982 Labatt Brier: all 12 teams could bring a substitute from their home club and he could have participated in the Brier playdowns.

While no one expected the idea to catch on instantly, most officials believed that within a few years teams would arrive at the Brier with a legitimate five-man roster.

Here we are, 27 years later, and most teams still don’t properly use the alternate player rule. This is difficult to understand.

Today — as in the early ’80s — alternates are often picked up at the last minute, in many cases because of their relationship with a team rather than because of ability.

While curling has always been considered a sport of four-person teams, I believe it’s time for that to change.

66 www.seasonofchampions.ca

Today’s seasons are very long for top-level teams and players face many adversities that could force them out of a lineup for a game, a day, a week or even a month.

And many teams face the difficult challenge of dealing with a player who simply is not playing up to expectations.

Just as in other team sports, curling lineups need to be shuffled when performance is not up to par.

Today, alternates are rarely seen on the ice at the Brier and Hearts — and most are picked up only after a team has qualified for a run at the national title. From what I have observed, most alternates are called into action only when one of the regular four is unable to play. And in that case, the alternate is usually placed in the lead position.

I believe that the sport has reached a point where a team should be made up of five legitimate curlers, all of whom see regular action and with at least two, possibly three, members able to play two or more positions.

At a major event, that would allow a team to rest players, saving them for what might be considered bigger games or playoffs. And it would allow a substitution to take place and a lineup to be juggled if a player, perhaps an entire team, is not performing as expected.

Although curling is steeped in tradition and is often slow to change, have we not reached a time when a team needs to be recognized as five people, not four? Haven’t we also reached a point where we need to stop naming players by a particular position?

For example, one curler might be recognized as third/lead, another as third/second or fourth/second or, if he plays only one position, simply as third or whatever. When it comes to football or hockey, you don’t refer to a player’s position as a starting position or an alternate position because that can change from game to game.

We must remember that today’s top-level curling is an entertainment product for fans in the arenas as well as for television viewers. To ensure that the best entertainment product is always on display — just as with other sports entertainment properties — teams should be allowed to make changes in their lineups if it will improve the product.

It’s been 30 years since Macdonald’s passed the Brier torch to the CCA and almost as long since alternate players were introduced to championship curling (alternates were possible before 1982, only under different rules). I think it’s time that the concept of a fifth player is fully embraced and the sport of curling made better because of it.

Warren Hansen is the CCA’s director of event operations and media relations and the managing editor of Extra End magazines

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9/30/09

6:40 PM

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EE10_Kruger_ad:EE4_Ford_HotShots

9/30/09

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