The Eye Opener Day 7 Edition

Daily

Eye Opener Info -Curl

Quotidien

April 4-12 avril, 2009

Issue 7 - Friday, April 10, 2009 / Édition 7 - Vendredi 10 avril 2009

Canadaʼs Kevin Martin (above right) and Ben Hebert discuss strategy. The Canadians finally tasted defeat Thursday.

Spectacular shot paves way for Scots’ win over Canada

Scotlandʼs David Murdoch scored a huge win over Canada on Thurday.

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Friday, April 10, 2009 2

CCA announces sites

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The Canadian Curling Association announced three sites Thursday for 2011 national curling championships.

The 2011 M and M Juniors will be played in Calgary. Next year, the event goes to Sorel-Tracy, Quebec.

Venue for the 2011 Canadian mixed will be Morris, Man. Next year, the mixed goes to Burlington, Ont. National seniors action for 2011 will be played in Digby, N.S. Meanwhile, the World Curling Federation announced that the 2010 World Mixed Doubles and Seniors championships will be staged in Chelyabinsk, Russia, 2,000 kms east of Moscow.

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Friday, April 10, 2009 3

Once more, with feeling Scots, Canada to go at it again in playoff

By LARRY WOOD Eye Opener Editor

T

en games later, it came down to this.

The 6-5 duke in probably the best curling match of the Ford Worlds round robin went to Scotland’s David Murdoch in an extra end over Canada’s Kevin Martin without the Scots requiring the use of the hammer.

It was the last round of the preliminary scuffling Thursday night in front of 4,639 at the Coliseum and it exploded any myth that the Canadians were unbeatable.

Indeed, their quest for an unprecedented Brier-Worlds parlay went down the tubes, too.

Of lesser import, the result of the match turned out to be of no consequence because the same two teams will collide tonight in a rematch — the Page One-Two playoff — and the Canadians will have the hammer based on their firstplace 10-1 record.

Scotland finished 8-and-3.

“We know we’re going to have to play extremely well again because those guys are a really tough team, they’re really hard to play against,” said Murdoch, who probably won the tilt with an exhilarating thin double-kill in the eighth end which pulled the Scots from behind with a triple and into a 5-3 lead.

“We could easily have taken one and SEE tried to force nine and win it in 10,” said SCORES, the Scot, “but not many teams get three from Kevin Martin. We wanted to put Page 13 them on the back foot and that’s a first for them for a long time.

“It’s a huge boost playing in front of a full stadium.

There’s no greater thrill than playing against these guys and in Canada. That’s what gives you a buzz and makes me want to keep curling.”

Martin’s reaction: “We couldn’t afford to go back tee on my last shot. If we’re teeline or six inches in front there is no double because it’s a jam. So that was a hair heavy and he made a great thin double.

“We came back pretty strong. It was just the three-ender was the big one, I think. They earned it. They played good.”

Beyond the One-Two playoff, teams of John Shuster of the U.S., Andy Kapp of Germany, Ralph Stoeckli of Switzerland and Thomas Ulsrud of Norway qualified for tiebreakers today at 3 p.m. Shuster plays Ulsrud and Kapp plays Stoeckli. The winners will advance to Saturday’s Page Three-Four fracas at 10 a.m.

The drift of proceedings had a distinct flavour of yesteryear. Martin and Murdoch played in the Page One-Two at Grand Forks, N.D., Murdoch won, but lost the championship final.

Martin was asked if it was possible for Murdoch to win tonight and again Sunday.

Skip Ralph Stoeckli (back) punches the air to signal victory over China on Thursday at the Ford Worlds. The win assured the Swiss crew a tiebreaker game today against Germanyʼs Andy Kapp.

PLEASE SEE WORLDS P11

Friday, April 10, 2009 4

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6 Friday, April 10 2009

The Wood file

EDITOR Larry Wood ASSOCIATE EDITOR Dave Komosky INFO-CURL QUOTIDIEN: Normand Leger PHOTOGRAPHER Mike Burns Jr. PUBLISHED BY: The Times&Transcript

Kevin Martin (back) credits Kenny Perry (inset) as an inspiration for getting into better shape.

Canadian champs taking game to whole new level of excellence

“

They’re up here,” said Thomas Ulsrud, raising his arm to shoulder length.

“And the rest of us are down here,” he added, indicated waist level.

“All of the other teams keep beating each other. And the way Canada is playing this week? Yes, they are intimidating.

“The way Kevin Martin played against us, he just crushed us.

We put on a really bad show. It was over after the first end. It’s the best I’ve ever seen him play.

“It seems like he has a couple of points before he ever steps on the ice. These guys are so good together.”

There hasn’t been a curler in Canada mentioned in quite that fashion since big Ernie Richardson used to step on the ice, grab an opponent’s hand and watch him wither before he stepped into the hack for his first shot of the game against the Saskatchewan clan.

Everybody used to say it where the Richardsons were concerned. They had that dominating physical presence, powerful corn-broom sweeping and a comportment that seemed to afford them a pregame edge of at least two points.

But this is a different era and, as Ulrik Schmidt was suggesting the other day, an Olympic era that calls for more training, more physical fitness, practically an entirely different kettle of

LARRY WOOD

East Coast fish.

Kevin Martin is an example of a guy who has changed with the times. At 42, and a curler since the early Eighties, Martin has witnessed more than a few alterations in the game.

“I definitely train harder now than I did five or six years ago,” says the guy they call The Old Bear.

“You can feel getting older. But you get smarter as you get older, too. The body’s not as good. And you need a lot more cardio, a lot more balance training, a lot more work on co-ordination, a lot more time, to offset that. It’s harder. But you see the dividends.”

Martin discovered an inspiration watching golf on television.

“Kenny Perry, he’s the guy,” says the Edmonton skip who’s demolishing every curling opponent in sight — in Canada and elsewhere.

“He’s the reason I’m doing this. When he was younger he

was a good golfer but not a really good golfer. He got good when he got smart. He trained so hard. You saw him when he started to win . . . he looked like a 25-year-old. And he was 42!

It was amazing. And I couldn’t believe that.

“He’s in seniors now but for me he was my inspiration. A guy who trained hard at an older age and he did good.

“So I picked up my training in the summer and I love it. I just love it.”

The results have been on display at the Coliseum for all to see. Not only because of Martin. But his four-man batting order, each member of which checks into the training room on a regular basis.

“We do a lot of work in the off-season,” says John Morris, a part-time Calgary-area firefighter. “It’s definitely made a difference for us over the last couple of years.

PLEASE SEE WOOD P15

Friday, April 10, 2009 7

60

Friday, April 10, 2009 9

Profile: Norway HOME CLUB: SNAROEN CURLING CLUB (OSLO)

FACTS

Thomas Ulsrud SKIP

Born: Os lo.

Age: 37 Residenc e: Family: W Oslo. ife, Elin Grodal, s on Employm Jesper (7). ent: Tanning S Owner, alo First majo ns, Oslo. rs 1988 Nor uccess: we junior ch gian ampion.

Won: Br onz 1988 Wo e in rld Juniors, 200 2008 Wo 6 and rlds, 2002 Eur os, ver in 20 sil07 and 2008 Eur os.

Torger Nergard THIRD Born: Trondheim.

Age: 34.

Residence: Oslo.

Family: Partner, Marianne Rorvik.

Employment: Project engineer, Cronus Engineering AS. Years curling: 28.

First major success: 2000 Norwegian junior champion.

Won: Silver medals at 2007 and 2008 Euros, bronze at 2008 Worlds.

THE COUNTRY Population: 4,805,437 Area: 385,252 km sq Location: Occupies the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The majority shares a border to the east with Sweden; its northernmost region is bordered by Finland to the south and Russia to the east.

The United Kingdom and the Faroe Islands lie to its west across the North Sea, and Denmark lies south of its southern tip.

Status: Norway was ranked highest of all countries in human development from 2001 to 2006, and shares first place with Iceland from 2007 to 2008. It was also rated the most peaceful country in the world in a 2007 survey by Global Peace Index. It is a founding member of NATO and member of the EEA. Since World War II, it has experienced rapid economic growth, and is now among the wealthiest countries in the world.

Motto: “Everything for Norway.”

Capital City: Oslo Principal Products and Industries: Norway is the world’s fourth largest oil exporter

Chistoffer Svae SECOND Born: Oslo.

Age: 27.

Residence: Oslo.

Family: Girlfriend Tuva Dyrnes.

Employment: Instructor, manager, Snaroen Curling Club, Oslo.

Years curling: 16.

First major success: 2000 Norwegian junior champion.

Won: Silver medals at 2007 and 2008 Euros. Bronze at 2008 Worlds.

and the petroleum industry accounts for around a quarter of GDP. It also has rich resources of gas fields, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals. It is the second largest exporter of seafood (in value, after China) in 2006.

NORWAY AT THE WORLDS 2008 — Thomas Ulsrud, Oslo (9-5) 2007 — Thomas Ulsrud, Oslo (4-7) 2006 — Thomas Ulsrud, Oslo (8-5) 2005 — Pal Trulsen, Oslo (9-4) 2004 — Pal Trulsen, Oslo (7-4) Last championship — 1988, Eigil Ramsfjell, Oslo.

DID YOU KNOW n Norway’s first global curling appearance was in the 1964 Scotch Cup world men’s curling championship at Calgary, Canada.

Havard Vad Petersson LEAD Born: Oslo.

Age: 25 Residence: Oslo Family: Fiancee Kirsten Olstad.

Employment: Supervisor, Smoothie Xchange.

Years curling: 12.

First major success: 2003 Norwegian junior champion.

Won: Silver medals at 2007 and 2008 Euros. Bronze at 2008 Worlds.

Friday, April 10, 2009 8

Profile: Canada SAVILLE SPORTS CENTRE (EDMONTON)

FACTS

Kevin Martin SKIP

Born: Kil la Age: 42 m, Alta.

Residen ce Family: W : Edmonton if son Karr e Shauna, ick (19), daughte rs (16), Myk Kalycia a Employm ela (7). ent: Kevin’s R o Racquets cks ‘n’ .

Won: 19 91 Brier, 1997 Brie r, Canadia 2001 n Olympic tr 2002 Oly ials, mpic silver, 2008 B 2008 For rier, d Worlds, 2009 Brier.

John Morris THIRD Born: Winnipeg Age: 30 Residence: Calgary Family: Single.

Employment: Firefighters, Chestermere Fire and Rescue.

Years curling: 25.

Won: 1998 Canadian Junior, 1998 World Junior, 1999 Canadian Junior, 1999 World Junior, 2008 Brier, 2008 Ford Worlds, 2009 Brier.

THE COUNTRY Population: 33,609,400 Area: 9,984,670 km sq Location: Occupies most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean. It is the world’s second largest country by total area and shares land borders with the United States to the south and northwest.

Status: Canada is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state.

Technologically advanced and industrialized, Canada maintains a diversified economy that is heavily reliant upon its abundant natural resources and upon trade. It is a member of the G8, NATO, APEC, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Francophonie and the United Nations.

Motto: “From sea to sea.”

Capital City: Ottawa Principal Products and Industries: Canada is one of the world’s wealthiest nations and one of the world’s top 10 trading nations. In the past century, the growth of

Marc Kennedy SECOND Born: St. Albert, Alta.

Age: 27.

Residence: Edmonton Family: Fiancee Nicole, daughter Aubray Kennedy (10 mos.)

Employment: Owner, M and M Meat Shops franchise, Edmonton.

Won: 2008 Brier, 2008 Ford Worlds, 2009 Brier.

the manufacturing, mining and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. It also is one of the world’s most important suppliers of agricultural products and is the world’s largest producer of zinc and uranium.

CANADA AT THE WORLDS 2008 — Kevin Martin, Edmonton (12-2) 2007 — Glenn Howard, Coldwater (12-1) 2006 — Jean-Michel Menard, Ste-Foy (9-4) 2005 — Randy Ferbey, Edmonton (12-3) 2004 — Mark Dacey, Halifax (10-1).

Last championship: Kevin Martin won in 2008.

DID YOU KNOW n The Canadian men’s championship, the Brier, was first staged at Toronto in 1927.

Ben Hebert LEAD Born: Regina, Sask.

Age: 26 Residence: Calgary Family: Single.

Employment: Sales and marketing, Fugro SESL Geomatics.

Years curling: 21.

First major success: 2002 Saskatchewan junior championship.

Won: 2008 Brier, 2008 Ford Worlds, 2009 Brier.

10 Friday, April 10, 2009

Par Normand Léger

Info-curl quotidien

Le curling toujours en développement en Suisse

Ralph Stoeckli qui donne des instructions lors dʼune partie hier.

L’équipe de la Suisse connaît des résultats mixtes cette semaine au Championnat mondial de curling masculin Ford et selon le skip Ralph Stoeckli, la formation a pu profiter des commentaires de l’un des meilleurs joueurs au monde, Russ Howard, de Moncton qui pilote l’équipe pour ce championnat. « Russ et Markus (Eggler) sont des amis et quand nous avons appris que nous venions à Moncton, Markus a communiqué avec Howard pour lui proposer une association. Il nous a donné de bons conseils cette semaine. » La Suisse a un dossier de 4-4 après huit rencontres et Stoeckli se dit satisfait de la performance de son équipe suivant la deux dernières journées. Les joueurs de la formation viennent de plusieurs villes différentes du pays qui a cependant très peu d’adeptes de ce sport. Alors que les joueurs ont bien de l’expérience, leur compétition n’est pas toujours de taille dans leur pays. « Il y a environ 16 équipes qui se font la compétition en Suisse, a ajouté Stoeckli. Il y en a huit qui pourraient remporter le championnat du pays. Il y a très peu de joueurs et nous nous connaissons tous. C’est comme cela que nous avons formé notre équipe, j’ai voulu réunir les meilleurs joueurs

possibles. » Stoeckli pratique ce sport depuis une vingtaine d’années et il suit une tradition débutée par son grand-père et suivie par son père. Âgé de 32 ans, il habite Bâle et travail en éducation. C’est sa quatrième participation aux championnats du monde (2003, 2006, 2007) et a participé aux Jeux olympiques en Italie en 2006. Il avait également représenté la Suisse lors de cinq championnats juniors mondiaux. « Étant un enseignant en éducation physique, j’aime bien la camaraderie du monde du curling.

J’aime bien voyager et rencontrer toute sorte de gens. Nous jouons souvent les mêmes équipes et nous avons la chance de se rencontrer lors des grands tournois. J’ai rencontré Morris (John de l’équipe du Canada) comme junior et je joue encore contre lui ici. » L’objectif de l’équipe de la Suisse est de participer à la ronde des médailles cette semaine. « La situation est toujours différente lors des éliminatoires, n’importe quoi peut se produire. Je suis bien content de notre performance lors des derniers matches, ce qui augure bien pour les éliminatoires. »

Un ancien journaliste Halifax sera l’hôte du Brier 2010 heureux à Moncton L’ancien journaliste Jim Heseltine de Saint-Thomas, Ontario, est présent à Moncton cette semaine pour le 50e Championnat mondial de curling masculin Ford. Heseltine a été le premier journaliste à couvrir le 2e championnat mondial tenu en Écosse en 1960. Il a travaillé pendant 32 ans comme journaliste sportif et il connaît bien le monde du curling. Il était bon ami avec les membres du club Richardson qui a remporté le premier championnat mondial. Il était heureux de rencontrer les quatre membres de cette HESELTINE équipe lors de leur séjour ici en fin de semaine dernière. Jim et son épouse ont passé la semaine au Colisée. Maintenant âgé de 78 ans, Heseltine a beaucoup apprécié l’accueil à Moncton et ne regrette pas son voyage dans l’est.

La Ville de Halifax sera le site du Brier Tim Hortons du 6 au 14 mars 2010 et les organisateurs s’attendent d’attirer bien des spectateurs et amateurs alors que la présentation de 2003 avait établi de nouveaux records d’assistance.

Linda Peers est l’une des personnes au kiosque du Brier Tim Hortons 2010 au Colisée de cette semaine et elle promet toute une activité l’an prochain.

La compétition de la suprématie du curling masculin au Canada mettra aux prises les meilleures équipes des provinces et une d’un territoire afin de qualifier pour le championnat mondial qui se tiendra à Cortina, en Italie, du 3 au 11 avril. « Le comité organisateur est à la recherche de 900 bénévoles pour le Brier à Halifax, a dit Linda

Peers. Les gens peuvent s’inscrire par Internet et choisir leur champ d’intérêt. Nous savons que les gens aiment bien l’hospitalité des Maritimes et ceux qui se rendront à Halifax sauront prendre avantage de la compétition tout en profitons de la camaraderie qui se développe à chaque présentation du Brier. » Le premier Brier a été présenté en 1927 et plusieurs adeptes du sport en font une tradition annuelle de s’y rendre pour rencontrer de vieux amis tout en bénéficions de la compétition serrée présentée à chaque année. Le Rendez-vous Keith’s Patch sera ouvert pour le divertissement quotidien.

C’est la sixième présentation du Brier à Halifax, les autres ayant été présentés en 1951, 1966, 1981, 1995 et 2003.

Peers au kiosque du Brier 2010 au Colisée.

Friday, April 10, 2009 10

Worlds

and win the gold medal. You don’t win medals in this tournament before Sunday.�

Murdoch was aware before the finish he’d be in the One-Two playoff, win or lose. “But when you have a chance to beat Canada you put that away and concentrate on what you’re doing,� he said.

The Yanks, Germans and Swiss all persevered for big wins on the night draw to survive with 7-and-4 records.

Shuster stole five points in the last two ends to defeat France 9-6. The French team experienced “internal problems� on the day and skip Thomas Dufour missed the last two games. “I think we may have won another one we didn’t deserve,� said Shuster, who earlier surmised: “I guess we made as many mistakes as we could have . . . but I’ve been giving away too many charity deuces. I’m not as sharp as I’ve been earlier in the season.�

Germany’s Kapp defeated Yusuke Morozumi of Japan 5-3 and Stoeckli went to the last end before dispensing with China’s Fengchun Wang 5-4.

Losses for any of the three would cranked open the exit door.

Ulsrud finished 7-4 earlier, defeating Japan 11-7 but losing to Germany 9-3, after riding a second-place entry most of the way. “Would I be happy to be second?� he repeated the question. “I hate to say so but I’d like to be in the final and give him (Martin) another shot. But finishing second wouldn’t be the end of the world for me.�

Stoeckli’s win was his fifth straight.

Earlier, Canada and Scotland knocked Denmark’s Ulrik Schmidt from the equation with respective 10-4 and 10-3 hammer jobs.

The Czechs upended France 6-2 and China stopped Kalle Kiiskinen’s outclassed Finns 9-7 in the morning. The Swiss clouted Finland 8-3 and the Yanks squeaked past the Czechs 7-6 in the afternoon.

Denmark finished 5-6, China and France 4-7, Japan and the Czechs 3-8 and the Finns 1-10.

From Page 3

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“All I can try to do is stop that,� he said. “If he does he does, but we’ll try our best not to let that happen. “Our goal was a 10-1 or 9-2 record and both were good to get the hammer in the One-Two. Now, if we can come out and win two games with hammer, it’s all we need.�

Murdoch hit for one with Martin sitting four counters in the first end of the roundrobin closer, Martin hit his own and rolled to the button for the tying points in the second then locked Murdoch on the button for one in the third. But facing four in the fourth, the Canadian skip tossed his last rock through a narrow port and tapped shot rock off the four-foot, again to square the account.

After a blank fifth, Murdoch played a runback double but his shooter slipped too far and Martin stole the go-ahead digit. After another blank, Murdoch executed his double for three, then allowed Martin back in it with steals on the ninth and 10th ends. In the 11th, Martin was short on a last-rock raise. “I think we missed almost every freeze tonight,� he said. “Either short-and-crash or bounce off. Those rocks are tough. They’re the same ones Norway had against us and poor Thomas (Ulsrud) couldn’t make a shot with them.�

Murdoch, whose losses in this tournament were to Switzerland, China and the Czechs, said the Page One-Two “is not a matter of you-must-win, it’s just a great opportunity to get to the final first’. “We got our rocks in some really good positions tonight and when we needed it, we bailed out. So I think we got it spot on. We have a huge self-belief in the team and that goes a long way. “But there’s a lot of big games still to come. Nobody will remember a round-robin game but hopefully we can carry that through

Page 1-2 /3-4 Games

1

Semi-final

Final

Canada 7:30 p.m.

Today

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Scotland

2

7:30 p.m.

Sunday

Loser of 1-2 game

3

U.S. or Norway 10 a.m.

Saturday

4

Swiss or Germany

4 p.m.

Saturday

Bronze-medal game Sunday, 1 p.m.

Friday, April 10, 2009 12

Draw to the Button Competition Participating curling clubs in the Maritimes have held competitions to determine their representative at the “Draw to the Button Competition. Qualifying round on Friday, April 10th at 1 p.m. at Curling Beausejour Inc. The finalists will compete during the fifth-end break at Friday night’s 7:30 p.m. playoff game.

Autograph Session – Proudly sponsored

by Hansen Signs Former world champions and the 12 participating teams will be available for autographs in The Patch each day until Thursday, April 9. On Saturday, April 11th, 10 of the 12 teams will be on hand. Bring your cameras for a lasting memento.

Schedule: Saturday, April 11 — 2-3 p.m. All participating teams except the semi finalists Pin Trading and Map of the World Pin Draw – Proudly sponsored by Lounsbury Group Visit the Pin Trader booths in the Patch.

Show us where you’re from! Find the

world map located in the Keith’s Patch and stick a pin on your home town, get an entry from the Information Booth, and enter the draw to win a wonderful prize. The draw will be made during the page playoff game (draw 18) on Friday evening, April 10.

Up Close and Personal – Proudly sponsored by InColor, Aliant and Coca-Cola Come and meet teams, media and international personalities in the relaxed setting of the Keith’s Patch. Participate in live, informative interview with former world champions, Team Canada, TSN media and other special guests. Asking questions of these guests involves audience participation, so join us for what promises to be an informative and fun event.

Today, 6-7 p.m. — TSN commentators KEITH’S PATCH The Keith’s Patch is open to the public, but a ticket or a Patch promotional ticket (green) is required.

Curling tickets can be purchased from the Coliseum box office up until closing time at 9 p.m.

s C o m e S e e O u r R o csk! and Sandy Beache

so rt & Mo de l Su ite Da ily Sh ut tle to Vi si t Re n Co lis eu m 19 Mi nu te s fr om Mo nc to

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Actual sunset on our beach!

• 17 Minutes from Moncton International Airport • 2 kms of Sandy Beaches • 24 Acres of Natural Landscape • Roof Top Patio with Jacuzzi’s • Courtyard with Gazebos & Picnic areas • Indoor and outdoor pools • Tennis Court • Fitness area • Maid, Laundry & Concierge Service • Boutique & Spa • Large Private Balconies

Visit our booth on the Canteen level for more information • 532-0025

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Friday, April 10, 2009 13

STANDINGS Canada (Martin) Scotland (Murdoch) *USA (Shuster) *Germany (Kapp) *SUI (Stoeckli) *Norway (Ulsrud) Denmark (Schmidt) France (Dufour) China (Wang) Japan (Morozumi) Czech Rep. (Snitil) Finland (Kiiskinen)

W L 10 1 8 3 7 4 7 4 7 4 7 4 5 6 4 7 4 7 3 8 3 8 1 10

DRAW SCHEDULE TODAY

TIEBREAKERS 3 p.m.

U.S.A. (Shuster) vs.

Norway (Ulsrud) Germany (Kapp) vs.

Switzerland (Stoeckli) (Winners advance to 3/4 playoff game)

* — Tiebreakers

LINESCORES THURSDAY DRAW 15 10 a.m.

Denmark (Schmidt) Canada (Martin) S P DEN 72 232

002 010 010 x — 4 410 102 002 x — 10 % S P % 81 CAN 72 266 92

Finland (Kiiskinen) 100 102 020 1 — 7 China (Wang) 011 020 401 0 — 9 S P % S P % FIN 79 236 75 CHN 78 263 84 Norway (Ulsrud) 010 020 231 2 — 11 Japan (Morozumi) 104 101 000 0 — 7 S P % S P % NOR 80 269 84 JPN 80 262 82 Czech Rep. (Snitil) 010 210 101 x — 6 France (Dufour) 001 001 000 x — 2 S P % S P % CZE 75 228 76 FRA 76 216 71

Germany (Kapp) 100 002 002 4 — 9 Norway (Ulsrud) 000 020 010 0 — 3 S P % S P % GER 79 277 88 NOR 80 273 85

DRAW 17 7:30 p.m.

France (Dufour) USA (Shuster) S

DRAW 16 3 p.m.

SUI (Stoeckli) 212 030 xxx x — 8 Finland (Kiiskinen) 000 102 xxx x — 3 S P % S P % SUI 48 156 81 FIN 48 135 70 Scotland (Murdoch) 210 403 xxx x — Denmark (Schmidt) 002 010 xxx x — S P % S P

SCO 47 169 90 DEN 48 147 77 USA (Shuster) 111 010 030 0 — 7 Czech Rep. (Snitil) 000 200 102 1 — 6 S P % S P % USA 80 275 86 CZE 80 257 80

10 3 %

Chinese skip Fengchun Wang urges on his brushers Thursday.

FRA 80 230 72 USA 80 240 75 Japan (Morozumi) 101 010 000 0 — 3 Germany (Kapp) 020 100 010 1 — 5 S P % S P % JPN 79 262 83 GER 79 251 79 China (Wang) SUI (Stoeckli) CHN

200 030 100 0 — 010 101 011 4 — P % S P

6 9 %

001 010 020 0 — 4 100 101 100 1 — 5 S P % S P % 80 270 84 SUI 80 267 83

Canada (Martin) 010 101 001 10 — Scotland (Murdoch) 101 000 030 01 — S P % S P

5 6 %

SHOOTING PERCENTAGES (CUMULATIVE) Skip Third Second Lead TEAM

CAN

SCO

FIN

CZE

SUI

NOR

JPN

87 87 90 88 88

79 88 85 81 83

65 73 74 83 74

72 70 77 80 75

78 73 78 84 78

78 81 82 88 81

71 80 79 86 79

GER CHN 78 78 80 88 81

78 79 82 85 79

FRA

DEN

USA

69 77 76 81 75

78 76 83 80 79

72 77 79 83 78

PAGE 1/2 PLAYOFF 7:30 p.m.

Canada (Martin) vs.

Scotland (Murdoch) (Winner advances to final, loser to semi-final) SATURDAY 10 a.m.

PAGE 3/4 PLAYOFF (Winner advances to semi-final, loser to bronze-medal game) SEMI-FINAL 4 p.m.

(Winner advances to final, loser to bronze-medal game) SUNDAY BRONZE MEDAL 1 p.m.

FINAL 7:30 p.m.

Friday, April 10, 2009 14

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Friday, April 10, 2009 15

Wood From Page 6 “We work up our cardio-endurance. That’s for longer events. It’s vital for us to be as fresh on Day Nine of an event as on Day One. We also do interval training — replicate sweeping. And strength-building. Mostly leg muscles, but some upper-body stuff, too. It’s also strength maintenance, from stuff built up over the season. “It’s refreshing to get a break from the ice for four months in summer. And I really enjoy working out then. There are so many benefits from training. Curling-related and not. You can feel it in increased energy levels and an increased sense of well-being. And I’m lucky enough to have an occupation where I can work out at the office. I can train at the gym at work and kill two birds with one stone.�

Something else about Martin. He’s much more diplomatic than he once was.

The other day, Scotland’s David Murdoch suggested this Worlds field was stronger than that of last month’s Brier in Calgary where Martin racked up 13 straight wins. The reaction of the Brier winner? “I don’t think I really should say anything,� he mused. “I don’t think any of the European or Asian teams have played in the Brier. We’ve played in both the Brier and the Worlds and I don’t

think it’s a level playing field in terms of comment. “Obviously, Canada has a pretty good record as far as world curling goes so we know the Brier is a tough event. There are five or six teams at the Brier that could win any event on the planet.�

And another thing. Martin appears much more in tune with team dynamics on the freeze. “We can’t worry about other teams, or other scenarios, or other years, or other things, we just have to be there in the moment and play our game,� he says of his current modus operandi.

Is there any pressure, wearing a Red Maple Leaf at the Worlds? “I might have thought about that years ago, representing my country� he says. “But not any more. “I think you should always feel a little pressure, though. Otherwise it wouldn’t be much fun. That’s what it’s all about. You want the pressure, you want the big games, you want the highs and lows. That’s what sports is all about. “We’re here at the Worlds, you do what you can, win as many as you can, whether it winds up short or not I don’t think that matters a great deal. We have a game coming up, I don’t really worry about the last game, win or lose. I always look forward. “I don’t take anything for granted any more. I think that comes with age, too. After you lose games that you shouldn’t over the years — and we still will and we still do — you learn. If you go in expecting to win and the other guy makes

�You want the pressure, you want the big games, you want the highs and lows. That’s what sports is all about.� — Canadian skip Kevin Martin on the pressure of wearing the Maple Leaf a couple of big shots and you’re down 3-0 or something, now you’re putting a lot of pressure on yourself. You have to stay focused and accept the fact that, in a game you thought you’d win easily, tied-up-with-hammer-coming-home is just fine.�

A hefty turning point in Martin’s career arrived at Berne, Switzerland, during the semifinal of the 1997 Worlds. Peja Lindholm turned the game around in the seventh end with a letterperfect freeze. “That may have changed a few things,� admits Martin. “That was a heckuva freeze. He made it perfect and he shot 105 per cent for the rest of the

game. And it pole-vaulted their team to winning that year, no question. For us, it was a shot in the chin, for sure. In 1991 (first Worlds) we really didn’t know anything. But in ’97 I thought we’d win . . . and what do you do? What a freeze! Nice shot! So you play what you can and if you end up winning, great. But when somebody makes one like that against you and you can’t get it out, we’ll that’s it. No discussion.�

World championships and Olympic gold medals have been high on Martin’s list of targets ever since. So the current express train will stay on the rails through December’s Olympic trials and, perhaps, beyond.

But then what? “I think about calling it quits,� Martin admits. “I think about it mainly because I miss so much of my daughter’s baseball, my son’s hockey — they get into high competitive stuff themselves and I hate to miss it. I love to catch their stuff. “So that’s the thing for me. It isn’t so much whether I can play or not. I can play still. And I love the training. So I can do that for awhile.

But, jeez, I hate missing the kids’ stuff. So my decision will have to do more with my kids than with me. “After 2010, we’ll sit down with our sponsors — we’ve had the same sponsors for so many years now. We just have to get everybody in one room and talk about what we’re going to do “The decision will be made by the team, my family, (coach) Jules (Owchar), our sponsors. “Everybody will be involved.�

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Oekh mWo je j^[ (&'& J_c >ehjedÊi 8h_[h HURRY to the Lotto 6/49 booth for your chance to win a trip for 2 to the 2010 Tim Horton’s Brier in Halifax, NS. All proceeds raised will go to support the Sandra Schmirler Foundation funding projects at neonatal units in hospitals across Canada. *See booth representatives for complete contest rules and regulations.

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