The Eye Opener - Day 9 Edition

Page 1

Daily

Eye Opener Info -Curl

Quotidien

Issue 9 - Sunday, April 12, 2009 / Édition 9 - Dimanche 12 avril 2009

TONIGHT 7:30 p.m. CANADA Kevin Martin

SCOTLAND David Murdoch

April 4-12 avril, 2009

Sunday, April 12, 2009 2

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Relax, WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED

Your Time, Your Wine

Détendez-vous, IL Y EN A POUR TOUS LES GOÛTS

Votre plaisir. Votre vin.

SM8588

Sunday, April 12, 2009 3

Martin-Murdoch: Round 3

Battle of old foes again closes Worlds By LARRY WOOD

Canadaʼs Kevin Martin acknowledges the crowd after a semi-final victory over Switzerlandʼs Ralph Stoeckli Saturday in the Ford Worlds at the Coliseum.

Eye Opener Editor

F

unny how history repeats itself. At least, to a point. Defending Ford Worlds champion Kevin Martin earned his way back to tonight’s championship final at the Coliseum by outclassing Ralph Stoeckli of Switzerland 6-5 in the Saturday afternoon semi-final. The result appeared close but game really wasn’t. The Swiss posted four points in the last three ends. A year ago, Martin defeated Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud in the semi in order to get another crack at Scotland’s David Murdoch in the final. This time, Stoeckli stepped up to the plate after edging Ulsrud 5-4 in a Page ThreeFour playoff game on Saturday morning. Murdoch, of course, relegated Martin to the semi on Friday night with a second straight win over the Canadian in the Page-One-Two playoff tilt. Martin turned it around against Murdoch in last year’s final but this time is 0-for-2 against the Scots. “I like Murdoch,” said the Swiss skip of tonight’s 7:30 result. “He beat Martin twice and he knows how to beat him. And if Martin plays the same style I think Murdoch has a real good chance.” “He plays really tough in big championship games.” Martin opened Saturday with a conservative style of play he hadn’t unveiled in recent games. “We got that steal in the second and it was big and we just kept it simple until we got the big three in six,” he said. “If we play like that we should do OK in the final. I expect we’ll play the same way. No sense changing anything. Just try to cut down our own mistakes. “You can’t win this unless you get to Sunday night. So here we are. We’ve done what we can and we’re there.”

Martin led 6-1 after seven ends with a couple of steals tossed in. “It’s not about the score, it’s about winning or losing,” said Stoeckli. “I don’t really care if I lose 10-zip or 6-5. A loss is a loss, period. When you get older, you don’t care about scores, just results. ‘‘I didn’t think he (Martin) felt too comfortable at the beginning. It took him five ends and then suddenly he turned on the heater. They were all over us in the sixth. They probably made eight perfect shots and we probably made five. “We knew we needed to have four guys out there playing amazing curling and we didn’t have four guys playing amazing curling and that’s not enough to beat Canada.” Stoeckli earlier survived a skin-tight 5-4 extra-ender with Ulsrud. The Swiss skip drew a corner of the four-foot with the last of the 11th to win it after both skips had missed key shots to the close the deal in the preceding pair of ends. The same combatants were scheduled to play for the bronze medal today at 1 p.m. “It was a tough loss,” said the Norwegian skip. “We just have to regroup. For us, it’s a big deal with the bronze, anyway. It’s a big difference between fourth place and bronze so that’s a good thing about coming from Norway. People don’t expect you to take gold, they’re just happy if you take a medal. We just have to re-set our goals now.” The teams exchanged singles throughout. There were no steals, nine singles and two blanks. “I wasn’t too worry about that rock,” said Stoeckli of his last shot. “I was just hoping for a good spot to draw and there was a good spot.” The Swiss winning streak ended at seven games with the loss to Martin.

Scots ‘on a high’ By LARRY WOOD Eye Opener Editor ‘A day off in advance of the Ford Worlds men’s championship final didn’t prove to be a successful formula for David Murdoch a year ago. And here he was again on Saturday at the Coliseum, in sneakers and preparing to watch Kevin Martin and his Canadians battling in a semi-final with hopes of earning yet a third and most vital crack at the Scots tonight at 7:30. “I’m darn sure I prefer this to curling today anyway,” said Murdoch when the gab got around the advantages

and disadvantages in curling playoffs. “I’m delighted to be in the final so I can’t look at this as a disadvantage. “We’re on a high. And the fact that we’ve beaten Canada twice puts us on an extreme high. So, for sure, there’s no disadvantage (being a semi-final spectator).” Tonight’s title scuffle will be Murdoch’s fourth in planetary play. He lost to Randy Ferbey in Victora (2005), defeated Jean-Michel Menard at Lowell, Mass., (2006) and lost to Martin last year in Grand Fork, N.D.

PLEASE SEE MURDOCH P15

Sunday, April 12 2009 4

You call the shots.

C’est vous qui décidez.

Be…in this place.

Être…ici on le peut.

In New Brunswick you can

Au Nouveau-Brunswick, vous

balance a unique lifestyle with

pouvez équilibrer un style de

a great career—it’s that easy.

vie unique et une belle carrière;

Discover festivals, events,

c’est facile comme bonjour.

culture, you name it…it’s

Découvrez des festivals,

your call.

des activités, des cultures…

Atlanta Lottery and Lotto 649 combined forces this week to raise $3,000 for the Sandra Schmirler Foundation. The Foundation was established to care for babies in crisis through donations to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) facilities across Canada. Francine Poisson (centre), president of the Sandra Schmirler Foundation, accepted the cheque Saturday from Atlanta Lotteryʼs Nicole LeBlanc-Cormier (left) and Cathy Dallaire.

TODAY IN THE KEITH’S PATCH MONCTON WORLD MEGA JAM MONDIAL Featuring 10 local bands, including Theresa Malanfant, Larry Maillet and Norm Gallant (Before and after the gold-medal game)

vous avez l’embarras du choix.

www.gnb.ca SM8483

Sunday, April 12, 2009 5

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Sunday, April 12, 2009 6

Italy, 2010

Cortina dʼAmpezzo world championship organizers (from left): Nicola De Santis, Eleanora Alvera and committee chairman Massimo Antonelli.

By LARRY WOOD Eye Opener Editor

T

here was a time, in days of yore, when the World Men’s Curling Championship was parachuted in to some of Europe’s more exotic winter resorts. Megeve, France, hosted the event in 1971. Then it was Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Worlds site every 10 years from 1972 through 1992. In ’94, the globe’s best curlers gathered in Bavaria’s Oberstdorf. All were quaint Alpine locations. Now, close to 16 years later, those good times will return next year when the Men’s Worlds is staged in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, which is the centrepiece of one of the world’s premier winter sports and spectacular mountain areas — the Dolomites. Verily, folks, Cortina is just dead solid gorgeous, that’s all. It was the site of the 1956 Winter Olympic Games. It is a Banff-like mountain town of 6,000 permanent residents that swells to 40,000 in two high seasons — winter (skiing) and summer (mountaineering, hiking, biking). It also has been the curling capital of Italy for eons, and then some. “We have played curling in Cortina for

100 years,” says 2010 Worlds organizing committee chairman Massimo Antonelli. “The game in Italy started as a pastime played by guests in two five-star hotels.” Antonelli is in Moncton promoting next year’s event along with Nicola De Santis, vice-president of the civic sports facilities company of Cortina, and Cortina Turismo communications officer Eleanora Alvera. De Santis heads up the premier facility, an historical wooden icehouse that was built for the Olympics and has since been featured in the James Bond movie, For Your Eyes Only. “It’s the old historical arena, the same one built for the Olympic Games, but it has been renovated,” says De Santis, who also overseas operation of the original ski jumping facility. “The arena is all wooden, and part of it was open but now it has a new glass wall where it used to be open and it has a terrific mountain view. And, it has a new roof. So it’s old . . . but it’s new.

The Stadio Olympico seats 5,500 but closer to 5,000 for curling and is adjacent to a two-sheet curling facility used by six local curling clubs. “We are ready to host 4,000-to-5,000 people,” says Antonelli. “We have more than 50 hotels and the Worlds starts on the Easter weekend, the first week in April. It’s like the start of the finish of the high season. So, for us, it’s a way to extend the tourist season.” Italy has hosted the Euros and the Universiade and the last Winter Olympics at Torino. “But we have more to offer than curling in Cortina,” says Antonelli. Indeed, this burg is a veritable tourist mecca. The city of Venice is 90 minutes to the south. The city of Verona, the home of Romeo and Juliet, is two hours away. “Visitors will be able to come and watch curling and, in addition, we will offer tourist packages to many other enticing attractions,” says Antonelli.

Among those are abundant and varied ski hills. “If you want to combine skiing and curling, we guarantee snow through mid-April,” says Antonelli. “But, this year, the skiing will not close until June. We have had more than seven metres of snow. It has been a big year.” Antonelli expects 200 volunteers will be solicited to help organize the event. “I know they have 500 volunteers here, but we won’t need so many,” he says. “We are smaller, and everything is within walking distance — the arena, the restaurants, the hotels, the tourist office. “Everybody in a town like ours works together. We are a tourist place, so all the aspects of tourism are covered. Our tourist office already is preparing for this.” It is rumoured the 2011 Men’s Worlds will be held in Ottawa. For 2012, bids have been tendered by Basel, Switzerland, and Karlstad, Sweden, site of the 1977 Silver Broom.

Sunday, April 12, 2009 7

60

8 Sunday, April 12, 2009

Adams, Carolyn Agnew, Eugene Albert, Sandy Allain, Denise Arbeau, Kristal Arsenault, Francis Arsenault, Jacques Arsenault, Heather Avery, Karla Baldwin, Janice Bancrof, Barbara Banham, Jean Barnes, Todd Barr, Hubie (Huberte) Barr, Gregory Bartlett, Cliff Barton, Pauline Bastarache, Terry Baxter, Jim Bayart, Kevin Beattie, Wayne A. Beaulieu, Susan Beaulieu, Rick Beekm, Terry Bellefleur-Jonah Lise Belliveau, Eric Benoit, Tony Berry, Kathy Berthelot, Sarah Bertsch, Lara Bisanti, Robert Black, Robert Boissonnault, Marthe Bordage, Paul Bossé, Leona Boudreau, Diane Boudreau, Jackie Boudreau, Andre Boudreault, Teena Bourgette, Ryck Bourque, Terry Bourque, Douglas Bourque, Denis Bourque, Bernie Brannen, Bob Brayshaw, Paul Breau, Barbara Brennan, Ellen Brennan, Rayanne Briggs, Doug Brine, Roberta Brinson, Anna Bryan, Denise Bryan, Clair Bryant, Neil Budd, Betty J Budd, Louise Bueno, Janice Bujold, Luc Burnett, Robbie Burry, Andrea Butts, Theresa Buzzell, Patti Campbell, Bill Campbell, Jane L Campbell, Mary Carpenter, Sally Carruthers, Lesley Carter, Jeff Chapman, Kathy Chavarie, Claude Chenard, Marcelle Chevarie, Donald Cheverie, Jon Christian, Shelley Clark, Shawn Clarke, Betty Collier, Colleen Colpitts, Phyllis Comeau, Cindy comeau ginette Comeau, Louis Rene Cormier, Therese Cormier, Danielle Cormier, Yvonne Cormier, Claudette Cormier, Ted Cormier, Viola Cormier, Renald Cote-Robichaud, Karen Couturier, Melanie Craig, Don

Sunday, April 12, 2009 9

Special thanks to all volunteers for your enthusiasm and dedication in making the 2009 Ford World men’s curling championship an event to remember! Craig, Sue Cranton, Frank Crawford, Shirley Crocker, Dawn Currie, Darlene Currier, Jim Curry, Barb Curry, Barbra A. Daigle, Louis Delehanty, Kerri Deloughery, Jeffrey Demers, Mariette Denyer, Marie DesRosiers, Joanne Donaher, Ken Donovan, Dorothy Donovan, Rose Doucet Syme, CarolAnn Douglas, Geoff Drischler, Nancy Duff, Dana Dunsmore, Brenda Dunsmore, Bruce Duplessis, William Duplessis, Lucy Durette, Fred Eaton, Darren Edmonds, Pat Edmonds, Cyril Edmonds, David Elliott, Pat Ellsworth, nancy Esson, Claire Esson, Joe Fancy, Giselle Fancy, Bill Finnigan, Gerry Fisher, Dawn Fisher, Ann Fisher, Ross Ford, Peter Forster, Bruce Forsythe, Mark Forsythe, Tim Forsythe, Jeff Forsythe, Laura Foster, Jeff Foster, Katrina Franey, Sandra Fraser, Stewart Fraser, Patricia Fullum, Perry Gallagher, Jackie Gallant, Eric Gathercole, Ron Gaudet, Ronald Gaudet, Josette Gaudet, Roland Gautreau, Len Gaynes, Joseph Geldart, Sharon Gibson, Lynn Giffin, Shawn Gillis, Jessica Gillis, Scott Godbout, Louis Goodwin, Richard Granville, Mike Graziani, Alfredo Graziani, Valerie Guptill, Sheila Hannay, Bruce Hanson, Al Hartlen, Roberta Hartley, Jim Haslett, Marlene Hayden, Cindy Hayden, Bob Hazlehurst, Jim Hebert, Janice Henderson, Brian

Henderson, Jim Hicks, Cecil Higgerty, Brian Hoeg, Robert (Bob) Holleran, Suzanne Holleran, Walter Hopkins, Gordon Hovey, Susanne Hoyt, Lisa Hunter, Carmen Hunter, Scott Janes, Robert Janes, Angela Jeffrey, Kim Jenkins, Lynn Johnson, Gail Johnson, Gord Johnson Meade, Susan Jonah, Allan Joncas, Ann Jones, Kelly Jones, Dorothy Justason, Carol Kamphorst, Lori Kelly, Peggy Kerry, June King, Anthony King, Natasha King, Paul J. King, Madaline L. Kurkowsky, Vicki Lagacy, Donna Lamkey, Gregory Landry, Gloria Landry, Maurice Langille, Karen Lansdale, David LaPlace, Joanne Laplante, Michel Larsen, John Lavoie, Gilles Lawson, Christine Leblanc, Yvette LeBlanc, Robert LeBlanc, Carla LeBlanc, Danny LeBlanc, Louane LeBlanc, Nick LeBlanc, Louise Lecocq, Marc Leger, Susie Legere, Loretta Legere, Janice Lewis, Barry Linden, William (Bill) Lirette, Roger Livingstone, John Long, Garry Lozinski, Blanche Lozinski, Tony Lutes, Norma Mabey, Hap MacAulay, Joanne MacDiarmid, Robert MacDiarmid, Ann MacDonald, Jennifer MacDonald, Donald MacEachern, Hutchings Denise MacInnis, Bob MacInnis, Joan MacIntyre, Don MacIntyre, Sharon MacKenzie, Rod MacLean, Catherine MacLean, Ian MacLeod, Dianne MacMillan, Phyllis MacPherson, Nancy MacQuarrie, Robert MacQuarrie, Edith I. MacTavish, Jared

Majeau, Michelle Majeau, Leo Mallais, Janis Mallais, Jeremy Manaigre, Daryl Manship, Leslie Marshall, Stephen Matheson, Victor Maxwell, Margie Maxwell, Jack Maxwell, Susan McCann, Nicole McCann, Jerry McConnell, Norval McGrath, Dave E McKinnon, Maura McMaster, Maureen McNeil, Anne McNeish, John McPhee, Robert (Rob) McSheffery, Ann Meade, Gary Meadows-Foreron Tradina Meehan, Frances Melanson, Dianne Meldrum, Wynn Melnyk, Lynne Mersereau, Doug Miller, Wendy Mills, Vicky Mlodecki, Janet Morrison, Lloyd Morton, Henry Munn, David Murley, Warren Murphy, Carole Murray, Wendy Narduzzi, Heather Nason, Roger Nealis, Scott Neilson, Christina Neumann, Dana Newhook, Steve Nickerson, Gail Nicol, Pamela Nowlan, Denise Nozzolillo, Domenic O'Connor, Stewart Odishaw, Elaine Odishaw, Grant O'Donnell, Edwin Ostaff, Natasha O'Toole, Ursula O'Toole, Ken Oulton, Nancy Oulton, Douglas Palmer, Aaron Penney, Jonathan Peters, Catherine E Petrie, Lynda Pettis, Jean Pheby, Gerry Pierce, Marie (Hubie) Piers, Peggy Poirier, Shawn Poirier, Juliette Pollock, Barbi Pothier, Harold Power, Rob Power, Lori Power, Marie Anne Powers, Brian Prime, Denise Puddicombe, Tami Quinn, Bob Rae-Niles, Kim Rege, Swapnil Rennie, Jon Reynolds, Meg Rice, Darrel Richard, Brenda

Richard, Berthe Richard, Paulette Richard, Marie Richard, Roger Richard, Camille Richard, Thelma Ringuette, Luc Robichaud, JeanMaurice Robichaud, Jeannette Robichaud, Sylvie Robichaud, Ellery Rodgers, Agnes Rogers, Linda Rogers, Ellen Romard, Perry Ronalds, Donna Ronalds, Jessica Ronalds, Dale Rosengren, Simonne Russon, Jim Russon, Diane Savoie, Randy Scott, Alan Scrimshaw, Lorraine Sewell, Albert Shaban, Bonnie Sherman, Nancy Silliker, Anita Smallwood, Georgia Smallwood, Harold Smith, Cheri Smith, Allen Smith, Cheryl Smith, Elaine Smith, Al Smith, Reid Soltermann, Marlise Soltermann, Colleen Soltermann, Joerg Soucoup, Donna Spencer, Norma Steele, Nancy Steeves, Mike Steeves, Lorna Steeves, George Steeves, Judy Steeves, Rodney Stewart, Denise Stockall, Doug Stockall,Linda Stockman, John Sunderland, Jane Syme, Alistair Tapley, Robin Taylor, Karen Taylor, Peggy Taylor, Stephanie Taylor, Monique Taylor, Marion Taylor, Brent Teed, Brenda Theriault, Ronald Tobin, Bruce Trenholm, Myles Trenholm, Peter Trenholm, Kenneth (Bud) Trenholm, Linda Trenholm, Brian Trites, Michael Trottier, Guylene Turner, Gloria A Turner, Stephen Tweedie, Janet Vallee, Susan Wallace, Jocelyn Walthers, Debbie Wasson, Ed Webber, Linda Welling, Heather Welling, Lawrence Wheaton, Shelli Wilkins,m Sue Williams, Shannon Williams, Robert Wilson, Gary Wilson, Heather Wolfe, Steve Wong, Lawrence Wong, Ming-Ming Wood, Scott Woodhouse, Julia

Fans came dressed for the occasion.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper drew a crowd when he popped in to watch a few ends Wednesday.

Mascot Skip entertained the fans all week.

2009 WORLDS COMING TO A CLOSE

Another Worlds, another great show, and it’s not over yet. Curling buffs old and new turned out for this year’s edition of the Ford World men’s curling championship at the Moncton Coliseum. After

Congratulations to Dan Sherrard of Edmonton on winning the Ford Hot Shots On-line Game. Sherrard was presented with a two-year lease on a new Ford Flex by Cal Turgeon, the national market manager of Ford of Canada, during the fifth-end break of Saturdayʼs semi-final.

PHOTOS BY MIKE BURNS JR.

eight days of action, today we’re down to two teams. And if the first week is any indication, we’re in for a great final between Scotland’s David Murdoch and Canada’s Kevin Martin.

10 Sunday, April 12, 2009

Par Normand Léger

Info-curl quotidien MacKenzie a vécu toute une expérience I l y a maintenant 18 mois que Lynn MacKenzie a été embauchée comme coordonnatrice de l’événement du comité organisateur du Championnat mondial de curling masculin Ford à Moncton. L’ancienne directrice de l’Association de curling du Nouveau-Brunswick a trouvé son expérience intéressante, mais également enrichissante. « J’ai eu à travailler avec un groupe de personnes avec des personnalités différentes, a dit MacKenzie. Cela m’a demandé de bien m’adapter aux différentes situations et aux demandes de chaque personne pour assurer la bonne marche du championnat. Nous avons surtout travaillé avec l’Association canadienne de curling parce que c’est elle qui a la responsabilité du championnat lorsque présenté au Canada. » MacKenzie a eu à gérer un budget de 2,5 millions $ en vue de l’organisation du championnat et elle souligne que les commanditaires locaux ont très bien répondu à l’appel des organisateurs, comme à l’habitude. « Nous avons dépassé nos revenus prévus avec les commanditaires qui ont été nombreux. Notre objectif dans la pré-vente des billets n’a pas été atteint, mais avec la vente individuelle cette semaine, nous allons aboutir avec nos prévisions sans difficulté. Les gens ont bien appuyé le championnat grâce à leur présence au Colisée et je les remercie. » Le comité organisateur devait recruter des bénévoles pour organiser les diverses activités entourant le championnat et le chiffre de 500 a été atteint en septembre dernier, même si ils

Lynn MacKenzie a bien apprécié son expérience comme coordnatrice de lʼévénement. devaient payer 95 $ pour offrir leurs services. Plusieurs personnes ont attendu trop longtemps pour soumettre leur nom et n’ont pu être inclus. La somme a aidé à défrayer une partie de l’uniforme et les bénévoles ont pu assister aux parties sans frais additionnels. Selon

MacKenzie, les bénévoles au curling sont habitués à payer pour être bénévole lors d’une activité importante. MacKenzie a indiqué que ses journées ont été longues et occupées, mais qu’elle ne regrette rien. Cette semaine, elle était au Colisée de 9 h

à minuit tous les jours afin de régler les petits pépins qui pouvaient surgir et s’occuper des affaires du championnat. Il y avait la planification des cérémonies de clôture et du banquet à finaliser en plus de répondre aux messages de téléphone et aux nombreux courriels. Le bilinguisme dans la présentation du championnat a tenu le personnel occupé selon MacKenzie qui devait s’assurer de la disponibilité des communications dans les deux langues officielles. Cependant, l’équipe a bénéficié de l’aide de plusieurs personnes afin de faciliter ce travail. Des compagnies ont fait beaucoup de promotion au sujet de ce championnat, ce qui a plu aux organisateurs qui croyaient dans leur produit. Moncton aura à nouveau démontré au monde sans savoir faire et sa capacité d’accueil. Même si les journées ont été longues, MacKenzie indique qu’elle n’a pas eu de difficulté à se lever tous les matins pour se rendre au travail. Elle a misé sur les connaissances des employés, des bénévoles et de son adrénaline. Une ancienne joueuse de curling et une spectatrice de ce sport, elle n’a plus le temps de jouer. Elle n’a pas eu la chance de voir tous les matches cette semaine, mais a apprécié pouvoir quand même prendre quelques minutes ici et là pour voir un peu d’action. Elle a participé à trois championnats canadiens et comme elle le dit si bien, « j’aime beaucoup ce sport », ce qui s’est démontré dans son dévouement pour accomplir sa tâche avec brio.

Un Championnat à l’image de l’hospitalité maritime La grande finale du Championnat mondial de curling masculin Ford se tiendra ce soir afin de couronner une équipe championne et également mettre une fin excitante à cet événement qui a su capter l’attention de gens à travers le monde pour les 10 derniers jours. Chapeau au président James Lockyer et aux membres du comité organisateur qui ont travaillé d’arrache pied au cours des 18 derniers mois afin d’assurer une prestation sans faille de ce championnat mondial qui prend de plus en plus d’importance suivant l’adhésion du curling aux Jeux olympiques en 1998.

Les spectateurs ont été nombreux tout au long de la semaine suivant d’impressionnantes cérémonies d’ouverture devant une salle comble, une première, et un spectacle tattoo digne de ses artistes et artisans tout en

étant un miroir de notre culture. Moncton était le lieu des célébrations du 50e anniversaire du championnat mondial qui a débuté en 1959 en Écosse lors de rencontres entre ce pays hôte et le Canada. Les célébrations ont réuni les grands noms du curling mondial et plusieurs anciens champions ont eu la chance de fraterniser et de raconter des histoires personnelles tout en profitant du spectacle offert par les 12 équipes présentes pour le titre 2009.

VOIR CHAMPIONNAT P11

James Lockyer

Sunday, April 12, 2009 11

Final edition

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Thanks, and we’ll see you next year! Something about this estimable news sheet that might interest you. It never gets the final story. Sorry about that. The Eye Opener, you see, does not publish on the post-Worlds Monday. The way the Moncton organizing committee figures it, if we’re over budget after nine days, we won’t be going for 10. Make sense? Oh yes, and there’s something else. This publication would not exist without the efforts of the Moncton organizing committee, the World Curling Federation, Canadian Curling Association and its sponsors. Between them, they fund the whole shebang. So, save a cheer and a tiger for them, if you please. Now, what we’re asking from you today is this. We set up today’s medal games in this last edition. Hereafter, you’re on your own. The name of the winner of the 2009 Ford Worlds will not be recorded for posterity in the Eye Opener. Unless they’re planning to publish such a sheet in Italian next year at Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Meantime, it has been a slice of heaven, folks. We at the Eye Opener would like to thank you for your interest. We’d like to thank all the competitors for their time and courtesy. We’d like to thank our supporters for theirs. And we’d especially, also specifically, like to thank Colin MacNeil of the TimesTranscript, Lynn McKenzie, Carmen Marshall, Kelly Murphy, Jacques Robichaud and Norm Denis of the organizing committee. Special thanks, too, to Normand LÊger, our man about the French language, for the great job he performed on our behalf. Oh yes, and a particular salute to an always-friendly gang of drivers. Great jobs, guys. What else is there to say? Have a good final day and don’t forget to reserve early for (a) the 2010 Dolomites bash in Cortina, and/or the 2010 Ford Women’s Worlds at Swift Current, and/or the 2010 Tim Hortons Brier at Halifax’s Metro Centre. Cheers.

Championnat

Les spectateurs, certains munis de jumelles pour ne rien manquer, ont assistĂŠ Ă des rencontres exceptionnelles. Ils ont ĂŠtĂŠ tĂŠmoins de stratĂŠgies, de lancers et de tactiques qu’ils ont pu analyser sous tous les ongles afin de mieux comprendre le jeu sur la glace. Des lancers prĂŠcis qui devaient se frayer un chemin avec seulement quelques millimètres de passage Ă ceux qui avaient pour but d’enlever deux ou trois pierres ou de nettoyer l’espace de jeu, rien n’a ĂŠtĂŠ laissĂŠ au hasard au grand plaisir et ĂŠmotions de la foule. L’Association canadienne du curling et la FĂŠdĂŠration mondiale du curling, avec son prĂŠsident Les Harrison, de Moncton, savent que suivant le Balai d’argent Air Canada en 1980, Moncton peut prĂŠsenter des ĂŠvĂŠnements mondiaux sans trop de difficultĂŠ en raison du soutien de la communautĂŠ et de l’expĂŠrience et de la connaissances de ses bĂŠnĂŠvoles et employĂŠ.es. Les mĂŠdias ont ajoutĂŠ un autre fleuron Ă la fiche de route de Moncton. Le repos des prochains jours a ĂŠtĂŠ grandement mĂŠritĂŠ. Le prochain grand rendez-vous masculin mondial de 2010 sera Ă Cortina, en Italie. Cette municipalitĂŠ aura dur Ă faire pour dĂŠpasser la barre ĂŠlevĂŠe Ă Moncton.

de la page 10 Demain, le championnat passera Ă l’histoire comme ĂŠtant l’un des mieux organisĂŠs accompagnĂŠ d’un accueil Maritime. Les 500 bĂŠnĂŠvoles n’ont rien laissĂŠ Ă la chance afin d’assurer un ĂŠvĂŠnement sans faille apparente. Les nombreux comitĂŠs, le personnel du comitĂŠ organisateur et de la Ville de Moncton ont mi en place des installations hors paires qui ont su plaire aux joueurs et aux spectateurs. Avec un budget de 2,5 millions $, on a su multiplier l’effet ĂŠconomique Ă plus de 12 millions et les restaurateurs et autres commerces ont joui de chiffres d’affaires qui ont reflĂŠtĂŠ leur service. Les divertissements au Rendez-vous Keith’s ont ĂŠtĂŠ nombreux et tous ont apprĂŠciĂŠ l’accessibilitĂŠ aux meilleurs joueurs de curling au monde. L’exposition historique des 50 dernières annĂŠes du curling a ĂŠtĂŠ apprĂŠciĂŠe, surtout les trophĂŠes et photos des gagnants.

Sunday, April 12, 2009 12 carry-over prize.

50/50 tickets will be sold for $1 each. The winning 50/50 ticket number shall be posted on the main display board near the 50/50 booth, as well as in the Patch as soon as possible after each ticket draw is made. The winning ticket number will also be announced over the public address system following the conclusion of play for each curling draw. All 50/50 raffle prizes may be claimed at the 50/50 booth located on the main concourse of the complex. At this time the volunteers at the information booth will notify the 50/50 committee host and arrangements will be made for payment. Prizes may be claimed up until 15 minutes prior to the commencement of the gold medal game on April 12. Any unclaimed prizes at that time will become a carry over prize, the winner of which shall be determined by the drawing of a second ticket from all the tickets sold on Sunday April 12. This second 50/50 ticket drawn on Sunday April 12 would claim any applicable

n n n Les billets 50/50 seront vendus au coĂťt de 1,00 $ chacun. Le numĂŠro du billet 50/50 gagnant sera inscrit sur le tableau d’affichage principal Ă proximitĂŠ du comptoir de billets 50/50, de mĂŞme que dans la zone ÂŤ Rendez-vous Âť, le plus tĂ´t possible après chaque tirage. Le numĂŠro du billet gagnant de chaque tirage sera ĂŠgalement annoncĂŠ Ă l’interphone Ă la fin de chaque bout. Tous les prix du tirage 50/50 doivent ĂŞtre rĂŠclamĂŠs au comptoir de billets 50/50 situĂŠ dans le hall principal du complexe. Chaque fois qu’un prix sera rĂŠclamĂŠ, les bĂŠnĂŠvoles du comptoir d’information aviseront les organisateurs du comitĂŠ 50/50, qui prendront les dispositions nĂŠcessaires pour le paiement. Les prix pourront ĂŞtre rĂŠclamĂŠs au plus tard 15 minutes avant le dĂŠbut de la partie pour la mĂŠdaille d’or, le 12 avril. Tous les prix non rĂŠclamĂŠs seront regroupĂŠs en un prix combinĂŠ, dont le gagnant sera dĂŠterminĂŠ par le tirage au sort d’un deuxième billet parmi tous les billets vendus le dimanche 12 avril. Le gagnant de ce deuxième tirage 50/50 le dimanche 12 avril recevra le prix combinĂŠ admissible.

UNCLAIMED 50/50 PRIZE NUMBER: Draw # 17, Thursday at 7:30 p.m. – Winning Number 042297 – Prize $2,550

ocks R r u O e e S e m o C es! h c a e B y d n a S d n a el Su it e

si t R es or t & M od Da ily Sh ut tl e to Vi ct on Co lis eu m 19 M in ut es fr om M on

(Actual view looking West)

!

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• 17 Minutes from Moncton International Airport • 2 kms of Sandy Beaches • Indoor and outdoor pools • Large Private Balconies

"2 02

0 9 " 0

• Tennis Court • Fitness area • Maid, Laundry & Concierge Service • Boutique & Spa

• 24 Acres of Natural Landscape • Roof Top Patio with Jacuzzi’s • Courtyard with Gazebos

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

60

(Actual view looking East)

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Sunday, April 12, 2009 13

Brier 2010 Co-chairs Graham Harris (left) and Hugh Avery promise some interesting fare at the 2010 Tim Hortons Brier at Halifax next March. The aim is to attract the Brierʼs largest-ever attendance at any venue east of Saskatoon.

By LARRY WOOD Eye Opener Editor

T

he last time the Brier visited Halifax, more or less the centre of Canada’s far east, they called it “A Shore Thing”. Next year, when the Tim Hortons show returns to the Nova Scotia capital? “It’s still A Shore Thing,” says rookie chairman Hugh Avery, who is ably supported this time around by veteran organizer Graham Harris, chair of the 2005 Olympic trials and a committee head during the 2003 Halifax Brier. “Our message isn’t new,” says Avery. “We think if you can’t have a good time at a Brier in Halifax you just can’t have a good time, period.” A lot of past Brier visitors to Halifax will agree. In spades. Avery wasn’t even well known in his own city’s curling circles when they unveiled the organizing committee last November at the Halifax Metro Centre. “I called myself Joe The Curler,” he recalls, “because I’d just been watching that election south of the border at the time and there was that story about Joe The Plumber. And what I was trying to say was I’m just an ordinary curler like everybody else.” Halifax knows him now, of course. “This will be my last event,” says Harris. ”I felt this needs new flood and Hugh stepped up to the plate so any experience I can bring he’ll have to store and take it from here.” Talk about tossing the pressure on your cochair. “We certainly are looking raise the bar and have a record attendance for a Brier east of Winnipeg again,” says Harris, who was around when they established that record — 158,414 in 2003. Ironically, all Halifax needs for the best attendance record east of Saskatoon is an additional 6,662 people in the pews. That would surpass Winnipeg’s attendance last year. “The nice thing about a Brier is Halifax is that we have a smaller venue, the Metro Cen-

Halifax promises curling fans will have fun time at Brier tre, but it has a more homey atmosphere,” says Harris. “You can hang up your coats in the hotel room, walk the pedways to the venue, get down on the escalators to the Brier Patch, and never have to look at the weather. We think that’s special.” Not that the weather in Halifax is certain

to be bad, bad, bad. Deep freezes aren’t the norm. But an indoor Brier is something at which nary a soul would sneer. “We recognize the current economic constraints,” says Avery. “So we want to suggest a package here: The Brier and the tourist attractions of Halifax and area. We’ll be offer-

ing many opportunities for visitors to get both experiences.” “It’s a special year, too with the Olympics,” says Harris. “There’s no question the Canadian Curling Association wanted to get the Brier as far away from the Games as they could get it. But we feel this benefits us for a number of reasons. One, the television experience just before our show should bring curling awareness up a level and we’re going to have good crowds. Two, when they built the venue in Vancouver they didn’t build it big so we think that’ll be to our advantage. Three, the Olympics will be curling and the Brier’s the Brier, it’s like the Grey Cup, it’s a party and down in Halifax we can match any party anybody else can come up with and, maybe, improve upon it.” Adds Avery: “We listened to the feedback from the fans at the Brier in Calgary. We heard what they liked and didn’t like there, and I won’t give away too many secrets but I can assure you that in many areas we’re equipped to handle their concerns, that each and every day will be special, that we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves, things that are new even to Halifax, and we guarantee a good time.”

Sunday, April 12, 2009 14

Thank T han nk Y You ou o to the to the 2009 World World Men’ Men’s ’s Curli Curling ng Ch Championship hampionship

Friends Fri ends Sponsors Sponsors

Jet Ice Ice c Ltd. Ltd. t Green Vi V Village llage

30 SM8587

Sunday, April 12, 2009 15

Murdoch

LINESCORES

From Page 3

SATURDAY 3-4 GAME 10 a.m. Switzerland (Stoeckli) 101 001 001 01 Norway (Ulsrud) 010 100 010 10 SUI Struebin Eggler Hauser Stoeckli TEAM

S 22 22 22 22 88

P 80 75 72 69 296

% 91 85 82 78 84

NOR S Vad Pet’son22 Svae 22 Nergaard 22 Ulsrud 22 TEAM 88

— — P 76 81 74 63 294

5 4 % 86 92 84 72 84

SEMI-FINAL 4 p.m. Switzerland (Stoeckli) 001 000 021 1 Canada (Martin) 110 003 100 0 SUI Struebin Eggler Hauser Stoeckli TEAM

S 20 20 20 20 80

P 72 67 72 68 279

% 90 84 90 85 87

CAN Hebert Kennedy Morris Martin TEAM

— — S 19 20 19 20 78

P 74 76 67 72 289

5 6 % 97 95 88 90 93

“The first year was a huge experience against Randy,� he recalled. “It was the first time we’ve been in a really big crowd in a final. But we took a lot from each final. We’ve had the win, we’ve had the losses and we’ve learned something every time. Every one you go through better prepares you for the next one.� Murdoch opines his team is “night and day� relative to the 2005 Victoria slugfest when six teams wound up snarled atop the round-robin standings with 8-and-3 records. “In terms of improvement, that much better,� he said. “We had two different players then but it was a big learning experience for me. It made you realize how hard you have to train and how many more shots you have to make in order to beat Canada. “We didn’t make many shots that day but the following year we were back in the final and made a lot of shots. Last year against Kevin, we gave him a bit of a jump and struggled to get back in it. But there were certainly chances. And I know we’ll get plenty of chances tomor-

row and hopefully we get our noses in front again and we can take it all the way.� Everyone agrees, of course, that the key to a chance at beating Martin’s Canadians is to get an early jump. Allowed Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud a few days back when the Canucks were sailing along without a blemish: “Most of the teams that have played them have got off to really bad starts. I think if Canada’s playing someone and it’s tied after five it may be a whole other game, you know? I don’t think it would stress them much. But they may start looking around. Everybody is expecting them to win big now. They do it every time. All I know about that is, it can’t last forever. Sooner or later that dominance has to end.� Murdoch agrees. “Against Kevin, getting out in front is far better than being behind. I don’t think many people win many games being behind Kevin. But if we do get behind we now know we’ve got the game to come back on these guys. It’s about belief in yourselves and making shots. “Without a doubt, I have more confident in playing the last rocks than ever before. The guys believe in me. They believe I’m going to make my shots and over and above everything else that’s the most important thing. It installs

a lot of confidence in me and I know I can make a lot of shots.� Murdoch says it’s a mistake to fit your team to one style of play. “We’ve played a few styles this week,� he allowed. “You can play one style but I think it’s better to be able to adjust. Ice can change and dictate that you have to play a different type of game. We have learned to play a lot of styles. We’ve played a lot of good teams over here and good teams in Europe. You pick up a lot about how other people play.� And that may alter you choic of style against a certain opponent. Martin surmised Friday night that he’d adopt more defensive strategy if he faced the Scots a third time. But Murdoch doubts it. “I don’t think we’ll see much more defensive play from him,� said the Scottish skip. “I think they’ll come out and play hard from the first end. They’ll want to get on the board right away and post a deuce in the first couple for sure. I’ll be surprised if there’s any other scenario.� One observer suggested Murdoch might be getting under Martin’s skin. “I don’t know if we’re getting to them,� said Murdoch. “But if we are it means we’re doing something right.�

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Sunday, April 12, 2009 16

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