HeartChart Online - Day 5 - 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

DAY 4

It’s nervous time for teams on the bubble

A look of concern is etched on the faces of Team Ontarioʼs (l-r) Tara George, Kari MacLean and Krista McCarville, struggling with a 3-4 record.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009 2

Good riddance to toe-sliders, Rink Rats

Game has come a long way F

ive days watching curling from the media bench at the Save-On Foods Memorial Centre sparks random reflections of my competitive days and how things have changed . . . n As a curling instructor, I continually get this question: Why aren’t the curlers on TV throwing and sweeping the way they’re taught? The answer is fairly simple. Because they are provincial, national and international champions each with a style that works for them. Having said that, I see a lot of unique deliveries and sweeping techniques out there that would not be on my own “to-do” list. For instance, would the retired toe-sliders with good knees please come forward? . . . n If I was given a chance to teach my way, I would implement the use of a throwing device for all. It is a tool to assist one in delivery. It not only helps with balance, but also automatically squares up the shoulders so that it is easy to slide out at the target. It

Melissa SOLIGO just makes sense . . . n Sweeping has advanced over the years, and for the better, I might add. Just look at the brooms! Curling started with the old corn brooms (Little Beaver, anyone?), then the synthetic (Rink Rat), and through simple evolution, the push-broom or brush was developed. The brooms now are of varying

weights, head sizes, shapes and styles, not to mention higher price tags. The inevitable question arises: What is better — hair or synthetic. Myself, I’m a believer in the hair broom. I have tried the synthetic but, for me, there is no appeal or good feel. So to answer in my subtle, non-confrontational way: They are both effective and it comes down to a matter of preference — use whatever feels better and is more comfortable, because if you are a front-end player, and you play with skips like me, you will be doing a ton of sweeping. So love your broom! n Strategy? Talk about changes. Gone are the days of the 2-1 finals (thank gawd!). We welcomed the four-rock FGZ (free guard zone) rule with big ends, big shots and lots of rocks in play. Because of this, strategy has turned into more of a game of decisions, precise weight control and shotmaking. The placement of rocks is everything and ice reading is critical.

n I truly hope that it is only a rumour, this business of reducing championship curling games to eight ends. Have you heard the phrase, don’t fix what isn’t broken? Well, that’s what comes to mind when I hear the chatter about changing to an eight-end game.

Why, for gawd’s sake? With the development of the new rules, the ever-evolving strategy, the 10-end game has become incredibly interesting to watch. I heard one former Canadian and world champion say she would prefer eight ends. TSN’s newest broadcaster (thanks Russ), plus my mentor and curling’s national coach (thanks Elaine) follow my opinion.

Which is 10 ends, please. Eight-end games do have some advantages — TV, physical recovery time in long events may be some of them — but not enough reasons to allow for a change.

PLEASE SEE SOLIGO 13

Junior STARS Team: Quebec Sara St-Cyr Age 14 Esquimalt Curling Club Hello, my name is Sara St-Cyr from Esquimalt High Curling Academy.

I’m in Grade 9 at Esquimalt High School and I’m in band and jazz. I play the clarinet and baritone sax.

My fave subject is science/chemistry. I would like to be a doctor when I’m older; I would be a pediatrician.

I like to swim, skate and curl. I only curl with school, and skate and swim on free time.

TM T M

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Team: Newfoundland/Labrador Nicole Auger Age 17 Esquimalt Curling Club Nicole has been curling for four years now, and she is in her graduating year at Esquimalt High School. She has been fortunate enough to be a part of the newly developed Esquimalt Curling Academy where this opportunity was made possible for her.

Her other interests include playing saxophone in various groups inside and outside of school, including jazz, classical, and Latin. She hopes to pursue music as a career, but continue to curl recreationally for many years to come.

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3 Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Territories skip Kerry Galusha (left) produced the upset of the week Tuesday by knocking off heavily-favoured Team Canada 10-8.

Scotties queens Polarized

By LARRY WOOD Heart Chart Editor

T

he Northern Lights must have been shimmering over the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Tuesday night.

It was, after all, the first time a champion team from the Territories has defeated a Scotties defending champion since 1987.

This time, it was Yellowknife’s Kerry Galusha who managed the upset, stealing one in the 10th end for a 10-8 conquest of Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones.

Galusha executed a last-ditch hit-and-roll for shot rock in a four-foot cluster and Jones, attempting a sideways raise-chip with her last, missed the connection.

It was another Terrible Tuesday for Jones and Co. They suffered their initial defeat of the piece — 7-6 to Saskatchewan’s Stefanie Lawton — during the morning round. Jones lost two on Tuesday a year ago, her third and fourth

losses of the week, but subsequently ran the end.” table flor the title.

The last Territories skip to beat Team Canada “We had our opportunities, we didn’t capital- was Shelley Aucoin of Whitehorse who deize,” said vice-skip Cathy Overton-Clapham. feated Marilyn (Bodogh) Darte of St. “We have to play better, everyone else is play- Catharines 22 years ago. ing better. You have to be on your toes “I’ve never beaten Team Canada, all the time. We got outplayed in both not ever,” said Galusha, who was 2-5 games today.” on the week, “and this is my sixth time.

The Polars hit for a three-count in the It feels so good. We have had some third and fought ferociously to stay in close games here and there but never control. The defenders nailed a pair of like that. We just stuck right with them their own triples to roar in front but a and I had my draw weight . . . I’ve had SEE go-ahead ninth-end deuce gave Galusha it all week so far. the edge playing the home end.

“That’s the best team in the world, I SCORES, “That last end I felt trapped,” she adthink, and I’m friends with all of them Page 15 mitted. “They were totally set up for and I hope they win this week. two and I didn’t know how I was going “We could have two or three more to get out of it. I missed my first shot and I only wins. We just haven’t made the right shots at had one second shot, the hit-and-roll. I’ve been the right times to win those games and we’re struggling with my hits all week. With my preg- missing those shots. Whether it’s communicanancy (she’s 20 weeks), my belly’s starting to tion or bad line calls or whatever it just hasn’t get in the way on my hits so down-weight shots been working. We’ve been so close every have been working for me and it worked at the game. I don’t like coming here and having

those close games and not winning any of them.

It’s like this every year. Everyone says, ‘oh, you’re so close’ . . . every year!

“Now, we just have to keep playing well and sticking with the good teams. We still have some good teams to play.”

Said the vanquished Jones: “I think they (Territories) have had a pretty good week. They lost a lot of games they could have won. And Kerry made everything tonight.

I had a bad shot in the eighth and a bad last one or it could have been different.”

Galusha’s best record in her previous five Scotties appearances was a 4-7 log in 2005 at St. John’s.

Heading into today’s action, the homestanding Marla Mallett-skipped unit from Vancouver was back in front with an impressive and surprising 6-1 record, a game in front of the defending champs and Quebec’s Marie-France Larouche.

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5 Wednesday, February 25, 2009

The Wood file

EDITOR Larry Wood ASSOCIATE EDITOR Dave Komosky PHOTOGRAPHER Andrew Klaver PUBLISHED BY The Victoria Times Colonist

Sisters Stefanie Lawton, right, and Marliese Kasner.

T

he Scotties Sisterhood is working overtime at the current edition of the Tournament Of Hearts in the Save-On. You have three skip-third combos, a skip-second combo and another third player who beat her sibling to get here.

So the joint must be jumping with divine secrets of this ya-ya (hurry-hard) sisterhood, right?

“Oh, she would always be taking my clothes,” Darcy (Kirkness) Robertson recalls of her younger sister, Manitoba skip Barb (Kirkness) Spencer, in days of yore.

“I was always buying things and I had one rule — she couldn’t wear anything that I hadn’t worn yet,” recalls the current Winnipeg vice-skip. “If it was brand new she couldn’t wear it.

“Then she’d be out and about and I’d be out and about and I’d find her wearing my clothes that I hadn’t worn yet and . . . I’d want to strangle her. She saved all her money and I had to pay for them all.”

Mind you, this was hardly stuff to prompt a lifetime breakup.

“For the most part we got along really well,” says Robertson, the original skip when the sisters won the national junior championship back there in 1984.

“I asked to her to play third this year so there was no discussion really,” says Spencer. “We’ve squabbled from time to time but, in the end, we’d always find a compromise. You’re never going to get along 100 per cent with anyone.

We’re normally a pretty supportive family. And I’m glad to have her on my team. She’s a great player.”

Larry WOOD

Blood thicker than ice at the Scotties this year Adds Robertson: “We know each other so well, it’s very familiar, we’ve curled together since we first started curling. We think along the same lines, sometimes I think we can read each other’s minds.

“We’ve both skipped, but I decided I didn’t mind the sweeping part of it, I wanted to sweep, and she wanted to skip so I said, ‘OK, I don’t mind, I like playing any position’.”

They were together in the same roles at the 2003 Scotties, then split up.

“I skipped for a while because I was taking a step back from competitive curling,” says Robertson.

“I wanted to do some more family things, take a few more family trips, it’s really hard in the winter to take time off if you’re curling.

But the team that I put together just to be sort of casual wound up losing to Jennifer (Jones) in the provincial final. So last year we got back into it crazy hard and Barb’s team lost the final. After that we talked about it and decided we’d better get back together.

“I think in Juniors I was the skip because I was the calmest, maybe the cooler personality at that time but I think Barb definitely has matured as a skip and likes to make the last shot.”

Times have improved since juniors days for Heather and Laura Strong of The Rock.

“Playing together in Juniors was ugly,” says skip and older sister Heather. “And the first couple of years in ladies’ was a bit of a learning curve. We’ve never come to blows. It was more of an age-dif-

ference thing then. Personalities.

We had to find out what we could say and what we couldn’t say to one another.

“The difference for us now is that we don’t live together or work together any more. We used to do both and that was just too much sister time. But this actually is fun.

“We spend a lot of time with our teammates, we’re like extended family and I feel very fortunate to be able to do that with Laura. And I wouldn’t have that if she wasn’t as good a curler as she is.”

Says Laura the younger: “There’ve never been any more problems than your typical sisters.

Sure, I borrowed her clothes when we were younger, too. But Heather had so much more experience that I did and she had to take me by the hand and that can get frustrating.

“It’s one thing to let teammates down but letting family down is another. That’s the most difficult thing about playing with my sister. It’s just different and it can be unsettling.”

The MacPhees from Spud Island seem to be the perfect pair. They have played with each other before with Rebecca Jean the older skipping and throwing last rocks.

But not recently.

And, this time around, younger Robyn is heaving the last ones.

“On P.E.I. teams juggle every year to try to get the right combination,” admits RJ, “and we wanted to play together again. I like calling the game, Robyn wanted a chance to throw the last rock, we’ve stuck with it all season and we’re pleased with how it’s going. It has worked out just the way we wanted it to work.

SEE SISTERHOOD P10

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B.C. clobbered Barb Spencer of Winnipeg 12-4 Tuesday morning, then dropped Andrea Kelly of Fredericton 7-5 in the afternoon.

“Every loss you have to learn from it and fix it and bring it back for the next game,” she said of her rebound from a loss to Alberta’s Cheryl Bernard on Monday.

“There’s pressure every game.

Every game you have to bring your best to the ice or you’re going to get beat. The field is just too good.”

Larouche also rebounded for two wins Tuesday, staging a massive three-point rally in the 10th end and a theft of a deuce in the 11th to seriously damage the hopes of Ontario’s Krista McCarville by a 10-8 count and following that up with a 7-5 conquest of Nova Scotia’s Nancy McConnery.

“Each player on our team needs to play her best in every game if we are to have a chance here,” said Larouche. “That has happened in only one game so far . . . against P.E.I. I had an off-game tonight. But we are back on a winning track and we are happy at 5-and-2 because we are able play better than that.”

Alberta plummeted into a group of three with 4-and-3 records, losing their second straight, 7-6, to the Spud Islanders on the late draw. Earlier, Heather Strong of Newfoundland stunned Bernard 8-6.

“It’s a long week and you’re going to have days like that,” opined Bernard.

“We just have to shake it off, keep focusing and not let it get us down.”

Last-rock pitcher Robyn MacPhee executed two excellent last rocks in the 10th to pull out a closing P.E.I. deuce. Her first rock, an angled crossrings double-kill, was the key shot.

The win kept the MacPhees in the race at 4-and-3 along with Saskatchewan’s Lawton who clubbed Galusha 10-6 in the afternoon for her fourth straight triumph.

Three squads — the Newfs, New Brunswick and Ontario — were likely on the bubble at 3-and-4, the same record the Jones team carried into Wednesday at Regina.

Team Canada’s Overton-Clapham said late Tuesday her wonky knee appeared to be back in shape.

“I had it scoped three years ago and then I had a cortisone shot just a week before coming here,” she said. “It’s that old, tired, curling injury. Yesterday it was tight between games and I didn’t have time to treat it like I normally do but it was fine today.”

The field for the Tim Hortons Brier (No. 80, if you must know) was completed Sunday at Selkirk when Jeff Stoughton beat Kerry Burtnyk in an all-Winnipeg provincial final.

What’s that, you say? Stoughton and Burtnyk again? Well, would you believe it was only the second time they’ve faced off in the Manitoba championship game? Stoughton won the first, too, in 1999.

Stoughton is a two-time Brier champ in a field headed for the Calgary Saddledome one week from Saturday that is topheavy with former winners.

Alberta’s Kevin Martin, the defending champ, is a three-time winner. Ontario’s Glenn Howard won as a skip in 2007 and twice at third with brother Russ — in 1987 and 1993.

Of course, Russ Howard will be there as the New Brunswick skip.

Then there’s 2006 winner Jean-Michel Menard of St-Romuald, Quebec. And 2004 winner Mark Dacey of Halifax. And 2006 Olympic gold medallist Brad Gushue of St. John’s.

Certain experts are claimed this to be the best Brier lineup in history.

Rounding out the lineup: Jamie Koe of Yellowknife (Territories), rookies Sean Geall of New Westminster (B.C.) and Joel Jordison of Moose Jaw (Saskatchewan), Mike Jakubo of Copper Cliff (Northern Ontario) and veteran Rod MacDonald of Charlottetown (P.E.I.).

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7 Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Hearts Trivia

COME AND JOIN THE FUN! Contact: Cindy Tucker — coach HYPERLINK “mailto:tuckcurl@shaw.ca” tuckcurl@shaw.ca 250-478-9301 HYPERLINK “http://www.esquimalt.sd61.bc.ca” www.esquimalt.sd61.bc.ca

6. Sue-Ann Bartlett of Labrador City won nine in 1979 and 1985.

7. Ten wins.

8. Suzanne Gaudet in 2003.

9. Shelly Bildfell.

10. She skipped a Whitehorse team to an 8-3 record at the 1983 Scotties.

11. No Territories team since has won more than six games.

12. Ina Hansen (1962-63-64), Marion Radcliffe (1974-75), Heather (Kerr) Haywood (1977-78), Barbara Parker (198182), Kelly Scott (2005-06).

We are a year-round curling program with onice sessions, video analysis, off-ice fitness, team dynamics, team building, and the completion of Club Coach Level 1.

Our students this year include a provincial silver medallist and a juvenile zone winner.

We welcome beginners and experienced high school students from grade 9-12.

Name the first skip ever to win 11 games in the Canadian women's championship, her home province and the year.

1. How about the first skip ever to win an even dozen? Oh yes, and her home province and the year.

2. One Canadian women’s champion skip was required to win only seven games in order to claim her title, a low number for national women’s championship history.

Name the skip.

3. How about the year and her home province?

4. Name the first and the most recent British Columbia skips to win 10 or more games at the Canadian women’s curling championships.

5. In which year and where?

(Answers)

QUESTION OF THE DAY:

QofD: Linda Moore of British Columbia in 1985.

1. Marilyn Bodogh of Ontario in 1996.

2. Cathy Pidzarko (Shaw).

3. Manitoba, 1978.

4. First, Linda Moore; Most recent, Kelly Scott.

5. Moore won 11 in 1985, Scott won 12 at Team Canada skip in 2007 and 11 as B.C. skip in 2006.

TODAY’S QUIZ

6. Newfoundland/Labrador never has won a Canadian women's curling title but one skip has won nine games on two occasions. Name her, and the years she won nine.

7. The most wins ever turned in by a P.E.I. skip (or skips) at the Canadian women's championship?

8. The skip and the year.

9. Who skipped the team to post the best record ever turned in by a Territories representative at the Scotties?

10. Where was she from, what was her record and the year of the championship.

11. There’s something unique about that?

Name it.

12. Name B.C. skips who have competed in at least two straight Canadian women's curling championships (excluding Team Canada assignments) and the years. Hint: There are five of them and one of them represented B.C. three straight years.

Be sure to check page 14 for HeartStop Lounge information!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009 8

Profiles: Ontario HOME CLUB: FORT WILLIAM CURLING CLUB

FACTS

Krista McCarville SK

NICKNA IP ME: Sch arfie AGE: 26 RESIDEN CE: Thun der Bay PARTNE R: Mariu ed to Mike McCarvil le.

EMPLOY MENT: Teacher SHE IS: P ati caring a ent, nd competitive LOVES C UR BECAUS LING E: I playing w love ith a team an d sharing in ou r ac complish ments.

Tara George THIRD AGE: 35 RESIDENCE: Thunder Bay FAMILY: Husband Mike, Children Mykaila 4, Carter 2.

EMPLOYMENT: Casino shift manager SHE IS: Determined, patient, competitive LOVES CURLING BECAUSE: Of the people I meet, the competitive yet friendly camaraderie.

THE PROVINCE Population:11,874,400 Area: 1,076,395 sq km Motto: “Loyal it began, loyal it remains” Capital City: Toronto Languages Spoken: 76% English, 5% French, 19% other Principal Products: Transportation equipment, food products nickel, gold, beef cattle, tobacco ONTARIO AT THE SCOTTIES Last three years: 2008 — Sherry Middaugh, Coldwater (9-4) 2007 — Krista Scharf (McCarville), Thunder Bay (6-6) 2006 — Krista Scharf (McCarville), Thunder Bay (4-7) Last championship — Marilyn Bodogh, St. Catherines (1996)

Kari MacLean SECOND NICKNAME: Franny AGE: 31 RESIDENCE: Thunder Bay PARTNER: None EMPLOYMENT: Community resource team clinician, Options Northwest SHE IS: Jokester, dedicated, passionate LOVES CURLING BECAUSE: Meeting great people, taking responsibility, different experiences.

Canadian titles — 4 World titles — 2 (Marilyn Bodogh in 1986, 1996) DID YOU KNOW. . . n Toronto is home to the CN Tower which is located beside the Rogers Centre. Visitors can enjoy the thrill of walking on a glass floor above the streets and the vast view which on some days Niagra Falls is visible.

Lorraine Lang LEAD AGE: 52 RESIDENCE: Thunder Bay FAMILY: Husband Rick, children Adam 23, Sarah 19.

EMPLOYMENT: Confederation College, MRT program co-ordinator SHE IS: Focused, competitive and determined.

LOVES CURLING BECAUSE: Fun, friends and teammates.

9 Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Profiles: Team Manitoba HOME CLUB: FORT ROUGE CURLING CLUB, WINNIPEG

Barb Spencer

FACTS SKIP

AGE: 42 RESIDEN CE: Sanfo r PARTNE R: Marrie d d to Jim, chil dre 17, Holly n Katie 16, Allys on 12, Gord on 11.

Employm en Teacher. t: SHE IS: C ompetitive, con fident, sense of hu LOVES C mour.

UR BECAUS LING E: Love to comp ete the strate and gy of the gam e.

Darcy Robertson THIRD AGE: 43 RESIDENCE: Winnipeg PARTNER: Husband Reid, children Scott 16, Lindsay 15, Brooklyn 12, Jessie 10.

Employment: Dental hygienist.

SHE IS: Positive, strong minded, dedicated.

LOVES CURLING BECAUSE: Challenging, mentally and physically.

THE PROVINCE Population: 1,150,000 Area: 647,797 sq km Moto: “Glorious and free” Joined Confederation: 1871 Capital City: Winnipeg Languages Spoken: 71.3% English, 4.3% French, 18.6% other 5.8% bilingual Principal Products: Wheat, nickel, petroleum MANITOBA AT THE SCOTTIES Last three years: 2008 — Jennifer Jones, Winnipeg (114 - champion) 2007 — Jennifer Jones, Winnipeg (103) 2006 — Janet Harvey, Winnipeg (4-7) Last championship — Jennifer Jones, Winnipeg (2008)

Brette Richards SECOND AGE: 25 RESIDENCE: Winnipeg PARTNER: None.

Employment: Student, University of Manitoba.

SHE IS: Hard working, competitive, fun.

LOVES CURLING BECAUSE: It is a unique challenge compared to the other sports I have played.

Canadian titles — 8 World titles — 2 (Jennifer Jones in 2008, Connie Laliberte in 1984) DID YOU KNOW. . .

Winnipeg has held the ‘Slurpee Capital of the World’ title for six years in a row, gulping 400,000 of the semi-frozen soft drinks per month.

Barb Enright LEAD AGE: 43 RESIDENCE: Steinbach.

FAMILY: Children Danny 13, Emily 11.

EMPLOYMENT: Senior manager, systems, Hytek Ltd. SHE IS: Quiet, serious, determined.

LOVES CURLING BECAUSE: You can play forever and represent your contry whether you are 16 or 60.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009 10

Sisterhood From Page 5 “We both have the best of both worlds.

We’ve always got along. I think it’s the age difference. I’m big sister, I guess.

I can’t remember us ever feuding. We might have discussions over a shot or a call or a line but there’s never ever been any big debate.”

And Robyn, a former world junior champion second player: “Yes, we’re sisters who get along great.

We might disagree on a few shots here and there but it’s never a big deal, never has been. I was ready to try skipping again and I really wanted to play with Rebecca.

“I haven’t skipped for 10 years but I skipped before I dropped back to play with Suzanne (Gaudet). But it’s nice to be back.

I love to throw the last rocks and it’s great that Rebecca’s there to call the game for me.”

The Millers of Shellbrook, Sask., have played the skip and third positions for as long as either can remember. And their junior experiences are legend.

“We’ve had disagreements some times but we always seem to work through them,” says Mar-

up and maturing together. Curling definitely is something that has brought us closer together.”

“It’s easier to deal with someone with whom you have a strong base of relationship,” says Kasner.

“We can say what we think without worrying about each other taking offence or stepSisters Robyn ping on each other’s MacPhee (left) and toes.”

Rebecca Jean Lawton missed a MacPhee last shot to lose a world junior final but Kasner made up for it by winning the global title as a skip once Lawton graduated. But there’s never been a question of who’s-theboss. liese Kasner, the vice-skip. “It’s a little easier to “I was a nervous wreck when I was skiptell your sister what you think.”

“I’m sure, growing up, we’ve had some fights ping,” says Kasner, “so I’m glad to be playing third. When we started playing together, Stef along the way but not necessarily on the curling was the one who could hit so she skipped. I was ice,” adds skip Stefanie Lawton. “We always too young and she always made great shots with seem to get along and I think it’s just growing

y Robertson Sisters Darc rb Spencer (left) and Ba

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last rocks at the ends of games. Me? I don’t want that pressure.”

Vancouver’s Grace MacInnes, the B.C. third, has another sister story. She beat her sis, Allison, in the provincial final last month.

“I’ve gotten used to playing against her,” says Grace. “I think if I was the younger sister I’d want to kick her butt, but being the older sister, I want to protect her, so I’ve found that a little challenging.

“We’ve played her a lot and I know she’s out there to beat me and I want to beat her and, then, after the game I can have a meltdown!”

But no hard feelings.

“She’s very supportive, she knows I’ve been trying to get here for 18 years, and she doesn’t begrudge me my time here,” Grace says.

The pair have been apart on the ice lanes for three years.

“When we were younger, I skipped out of default because nobody else wanted to skip,” says Grace. “She played lead for me, and second, and third, and then eventually she skipped and I played third for her. I miss playing for her but she lives too far away. I used to commute to play with her in Kamloops but it was such a long drive!

“We’re really close in age and there’s a brother in the middle so we looked after each other’s back. Why? There was a ghost in the house, you know? If something went wrong nobody would ’fess up.”

11 Wednesday, February 25, 2009

ROAD TO THE SCOTTIES TOURNAMENT OF HEARTS

Mallett takes long road back to Scotties I t was a long time between sips of wine from the Scotties goblet for Vancouver’s Marla Mallett.

Too long as far as Mallett was concerned.

The 38-year-old Nanaimo-born skip joined Julie Sutton (Skinner) at a tender age for 1988 Canadian and world junior championship sorties and later hooked up with Kelley Law to skip Team B.C. at the 1995 Scotties and play third at the 1997 renewal in her home city.

But, since, then? Applesauce.

Until last month at Parksville when Mallett and her team of Grace MacInnes, Diane (McLean) Gushulak and Jacalyn Brown shrugged off a sluggish 2-3 start in the eightteam provincial championship round robin and won five straight to upset the apple cart in the race to qualify for the Victoria Scotties.

"I have been to provincials for many years and I think I have finished second six times,'' said Mallett. "It feels great to finally win one again and be able to wear the B.C. colours again."

It was one of those patented turnarounds, not unlike the one Mallett’s old buddies Law

BRITISH COLUMBIA (Combined 5 previous appearances) and Skinner perpetrated at the 2000 Scotties.

Four teams boasted improved records after five rounds of the B.C. shootout — defending champion Allison MacInnes of Kamloops was 5-0, Jody Maskiewich of New Westminster amd Kristen Recksielder of Richmond were 41, and many-time champ Georgina Wheatcroft of Cloverdale was 3-2.

The pendulum began to swing away from instant elimination for Mallett when she engineered a 10-6 conquest of Recksielder in the penultimate round of the eight-team tournament.

Then, in the final round, the eventual champ stole two critical points and survived a chilling 5-4 extra-end decision against Wheatcroft.

When the preliminary smoke had cleared, leader MacInnes was headed for the final with an unblemished seven-game record, Maskiewich was assured of a semi-final berth at 52 and Mallett was left at 4-3 in a logjam with Recksielder and Wheatcroft.

“We just treated it like we were in a bonspiel, playing in the last-chance C qualifying,'' said Mallett. "We knew that we had to bring our A-game or we were gone.”

And the A-game showed up in the suddendeath playoffs. After Recksielder had sidelined Wheatcroft 6-4 in the first tiebreakier, Mallett hit for three in the third end, stole one in the fourth for a 5-1 lead and hung on to dispense with the Richmond team by an 8-6 margin.

In the semi-final, Mallett stole three in the fourth for a 4-1 lead, yielded a tying three to Maskiewich in the sixth but rebounded with another triple in the seventh and stole a clinching deuce in the eighth. It ended 9-5.

When it boiled down to the final showdown, the unbeaten MacInnes team — skip Allison is a sister to Mallett’s vice-skip Grace — showed the rust of sitting around awaiting a final-game opponent.

MacInnes blanked the first but stuck trying to blank the second. In the third, she flashed an open hit and Mallett split the rings for an easy deuce. Then the defender required a gritty draw against three counters to tie it with a single in the fourth.

Mallett buried a certain go-ahead single in the fifth and the pivotal sixth end decided the issue.

A double-raise takeout by Mallett on her first shot proved the key. It set up the challenger with two. MacInnes attempted a hitand-roll but overcurled and bumped her opponent in for a third counter. Mallett then sucked a fourth behind cover and MacInnes, looking at a wide outturn raise, was inches heavy on the weight and yielded the fourcount and a 7-2 lead on a measure.

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Wednesday, February 25, 2009 12

ROAD TO THE SCOTTIES TOURNAMENT OF HEARTS

Timing just right for winning sister act C urling’s Kirkness sisters, otherwise known as Barb Spencer and Darcy Robertson, head for their third Scotties bid with time-management credentials busting over all over.

To begin with, the sisters decided it was time to re-unite this season following successive campaigns of losing in the Manitoba Scotties final to Jennifer Jones. And the timing appears to have been ideal. And in more ways that one.

Facing Winnipeg Fort Rouge clubmate Karen Porritt in the Jones-less Manitoba championship match earlier this month at Neepawa, the Spencer-Robertson combine took advantage of the clock ticking down on their opponents.

They hung up a big four-count in the 10th end for a 10-7 duke after Porritt became totally rattled by her depleting time mechanism. She missed both her shots in the key end, had only 16 seconds left for the last one, and Spencer wasn’t required to apply the hammer to pick up the inflated final count.

“We got pretty fortunate that both teams

MANITOBA (Combined 6 previous appearances) were short on time but it affected them a little more than us,” Spencer said later. “We’ve been to quite a few finals so we’re used to this. That doesn’t mean the emotions aren’t there.”

Spencer skipped the Manitoba Scotties contender at Kitchener-Waterloo in 2003 and finished 4-7. Much earlier, in 1986, the then unmarried Kirkness sisters with Darcy skipping compiled a 6-5 record .

Without her older sister at third, Spencer lost last year’s final to Jones. Skipping her own squad, Robertson lost the final to Jones the

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year before. Now they’ll be looking across the sheets at the Save-On Foods Memorial Centre contemplating another date with Jones, skip of the current defending champion.

“I’m just so happy to have my sister back, I think this was the key to our success,” said Spencer, 42. “She’s the glue that keeps our family together and it was time for both of us to get back together.”

She said Robertson was “the missing piece of the puzzle” before the week started. Playing the front end is 25-year-old second Brette Richard and 43-year-old lead Barb Enright.

The finalists exchanged deuces for six ends after Spencer blanked the first two. But Porritt, who always had been chasing, stole a goahead point in the ninth.

“We didn’t manage the time in that game,” she said, tears welling up in her eyes. “We couldn’t play that last end the way we wanted.

We didn’t have time to finish.”

Spencer, Porritt and Chelsea Carey of Morden each turned in 6-1 records in the 16-team split round-robin while Winnipeg’s Kristy Jenion, a

official wine supplier of the 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts

two-time provincial runnerup, was 7-and-0.

But Spencer shaded Jenion 4-3 in a tight-fit One-One playoff argument to clamber directly into the final. Porritt eliminated Carey 9-5 in the sudden-death Two-Two, then hammered Jenion 9-3 in the semi-final with a four-ender in the third providing total control of the match.

At the conclusion, Spencer was 8-1 to Porritt’s 8-2, Jenion’s 7-2 and Carey’s 6-2 record.

Spencer’s lone setback of the week was authored by Brandon’s Lisa Blixhavn, 10-6 in the fourth round of the prelims.

Winnipeg’s Holly Scott and Blixhavn finished 5-2, while former champion Janet Harvey of Winnipeg and Tina Kozak of Brandon were 4-3, Kim Link of East St. Paul and former champion Maureen Bonar of Brandon were 3-4, Linda Stewart of Bowsman and Terry Ursel of Plumas were 2-5, former champion Chris Scalena of LaSalle was 1-6 alongside Karen Rosser of Springfield and Angela Wickman of Winnipeg. Charlene Norquay of Thompson brought up the tail end with a seven-game winless log.

13 Tuesday, February 25, 2009

B.C. From Page 11 “That was the key shot of the game,”' said MacInnes. “I was a little unsure of the ice and just a touch heavy. But that is all part of the game of curling.”

An accomplished hitter, Mallett kept matters relatively clean thereafter. A perfect freeze set up a deuce for MacInnes in the seventh and a perfect bury led to a steal of one in the eighth.

But Mallett drew her last rock for one in the ninth to author an 8-5 finish.

MacInnes said there was some consolation.

“I’m happy that my sister will have the opportunity to play in the Scotties (Grace’s first) in Victoria.'”

Grace and Allison played together for many years. Each won B.C. junior women's titles but never together.

Grace MacInnes is the lone Scotties rookie in the lineup. Gushulak played third for Wheatcroft at Red Deer in 2004 and second for Ontario’s Alison Goring at Calgary in ’95, the same year Mallett directed traffic for B.C. Lead Brown played the same position for Richmond’s Shelley Macdonald in the 2001 Scotties at Sudbury.

“For the majority of the final, we executed very well,” Mallett’s coach Ken MacDonald told Ron Rauch of the Victoria TimesColonist. “We knew that Allison’s team had a lot of weapons and we just had to defend against them. Before the game, I just told the team to keep it as simple as possible and not think about it as a championship game.”

Mallett wound up with a 7-3 record while MacInnes was 7-1.

Trailing, Maskiewich was 5-3, Recksielder was 5-4, Wheatcroft was 4-4, former champion Sue Garvey of Kamloops and Tracey Jones of Prince George were 2-5 and Brittany Palmer of Trail was winless.

The stunner of the B.C. playdowns was the earlier elimination of 2007 world champion Kelly Scott of Kelowna in the January zones at Kamloops.

Longtime coach Gerry Richard said the team quickly adopted the view that it now has a 10-week training- camp window to get ready for the Canada Cup in Yorkton, Sask., where victory would ensure a spot in the Canadian Curling Association’s final Olympic qualifying tournament in Edmonton.

“For whatever reason, we haven’t played as well since 2007. We’re revisiting the things that made us successful, hoping we come out flying for the Canada Cup.”

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Soligo From Page 2 An eight-end game could become an equalizer, allowing one team to get a jump on another, without time to mount a comeback.

Look at the Alberta–NL game Tuesday morning. The score was 7– 1 after four which normally means Velcro snap. However, with 10 ends, and lots of time, Alberta was able to recover and come within a point of winning the game. Quebec trailed Ontario 5-1 after three on Tuesday afternoon.

Do you think they would have been able to come back to win in eight ends as they did in 11? Not a chance! Quebec loses 7-5 in eight.

Quebec won 10-8 in 11. The shortening of the game could also be advantageous to the weaker teams, especially if the ice is dicey.

And teams may revert back to more conservative play, for fear of giving up a big end early in the game. Let’s scrap this idea!

n Fifth players. I am sure many are asking why bring a fifth to the Scotties? The answer is simple, because you have to. All kidding aside, the fifth is a crucial and integral part of any team. When picking a fifth, many aspects are considered — team dynamics, sweeping ability, the ability to play any position. Also, can they scout ice, rocks and teams? Can they carry the broom bags and can they stroke the egos of the players. Oldtimers who played back in the ’70’s say there were no spares but there were sweepers. Events like the Scotties arranged for a pool of local broomwielders. So, basically, if there was an illness or an injury, the team either played with three, or brought in a sweeper who did not not throw rocks.

How weird is that? n I have to mention the clothing. The teams look good out there, very professional and athletic. I couldn’t help but laugh to myself when I think about us wearing the 1991 provincial-coloured pants that did not stretch. The hardest decision to make then was what colour of socks should we wear —white or black.

Yeesh!

Many are asking why bring a fifth to the Scotties? The answer is simple, because you have to.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009 14

LOUNGE WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25 Noon Autograph Session – New Brunswick 4:45 p.m. Up Close and Personal with Team Canada 5:30 p.m. Autograph Session – Alberta 10:30 p.m. Crosstown Bus THURSDAY, FEB. 26 Noon Autograph Session – Nova Scotia 4:45 p.m. Up Close and Personal with Past Champions Julie Skinner (’91, ’00) and Pat

Sanders (’87) 5:30 p.m. Autograph Session – Quebec 10:00 p.m. Bryden Street Party Band FRIDAY, FEB. 27 4:45 p.m. Up Close and Personal with TSN Commentators Vic Rauter, Linda Moore and Ray Turnbull 10:00 p.m. Timebenders

A daily draw is required for admission to the HeartStop Lounge, conveniently located in the Victoria Curling Club.

SATURDAY, FEB. 28 3:00 p.m. Team Autograph Session 8:00 p.m. The Chevelles SUNDAY, MARCH 1 2:00 p.m. The Chevelles 8:15 p.m. The Chevelles Schedule subject to change.

What’s on the menu HeartStop Lounge Victoria Curling Club Two Menus to Choose From 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Breakfast Burger (served daily 7:30am-10:30am)

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Pulled Pork on a Bun Char Broiled Burger Chili & Bun Clam Chowder & Bun Assort. Cold Sandwiches (egg salad, salmon, ham) Daily Soup Fries Caesar Salad Veggies & Dip Pizza by the Slice

Food For Thought Menu 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Choice of West Coast Seafood Chowder or Soup of the Day Entrees: Chicken or Beef Pot Pies Moroccan Chicken Peppers, Onions & Sweet Spices Balsamic Chicken with choice of sides Indian Curry (Chicken or Beef) yogurt East Indian spices Beef Dip with au jus Wraps Choice of sides and salads: Rice Noodles Roasted potatoes Caesar Salad Baby Mixed Greens California Pasta olives, sundried tomatoes, artichokes Apple & Fennel Slaw Green and red cabbage, carrot Chicken & Rice Indian Curry, rice, Caesar salad Balsamic Chicken roast potatoes, apple & fennel slaw Beef Dip ciabatta bun, Caesar salad (For any above meals substitute soup for salad for an extra $2.00) Food For Thought Combo Build your own combination 1 entrée and 2 sides

15 Tuesday, February 25, 2009

STANDINGS W B.C. (Mallett) 6 Team Canada (Jones) 5 Quebec (Larouche) 5 Alberta (Bernard) 4 PEI (MacPhee) 4 Saskatchewan (Lawton) 4 N.B. (Kelly) 3 Nfld/Lab (Strong) 3 Ontario (McCarville) 3 Manitoba (Spencer) 2 Y/NWT (Galusha) 2 N.S. (McConnery) 1

L 1 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 6

TUESDAY DRAW 9 8:30 a.m.

Team Canada (Jones) Sask. (Lawton) S P CAN. 80 259

001 020 120 0 — 6 200 101 002 1 — 7 % S P % 81 SASK. 80 284 89

Manitoba (Spencer) B.C. (Mallett) S P MAN. 56 166

020 101 0xx x — 4 203 050 2xx x — 12 % S P % 74 B.C. 56 177 79

Alberta (Bernard) 001 021 101 x — 6 NL (Strong) 230 200 010 x — 8 S P % S P % ALTA. 79 242 77 NL 79 268 85 N.S. (McConnery) Ontario (McCarville) S P N.S. 80 239

020 010 2120 0 — 6 201 001 001 4 — 9 % S P % 75 ONT. 80 227 71

DRAW SCHEDULE TODAY

Nova Scotiaʼs Sheena Gilman nervously watches her rock.

LINESCORES Ontario (McCarville) Quebec (Larouche) S P ONT. 88 267

Quebec (Larouche) N.S. (McConnery) S P QUE. 80 249

200 030 101 x — 7 000 202 010 x — 5 % S P % 78 N.S. 79 229 72

Sask. (Lawton) 201 102 103 x — 10 Y/NWT (Galusha) 030 010 020 x — 6 S P % S P % SASK. 72 223 77 Y/NWT 72 204 71

P.E.I. (MacPhee) 020 101 100 2 — 7 Alberta (Bernard) 002 010 021 0 — 6 S P % S P % P.E.I. 79 260 82 ALTA. 80 248 78

B.C. (Mallett) N.B. (Kelly)

N.B. (Kelly) Manitoba (Spencer) S P N.B. 78 238

101 100 205 x — 10 010 021 030 x — 7 % S P % 76 MAN. 79 257 81

Y/NWT (Galusha) Team Canada (Jones) S P Y/NWT 80 246

103 020 102 1 — 10 010 303 010 0 — 8 % S P % 77 CAN. 79 252 80

B.C.

020 020 010 2 — 7 001 002 002 0 — 5 S P % S P % 79 263 83 N.B. 80 264 83

DRAW 11 6:30 p.m.

SHOOTING PERCENTAGES (CUMULATIVE)

DRAW 10 1 p.m.

NL (Strong) 110 401 101 x — 9 P.E.I. (MacPhee) 001 010 010 x — 3 S P % S P % NL 71 227 80 P.E.I. 72 211 73

203 010 101 00 — 8 010 201 010 32 — 10 % S P % 76 QUE. 88 279 79

Skip Third Second Lead TEAM

Can.

B.C.

Alta.

Sask.

Man.

Ont.

Que.

N.B.

PEI

N.S.

77 86 80 80 81

80 83 79 83 81

76 83 81 85 81

77 81 86 89 83

70 76 81 86 78

71 78 77 82 77

78 78 77 86 79

83 75 78 83 79

74 80 71 86 78

72 76 71 77 74

NL Y/NWT 78 85 80 86 82

73 74 78 76 75

8:30 a.m. Draw A — N.B. vs. Alta.

B — Y/NWT vs. N.S. C — Que. vs. Can. D —PEI vs. Man. 1 p.m. Draw A — Man. Vs. Ont. B — Can. Vs. NL C — N.S. vs. B.C. D — Alta. vs. Sask.

7 p.m. Draw A — B.C. vs. Y/NWT B — Sask. vs. N.B. C — Ont. Vs. PEI D — NL vs. Que. THURSDAY 8:30 a.m. Draw A — PEI vs. Can. B — Que. vs. Man. C — Y/NWT vs. Alta.

D — N.B. vs. N.S. 1 p.m. Draw A — Sask. vs. Que. B — B.C. vs. PEI C — NL vs. N.B. D — Ont. Vs. Y/NWT. 6:30 p.m.

A — N.S. vs. NL B — Alta. vs. Ont. C — Man. Vs. Sask.

D — Can. Vs. B.C. FRIDAY PAGE PLAYOFFS One vs. Two 6:30 p.m.

SATURDAY Three vs. Four 11:30 a.m.

Semi-final 4 p.m.

SUNDAY Final 5 p.m.

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As a company committed to creating a better future for our customers, employees and consumers, we are proud to support the passion, camaraderie and competitive spirit that an event like the Scotties Tournament of Hearts inspires in communities across the country. Whether as Team Canada or as provincial representatives, all participants have shown great commitment and dedication. We have enjoyed the entertainment every step of the way and wish all competitors the best of luck.

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