HeartChart Online - Final Day - 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts

Official Newspaper of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts

Sunday, March 1, 2009

TODAY 5 p.m.

CANADA: Jennifer Jones

BRITISH COLUMBIA: Marla Mallett

DAY 8

Sponsor of the Day

Sunday, March 1, 2009 2

Mallett ready for the ‘right time’

By LARRY WOOD Heart Chart Editor

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Marla Mallett hasnʼt had to battle nerves.

onsidering the manner in which B.C. skip Marla Mallett has comported herself on the Save-OnFoods Memorial Centre ice lanes this week, there’s a suspicion the blood running through her veins is frozen.

Or maybe her nerves have been deadened, if she indeed has any.

“We are so well planned and scheduled I don’t have any time to think about anything else because this (Scotties Tournament Of Hearts) keeps my mind going,” she was saying when asked about nerves or lack of them.

“This keeps me focused on the right things at the right time.”

There’s only one “right time” remaining for Mallett. That’s 5 p.m. today.

She has racked up nine wins this week and a 10th victory late this afternoon would punch tickets for a junket to the World Women’s Curling Championship in

beautiful Gangneung on South Korea’s eastern coast.

Something else. Mallett and her team of Grace MacInnes, Diane Gushulak and Jacalyn Brown would become a first-time winner at the Scotties.

“I’m not easily distracted,” Mallett said on the eve of the Scotties final day.

“If there’s a task at hand I can lock in on that task at hand. When I’m curling I can play an end and when it’s done I can put it in the corner and move on to the next one.

“I certainly do like to be planned, I like to be scheduled, I like to be fairly regimented.

“We’ve done a lot of planning and a lot of work on this (quest) over the last twoand-a-half years and we’ve developed some different systems for planning and scheduling to meet everybody’s needs so that we’re getting what we need as individuals and the team is getting what it needs as a team.”

Throughout this gauntlet, the 38-yearold Mallett with the Pixie coiffure has been a determined woman on a mission.

Turns out she’s a determined woman, period. Also a tidy freak.

“I’m regimented in life. I definitely don’t like stuff lying around. Put a lid on it. Everything’s got a place so put it in its place, I say. Junk left lying around? Doesn’t happen. Dust bugs me. I have a dishwasher and they don’t go in the sink, they go in the dishwasher. It’s just the way I am. Nothing lying around. Ask my husband. I’m sure I drive him crazy.”

So hubby isn’t into the spic and span?

“He’s getting much better,” said Mallett with a smirk. “We’ve been married for 10 years now or something? Actually he’s pretty good. We’re very, very similar. He’s super, super supportive and I appreciate that. I spend a lot of time at the club and he’s there with me and taking care of my daughter and putting the dishes in the dishwasher when I’m not there. So he keeps me happy.”

Wow! Sounds like domestic bliss!

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3 Saturday, March 1, 2009

Deja-vu all over again?

Jones following familiar script to Scotties final

By LARRY WOOD Heart Chart Editor

T

he script is beginning to appear more familiar with every rock that’s dispatched at the Scotties Tournament Of Hearts in the Save-On-Memorial Memorial Centre.

Jennifer Jones and her defending champs moved into today’s championship final against B.C. Marla Mallett with a wild 12-8 semi-final victory over Quebec’s Marie-France Larouche on Saturday night.

Jones and Co., have now won four in a row, reminiscent of their eight-game charge to the throne room a year ago in Regina.

“It feels a bit like last year,” agreed Jones afterward. “I think we’ve stepped it up a little bit in the playoffs.

“Obviously we had a couple of bad ends there, the ice changed on us a little bit. But this is the best we’ve played as a team all week so it’s a good feeling going into the final game.”

SEMI-FINAL That showdown goes today at 5 p.m.

The semi had all the makings of a cakewalk early when Jones stole four in a second-end four-foot cluster. Larouche was short on a draw to cut down the big end.

But the Quebeckers gutted it out with five points over the next two ends. Actually, they should have scored back-to-back three-enders but Larouche missed a last shot for three in the third, then Jones erratically raised a Quebec stone in for a stolen trio in the fourth.

“The ice was just a little different,” said Jones. “It was curling a bit more and both teams failed to catch on to it quickly enough.

You start questioning yourself.

“But the back half of the game the ice returned to normal and that’s just what we wanted.

“We just don’t let adversity get us down.

When I miss a bad shot like that (fourth end) I know I’m going to make the next few because I’m mad at myself for missing a bad one and I feel I’ve let the rest of the girls down and I want to make it up.”

The teams traded deuces in the fifth and sixth on the strength of precise last rocks, then Jones claimed another deuce in the seventh and managed to hold Quebec to one in the eighth

when Larouche was a foot heavy on a difficult double-raise to the centre ring.

Jones and her team of Cathy OvertonClapham, Jill Officer and Dawn Askin decided the issue in the ninth with three-ender.

“Honestly, no, I didn’t think we’d be able to come back from that first two ends,” said Larouche. “That we did was great for us but right now I’m disappointed.

“When we came back I thought, ‘let’s go, maybe this is our chance and maybe we have luck on our side’.

“But I didn’t play well. I was here to play my best curling and it didn’t happen. I didn’t play my best curling, for sure.

“I know it’s not the end. We have Canada Cup and Players and I hope I can be better. I wasn’t in this ’spiel and I’m disappointed by that.”

Larouche admitted Friday that she’s had an up-and-down week which she felt wasn’t reflective of her team’s usual performance.

Meanwhile some experts suggested Jones would be overwhelming favourite today.

“I don’t know about that,” she said.

“They’ve played well all week. We’ve turned it up a little bit here and I’m sure it will be close, I’m sure it will come down to last rock and we want to have it.”

Team Canada defeated B.C. in the final round of preliminary play on Thursday night.

“We’re going to have to play well, we’re playing a team that has been playing well all week,” said Jones.

“But this is what we worked all year for, playing in the final game, and no matter what happens we’ve had a great week and it’s going to be fun tomorrow. And if we don’t win, no regrets.”

She doesn’t expect a woolly, high-scoring affair life the semi-final.

“I doubt it,” she said. “We’ll try to mix it up, I think that’s the way curling should be played but everybody’s different and we’ll just do what we have to do. She (Mallett) has hammer to start so she’ll have to dictate a little bit of the play but we’ll see what we can do.

“We love playing in these big games. We’re not scared of them. We love them. And we love being out there together and enjoying the moment together. No matter what anybody says about our team we support each other 150 per cent.

“We all have experience. I don’t know if experience is an advantage but I know it isn’t a disadvantage.”

Jennifer Jones has found her game just in time.

Shuster, McCormick Oly-bound

Teams skipped by John Shuster of Duluth and Debbie McCormick of Madison, Wis., will reepresent the U.S.A. at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic curling tournament.

Shuster won the men’s berth Saturday at Denver with a wild 10-9 victory over Tyler George of Duluth in the qualifying final.

Directing Jason Smith, Jeff Isaacson and John Benton, Shuster scored a four-ender and a three-ender en route.

McCormick, with Allison Pottinger, Nicole Joraanstad and Natalie Nicholson,

defeated veteran Patti Lank of Lewiston, N.Y. 8-5 in the women’s final.

McCormick was 10 wins, one loss in the qualifying tournament, losing only to Erika Brown of Madison. She defeated Amy Wright of Duluth 9-4 in the Page One-Two match leading to the final.

Shuster lost the men’s One-Two to George, then bounced back to win two in a row including a 10-4 semi-final conquest of Todd Birr, the 2007 U.S. champ from Mankato, Minn.

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Sunday, March 1, 2009 5

Canadian women’s (Scotties) curling championships of all time

These top-10 Scotties choices are totally in random order and are based not on the calibre of curling or the results but rather on my personal experience. Itʼs been an incredible ride and sometimes the bad times are most memorable but in the end they are all really good times — all memories that I cherish.

2009 Victoria Who can beat this location? The hotel. The arena. The weather. Great curling with close games and an exciting finish. Ol’ English charm. Horse-drawn buggies in the middle of winter. Yay! 1998 Regina Sandra Schmirler wins gold at Nagano and returns on the day before the opening to play in the Scotties and defend her title as Team Canada. The opening ceremonies were outstanding and, as the teams marched into the arena, the standing ovation went on for 10 minutes. Total attendance outdrew the Brier that year. Record still stands!

1999 Charlottetown Packed Arena. Incredible 50/50 draws. A Heartstop that never stopped with fabulous entertainment. Wonderful food. A lobster starter at the Victory Banquet that was a meal in itself. Historic Charlottetown rolled out the red carpet like no other.

1987 Lethbridge A cavalcade through downtown. 70-degree plus weather. Ice melting much to Shorty Jenkins’s chagrin. (It didn’t stop Shorty from dancing at all the parties at the Lethbridge Curling Club.)

2002 Sudbury The 20th Anniversary.

Bill, the Tim Horton’s driver wanted to know “how fast this sucker can go” (he was talking about his bus). Freezing rain.

Ice storms. Delayed flights. Great celebration with past champions. Shannon England had the house in tears talking about Sandra and introducing the new Sandra Schmirler Foundation.

1983 Prince George Church parade — sermon on circumcision.

(Obviously forgetting who was in the congregation). Our first accident on the ice (a broken arm).

Guest speaker at the Victory Banquet who sat next to the

church minister used the “F” word (and it wasn’t “faith”) throughout his speech. Mayor fell asleep at the head table. Still, outstanding warm northern hospitality.

1996 Thunder Bay Cold. Cold. Cold. Four teams lost in 10foot-high snow banks. The championship trophy went missing. It was Vic Rauter’s first time covering curling. First-ever male hostcommittee chair. First time for male team drivers. Wonderful gifts from local artists for all to take home.

2005 St. John’s George Street. Hospitality unparalleled anywhere in Canada. Good crowds. “Atta boy girl”. The scenery. The people. The food. The entertainment. Premier Danny Williams saying: “It takes a lot to get you here but once you’re here you always come back.”

2006 London The 25th Anniversary.

Randy Bachman in concert. Return of the old guard.

Bob Stewart — one of the greatest supporters of

Canadian women’s curling. An outdoor curling rink across the street. Celebrating Shannon Kleibrink’s return from the Olympics.

2003 Brandon Western theme. Crazy games and costumes. Horses and riders storming the HeartStop Lounge. Host committee chair stepped aside to skip Team Manitoba. Two teams from Manitoba facing off for the championship. Packed house. The wave. Prairie gourmet feast featuring Buffalo tenderloin, wild boar and walleye.

Footnote When I really think about it, every championship was “the best ever”. Each one had its own distinguishing memories. Every one can make the Top-10 list because each was unique and special. The common thread throughout are the volunteers who continue 28 years later to work so hard to showcase their city and to welcome all of us — curlers, sponsors and fans — from across Canada with open arms and hearts. Friends from coast to coast to coast. Forever family.

(Robin Wilson is the executive director of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts)

Shannon Kleibrinkʼs return from the Olympics was celebrated in 2006

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ach year the Scotties Tournament of Hearts brings together curlers, officials, sponsors, volunteers and spectators from across the country. Friendships are renewed and the new ones that have been created will last a lifetime.

For those who think the Scotties are all about curling have likely missed out on the true experience of such an amazing event.

Don’t get me wrong, the curling was fantastic but so was everything else.

Remember the Ford Hot Shots, where Team B.C. took a bye from the competition (first time in the history of the Scotties) and Cheryl Bernard from Alberta, took the car?

The banquet a week ago Friday night and the opening ceremonies on Saturday gave everyone an opportunity to honour the past champions of this great game — allowing us to re-unite with our old teammates. Sunday was a great day, too, as more than $140,000 was raised for Sandra Schmirler Foundation, not including the more recent semi-final crowd

Melissa SOLIGO sweep!

After the first stone was thrown on Saturday, the stage was set and the official grind was off and running. The next few days were full of fun and excitement as the teams were battling for positioning in the standings, knowing that every win and loss would make a difference at the end of the week. Game after game, we saw many magnificent shots,

some unfortunate misses and some phenomenal sweeping. Of course, no one will ever forget Tuesday, and especially Kerry Galusha as her team from the Yukon/Northwest Territories defeated Team Canada 10–8. It was only the second time in the history of the Scotties the Polars have beaten the defending champs.

There are not many times you will see two 100-per-cent games curled in a week (congrats to Diane Gushulak from B.C. and Carolyn Darbyshire from Alberta).

I will admit my week here was hectic.

After meeting my “bosses” from the Heart Chart, I settled my self into the media bench, rarely to leave until the column was written for the next day. Then and only then could I go over to the Heart Stop Lounge to make sure there was fun being had. After some investigation, I can safely say that was the place to be!

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7 Sunday, March 1, 2009

Hearts Trivia

QofD: Julie (Sutton) Skinner.

1. 34 victories.

2. Third-best at 16-14 (.533) 3. Ina Hansen, Kimberley.

4. Sherry Fraser, Kelley Law (twice), Kristy Lewis.

5. Fraser 1997, Law 2000 and 2001, Lewis 2002.

6. Fraser beat Jan Betker of Saskatchewan; Law beat Colleen Jones of Team Canada and Georgina Wheatcroft of Team Canada.

(Answers)

7. (See above) Wheatcroft in 2001.

8. Kelly Scott, 2006 9. Toni Welles of Maple Ridge.

10. Margaret Fuller of Nanaimo.

11. Juliie (Sutton) Skinner (1991), Lisa Walker (1992), Kelly Scott (2006 and 2007).

12. Third — Lindsay Sparkes, Cindy Tucker, Jeanna Schraeder (twice); second — Donna Cunliffe, Debbie Jones (Walker), Georgina (Hawkes) Wheatcroft (twice); lead — Laurie Carney (twice), Kari Willms, Georgina Wheatcroft.

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runnerup to a car winner in the Hot Shots.

Name her and the year she finished secTODAY’S QUIZ ond.

8 Since a sportsmanship award was instiQUESTION OF THE DAY: tuted at the Scotties in 1982, only one B.C. curler ever has been selected. Name her Name the one B.C,- based skip with the and the year. most victories in Canadian women's curl- 9. Kelly Scott last gave B.C. a national ing championship play. women’s title in 2006. Name the home1. How many victories? town and the skip she defeated in the 2. In terms of playoff victories, where does provincial championship final in order to B.C. rank in Scotties annals, and what is qualify for the Scotties that year. the province’s playoff won-lost record?

10. Who skipped B.C. in the first Canadian 3. Name the skip and hometown of the women’s championship back in 1961? Oh first British Columbia champ to compete yes, and she was from? for the Canadian women’s title when the 11. Since Scotties all-star teams were first event was sponsored by Macdonald Tochosen in 1982, B.C.-based skips have bacco. been named first-team on four occasions.

4. Name three British Columbia curlers Can you name the skips and the years who won cars in the Ford Hot Shots com- they starred? petition that has prefaced the Scotties 12. This one’s even tougher. B.C.-based every year since 1995. (Hint: One of these players have been named to all-star has turned the trick twice). teams at third, second and lead positions 5. In which years did they win the cars? on 12 occasions. Never mind the years, 6. Name the curlers they defeated in the just name the 12 Brier stars and their posiHotshots finals, and their home provinces. tions.

7. One other B.C.-based curler finished

Be sure to check page 14 for HeartStop Lounge information!

2010 SCOTTIES

Soo promises friendly faces

By DAVE KOMOSKY Heart Chart Associate Editor

T

he Scotties Tournament of Hearts is coming to the Soo, and while there are always variables involved, host chairman Sandra Randa can promise visitors this much: the area’s hospitality will blow them away.

“Everybody brags about their own city, and we’re no different,” says Randa, who is in Victoria this week with five of her co-chairmen.

“But when you talk about the Soo, the words hospitality and friendliness always come up. At the Brier in 1990, people couldn’t believe the hospitality and how our citizens went out of their way to welcome visitors. That’s just Sault Ste. Marie. When they talk about the friendly town of the north, that’s us. We will do everything we can to make the players and fans happy.”

The event will be held from Jan. 30 to Feb. 7, 2010, just days before the opening of the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver. The last time the Scotties was held in Sault Ste. Marie was 1978, when it was called the Lassie.

The Soo also has plenty of other things that will make it a great experience for curlers and out-of-town spectators. You can start with the ESSAR Centre, a three-year-old facility that seats about 4,800, which is just about ideal for the Scotties.

The facility is right downtown, with plenty of hotels within walking distance. There are also other fine hotels within a 10-minute drive.

Randa also says out-of-town fans will love the restaurant scene in the city.

“The Soo is famous for its restaurants, especially Italian restaurants,” she says. “They’re family owned — not chains. The Italian culture is predominant there.”

About 350 ticket packages have been sold so far but the big push hasn’t yet begun.

The HeartStop Lounge, however, remains a question mark.

“They’re lucky they have a curling rink out the back door here,” she says. “We don’t have that luxury. We’re still searching out answers, including a bubble structure.”

But she assures patrons will be well taken care of no matter where the party centre is located.

The entertainment package is likewise up in

Fans at this yearʼs Scotties came in all ages.

Alberta skip Cheryl Bernard got off on the right foot at the beginning of the event by winning the Ford Hot Shots.

Guys love their headgear at the Scotties — even if itʼs pink!

2009 SCOTTIES COMING TO A CLOSE

Sandra Randa promotes The Soo. the air, but it’s expected the stage acts will be a mixture of good local talent and some Scotties favourites from out of town.

The volunteer drive will begin in about a month and Randa doesn’t anticipate any problems rounding up the 400 and 450 or so helpers she’ll need.

“I already have a list 300 people who want to volunteer, so I don’t see that being a problem,” she says.

Randa says the week in Victoria has been a real eye-opener for her committee members as they try to find out what went right and what went wrong.

“Basically, we’ll take away a lot of ideas that this committee implemented and made work,” she says. “We’ve met with their counterparts, and I’ve met with Chris (chairman Atchison) and they’ve all been great. They’ve shared a lot of information.

“Now we have to take it all back home and made sure people have a great Scotties.”

Another Scotties, another great show, and it’s not over yet. Curling buffs old and new turned out for this year’s edition of the Canadian women’s curling championship at Victoria’s Save-On-Foods Centre.

Brette Richards gave it her all for Team Manitoba.

PHOTOS BY ANDREW KLAVER and DUNC MALCOLM

After 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 British Columbia’s Marla Mallett and Team Canada’s Jennifer Jones.

Albertaʼs Cori Bartel had a big booster.

Sunday, March 1, 2009 10

Adair, Lance Adamek, Angela Adams, Joyce Ainscough, Bob Alexander, Jack Allen, Glen Anderson, Glenda Anguish, Elsie Anthony, Lorna Armbruster, Marg Armour, Terry Armstrong, Lenore Atchison, Chris Auger, Marty Austin, Gail Bailey, Bob Baird, Ron Ball, Linda Barnabe, Dennis Barwick, Wayne Bauer, Joan Beattie, Joan Beaulieu, Paul Beck, Hans Becvar, Richard Beggs, Myrna Beggs, Steve Beggs, Wendy Bell, Judy Bembridge, Wayne Benedict, Frances Berry, Glenda Bindernagel, David Bindernagel, Pamela Bishop, Vicki Blackwell, Mike Blake, Megan Bland, Geri Bland, Jack Blevins, Carol Boden, Darren Bombezin, Georges Bonin, Terry Borrowman, Anne Boudreau, Denis Bowers, Erin Broughton, Heather Brown, Linda Bryan, Matthew Burki, Heinz Burow, Marian Burrows, Jean Buzash, Sheila Byers, Alison Byers, June Caird, Beverley Cameron, Iris Cameron, Samantha Campbell, Beverley Campbell, Bill Campbell, Nancy Canning, Glen Carne, Norm Carter, John Carter, Rosie Carter, Sherry Cato, Lorrie Cauvin, Gale Cawley, Sue Cessford, Wayne Chester, Bill Chilibeck, Len Chin, Flora Clarke, Deborah Clarke, Jason Closson, Don Closson, SherriLee Coell, Charles Coell, Chris Cole, Barry Conroy, Karen Cook, Kristina Cooke, Marie Copley, Barbara

Special thanks to all volunteers for your enthusiasm and dedication in making the 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts an event to remember!

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Hall, Peter Hall, Wayne Halpenny, Lana Hamilton, Marion Hansen, Darlene Hansen, Jimmy Hanson, Donna Harbidge, Bud Harman, Julie Harrison, Jeannine Harrison, Patricia Hartwig, Betty Hauptman, Mark Haynee, Michael Haynes, Shaunna Hennig, Carol Herlinveaux, Louise Herr, Robert Hicke, Kel Hodge, Lorreen Hoefling, Shelley Hogg, C. David Honeyman, Kareen Houle, Tara Houston, Deborah Howard, Graham Howard, Ray Hower, Roberta Howes, Alice Howie, Marla Hubic, Phyllis Hummel, Christine Ibaraki, Tony Inget, Jill Iuvale, Gerane Jakubowski, Anni Jakubowski, George (Jake) James, Keith Jones, David Jones, Todd Kampman, Joseph Keddle, Carolyn Kenney, Danielle Kenney, Eric Kerpan, Marlies King, Georgina (Jean) King, Lori King, William (Bill) Kinney, Glenda Kovach, Jane Kraeker, Marilyn Kraft, Janice Krieger, Andrea Krismer, Marni Laidlaw, Janice Langdon, Ellen Langdon, Paul LaRoy, Ron Larusson, Keith Larusson, Sharron Lauder, Barbara Lauder, Jim Lazenby, June Leach, Arnetta Leask, Brenda LeBlanc, Gilles Lehmann, Quenton Lenton, Joy Leonard, Corrine Levasseur, Tom Lister, Gerry Lowe, Brian Lowe, Melody Lum, Wally Lunan, Shirley Macdonald, Christine MacDonald, Sharon

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Ordze, Judy Orton, Al Oslund, Joyce Oswell, Michael Ovans, Sue Page, Rick Pajunen, Margo Pajunen, Ronald Palinkas, Debbie Parker, Gil Paterson, Loretta Pauhl, Lou Anne Pawlinsky, Robbie Pearce, Rob Pedneault, Michael Pelletier, Christine Perry, Rachelle Petersen, Gordon Pick, Gertie Pick, Roger Pillar, Mavis Pinfold, Ron Prentice, Marilyn Preston, Angie Preston, Caroline Preston, Jon Price, June Prokopow, Tom Pross-Laseur, Luda Quast, Neva Rainey, Barbara Reader, Louise Redwood, Ryan Reedhead, Elaine Rhodes, Harlene Riley, Terry Rimer, MaryLynne Rivers, Bryan Roberts, Sharon Roberts, Shirley Robertson, Colin Robertson, Meredith Roche, Lauri Roche, Stuart Ross, Jaci Rozon, Joseph Rozon, Sandra Russell, Coleen Sandercock, Brian Sanders, Pat Sandwith, Heather Sandwith, Tom Sauer, Judi Saxon, Ray Scherr, Anne Schiedel, Doug Schiedel, Heather Schmidt, Jane Schofield, Leo Schumacher, Evelyn Schyf, Alan Schyf, Eduard (Ed) Schyf, Heather Servais, Shelley Sheppit, Bill Shortill, David Silver, B. Wayne Silver, Marjory Sime, Janet Simmons, Norm Simpson, Brenda Skillings, Joy Skinner, Carol Skinner, Julie Skrypnick, Bill Smigel, Susan Smith, Dave Smith, Doug Smith, Lynanne Smith, Sheila

Marie Smith, Susan Soligo, Melissa Somer, Donna Speed, Nadene Spiers, Sue Spiers, Wayne Steer, Ruth Stefanson, Mark Stefanson, Shirley Stevenson, Gwen Strandlund, Paul Stratton, Diane Streifel, Neela Taylor, Janice Taylor, R (Bud) Tedesco, Sheryl Tedesco, Stelio Thame, Jackie Thomas, Murray Thompson, Bob Thompson, Doug Thompson, Faye Thompson, Margaret Thompson, William Thomson, Ann Tomick, Audrey S. Tomlinson, Toni Trevor, Patricia Trick, Anne Troyer, Teresa Troyer, Todd Tucker, Cindy Turner, Barry Turner, Tom Turner, Val Van Schagen, Bill Vasilash, Ron Verhulst, Lorne Vincent, Donna Vink, Sylvia Vogelsang, Chris Wagg, Delores Wagner, Paul Wallace, Fran Walraven, Kasper Walter, Ava Ward, Jim Ward, Sharon Warnock, Barbara Warren, Bob Watson, Jacquie Watson, Rob Wenzel, Kirk West, Lena West, Mike Wheelhouse, Sheila Whittal, Martine Wickens, Paul Wilde, Allan F. Wilde, Elma Wilkie, Pat Williams, Gail Williams, J. David Wills, John Wills, Noreen Wilson, Donnamae Wilson, Heather Wolters, Ted Wood, Al Wood, Michael Wood, Nancy Wood, Teresa Woodcock, Donna Woodcock, Norman Wright, Bea Yip, Ken Yip, Maureen Young, Joan Young, Randy Zacek, Fred Zacek, Lori Ziegler, Troy Zorn, Bernie Zorn, Lorie Zupanc, John

Lawton exits, with head high

By LARRY WOOD Heart Chart Editor

I

t wasn’t an easy defeat to swallow for Saskatchewan’s Stefanie Lawton, who had erased the drastic effects of a threeloss start by winning seven of her last eight in the Scotties preliminaries at the Save-OnFoods Memorial Centre.

The subsequent 7-4 record, equalled by three other teams, shipped the Saskatoon team into Saturday morning’s sudden-death Page Three-Four playoff against defending champion Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg.

3-4 GAME But Lawton and her team had been sitting around for more than 24 hours waiting. Jones qualified for the game by surviving a hairraiser against Prince Edward Island’s Rebecca Jean MacPhee in a Friday tiebreaker.

Lawton drew the bye due to her improved record in matches against the others.

Saskatchewan had defeated both Team Canada and the Islanders during the round robin.

“We played hard,” said Lawton, an 8-6 playoff loser to the Jones juggernaut.

“We're disappointed, definitely, but they made some great shots and we just couldn’t follow them up.”

Down one without the hammer, Lawton had a rock biting the back of the four-foot beside a Jones stone and she drew her last in-turn to bite the top of the four behind a guard. But, as

it developed, Lawton need another foot in the top four to make Jones’s last shot tougher.

The defending champ tossed an out-turn down to her own backing and remained counting by inches for the win.

“If we had brought that last one of mine a touch further she’d have needed the full four cold,” said Lawton.

“Her rock hit the slide and then it stopped.”

Jones took control with a second-end deuce on an open hit after Lawton had papered a guard to take one in the opening exchange.

Then Jones stole singles in the third and fourth ends for a 4-1 advantage. But the mean Greens outscored Jones 5-3 over the next five panels to make it close at the finish.

“I knew I had backing and I wasn’t in doubt, I was pretty confident watching it go down the sheet,” said Jones, directing Cathy OvertonClapham, Jill Officer and Dawn Askin. “But we like to keep the crowd excited. Our games have been pretty close. Most of those quarterinches were going against us for the first part of week and now they’re going in our favour.”

Lawton, who is still in the thick of contention for Olympic trials berths — Jones already has clinched a berth — now moves on to defend the Canada Cup title at Yorkton in mid-March. The Saskatchewan lineup includes Lawton’s sister Marliese Kasner at third, Sherri Singler at second and Lana Vey at lead.

“We struggled a little bit at the start,” admitted Lawton. “They were putting pressure on us and we just weren’t getting the double peels we needed. We did come on strong in the last half but it wasn’t quite enough.”

This issue, and that’s all, folks!

There’s something you should know about this estimable news sheet to which you’ve subscribed the past nine days.

It never gets the final story. Sorry about that.

The Heart Chart, you see, does not publish on the post-Scotties Monday. Hence, we set up today’s championship final match in this last edition. Hereafter, you’re on your own. The name of the winner of the 2009 Scotties will not be recorded for posterity in the Heart Chart. At least, not before the initial issue of the 2010 competition in beautiful downtown Sault Ste. Marie.

Meantime, it has been a slice , folks. 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 our columnist-for-the-week Melissa Soligo and the gang at the Times Colonist for the jobs they’ve performed on our behalf.

Then there are some great people who kept us company in the media work room where the ebullient Ken Yip held court daily. Including Dunc Malcolm and Julie Skinner. Then there was that always friendly gang of drivers.

What else is there to say? Have a good final day and don’t forget to reserve early for the 2010 bash at The Soo. Cheers.

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12 Sunday, March 1, 2009 EDITOR Larry Wood ASSOCIATE EDITOR Dave Komosky PHOTOGRAPHER Andrew Klaver PUBLISHED BY The Victoria Times Colonist

The Wood file

Larry WOOD

S

o, here we are, putting the wraps on another Scotties, a Tournament Of Hearts renewal that hasn’t been too shabby.

And this one gets an A1-plus grade for winter weather.

Like, quick now, anybody here want to leave any time soon? Or, how about ever?

Right. Well, lessee. The top two teams have been determined and it’s time for the annual Scott Tournament Hearts and Heartaches Awards as chosen by your favourite daily journal (with input from several and sundry spies and assorted insiders . . . also outsiders . . . and a proviso that none of them should be taken too seriously).

And the envelopes, please . . .

Most under-rated — Is there any doubt about this one? Marla Mallett and Co., must have ferried across the Strait by submarine . . . that’s how far under the radar they were upon arrival here. How’d you have enjoyed holding a ducat on this team in a Calcutta?

Most disappointing — Had to be Ontario . . . or, maybe, also arguably, Alberta.

Krista McCarville arrived in the wake of demolishing her provincial field for the third time in four years. And for the third time in four years, her Thunder Bay bunch failed to live up to great expectations.

Safe drivers — The total complement of steering-wheel volunteers. What an effort?

Most cerebral interview — T’would have to be Heather Strong who always makes total sense. Her third, Cathy Cunningham, rates right in there, too.

Most humourous interview — Tie: Marla Mallett and Cheryl Bernard.

Most over-used cliche: One more mention of “the wrong side of the inch” will drive us all bananas!

Most intimidating: When Jill Officer

unleashed her high, hard one.

Who’s-on-first?: The so-called official all-star balloting and the subsequent announcement may have been the foul-up of the week. First team? Second team? Which was which? The printed announcement said one thing, the official introduction was the same, and it all turned out to be backwards.

And the opinion of only two, that’s right TWO, selectors. Come on, people!

Most p’d off: Most of the legitimate wretches on the media bench who are wondering why they didn’t get an all-star vote when it has been the practice for years that the vote represents a consensus of “all available media reps occupying the plywood pedestal. How can they call an all-star team legit on the basis of two votes?

Unofficial all-stars (which should be official, of course) as chosen by your favourite daily journal: Skip: Marla Mallett, B.C. (no contest). Third: Cathy O, Canada (complete with wonky knee). Second: Sherri Sengler, Saskatchewan (the percentage leader all week). Lead: Lana Vey, Saskatchewan (Vey all the way).

OK, we’ll throw in a backup — Skip Heather Strong, third Grace MacInnes, second Carolyn Darbyshire, lead Joelle Sabourin.

Teehead gamblers — The MacPhees from Spud Island waste no time launching the offence and, commendably, they played that way all game, all week.

Shooter, pound-for-pound — Grace Macneils of B.C. Most deserving — Kerry Galusha matched her best-ever record and probably should have improved upon it. But we’ll always remember her modest assessment after her big win of the week . . . her first over a defending champion .

Toughest week — Tie: Nova Scotia and

Marla Mallett (above) was most under-rated. Andrea Kelly is an up-and-comer.

Manitoba — It was to be expected for Nancy McConnery with a team of rookies behind her, but for the former Kirkness sisters, long No. 2 in a competitive curling province? Go figure.

Most luckless back-to-back misses — Robyn MacPhee had Team Canada on the hook in the 10th and 11th ends of Friday’s tiebreaker and narrowly missed both last rocks. Albeit tough weight-precise taps, MacPhee threw them both perfectly and probably deserved to get something out of one or the oßther.

Good sports — The Island girls took Friday’s defeat on the chinny-chin-chin with the greatest of aplomb.

Eldest and fittest — Lorraine Lang, 51, and 84 per cent on the week. Hubby says: “She works hard at her conditioning year round. She hasn’t a doubt in her mind that she can handle it. She says she loves the game as much as she ever did.”

Sure to be seen again — Statuesque Andrea Kelly of Fredericton, but she requires much stronger support.

Ms. Cool — Ms. Mallett.

Determination personified — The same Ms. Mallett Rock-solid courage — The Miller sis-

ters, Stef Lawton and Marliese Kasner, dealing with more than a curling tournament.

Heart-stopping smile — Tara George still flashes the real heartstopper.

Another big wide smile — Joelle Sabourin.

Heart-warming laugh — Cheryl Bernard’s is genuine.

Screaming Mimi Award — Stefanie Lawton allowed in mid-week she was losing her voice and advised to consult Russ Howard.

The biggest loser — What’s the People’s network doing for curling excitement these days? But they sure love those eight-end games.

Best team colours — Always Quebec.

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15 Sunday, March 1, 2009

Envelope

Victoria native Dr. Jim Armstrong skipped his Canadian team Saturday to the world wheelchair curling championship in Vancouver.

From Page 12

STANDINGS W Team Canada (Jones) 10 B.C. (Mallett) 9 Saskatchewan (Lawton) 7 Quebec (Larouche) 7 PEI (MacPhee) 7 ——— Ontario (McCarville) 6 Alberta (Bernard) 6 N.B. (Kelly) 5 Nfld/Lab (Strong) 5 Y/NWT (Galusha) 4 Manitoba (Spencer) 2 N.S. (McConnery) 2

L 4 3 5 6 5 5 5 6 6 7 9 9

LINESCORES SATURDAY 3-4 GAME 1 p.m.

Sask. (Lawton) 100 010 202 0 Team Canada (Jones) 021 101 020 1 SASK. Vey Singler Kasner Lawton TEAM

S 20 20 20 20 80

P 65 64 65 61 255

% 81 80 81 76 80

Canada Askin Officer O-Clapham Jones TEAM

— — S 20 20 20 20 80

P 69 74 69 64 276

6 8 % 86 93 86 80 86

SEMI-FINAL 6:30 a.m.

Team Canada (Jones) 140 020 203 x B.C. (Marlett) 002 302 010 x Canada Askin Officer O-Clapham Jones TEAM

S 18 20 20 76 76

P 53 60 69 51 233

% 74 75 86 71 77

QUE. Sabourin Lemay Belanger Larouche TEAM

— — S 20 20 19 18 77

P 65 60 54 46 225

12 8 % 81 75 71 64 73

Most notable missing colours — Still rose, teal, tangerine, peach, terracotta, burgundy and mauve. Is anybody listening?

Best tattoo — They all were well hidden.

Fair hair – Kari MacLean’s is neat and tidy.

Scare hair — Dawn Askin could use a revamp.

Best former skip now playing another position — Tie: Rebecca Jean and Cathy Cunningham.

Soft touch holiday — Not one alternate player in the Scotties threw as much as a rock this year.

On-ice rookie-of-the-year — Grace MacInnes by an eyelash over Brette Richards.

Media rookie-of-the-year — Melissa Soligo, in a stiff breeze.

Wonderful host — Julie Skinner and her volunteer crew.

All-star stay-at-home team — It’s a three-woman unit: Cheryl Bernard, Denise Nowlan and Diane Gushulak.

All-star nurses team — Another trio: Rebecca Jean MacPhee, Jacalyn Brown and Tammi Lowther.

All-star teachers’ team — We got six: Barb Spencer, Krista McCarville, Kari MacLean, Marie-France Larouche, Nancy Belanger, Marliese Kasner.

Mom-to-be — Kerry Galusha.

Coaching award — Looks like B.C.’s Ken MacDonald has some real smarts.

Best pub — 1. Irish Times, 2. HeartStop, 3. Sticky Wicket.

Best eatery — Blue Crab (best crab in the whole wide world).

Best pizza — Undiscovered.

Best ancillary news — The Continental Cup event is not, repeat not, dead in the water.

Ms. Congeniality — Cheryl Bernard of Calgary.

Hard-luck Harriet Award — Robyn MacPhee, as mentioned.

Commentator — Vic Rauter, with kudos to the fast-improving R. Howard.

The arena — One of the best available. THE best in the country, in fact, without a top-flight shinny tenant.

The attendance — Disappointing but no record (154,688) here. With luck, they’ll fit in around eighth — or ninth-best.

Maybe there’s just too much else to do in this balmy climate.

The parking — Where? Maybe this is the reason for the lousy attendance.

The volunteers — You never get volunteers that aren’t topnotch. If they weren’t top-notch, they wouldn’t be volunteers.

And, oh, how the Scott Tournament of Hearts is dependent upon them, as everyone knows.

Weather — It doesn’t get any better in this country at this time of year.

Song —The best tunes still emanate from Down East — Newfoundland, P.E.I. or Nova Scotia.

Wish — 1. Let’s go back to Newfoundland and/or P.E.I. and/or Nova Scotia. 2. Plant the event right here.

Mallett From Page 2 Marla Mallett and family live in Langley, an hour’s drive from the home Vancouver Curling Club which is near downtown in the big city.

Soligo From Page 6 I also managed to maintain my social-butterfly status at the arena as I spent countless hours getting re-acquainted with teams, CCA delegates, officials and spectators from everywhere. Throw in a few hours of babysitting Ashley Mallett as she cheered on her mom from B.C. and my week was complete.

I truly enjoyed myself. I never thought this writing thing would be so difficult, but through sheer determination and absolute focus (yeah, right), I managed to persevere. And without my buddy ‘Pindawg’ (his real name is Dave) I would still be sitting here in the weeks to come trying to finish the next column.

To Woody and Komo, thank you for all the support during the week.

I can see that being a reporter/media personal/journalist is a challenging job at best. Although I feel I am one of you now (again yeah, right), I leave it to you to carry us forward in the future. My writing days are over.

The end of the Scotties leaves me with a heavy heart. I cannot put into words what I felt this week, seeing so many people and being part of this special celebration. I may miss my playing days and being a part of such an awesome competition, but I am also so fortunate to be able to stay very involved in the most amazing sport ever. I will miss all the hellos, the hugs and the smiles that seem to go hand on hand with this event.

To all the teams, I say goodbye and good luck as you continue to do us proud. To the host committee, I say congratulations on a remarkable job. To the CCA and Robin Wilson, I say thank you for this opportunity and keep up the incredible work as you continue to showcase spectacular women’s curling everywhere. To all the volunteers, your efforts do not go unnoticed, and we thank you for the countless hours of your time.

As we approach the final stone of the 2009 STOH, carry your spirit, like the Olympic torch, from Victoria onward to Sault Ste Marie, where we may all meet again next year (if only by watching it on TSN). I hope all of you have had the opportunity to create as many fond memories as I have.

I can’t believe this is my last column. It has been such a phenomenal week, and I only complained once (a day) the whole week about how hard (yet rewarding) writing for the Heart Chart would be. To all my new media friends, thank you for welcoming me into your world and making me feel at ease.

All the best to our two finalists and to the champions, good luck in Korea!

“It’s not a long drive but you’re sitting in traffic for most of it,” said Mallett. “But most of our practices are set up for me to come right from work because I work right downtown, a 10-minute drive from the club.”

There was a rumour floating around that Mallett was, this week, wearing the slacks of her former junior skip, Julie Skinner. Turns out there was a mixup in rumours.

“I do not have her pants on,” Mallett exclaimed with a laugh. “Diane (Gushulak) has Julie’s pants on! I would not get my butt into those pants, they’re about six sizes smaller than what I got on!”

Is this team into good-luck charms?

“I’m not superstitious,” Mallett barks.

“It’s all planned. All scheduled. No luck, no black cats, I do not read my horoscope.”

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