2009 Tim Hortons Brier - Tankard Times - Day 1

Issue #1, Saturday, March 7, 2009

TANKARD TIMES OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE 2009 TIM HORTONS BRIER

The Howards — son Steven, uncle Glenn, father Russ, get together at Brier ’09.

Monday, March 7, 2009 2

New Brunswick skip Russ Howard is making his 11th Brier appearance.

“It’ll be fun. I’ve played him several times since he moved away but never on a national stage.”

— Ontario skip Glenn Howard on facing his brother Russ at the Brier

Star power in the ‘dome Five former champs in field loaded with experience

By LARRY WOOD Tankard Times Editor

T

here was a time when star-power wasn’t something you related to the sport of curling.

But times have changed, due to a massive increase in exposure, primarily from television.

So when the 80th Brier (No. 5 if you’re merely counting Tim Hortons-sponsored gigs) kicks off this afternoon at the Pengrowth Saddledome there’ll be a lot of talk about star power.

Five former Brier champions, including the top two skips in the world according to most rankings, not to mention an Olympic gold medallist, are among those starting the chase for the battered Brier tankard.

Defending champion Kevin Martin, Alberta champion the past four years and 10 winters overall, figures to be the favourite with 2008

champ Glenn Howard of Coldwater, Ont., the Howard told Bill Graveland of Canadian No. 2 choice.

Press. “It’s just been mind-boggling how Everywhere you look, the experts . . . and well we’ve done this year. We just seem to even the opponents, are picking Kevin and keep riding this wave and there’s no reason to Glenn or Glenn and Kevin. think it’s not going to continue. We’ve been These two have been banging heads in the final for the past three years. in most curling circles for years and So we’ve had a lot of current experineither is certain who owns the edge ence.” in wins.

It took Martin just five wins in If you don’t know Martin, he’s the five matches to qualify as Alberta guy they haul out of that box of stychampion. By contrast it took rofoam on the Capital One commerHoward a total of 18 wins in 20 cial. Martin won the 1997 Brier in matches (he lost his very first game SEE this same building. But he’s bidding in zones). So can we take this? Is one DRAW, for even more popularity in this town better prepared than the other? Is one Page 12 this time out — half of his lineup, province’s draw system softer than third John Morris and lead Ben Hebert, the other? One thing is for certain. resides in Calgary. Second Marc Never has it been easier (five games?)

Kennedy is from Edmonton. to grab a Brier berth.

Howard’s lineup of Richard Hart, Brent Both Martin and Howard have won three Laing and Craig Savill has been together for Brier titles. Glenn, the younger, won two five years. of his with older brother Russ on the tee“It’s been one of the best years ever,” head.

And, lo and behold, older brother is here skipping the New Brunswick entry from Oromocto with 1997 skip James Grattan playing third.

Grattan finished third in ’97 when Martin won here.

There’ll be a lot of attention paid to the clash of the Howard brothers come Tuesday.

These guys never have collided in a Brier tilt.

Russ, the venerable, however, will have his gnarled paws full with this group but he is, nevertheless, a two-time champion skip with both his wins transpiring in advance of the millennium.

“It’ll be fun,” said Glenn Howard. “I’ve played him several times since he’s moved away but never on a national stage. I’m going to want to win as much as him but if we win I’m not one to stick it in his face or anything.”

PLEASE SEE BRIER P5

3 Saturday, March 7, 2009

FORD HOT SHOTS

Familiar face back in the hunt

By LARRY WOOD Tankard Times Editor

T

hey launched the 15th go-round of the Ford Hot Shots men’s singles skill curling event on Friday afternoon at the Pengrowth Saddledome and defending champion John Morris of Calgary was right back in the hunt for his second gas buggy in two years, firing 26 of a possible 30 points in the singles competition.

Leading the way was Nova Scotia second player Andrew Gibson, a part of Mark Dacey’s 2004 Brier-winning team with an immaculate 28 out of 30 possible points.

The pre-event shotmaking competition requires curlers to execute six shots: Hit-andstay, draw-the-button, draw-the-port, raise, hit-and-roll and double takeout. Each shot is awarded points on a scale from 0-5, rating the success of each.

Trailing behind Gibson and Morris, the Alberta third, heading into Saturday’s 11 a.m. quarters, semis and final, five players were deadlocked scoring 25/30 apiece. They included Kevin Martin, Alberta skip; Joel Jordison, Saskatchewan skip; Bruce Lohnes, Nova Scotia third; Jason Vaughan, New Brunswick lead; and Martin Gavin, Territories lead.

Catching the last survival berth was Ontario lead Craig Savill with 24 points.

The Saddledome sniping constituted a change of pace from two weeks ago at Victoria when the B.C. team skipped by Marla Mallett unanimously opted to pull out of the competition and toss all her resources into performing at the national championship. B.C. finished second.

In this morning’s eights, Gibson will be paired with Savill, Morris with Gavin, Jordison with Lohnes and Martin with Vaughan. The five tied players drew to the button to decide their part in the pairings.

Second-place finisher will be presented with a cheque for $2,000, while the thirdplace finisher receives $1,000.

Past Hot Shots winners at the Brier have been Saskatchewan’s Steve Laycock, Ontario's Ed Werenich, Rick Perron, Jeff Lacey and Marc LeCocq of New Brunswick, Northern Ontario's Mike Coulter, Pat Ryan and Greg McAulay of British Columbia, Manitoba's Steve Gould (twice), Alberta’s Don Bartlett, Randy Ferbey and Morris, and Mark Nichols of Newfoundland/Labrador.

Former Scotties winners include Saskatchewan's Kay Montgomery, British Columbia's Sherry Fraser, Kristy Lewis and double winner Kelley Law, New Brunswick's Allison Farrell, Alberta's Marcy Balderston

and lats month’s winner Cheryl Bernard of Calgary, Prince Edward Island’s Suzanne (Gaudet) Birt, Ontario’s Andrea Lawes and Jenn Hanna, Nova Scotia’s Colleen Jones, Manitoba’s Gerri Cooke and Kelli Turpin of the Territories, who has since returned to Newfoundland/Labrador.

To mark the 15th anniversary of the Hot Shots competition, Ford, in collaboration with the Canadian Curling Association, has launched an interactive on-line version of the the skills competition.

Fans can go to FordHotShots.curling.ca and play like the pros for a chance to win a two-year lease on a 2009 Ford Flex.

The on-line game has, to date, drawn an overwhelming response with more than 400,000 games played. When the contest closes on March 31, the top two players will be determined and will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the Ford Worlds in Moncton where they will compete online in a onegame winner takes all playoff April 10.

Saturday, March 7, 2009 4

Facts, figures in chase for the Brier WHERE

There was no stopping Kevin Martin’s Alberta crew last year in Winnipeg.

From the left: Kevin Martin, John Morris, Marc Kennedy, Ben Hebert from the Saville Sports Centre in Edmonton.

Calgary Pengrowth Saddledome

HISTORY The Brier began in 1927 in Toronto and has been held every year with the exception of 194345 because of the Second World War. This will be the 80th edition of the Brier, which was previously held in Calgary in 2002 in the Saddledome.

COMPETITION There will be 12 teams, one from each of the 10 provinces, Northern Ontario and Yukon/Northwest Territories. A round-robin format will be followed by a four-team Page Playoff System, where the first-place team plays the second-place team, and the third-place team meets the fourth-place team.

The winner of 1 vs. 2 advances directly to the final.

A semifinal will be played between the loser of the 1 vs. 2 game and the winner of the 3 vs. 4 game.

The winner of the semifinal meets the 1 vs. 2 winner in Sunday’s final.

TROPHY Brier Tankard

EVENTS Saturday: Opening ceremonies, 9:30 a.m.; Hot Shots skills playoffs, 11 a.m.; opening draw 1 p.m.

Monday-Friday: Draws at 8:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. (Please see main draw, Page 12) Friday: Tiebreakers if necessary at 8:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Saturday: Page Playoff 10 .m.; semifinal, 6 p.m.

Sunday: Final, 6 p.m., followed by closing ceremonies.

lowed by the Page Playoffs on Friday evening and Saturday morning, the semi-final Saturday evening and the final on Sunday evening, March 15, beginning at 6 p.m. MT.

curling championship, April 4-12 at the Coliseum in Moncton, N.B.

THE INTERNET

TV COVERAGE This year TSN will provide comprehensive coverage of the Brier. All morning, afternoon and evening round-robin draws will be televised, fol-

THE CHAMPIONS The winning team picks up the MacDonald’s Trophy and represents Canada at the Ford world

Draw results/Tim Hortons Brier information CCA website — www.curling.ca or seasonofchampions.ca

!""

! !""

Monday, March 7, 2008 5

It’s a deep and talented field that will hit the ice at the Saddledome.

mind that a whole bunch of them were racking up the silverware back there in the dark ages.

Jeff Stoughton, who leads the Manitoba From Page 2 league in Brier appearances, is back for the seventh time with an aging import Albertan, Nova Scotia skip Mark Dacey, the 2004 Kevin Park, firing third boulders. This will be Brier champion, figures Martin and Howard Park’s first Brier in 15 years. His last visit to rate as top dogs with the remainder qualifying the Brier was at Halifax in 1995 as Kevin as various incarnations of darkhorses.

Martin’s vice-skip. “Over the past few years both (Martin and “You’ve definitely got the top two in the Howard) have certainly put the bar pretty high world here and we are going to have to be at for what level you have to play at,� said our best to beat them,� said Stoughton. “But Dacey. the problem is if you only concentrate on “They’re ranked number one and two in the them you get killed by everybody else.� world and it’s kind of similar to (tennis stars Aside from the genuine stars, the “everyRoger) Federer and (Rafael) Nadal — there’s body else� includes Joel Jordison of Moose them and then there’s the rest.

Jaw, a cashspiel regular who kayoed Pat “You sort of feel like one of the rest but Simmons in that doesn’t mean Saskatchewan, ending the you can’t win. You good bonecrusher’s fourcome out with year reign. Jordison has punches being 2002 Saskatchewan thrown and guns champ Scott Bitz of blazing and try not to Regina playing third in be one of their vichis second Calgary Brier. tims.�

And there’s Jamie Koe, Dacey is back in — Newfoundland and Labrador the best skip in the Polar the thick of it after skip Brad Gushue regions for longer than taking a refreshing anybody can remember. year away from the He’s strengthened his ice lanes. lineup with another former Territories skip, Back again, too, is Quebec’s Jean-Michel Jon Solberg, at third.

Menard, who upset Howard, to say nothing of New Westminster rookie Sean Geall may or the Brier applecart, back in 2006? And Brad may not qualify in this category. But you’d Gushue, who still polishes up that Olympic have to say he’s probably solid for a few wins gold medal from Torino . . . just about every if vice-skip Brent Pierce, a winner in 2000, morning. Come to think of it, Russ Howard shows up with a hot hand. has the same morning ritual. He played secThat leaves Mike Jakubo (a magician ond and called traffic for Gushue at the Winter dubbed The Great Jakubo a few years back) Games. from the nickel belt and aging Island cam“Obviously Kevin and Glenn are the paigner Rod MacDonald who has few peers favourites going in,� Gushue said. “I think when it comes to knowing his way around a we’re probably in the next group there. It’s teehead. just a matter of getting ourselves into the MacDonald denied John Likely, the last playoffs and getting on a run.�

Island skip to play in a Calgary Brier, from Gushue followed thet very formula at the returning in a wild provincial final.

2005 Olympic trial Both Jakubo and Macdonald will be in Another two-time champ of yore represents tough at this Brier but, on sheets of ice, the province that has accounted for more winnobody should be completely counted out. ners of the Brier than any other, and never

Brier

“Obviously, Kevin and Glenn are the favourites going in.�

Saturday, March 7, 2009 6

Good news is, there’s less of them

‘Picks’ all part of the game I

f there’s a more hated word in the curlers’ lexicon than ‘pick’, nobody has found out about it yet.

The ‘pick’ is the reference to the curling rock in motion that does strange things — like veering left or right or sideways or grinding to an unplanned and unexpected halt.

The ‘pick’ is the reference to debris or soft spots on the ice sheet.

The latter are caused by handprints or kneeprints in warm arenas or pebble that has been worn off the ice surface, usually in the late ends of a game.

Nothing aggravates the curler more. And nobody finds it more tiresome than the curl-

Larry WOOD

ing spectator who begins to wonder if there’s such a thing as a missed shot that isn’t a ‘pick’.

“There’s no bigger penalty than a picked rock in any sport,” says six-time Brier champion Randy Ferbey, who was the victim of one in last month’s provincial playdowns at Wainwright.

Only two years ago, at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, ‘picks’ at the Brier were as common as pin traders.

The word on the street is that ‘picks’ are occurring with less and less frequency as icemakers toil toward the perfect strip of freeze.

That’s the good news. The bad news is Kevin Martin’s team grappled with more than four ‘picks’ in December during a defeat to Kelowna’s Bob Ursel in the final of the Canada Cup Qualifiers up at the Saville Centre in Edmonton.

“Four, probably more than that,” Martin admitted during a break at the Continental

Cup in Camrose.

“There were a few dead spots on the ice.

But that’s the first time in a long time. That was an odd game.

“We get very few ‘picks’ any more. They make the water so hard the pebble stands up better. We’re pretty careful. We don’t get so many in a year.

“Technology actually has improved it. As good as it can get. Really, the surfaces are getting so good that you don’t get so many ‘picks’ any more.”

Truth is, Martin spends so much time on sheets of curling ice these days he finds it much easier to shrug off disappointments like the Canada Cup qualifier final.

“It was one of those weird games where it didn’t react quite normally — a guard that curls too much, a rock dives on a guard, another one just stops,” said the guy they call K-Mart.

“I mean, you get to know how the rocks

react, right? You’ll know if it’s debris or soft spots on the ice. You can see by the handles.

You get a hair and it will take right off sideways.

“There are hard spots on a golf course and there are sprinkler heads and there’s bad breaks in most sports. It’s going to happen.

In hockey, you have the glass. Weird corners.

Pucks taking weird bounces off the boards.

You can lose a game because of something like that. Curling’s no different. “‘Picks’ are the same kind of thing. You can hit a beautiful three-wood into a par five and the ball hits a sprinkler head and bounces 30 yards into the bush. You hit a beautiful shot, now you’re back where you hit from, two strokes and you probably lose the tournament and you didn’t do a thing wrong.

“Same with curling. It’s OK. It’s just the way it is.

PLEASE SEE WOOD P8

‹ :KLWH 5RFN 'LVWLOOHULHV ,QF 3URGXFHG DQG ERWWOHG E\ :KLWH 5RFN 'LVWLOOHULHV ,QF /HZLVWRQ 0( 86$ $OF 9RO 3URRI

:H¶YH JRW WKH 7LP +RUWRQV %ULHU FRYHUHG

$ " * )+ * " " 4 $2 $ $* + ! . % " * +4! $ " * .* ! * + $ * $!% "4& 5# ,5

..

$" " ! ! " ! " " " %

" " ".

" ".. *

* +0 0++% % " "++ $" $ . $" .)+ .)++ ! !% %$+ $++ ++ + "$ $. .$ $ 1 1 0 0" " $" .

. .$* $*/

$*

3 "$ ! ! ... ** 2 . 4$ $0) 0 * ' .

" " 44(( 0+ " 0+ .. $ $**& $

$ 1 + + . . 4$0 $0** $ $ " *

* .$ $ 4

4 $ $** . +.. ** 1 1 &

222& $ " * & $!

Saturday, March 7, 2009 8

Wood From Page 6

Kevin Martin knows all about ‘picks’.

“We’re ever more watchful for debris and that sort of stuff. Everybody’s making a conscious effort here — the WCF and the tour and the CCA with the players making sure we get up off the ice right away. “The icemakers have a real handle on the pebble. That way you don’t get those dead spots because the pebble is really higher and harder so it doesn’t break down as much.

That’s huge. “They’re careful out the rugs now, too.

They’re very picky about the material that’s around. “Icemakers are making a conscious effort and I think it’s working like a charm.�

In fact, Canada’s top icemakers can take the credit for supposedly reducing the instances of ‘picks’.

Tim Yeo of Gibbons, one of Canada’s top glacial experts on the verge of retirement, confirms that ‘picks’ are, indeed, a lesser factor these days. “I’d say we’re 50 per cent of what we used to get,� he said at Camrose. “The hard water has a lot to do with it.

“This de-oxifier makes a whale of difference,� he added, brandishing a large bottle of clear liquid. “It takes oxygen out of the water. We’ve used it with Zambonis for years. “One day I thought, ‘why can’t we try this with our pebble, see what it will do’? “Lucky enough, my wife’s best friend is a chemist. I asked her to experiment and find out how much to put in. It works out that if we put five millilitres of this in five gallons of water it hardens up. If you have too little or too much it will not work. You have to have the right mixture. “It makes a world of difference as far as the pebble is concerned. It holds up so much better. We used to get that flattening out during the last couple of ends. And that was basically when you got your ‘picks’, too. The pebble would wear out and just grab anything.�

Yeo estimates “80 per cent of ‘picks’ now are caused by debris. “When we we’re doing the mixed up in Iqaluit (last November) we decided to clean the ice after every end because we had the time.

We collected all the debris and it was amazing the amount of crap that was taken up. “Most of it was gripper breakdown. Some hair, but most of it was grippers. And I don’t like to say this, but when we used to get our grippers made here in Canada they were a lot

better. Now they’re made in China and the kind of stuff in there just doesn’t last like the old grippers used to. Even new ones are breaking off. “You have hand prints and knee prints but players have really been helping us out with that. It helps their game so they’re getting up off the ice much quicker. “The floor coverings around the ice surfaces have improved, too. And we’ve improved everything with these sticky mats we use at the entrance to the ice surface. We change those after every draw. I think Dave Merklinger came up with those. I think they used them in basketball.�

Poor Merk was the target at the Hamilton Brier. The complaints of soft spots and ‘picks’ were long and loud. “There’s no reason to have more Brier ice like Hamilton,� said Martin, “but I imagine we’ll live to enjoy another one like that some day. But that’s the way it is. That’s curling. “We’ve come a long way. The hardener in the water is fantastic.�

Adds Yeo: “We’re never going to get rid of 100 per cent of the ‘picks’ but, in all the big events, when we get down to where we’re using just one sheet we always clean it up as much as possible, collect the debris and see if we find anything new.�

0oÂŁoĂŽB˜ BĂŽBÂ?ÞÔ

K_`j `j _fn `k j_flc[ ]\\c%Â

3B—o ðŠçĂ? žÂ?ÂŁfc RŠfĂ° BÂŁf ƒBžo ފ B ĂŽÂŒÂŠÂ˜o ÂŁoĂŽ ¸˜B\ož Â?ÂŁf Ă?oÂŁoĂŽB˜ BĂž 3ÂŒo ;oÔÞÂ?ÂŁ B˜ƒBĂ?Ă°c ¸Ă?Šçf ÂŒÂŠĂ”Ăž ÂŒÂŠĂžo˜ Š| ĂžÂŒo üÜܼ 3Â?ž ŠĂ?ފ£Ô Ă?Â?oĂ?ž Ă?oBĂž Ă?BĂžoĂ” |Ă?Šž lü°¼ ¸oĂ? ÂŁÂ?ÂƒÂŒĂžÂžO

" % % # ' " ' #"# ' " " # " " " " " " $ # "# # % " # # # " # " " % ' ' " # " $ ' ' &

"

$ " " "' $ " % " " % $ " " $ " & % " " $ " " ' $ $ " " " " &&& $ % # ( " "

ŠĂ? žŠĂ?o Â?ÂŁ|ŠĂ?žBĂžÂ?Š£ ŠĂ? ފ žB—o B Ă?oĂ”oĂ?Ă­BĂžÂ?Š£c ¸˜oBĂ”o Ă­Â?Ă”Â?Ăž ĂŽoÔÞÂ?£ž\ŠžÚ\B˜ƒBĂ?Ă° ŠĂ? \B˜˜ °ŽtĂśĂśÂŽĂ˜Â°Ă™ÂŽt°Üüž

[ ~ĂĽ~ ÂƒĂ§oÔÞ Ă?ŠŠžÔ |oBÞçĂ?Â?ÂŁÂƒ ĂžÂŒo Ă”Â?ÂƒÂŁBÞçĂ?o oBĂ­oÂŁÂ˜Ă° ofĂ’ BÂŁf oBĂ­oÂŁÂ˜Ă° BĂžÂŒĂ’ BžoÂŁÂ?ĂžÂ?oĂ” [ ;oÔÞÂ?ÂŁ;%0 %53Ă’ ðž BÂŁf Ă?ŠŠ|ފ¸ Â?ÂŁfŠŠĂ? ÂŒoBĂžof ¸ŠŠ˜c ĂŽÂŒÂ?Ă?˜¸ŠŠ˜ BÂŁf Ă”Bç£B O0BĂžoĂ” fŠ £ŠÞ Â?ÂŁ\Â˜Ă§fo ĂžBĂŻoĂ”c ƒĂ?BÞçÂ?ĂžÂ?oĂ” ŠĂ? BÂŁĂ° BffÂ?ĂžÂ?Š£B˜ \ÂŒBĂ?ƒoĂ” ĂžÂŒBĂž žBĂ° BÂ¸Â¸Â˜Ă°Âž 0BĂžoĂ” BĂ?o ¸oĂ? ÂŁÂ?ÂƒÂŒĂžc RBĂ”of Š£ Ă”Â?ÂŁÂƒÂ˜oĂšfŠçR˜o Š\\ç¸BÂŁ\Ă° BÂŁf BĂ?o ÔçR–o\Ăž ފ BĂ­BÂ?˜BRÂ?˜Â?Þðž düÜܼ 1ĂžBĂ?ΊŠf ŠÞoÂ˜Ă” I 0oԊĂ?ÞÔ ;ŠĂ?˜fĂŽÂ?foc ÂŁ\ž ˜˜ Ă?Â?ÂƒÂŒĂžĂ” Ă?oĂ”oĂ?Ă­ofž

9 Saturday, March 7, 2009

Don’t overlook . . .

Playoff bound . . .

1. ALBERTA KEVIN MARTIN Saville Sports Centre (Edmonton) Skip: Kevin Martin Third: John Morris Second: Marc Kennedy Lead: Ben Hebert The skinny: Considering the way they romped through this affair at 13-and-zip last year at Winnipeg, it’s tough to see anybody else at the head of the line when they’re passing out the silverware and tickets to the Worlds in Moncton.

This team is capable of the odd stumble (the operative adjective being odd) but its record in this company speaks for itself. Only real threat will be posed by . . .

2. ONTARIO GLENN HOWARD

cey oozes determination NOVA SCOTIA — Mark Da d his team is capable of An and can be tough as nails. h the best of them. Won wit es on rd delivering high, ha ed year off last and proceed in 2004, took a refresher on up n tio eti mp co ose en Blu to make a mockery of the under-rated in here. returning. May be vastly Menard’s form chart sug el ich QUEBEC — Jean-M he nt de nfi co ’s He t. etimes no gests sometimes hot, som t las if t, bu 6 200 of ss ce suc can duplicate the surprise the ll Sti . he may be dreaming year was any indication, and showed mettle by win ce s best in La Belle Provin foe gh tou st ain ag th matches ning two big sudden-dea at the finish. to Jordison is a fresh face SASKATCHEWAN — Joel on led toi honed, having the Brier but he’s bonspiel- is gauntlet, however, Th w. no s tour for some winter a cashspiel so he’s diph wit on mm co has nothing in waters here. Surely Pat ping his toes in uncharted ck rep, has filled in gh-lu Simmons, last year’s tou ls. fal Jordison on all the pit

Coldwater & District Curling Club (Coldwater) Skip: Glenn Howard Third: Richard Hart Second: Brent Laing Lead: Craig Saville The skinny: It’s always a great scuffle when Howard locks horns with Alberta and this should be no different. This bunch blasted its way through Upper Canada again — no freebie rides into the provincials here — leaving no doubt who was boss. They won this title two years ago and maybe should have won it three years ago, too. But memories of that upset still leave a slight indication of vulnerability.

3. MANITOBA JEFF STOUGHTON Charleswood Curling Club (Winnipeg) Third: Kevin Park Skip: Jeff Stoughton Second: Rob Fowler Lead: Steve Gould The skinny: You never can totally count out these guys and they proved they’re the class of the Bison Nation again by hammering everybody in sight at the provincials (Safeway Select). The team is slightly revamped with the ageless transplanted Alberta gunner Park at third so team dynamics could be troublesome over the long haul. Stoughton has won this twice, but the last time was a decade ago.

4. NEWFOUNDLAND/LABRADOR BRAD GUSHUE ReMax (St. John’s Curling Club) Centre (St. John’s) Skip: Brad Gushue Third: Mark Nicholls Second: Ryan Fry Lead: Jamie Korab The skinny: The suspicion is that this may be the lineup geared to make big noises for Gushue. The suspicion is, too, that he’s overdue for another performance like he turned in at the 2005 Olympic trials. On the other hand, this team often has exhibited a proclivity for disastrous single-end miscues (technical and tactical) that have proven costly. That’s something this talented team must overcome.

Spoilers at best . . . ward e longer-in-the-tooth Ho NEW BRUNSWICK — Th wd cro us vio ob an d he’ll be (53 years old) is back an e or pable of knocking off on ca ’s he ot, bo To . favourite old an is is not all of them. Th two of the big guns. But d an se ha lec ep istance ste warhorse running a long-d guys. time favours the younger e has been the best Polar Ko mie Ja — IES TERRITOR at king for a personal best bet for years now. He’s loo fidif be to ignment is going the very least but the ass er’s best-ever fields. Still, Bri the of cult against one muck it up for somebody. bet on the Northerners to okie skip Sean Geall has BRITISH COLUMBIA — Ro , a member of the 2000 veteran third Brent Pierce the there’s some question if champs, for backing but apdis rly ea o tw or e haul. On team is built for the long this in a long and sorry week pointments could lead to company.

Enjoy the visit . . .

the Mike Jakubo is back and NORTHERN ONTARIO — pro s ha t tha from a region no-argument top choice mer champions (the for m fro g hin duced everyt a to guys who couldn’t buy Hackners, Langs of yore) gh tou in be l 6). This crew wil win (Robbie Gordon in 200 ca 2005). to improve on 3-and-7, cir — Grizzled codgers like D LAN IS D AR PRINCE EDW ile erging from the Island wh Rod MacDonald keep em to n pio am national junior ch l they wait for their current wil s ald on cD ppens, the Ma come of age. Until that ha t bu t en ssm rra ba em to avoid perform just well enough marbles is a whole differ the all at t sho a they know ds. ent kettle of fish and spu

Alberta skip Kevin Martin walks softly but carries a big stick.

Plenty of experince 14 ready to hit the ice

Team

N.S.

13 Team Manitoba

Mayflower CC Halifax Experience factor — 14 Sk — Mark Dacey (42-6) 3rd — Bruce Lohnes (50-7) 2nd— Andrew Gibson (29-4) Ld — Kris Granchelli (36-1) Alt — Mat Harris (47-0).

Coach — Peter Corkum (Runnerup: Ian Fitzner-LeBlanc, Halifax)

13 Team Quebec Etchemin CC, St-Romuald

Team number indicates combined years of experience at previous Brier championships. Teams listed skip to lead (in brackets age and Brier appearances (including 2009).

3 Team N. Ontario

St-Romuald

Copper Cliff CC

Sk — Jean-Michel Menard (33-5)

Copper Cliff (Sudbury)

3rd — Martin Crete (23-2)

Sk — Mike Jakubo (26-2) 3rd — Matt Seabrook (25-1)

Team

19

P.E.I. Charlottetown CC Charlottetown Sk — Rod MacDonald (51-6) 3rd — Kevin Champion (45-6) 2nd— Andrew Robinson (392)

1

Team

20

Team

N.B.

Charleswood CC

GAGE GOLF/CURLING

Winnipeg

Oromocto

Sk — Jeff Stoughton (45-7)

Sk — Russ Howard (53-14)

3rd — Kevin Park (44-4)

3rd — James Grattan (34-7)

2nd— Rob Fowler (33-2)

2nd— Steven Howard (24-1)

Ld — Steve Gould (36-4)

Ld — Jason Vaughan (39-3)

Alt — Randy Dutiaume (46-1).

Alt — Peter Case (31-1)

Coach — Norm Gould

Coach — Daryell Nowlan

(Runnerup: Kerry Burtnyk, Winnipeg)

(Runnerup: Moncton)

18 Team Alberta

Rick

Sask.

15 Nfld/Lab

Team

Bushell Park CC

Bally Haly Golf andf CC

Moose Jaw

St. John’s

Sk — Joel Jordison (30-1)

Sk — Brad Gushue (28-6)

3rd — Scott Bitz (35-2)

3rd — Mark Nichols (29-6)

2nd— Aryn Schmidt (32-1)

2nd — Ryan Fry (30-2)

Ld — Dean Hicke (41-1)

Ld — Jamie Korab (29-5)

Alt — Rod Montgomery (452).

Alt — Glenn Goss (51-3).

Coach — Ron Meyers

(Runnerup: Keith Labrador City)

(Runnerup: Pat Simmons, Davidson)

Coach — Ken Bagnell Ryan,

Perron,

Team

3

B.C.

21 Team Ontario

Saville Sports Centre

Royal City CC

Coldwater & District CC

(Edmonton)

New Westminster

Coldwater

8

Team

Y/NWT Yellowknife CC Yellowknife Sk — Jamie Koe (31-3)

Sk — Kevin Martin (42-10)

Sk — Sean Geall 34-1)

Sk — Glenn Howard (46-11)

3rd — Jon Solberg (37-3)

3rd — John Morris (30-4)

3rd — Brent Pierce (39-3)

3rd — Richard Hart (40-4)

2nd— Marc Kennedy (27-3)

2nd— Kevin Recksiedler (28-2)

2nd— Brent Laing (30-5)

2nd— Brad Chorostkowski (35-5)

Ld — Ben Hebert (25-5)

Ld — Mark Olson (33-1)

Ld — Craig Savill (30-5)

Ld — Martin Gavin (42-1)

Alt — Terry Meek (46-0).

Alt — Tyler Klitch (32-0).

Alt — Steve Bice (27-0).

Alt — Tom Naugler (36-0).

2nd— Eric Sylvain (37-6)

2nd — Luc Ouimet (35-2)

Ld — Mark O’Rourke (46-9)

Ld — Jean Gagnon (38-4)

Ld — Lee Toner (36-2)

Alt — Philippe Menard (22-0).

Alt — Scott Seabrook (23-0).

Alt — Peter MacDonald (525).

Coach — Michel St-Onge

Coach — Bruce Melville

Coach — Pat Aylward

Coach — Jules Owchar

Coach — Glen Pierce

Coach — Scott Taylor

Coach — Terry Shea

(Runnerup — Martin Ferland, Trois-Rivieres

(Runnerup: Brad Jacobs, Sault Ste. Marie)

(Runnerup: John Likely, Charlottetown)

(Runnerup: Randy Ferbey, Edmonton)

(Runnerup: Jay Peachey, New Westminster)

(Runnerup: Peter Corner, Brampton)

(Runnerup: Chad Cowan, Whitehorse)

Saturday, March 7, 2009 12

2009

BRIER DRAW TIME

DRAW A 1 2

Sask. vs. Que. PEI vs. N.S.

B

C

D

SUNDAY

8:30 a.m.

1 p.m.

6 p.m.

3 4 5

NL vs. B.C. Que. vs. N.B.

N.B. vs. Sask.

Man. vs PEI B.C. vs. Ont.

Alta. vs. Que. N.S. vs. Y/NWT N. Ont. vs. NL

Ont. vs. N. Ont. Sask. vs. Alta.

MONDAY

8:30 a.m.

1 p.m.

6 p.m.

6 7 8

Alta. vs. Y/NWT N.S. vs.N. Ont. Ont. vs. Sask.

N.B. vs. N.S. Y/NWT vs. NL B.C. vs. Que.

Sask. vs PEI Man. vs. B.C. NL vs. Alta.

Que. vs. Man. PEI vs. Ont. N. Ont. vs. N.B.

TUESDAY

8:30 a.m.

1 p.m.

6 p.m.

9 10 11

NL vs. Que. N.B. vs. Man. PEI vs. B.C.

N. Ont. vs Sask.

Alta. vs. PEI Man. vs. Ont.

Ont. vs. N.B. Que. vs. N.S. Y/NWT vs. N. Ont.

B.CV. vs. Alta.

Sask. vs. Y/NWT N.S. vs. NL

WEDNESDAY

8:30 a.m.

1 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

12 13 14

Y/NWT vs. Ont. N. Ont. vs. Alta.

Sask. vs. N.S.

N.S. vs B.C. NL vs. N.B. Que. vs. Y/NWT

PEI vs. NL B.C. vs. Sask.

Alta. vs. Man.

Man. vs. N. Ont. Ont. vs. Que. N.B. vs. PEI

THURSDAY

8:30 a.m.

1 p.m.

6 p.m.

15 16 17

Man. vs. NL Que. vs. PEI B.C. vs. N.B.

PEI vs. N. Ont. Sask. vs. Man. Ont. vs. Alta.

N.S. vs. Ont. N.B. vs. Y/NWT N. Ont. vs. Que.

Y/NWT vs. B.C. Alta. vs. N.S. NL vs. Sask.

TODAY

1 p.m.

6 p.m.

TIEBREAKERS: DATE

TIME

ONE DRAW

Friday, March 13

1 p.m.

TWO DRAWS

Friday, March 13 Friday, March 13

8:30 a.m.

1 p.m.

Friday, March 13 Friday, March 13 Friday, March 13

8:30 a.m.

1 p.m.

6 p.m.

THREE DRAWS

PLAYOFFS: 1 TIEBREAKER DRAW Team One vs. Two Three vs. Four

DATE

TIME

Date Friday, March 13 Saturday, March 14

Time 6 p.m.

10 a.m.

Date Friday, March 13 Saturday, March 14

Time 6 p.m.

10 a.m.

2 TIEBREAKER DRAWS Team One vs. Two Three vs. Four

Date Friday, March 13 Saturday, March 14

Time 6 p.m.

10 a.m.

Y/NWT vs. PEI. B.C. vs. N. Ont.

PAGE PLAYOFF SYSTEM 1 vs. 2/3 vs. 4

Semi-final

Final

1 Friday, March 13 6 p.m.

2

Sunday, March 15 6 p.m.

Loser of 1-2 game

3 Saturday, March 14 6 p.m.

Saturday, March 14 10 a.m.

3 TIEBREAKER DRAWS Team One vs. Two Three vs. Four

N.S. vs Man. Ont. vs. NL

4

Alta. vs. N.B. Y/NWt vs. Man.

13 Saturday, March 7, 2009

Strong lineup stars in mining belt The 24th version of the Canadian men’s curling championship was held in Sudbury, marking the first time in its storied history that the Brier was held in Northern Ontario.

The games were played in a brand new arena, with excellent seating and outstanding visibility.

Fittingly, the first opportunity to witness Brier play in the mining belt was marked by good crowds, plenty of onice excitement, and a nail-biting suddendeath playoff for the championship.

The lineup featured several strong teams, including: British Classic Columbia skipped by Briers Reg Stone, who was appearing in his third Brier; 1938 Brier champion and veteran bonspieler Ab Gowanlock, skipping Manitoba; and Jimmy Hill’s Saskatchewan foursome out of the Delisle Curling Club.

Darkhorses and fan favourites were the

Alex ROBERTS

Northern Ontario team skipped by Grant Watson — a former member of the famous Ken Watson team from Manitoba, which had won the Brier in 1936, 1942, and 1949.

However, it was Ken Weldon’s Quebec foursome which, after losing its opener to British Columbia by a 15-5 score, surprised everyone by winning eight straight. Indeed, if this team had won its last game against Saskatchewan, it would have won the Brier for Quebec for the first time in history.

The pre-Brier favourites from Manitoba matched Quebec game for game and didn’t lose until the seventh draw, when they were edged 8-7 by Weldon’s streaking St. George Curling Club foursome. B.C. also was in the thick of things, until they were thumped 18-11 by Saskatchewan in the ninth round. And the hometown favourite Grant Watson rink team, representing the Port Arthur Curling Club, acquitted itself very well, winning its last five games and finishing with sbven wins and three losses — good for a share of third place.

During the final draw, hopes were high for Quebec winning its first championship as they put their 8-1 record up against a hot and cold Saskatchewan foursome that was

only 5-3, but had won their previous four games. Meanwhile Alberta (7-2) faced off against Bernard Haines’ Nova Scotia (4-5) squad.

True to form, Alberta easily beat Nova Scotia, stealing eight points on the way to a resounding 15-7 victory. However, Quebec could not seal the deal, blowing an early 2-0 lead to lose 9-5 to the Jimmy Hill quartet. So the stage was set for a sudden-death playoff for the championship.

It is worth noting the gulf in talent that existed at the time between the Western and the Eastern teams. Newfoundland, in losing 10 straight, was outscored 156-to-70 (it was 12 ends in those days) over the weeklong championship. And P.E.I., with a 1-9 record, was pummelled 25-7 by B.C. during in the eighth draw.

The times they have changed.

The playoff was set for the Friday evening of March 6, with a large and enthusiastic crowd in attendance.

Unfortunately, the swingy ice proved to be tricky and unpredictable early on - a factor which contributed to conservative play by both sides in the first few ends.

Manitoba started with the hammer but

had only a 1-0 lead after three ends, and was still up only 3-2 at the halfway mark. After taking a deuce with the hammer in the seventh and a 5-2 lead into the eighth, the Bison province looked in control. However, Weldon took advantage of several Manitoba miscues and hit back to tie it with a big three-ender, and after stealing one in the ninth the game and the championship was still in the balance.

Manitoba was held to a single in the 10th but stole a point in the 11th to lead 87 without the hammer coming home.

However, a Manitoba miss in the 12th left Gowanlock’s one counter only partially behind a guard. The Quebec skip merely had to chip it out to score two with his last throw and win La Belle Province’s first Brier.

Inexplicably, the pressure got to the experienced Weldon, because as he delivered the rock it was obviously wide; so wide, in fact, that he flashed it completely, handing Manitoba the steal and an epic 8-6 victory.

Quebec would have to wait another 24 years to capture its first Brier Tankard.

Alex Roberts is a freelance writer based in Halifax

Saturday, March 7, 2009 14

Armstrong mines gold for Canada

By GEORGE KARRYS For The Tankard Times Canada's Jim Armstrong, just two years into his revitalized curling career and commanding the national wheelchair curling team for the first time, won his country's first World Wheelchair Curling Championship with a 9-2 win over Swedish veteran Jalle Jungnell last week at Vancouver’s Olympic icehouse.

Canada's debut gold in the fast-growing Paralympic discipline comes after dual fourthplace finishes in 2008 and 2007, and a sixthplace finish in 2005.

In 2006, Canada, led by skip Chris Daw, surprised Great Britain to win Paralympic gold at Pinerolo, Italy.

"It feels fantastic," said Armstrong. "It's been a big learning curve, and this is my first big event of consequence.

"We struggled early, and as the week went on and on we got stronger and stronger. The team played great."

Armstrong, a dentist from nearby Richmond, took advantage of shaky opening stones from Sweden to post a 3-0 lead after three ends.

In the fourth end, Canada built a solid end and counted two with Armstrong's final throw still to come. After debating a double-takeout for five - as opposed to a draw for three - the six-time Brier competitor tried a tap for four, but missed.

But it was all Canada the rest of the way, with Sweden repeatedly scrambling to stay alive. In the sixth end, Jungnell made a nervy come-around tap for one against five Canadian counters.

"We have not yet hit our stride," said Armstrong.

The silver marked Jungnell's highest-ever finish in six major competitions.

"Bronze, silver... what's next?" Jungnell said with a grin.

In the bronze-medal game, Germany's Jens Jaeger, the round-robin leader, recovered from two earlier playoff losses to beat Augusto Perez of the United States by a 6-4 count.

Jim Armstrong was on the broom.

Team U.S.A won bronze at the 2008 Worlds in Sursee, Switzerland, marking the first time that country made a podium appearance.

The World Wheelchair Championship was the first curling competition hosted at the new Vancouver Olympic Centre, which will play host to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games curl-

ing competition and the 2010 Paralympic Wheelchair Curling competition.

The 2009 world junior championships, featuring 10 men’s and 10 women’s teams, commenced this week on the same ice lanes.

Two-time defending gold medallist Eve Muirhead of Scotland leads the women's field as she competes in her third straight world junior championship. Muirhead also qualified to represent Scotland at the upcoming World Women's Curling Championship in Gangneung, Korea, for which she will depart directly from Vancouver. It marks the first time in Scottish curling history that a skip has captured both the junior and women's titles in the same season. Muirhead is 18 years old.

Defending world junior men's champion Chris Plys of the Duluth also returns for his fourth consecutive competition. The U.S. women's team is skipped by Alexandra Carlson.

Canada has fielded defending bronze medallist Kaitlyn Lawes of Winnipeg and Brett Gallant’s outfit from Charlottetown, P.E.I.

#UVTCN /GFKC 4CFKQ KU RTQWF VQ URQPUQT

6JG 6KO *QTVQPU $TKGT

15 Saturday, March 7, 2009

Brotherly connection at the Brier

By LARRY WOOD Tankard Times Editor When the Howards, Russ (New Brunswick) and Glenn (Ontario), step on the Tim Hortons Brier ice at Calgary Saddledome for skipping combat — Tuesday, March 10 at 8:30 a.m. — it will mark the first time since the 1942 that brothers have faced off as opposing skips in the Canadian men’s curling championship.

The Campbells, Gordon of Hamilton and Don of Vancouver, were the last opposing skips with a brotherly connection. They locked horns at Quebec City in the final round of what was then a 10-team round robin.

Brother Don’s British Columbia outfit defeated brother Gordon’s Ontario team 9-7, thereby averting a sudden-death playoff for the Brier title between Gordon Campbell and Winnipeg’s Ken Watson.

Heading into the last round, both Watson and Gordon Campbell were riding on 7-1 records. At the finish, Manitoba won with an

8-and-1 record while Ontario and B.C. both wound up at 7-and-2.

The last brothers to oppose each other in the Brier were the Ryans, Pat and Jeff, in 1995 at Halifax.

Jeff Ryan played third for the victorious Manitoba team skipped by Kerry Burtnyk.

Pat Ryan played third for Rick Folk’s defending champion team from Kelowna.

Burtnyk finished with a 12-2 record while Folk was 6-5. In their 11th-draw collision, Burtnyk shaded Folk 7-6 in 11 ends.

The only other known Brier brotherly debate transpired at the 1970 Brier in Winnipeg with Hap Mabey of Moncton skipping the New Brunswick entry and brother Roger playing lead for Les Bowering’s Newfoundland squad.

Neither team threatened to win the title.

Both finished with 4-6 records. And Roger Mabey’s Newfs defeated Hap’s Herringchokers 11-7 in the eighth round.

Meanwhile, Russ Howard and son Steve form a father-son connection that marks the 17th occasion on which a father and son have played in the same Brier.

According to championship figures filbert

Gerry Campbell, the first such duo appeared in the 1936 Brier when William H. Whalen (father) and William J. Whalen of performed on the same B.C. aggregation.

The next year, Edmonton’s Cliff Manahan skipped the Brier winner with son Ross paying second. It was the first time a father-son duet were part of a Brier champ.

It happened again in 1940 when Howard (Pappy) Wood skipped the Manitoba team to the Brier title with son Howard Jr., at second.

The only all family (including a father) team to play in the Brier was the 1947 Saskatchewan aggregation skipped by (son) Garnet Campbell of Avonlea with brothers Glen and Lloyd at third and second, and father Alex (Sandy) at lead. Garnet Campbell supplanted his father with brother Don for Brier appearances in 1954, 1955 and 1957. The brothers were undefeated winners at Regina in 1955.

Father Paul Sauve of Sudbury was the alternate on Tim Phillips’s Northern Ontario team in 2000 but actually played in one game using the stick. His sons, Roger and Paul, played third and lead on respectively.

Last year, Eric Harnden of Sault Ste. Marie skipped a Northern Ontario lineup that

included his two sons, E.J. and Ryan.

Other father-son duets at the Brier: 1940 — Alberta: Father Cliff Manahan (skip), sons Ross (second), Bobby (lead), of Edmonton.

1942 — Northern Ontario: Father Albert Cooper (lead), son Alberta Jr. (third), of Sudbury.

1949 — New Brunswick: Father Robert Galloway (skip), son Art (lead), of Newcastle.

1949 and 1953 — Ontario: Father Peter Gilbert (skip), son Gordon (third), of Chatham.

1950 — Alberta: Father Cliff Manahan (skip), son Ross (third), of Edmonton.

1960, 1962 and 1964 — New Brunswick: Father Harold Mabey (skip), son Hap (third), of Moncton.

1968 — New Brunswick: Father Jim Ayer (skip), son Frank (lead), of Fredericton.

1977 — New Brunswick: Father Rollie Mockler (skip), sons Jeff (second), Martin (lead), of Fredericton.

1984 — New Brunswick: Father Arnie Dobson (skip), son Mike (second), of Saint John.

1989 — Manitoba: Father Orest Meleschuk (skip), son Sean Meleschuk (lead) of Lac du Bonnet.

Saturday, March 7, 2009 16

ROAD TO THE TIM HORTONS BRIER

MacDonald still going strong on island The Perseverance Award for curlers chasing Brier berths has to go to Charlottetown’s Rod MacDonald.

Now 51, MacDonald made his first Brier appearance 32 years ago, playing third for brother Peter. That was in 1978 at Vancouver.

He was back at lead in 1981 at Halifax and 15 years later in 1996 at Kamloops.

Now, following his team’s victory in the eight-team P.E.I. round-robin championship at Montague, he’s bound for his third Brier skipping appearance in five years.

Obviously, some curlers never get older so much as better.

P.E.I. (Combined 19 previous appearances) MacDonald, with Kevin Champion (last year with Peter Gallant), Andrew Robinson, a skip at the 2000 Brier, and iron man Mark O’Rourke headed for his ninth front-end Brier

appearance, got off to a 1-2 start, then peeled off seven straight wins for the title.

When the prelims concluded, MacDonald still trailed Charlottetown’s John Likely by one game and finished square with another veteran senior, Ted MacFadyen of Charlottettown who was one of MacDonald’s conquerors in the early going.

That meant Likely and MacFadyen moved to the Page One-Two while MacDonald was relegated to the sudden-death Three-Four outing against Bill Hope of Charlottetown who had survived by dumping Mel Bernard of Summerside 10-5 in a tiebreaker.

MacDonald proceeded to whitewash Hope 7-0 in six ends, then stopped MacFadyen 6-4 in a battle of singles before outlasting Likely 7-6 in an extraend final gut-churner.

Likely had reached the final with his seventh win in eight games, 5-4 over MacFadyen.

Rod MacDonald is on top of his game at age 51.

17 Saturday, March 7, 2009

Brier Trivia

Newfoundland and Labrador skip Brad Gushue gets in some work during the Hot Shots competition Friday.

every year since 1995. Name the curlers.

5. In which years did they win the cars.?

Today’s quiz 6. One province leads the way in medal finishes at the Hot Shots. That province QUESTION OF THE DAY: and its leading number of finishes?

7. The same province also shares the lead Name the one province with the best for most car winners. Name the other playoff record in the history of the Brier. province with three winners.

Hint: This province is the only one to boast more than a plus-11 wins-over-loss- 8. Name the only double winner (Hint: He’s the only winner for his province.) es record in its total playoff games.

1. Which of these Alberta centres doesn't 9. Name the very first winner of the Ford Hotshots competition at the Brier, and his fit in this list — Leduc, Bassano, Viking, province.

Sedgewick, Lethbridge, Claresholm, 10. Name the curler he defeated in the Fairview, Three Hills.

Hot Shots final, and that curler's home 2. Why? province.

3. Name the skip and hometown of the 11. Name the skip and hometown of the last Alberta champ to compete for the first Alberta champion team to play in the Canadian title when the event was sponBrier? sored by Macdonald Tobacco.

4. Three Alberta curlers have finished first 12. Name the skip of the runnerup and won cars in the Ford Hot Shots com- province when Randy Ferbey won the first of his record six Briers. petition which has prefaced the Brier

(Answers) QofD: Alberta.

1. Lethbridge.

2. It has never sent a team to play in the Brier.

3. Paul Devlin, Edmonton.

4. Don Bartlett, Randy Ferbey, John Morris.

5. Bartlett 2000, Ferbey 2004, Morris

2007 6. Alberta with eight.

7. New Brunswick.

8. Steve Gould.

9. Ed Werenich, Ontario.

10. Brad Heidt, Saskatchewan 11. Hellfire Joe Heartwell of Rosetown, Sask.

12. Eugene Hritzuk.

/4& 4 6 * & &""2# / &# 5( */+) + &* "&#+/* / &# &# #6 / 3

-70$ #/* /) 70 1 1-7,' 77 ! &2+ * 3 70 , , ' %17 07'1 ',/ 3 ) 70 10 -0- & / &#+ # "&#/&# !&6 " #+/ * # / * !! ' 77 --- ,' ,

NOW AVAILABLE in the Brier Patch.

Hours of Operation: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m.

Enjoy the Perfect Take-out Net proceeds donated to the Sandra Schmirler Foundation

Saturday, March 7, 2009 18

ROAD TO THE TIM HORTONS BRIER

Koe shoots for best Polar record ever Don Twa of Whitehorse won eight games during the first year the Polars were accepted to play in the Brier. Al Delmage of Yellowknife won six in 1987 and Jamie Koe matched that victory output in 2006.

Other than those three efforts, there’s been little about which to write back to the cold, cold north where the Brier is concerned. But Yellowknife’s Koe will be back for his third skipping visit in four years this time around and he has long claimed that his goal is to achieve the best Polar record ever. “That’s the kind of thing you need to boost the confidence enough to win this thing,� he was allowing back there in 2006.

In other years, the four-team Territories

YUKON/NWT (Combined 16 previous appearances) championship, a straight double round-robin competition, has been a cakewalk for Koe. But there was a little more sweat generated

this time.

Koe and defender Chad Cowan of Whitehorse were 3-and-0 after three draws and Koe stopped Cowan 7-4 in the fourth round.

But, in the fifth, Yellowknife’s Darcy Moshenko upended Koe 8-7. On the same draw, Cowan was losing 8-6 to Greg Skauge.

In the final go, Koe made it unanimous by handing Cowan his third straight setback, 64 to finish with a 5-1 log.

Koe has an altered lineup from previous years with Jon Solberg at third, former lead Brad Chorostkowski moving up to second and newcomer Martin Gavin at lead.

Solberg skipped a Yukon team in a previ-

ous Brier and also played for Northern Ontario’s Mike Jakubo when the Copper Cliff skip made his Brier debut in 2005.

The end result saw Cowan’s defending champion team finish at 3-3 while Moshenko and Skauge both managed two wins in six outings.

Jamie Koe has altered his lineup from previous years.

" " " $ "" " % # #

->ÌÕÀ`>Þ

>ÌÊÌ i

À iÀ

i Ì ½ÃÊ À iÀÊ*>ÌV 1«ÃÌ> ÀÃ]Ê/ iÊ }Ê ÕÀÊ Õ ` } "«i Ê£ä\ääÊ>° °ÊÌ ÊÓ\ääÊ>° °

««i>À }Ê>ÌÊ£ä\ÎäÊ«° °\

/ iÊ-Ì> «i`iÀÃ ÊÃiÛi Ì iÃÊ }À Õ«ÊÀi«ÀiÃi Ìi`Ê

> >`>½ÃÊ Õà V> Ê `i Ì ÌÞÊÌ ÊÌ iÊ Ü À `Ê iÊ/ iÊ -Ì> «i`iÀð

I-V i`Õ iÃÊÃÕL iVÌÊÌ ÊV > }iÊÜ Ì ÕÌÊ Ì Vi°

/ iÊ*ÕÀ« iÊ i>ÀÌÊ Õ }iÊ

À Ê£ Ç£ÊÕ Ì Ê £ ÇÈÊV wÀ ÃÊ/ iÊ -Ì> «i`iÀÃÊÜiÀiÊ ÌÀÕ ÞÊÌ iÊV Õ ÌÀÞ½ÃÊ ÌiÀ >Ì > Ê Õà V> Ê > L>ÃÃ>` ÀÃ°Ê ÃÌi>`Ê vÊÌÀÞ }Ê Ì ÊL i `Ê Ì Ê> ÞÊ Ã«iV wVÊv À >Ì]Ê Ì iÞÊ`iÛi «i`Ê Ì i ÀÊ Ü Ê `i Ì ÌÞ]Ê Ü V ÊÜ>ÃÊL Ì Ê i ÌiÀÌ> }ÊÌ Ê Ü>ÌV Ê ÊV ViÀÌ]Ê > `ÊÌ Ê ÃÌi ÊÌ Ê Ê À>` Ê> `ÊÀiV À`ðÊ

Ü ÃÌ> ÀÃ]Ê/ iÊ }Ê ÕÀÊ Õ ` } "«i Ê£ä\ääÊ>° °ÊÌ Ê££\ääÊ«° ° Õ V Ê ÕvviÌ\Ê££\ÎäÊ>° °ÊÌ Ê£\ÎäÊ«° °

iÀÊ ÕvviÌ\Ê{\ÎäÊ«° °ÊÌ ÊÇ\ääÊ«° °

««i>À }Ê>ÌÊn\ääÊ«° °\ / iÊ LÊ,ÕÃÃi Ê > ` ««i>À }Ê>ÌÊ \ÎäÊ«° °\ Þ«ÃÞÊ> `ÊÌ iÊ, Ãi

iÊà >ÀiÊà iÊvÕ Ê> `Ê } `ÊÌ iÃÊÜ Ì ÊÞ ÕÀÊvÀ i `ÃÊ Ê Ì iÊ*ÕÀ« iÊ i>ÀÌÊ Õ }i\ÊÞ ÕÀÊ `À>ÜÊÌ V iÌÊ}iÌÃÊÞ ÕÊ Ê Ê> Ê Ì iÊiÝV Ìi i Ì°Ê7 Ì Ê Õà V> Ê i ÌiÀÌ> i ÌÊÌ >ÌÊÀÕ ÃÊvÀ Ê À V ÊÌ Êv ÊÌ ÊV Õ ÌÀÞ]ÊÌ iÀi½ÃÊ Ã iÌ }Êv ÀÊiÛiÀÞ it

/ ÀÀ Ü i Ì ½ÃÊ À iÀÊ*>ÌV \Ê/ iÊ,Þ> à *ÕÀ« iÊ i>ÀÌÊ Õ }i\Ê >À ÞÊ i ÀÞ ÕÌ }À>« Ê-iÃà ÃÊ ÊÌ iÊ*ÕÀ« iÊ i>ÀÌÊ Õ }i\ÊÊ ->à >ÌV iÜ> Ê> `Ê iÜÊ ÀÕ ÃÜ V Ê>ÌÊ ]ÊÜ Ì Ê > Ì L>Ê> `Ê9Õ É 7/Ê>ÌÊx\ääÊ«° °

&"

* & *" ( ! ' ( $ . ! * / 0

"&

"& ! & 0 !* * & ! (-(* !

-*-& % -& $&" - *( $ 0"- "!( &. ! & 0

( .

"! 0 "! ! & 0 ( ! $&". 0"- / * (" " *

"(* !. &"! !* 0 !

*-& ( "! *

& *% "& * $ & "& !

0"-& $&" * ! ( ""( * & *0 " ! "/( ! ""&(%

( * * &0 ( ! !*& * ! * #, + , ## * . !- "& " "!*"

*" ! & ! & 0"-%

,11 " ! * % *0 "& & ( *& & " ! % & "! % "* & *& & ( & * $&"$ &*0 " * & & ($ * . "/! &(%

)4 %# "6 %" 5%* * !% ! /* ! * ,2!/, / ! /% "6 * / ! * # 4 # "6 # %2*,( %* "6 *" /), %2/ 6 ! # #%! 6 * , 5 / * / / #%!% 6( # / / , 5 6 !! % 2, , %2!

+

%#, #/% , %"" // /% * # # * 6 ! #

+ * # #%! %*# # ,%6 #, /% 5 ,/ *# # # *%5 *, '*% 2 /, ! -&

# 177- # #%5 -1

%* 177$(

/ %2* 17 " !! %# %!! * ##2 ! #4 ,/" #/ # #%! # %2* !% ! ,, /% %#, #/%), %*# # ,%6 # ' ' ! # 5 ! "%* %# #/ / # 4 * / / *%5 *, # / '* # %%, # * # , %* / * *",(

# # , # * * ,/ * /* " * , % # / , %*'%* / %# %#, #/% # # ( ! #, ( 177 %#, #/% # # ( && 03%#