Monthly Archives: February 2010

Martin claims curling gold for Canada (CTV)

Posted on by February 27, 2010

By Ryan Johnston, CTVOlympics.ca

VANCOUVER — Kevin Martin redeemed his last rock miss in Salt Lake City by winning gold on home soil Saturday, beating Norway 6-3. The gold medal was the third for Canada on a banner second-last day.

Martin never trailed in the draw, building a 3-0 lead before watching Norway cut it back to one at 3-2. Martin then played a perfect draw in the seventh to make it 5-2. A draw in the ninth stretched the lead to three and allowed Martin to match the feat of Brad Gushue in Turin 2006 and claim back-to-back Olympic gold for Canada.

Watch a replay of the gold medal winning performance here.

END 1: Martin blanked the first end to retain last rock. Canada 0, Norway 0.

END 2: Martin with last rock, playing the red stones. Morris clears the yellow Norwegian stones with a highlight triple takeout. Ulsrud forces Martin to draw for one. Canada 1, Norway 0.

END 3: Norway blanks a wide-open third end and retains the hammer. Canada 1, Norway 0.

END 4: Ulsrud misses a draw to the button and Martin steals one. Last rock stays with Norway. Television commentators blame the miss on a brushing error. Canada 2, Norway 0.

END 5: Morris in on fire, another double-takeout. Fist pumps everywhere. Ulsrud misses a double-takeout attempt of his own. The crowd awakens with a Go Canada Go. Martin steals one again. Canada 3, Norway 0.

END 6: We’re back. The break seems to have revived Ulsrud, who is back in the game with a deuce. Canada takes last rock. Canada 3, Norway 2.

END 7: Martin calls timeout. Conversation seems to be around the peel, the double-peel or a draw. Double-peel it is. Ulsrud misses with his last rock, allowing Martin to draw for two. Prime Minister Stephen Harper is on his feet. The big screen just showed men’s hockey coach Mike Babcock as well. Canada 5, Norway 2.

END 8: Morris restores faith with a good shot in the eighth after a pair of previous misses, the crowd responds. Martin draws to the top button, pressure is on the Norwegians. Martin delivers a perfect freeze, Norway can only take one. Canada 5, Norway 3.

END 9: Martin with last rock. Timeout called; the Norwegian coach is also wearing the checkered pants. Solidarity. Martin draws for another single point. Up three heading to the last end. Canada 6, Norway 3.

END 10: Norway with last rock. One end away from back-to-back Olympic gold medals in men’s curling for Canada. Impromptu singing of O Canada. Martin backs off.  Norway is run out of stones and Martin is an Olympic champion.

GAME OVER

TEAM CANADA: Kevin Martin, John Morris, Marc Kennedy, Ben Hebert, Adam Enright.

TEAM NORWAY: ULSRUD Thomas, Torger Nergaard, SVAE Christoffer, PETERSSON Haavard Vad, LOEVOLD Thomas.

Martin knows Canada wants curling gold (CTV)

Posted on by February 27, 2010

By Bob Weeks, The Globe and Mail

Silver simply won’t do it this time.

Eight years ago, Kevin Martin came away from the Olympics with a second-place medal and while he would have preferred gold, he wasn’t unsatisfied with his finish. To win a medal, he said, was a great achievement.

But this time around, there is only one colour on his mind.

“For sure, definitely,” answered Martin when asked if silver would be a disappointment. “It’s a lot of work to get back here and you don’t get that many chances in lifetime. We’ll give her our all but I roll with the punches pretty good so it definitely won’t be the end of the world if we don’t win but I seriously want to get up that podium one more step.

After losing the final to Norway’s Pal Trulsen in 2002, Martin has been on a mission to get back and reach the top step of the podium.

He re-built his team with John Morris, Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert, and demanded they buy in to his plan, set up in exacting detail. And hit the gym to try and transform his 43-year-old body into a machine that could keep up to the hold up to the rigours of all the play.

“It’s been guys pushing each other and he’s finally found three other guys who want to be like him,” said Jules Owchar, Martin’s coach for the last 25 years. “He didn’t always have that. These four guys work hard. They’re in tremendous shape and it shows.”

That’s all brought Martin back to the spot he was eight years ago, and now he knows what to do ahead of Saturday’s contest.

“All you can do is play well,” said the Canadian skip. “That’s the key to this whole thing. Make sure we get a lot of rest, have a real important practice session [today] and leave nothing on the table.”

Standing in his way is a, once again, a Norwegian team that has played exceptionally well and is looking forward to the challenge.

“They just look like they’re on cruise control,” said Norwegian skip Thomas Ulsrud of the unbeaten Canadian rink, “playing really well but I’m not too worried because the way my guys played we’re going to give them some trouble.”

If the Norwegians need any inspiration, they will find it in their team leader, Trulsen, who has been helping out the rink throughout the Games. So what can the retired star pass on to the current Norwegian skip?

“Nothing,” Trulsen said emphatically. “He is better than I have ever been.”

Trulsen is also impressed with Martin, who he says has continued to improve year after year, just like the game. “Curling is like all other sports,” he said. “It gets harder and what’s good enough eight years ago is not good now. He’s a better curler, he has more shots, more difficult shots.”

The victory turned Trulsen into a minor celebrity back in his home country as the infamous last-shot miss by Martin and the Norwegian celebration was played over and over on television. While it inspired Ulsrud to work to for a medal of his own, it didn’t spur any growth in the sport. There are still just eight sheets of curling ice in the entire country.

Ulsrud may have a chance to help curling’s cause but that will come later. For now, he’s simply developing his game plan to take on the powerhouse Canadians.

“This is what we’ve been training for,” he stated. “When we put this team together three years ago, this was the ultimate goal, to play the Olympic final. Back then we said we were probably going to play Canada and that’s going to be awesome.”

Game time is 7 pm.

PEICA General Meeting

Posted on by February 27, 2010

The PEI Curling Association will hold a general meeting at 8 pm on Monday March 1st at the Cornwall Curling Club. The Event Rotation Committee will meet prior to that meeting, at 7 pm.

Swiss win Olympic bronze

Posted on by February 27, 2010

Switzerland beat Sweden 5-4 this afternoon to win the bronze medal at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.  Sweden was heavy on their last rock, giving Switzerland the draw for the deuce. It was heavy, too, but hit the other Swiss rock, and both counted.

Canada goes for gold against Norway at 7 pm Atlantic.

Gold medal thriller goes to Sweden (CTV)

Posted on by February 27, 2010

VANCOUVER — Canada’s Cheryl Bernard finally ran out of miracles, missing a pair of gold-medal winning shots in the 10th and 11th ends to lose to 7-6 to Sweden’s Anette Norberg on Friday.

It was the second consecutive gold medal for the Swedish team, which knocked off Switzerland four years ago in Turin, and the second time it won the title in an extra end.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Norberg, who along with teammates Eva Lund, Cathrine Lindhal and Anna Le Moine, appeared stunned at the wild finish. “It just happened, I don’t know how.

“We had a great week but we weren’t happy just being in the final. Gold again is absolutely unbelievable.”

It appeared the Canadians would be the ones celebrating a victory, but in the 10th end, Bernard missed a simple down-weight takeout to allow the Swedish rink to score two points and force an extra end.

Then in the 11th, she had a relatively easy double takeout that curled too much, removing one but leaving the winning point in the four-foot.

Click to read this story at CTVOlympics.ca

Cheryl Bernard settles for silver as Sweden steals extra end

Posted on by February 26, 2010

Cheryl Bernard attempted a double with the final shot in an extra end against Sweden’s Annette Norberg, but couldn’t hold the line, leaving one Swedish stone, to lose 7-6 at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and take the Silver medal. In the 10th, Sweden hit and stuck for the deuce to force the extra.

Brett Gallant and Sarah Clow rinks to compete in University Curling Ch’ships

Posted on by February 26, 2010

CIS Ch'ships

The 2010 CIS / CCA University Curling Championships – presented by The Dominion – will be held March 10-14 at the Saville Sports Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, with 14 men’s and 12 women’s teams taking part. 

 The winning teams from this event will represent Canada at the 2011 FISU World Universiade in Erzurum, Turkey, January 27 to February 6th, 2011.

Last year’s UPEI women’s entry, skipped by Sarah Clow is back this year, with Christina Hennessey at third, Whitney Young joining the team at second, and Courtney Moore as lead. Coach is Angela Hodgson,

The UPEI men’s team, who are also reigning PEI junior men’s champions, is the rink of Brett Gallant, Adam Casey, Anson Carmody, and Alex MacFadyen. Their coach for this event is Tristan Chisholm. Casey and Carmody were on last year’s UPEI team, while MacFadyen was on the team from St. Francis Xavier.

Big Ticket News for the 2011 Scotties

Posted on by February 26, 2010

 2011 Scotties

The Big Ticket for the 2011 Scotties Tournament of Hearts – February 19 – 27 in the Charlottetown Civic Centre – now comes with an innovative new option, Host Committee Chair Kim Dolan announced today.
 
“After all the excitement of Prince Edward Island’s remarkable performance at the 2010 Scotties, the new ticket package gives fans another reason to get excited about women’s curling in our province,” said Dolan.
 
Now, starting March 1st, you can purchase the Big Ticket with “Flex Appeal” at a price of $399 including all taxes and service charges.  It still includes 21 draws, but with the added flexibility to design a personalized ticket package that works best for your schedule. The “flex” package is priced and structured to ensure as many fans as possible have access to the best seats in the house.
 
“It allows fans to use their tickets on their own terms,” said Dolan.  “Take family or friends to a draw.  Give a few to your staff or customers for another.  Pick the times and draws that work best for you.  It’s all about making the most of your 21 tickets.”
 
A complete guide to buying the new Flex package is available online at seasonofchampions.ca.
 
All Big Ticket packages provide value-added features including an exclusive Fan Appreciation Night where fans take part in a “meet-and-greet” with competitors, as well as Up Close and Personal interviews and team autograph sessions.
 
Tickets may be purchased online at seasonofchampions.ca, by phone at 902.629.6625 or in person at the Civic Centre Box Office.

Olympic Curling Fans go from Mild to Wild

Posted on by February 26, 2010

By Rod Mickleburgh, The Globe and Mail

VANCOUVER – Jeff Maystruck lined up early, dressed in green like all good Saskatchewan Roughrider fanatics.

Green sneakers, green jockey shorts on the outside of his green tights, green football jersey, green cape and, of course, the signature green watermelon perched on his head.

But there was something wrong with this picture. It was February and Mr. Maystruck was going to watch curling.

“I love curling,” said Mr. Maystruck, a 25-year-old marketing strategist from Regina. “Why not have a little fun and get the crowd going?”

Actually, that hasn’t been a problem at the spanking new Olympic curling venue, where the constant din from unexpectedly raucous fans has unsettled some curlers used to peace and quiet, stoked others and given a whole new meaning to the sport’s nickname, “the roaring game.”

Click to read this story at CTVOlympics.ca

Canada defeats Switzerland in women’s semi-final

Posted on by February 26, 2010

By Bob Weeks, The Globe and Mail

It may not have been their best win of the week, but it clearly was the sweetest.

Cheryl Bernard and her team of Susan O’Connor, Carolyn Darbyshire and Cori Bartel battled through some early inconsistency to defeat Switzerland’s Mirjam Ott 6-5 in the Olympic semi-finals, guaranteeing the Canadian rink a silver medal. They’ll try to improve on that in Friday’s final when they take on Sweden’s Anette Norberg for the gold.

Click to read this story at CTVOlympics.ca

Martin advances to gold medal game

Posted on by February 26, 2010

By Bob Weeks, The Globe and Mail

VANCOUVER – It took him eight long years, but Kevin Martin has worked his way right back to where he wants to be, playing for a gold medal at the Olympic Games.

Martin and his rink of John Morris, Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert survived a scary start to defeat Sweden’s Niklas Edin 6-3 in their semi-final match and earn a spot in Saturday’s final. Just as he did in 2002, Martin will face Norway in that ultimate game after the Norwegians knocked off Switzerland 7-5 in the other semi-final.

Click to read this story at CTVOlympics.ca

Sweden earns semifinal date with Canada’s Martin (CTV)

Posted on by February 25, 2010

By Bob Weeks, The Globe and Mail

Sweden is moving up and Great Britain is moving out.

EDIN Niklas and his Swedish rink upset Britain’s David Murdoch 7-6 in a tiebreaker on Wednesday, knocking the reigning world champions out of the Olympics.

The Swedes capitalized on early misses by British lead Euan Byers in the first end and another by Murdoch in the third to jump out to a 5-2 lead after four. The Brits rallied in the second half to force an extra end, but Edin played an open hit to secure the victory.

The prize is a semi-final match-up with Canada’s Kevin Martin Thursday at 6 p.m. Atlantic time.

Click to read this story at CTVOlympics.ca

Callaghan/Vincent repeat as PEI Men’s/Mixed Stick Champs, Stavert/Clarke take 1st Women’s title

Posted on by February 24, 2010

The defending champion duo of Walter Callaghan and John Vincent from the Western Community Curling Club in Alberton edged the Gordie MacDonald/Floyd Stewart twosome from Montague by a 5-4 score this afternoon to win the men’s and mixed section of the Ferguson Funeral Homes Provincial Stick Curling Championship, at the Crapaud Community Curling Club. Ruth Stavert and Gloria Clarke from Cornwall got by the Shirley Lank/Ruth Walsh pair from Cornwall and Crapaud by a 7-5 score to win the women’s section, a new addition this year. In the men’s and mixed consolation game, Edwin Walker and Clifford Picketts from Summerside’s Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club beat Grant Laird and Vernon Chowan from Cornwall by a 5-2 score. The winners and runners-up earn the right to compete in the 2010 Canadian Stick Curling Championship, April 9-11 at the Fort Garry Curling Club in Winnipeg.

It took two extra ends for Callaghan/Vincent to get by Leard/Chowan by a 5-4 score in one men’s and mixed semi-final, while MacDonald/Stewart blanked Walker/Picketts 7-0 in the other. Stavert/Clarke beat the Audrey Callaghan/Gail Jenkins team from Alberton and Charlottetown 7-2 in the women’s semi.

In stick curling there are two curlers per team, who deliver their rocks with delivery sticks, with each team member delivering from opposite ends. Sweeping is allowed only from the hog line to the back of the house at the playing end. Two curlers, one from each team, alternately deliver 6 stones each per end, while their teammate skips that end. The roles are then reversed, and the partners deliver the stones back. All games are six ends.

Eleven men’s and mixed teams, and five women’s rinks took part in this fourth annual PEI stick curling championship.

PEI Seniors Curling Finals set

Posted on by February 21, 2010

Peter MacDonald and defending champion Shirley Berry will each have a big advantage going into Monday’s two game championship rounds of their respective Credit Unions of PEI Provincial Seniors Curling Championships at the Charlottetown Curling Club, as each have won … Continue reading →

Tim Hortons Brier teams set

Posted on by February 16, 2010

All twelve teams have now been decided for the Tim Hortons Brier, March 6-14 at the Halifax Metro Centre. From the CCA, here are stories on all the provincial men’s curling championships. February 15, 2010 Jacobs wins Northern Ontario Skip … Continue reading →

PEI loses heartbreaker (Journal)

Posted on by February 8, 2010

SAULT STE. MARIE, ONT. JASON SIMMONDS The Journal Pioneer The Kathy O’Rourke rink’s run towards P.E.I.’s first-ever Canadian women’s curling championship came to a heart-breaking end early Sunday evening. O’Rourke, who calls the game and throws second stones for the … Continue reading →

End by end recap of Scotties final

Posted on by February 7, 2010

Here is PEICurling.com’s end-by-end recap of today’s Scotties final. 1st end: PEI 3rd Geri-Lynn Ramsay puts one through. Canada lies two. Ramsay’s next shot wrecks on guard. Canada 3rd Cathy Overton-Clapham’s shot picks and she wrecks, too. Erin Carmody tries … Continue reading →

Rod MacDonald rink now 4-0 at Tankard

Posted on by February 5, 2010

The defending champion Charlottetown Curling Club rink of Rod MacDonald, Kevin Champion, Andrew Robinson, and Mark O’Rourke, with fifth Peter MacDonald remain undefeated at the Labatt Tankard Final Six championships in Alberton, edging Summerside’s Tom Fetterly foursome 11-10 in an … Continue reading →