(CCA) Alberta’s Mark Johnson and BC’s Christine Jurgenson captured their respective divisions at the 2010 World Financial Group Canadian Senior Men’s and Women’s curling championships Sunday at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club in Ottawa, Ontario.
Johnson and teammates Marv Wirth, Ken McLean and Millard Evans stopped Ontario’s Gareth Parry, the round robin winners, 7-4 in a well played championship final. Johnson was leading 5-4 playing the 9th where he stole a single to go up two points heading to the 10th. With a number of rocks in play in the last end, Johnson had to watch Parry try a very difficult “around-the-horn” triple takeout for two maybe three points. Parry doubled the first two out but his shooter only nudged the final Alberta rock leaving a steal of one and the victory for Johnson.
This is the third national senior title for Wirth, McLean and Evans who played for skip Les Rogers in 2005 and skip Pat Ryan in 2007. The threesome also won world senior titles in 2006 and 2008.
Ontario’s Parry was supported by third Frank McCourt, second Len Rominger and lead Ken Armstrong. The foursome finished first in the round robin at 9-2 and earned a berth directly to the final.
Alberta defeated Brad Heidt of Saskatchewan 8-3 in 8 ends in the semi final.
In the women’s final, Jurgenson’s BC team of Cheryl Noble, Pat Sanders and Roselyn Craig were favoured having won the round robin with 9 wins and 2 losses and a bye to the final. They faced off with New Brunswick’s Heidi Hanlon and held a narrow 5-4 lead playing the 8th end with last rock. Hanlon stole 2 points, however, to move ahead 6-5 heading to the 9th end. With many rocks in play, Hanlon attempted a freeze with her final stone which, if successful, may have generated another steal. She tapped her own stone a few inches instead and left the BC skip a try at a double takeout for multiple points. Jurgenson made it perfectly and scored an amazing 5 ender to seal the victory 10-6!
This BC team also captured the Canadian seniors in 2008 and followed that up with a World Senior Championship in 2009 in New Zealand. The line-up then though was Sanders at skip, Noble at third, Craig at second and Jurgenson at lead.
Hanlon’s New Brunswick foursome was comprised of Kathy Floyd, Sue Dobson and Jane Arseneau.
Hanlon defeated Saskatchewan’s Susan Lang 8-5 in a tie-breaker for third place then stunned Northern Ontario’s Vicky Barrett with an unbelievable steal of 4 in the 10th end to win the semi final 8-7.
Both Johnson and Jurgenson will now represent Canada at the 2011 World Senior Championships in St. Paul, Minnesota, April 15-24.
PEI’s Peter MacDonald rink ended play with a 5-6 win-loss record, while the Shirley Berry team finished at 3-8.
