SUMMERSIDE, March 20, 2009 (CCA)…The 2009 Canadian senior men’s and women’s curling championships get underway tomorrow (Saturday) at the Silver Fox Curling & Yacht Club in Summerside, Prince Edward Island.
Twelve men’s and 12 women’s teams are set to compete in the national championships, slated for March 21-28. At the conclusion of the round robin on Friday morning, the first place teams advance directly to Saturday’s finals, while the second and third place teams meet in semi-finals later on Friday.
On the men’s side, the two finalists from last year’s championship in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan are ready to renew their rivalry. Saskatchewan’s Eugene Hritzuk and his Humboldt Curling Club team of Kevin Kalthoff, Verne Anderson and Dave Folk have returned to defend their crown, as has New Brunswick’s Russ Howard, who lost to Hritzuk, 7-5 in last year’s final. Howard, of course, is a two-time (1987, 1993) Brier and world champion and 2006 Olympic gold medallist.
Other men’s skips include Newfoundland/Labrador’s Bill Jenkins, a former Brier competitor who won the 1976 Canadian juniors and the 1977 world juniors, when representing Prince Edward Island.
The women’s line-up includes British Columbia skip Kathy Smiley of New Westminster, who has finished the runner-up at the Canadian Seniors on three occasions (2004, 2005, 2007), Saskatchewan’s Debbie Thierman, third place finisher in 2007 and Ontario’s Joyce Potter, who won the 2005 Canadian Senior women’s crown as skip but is now playing third for skip Cheryl McBain.
Prince Edward Island previously hosted the 1976 Canadian senior women’s and 1982 Canadian senior men’s, both in Charlottetown, before Summerside staged the 2006 Canadian Seniors at the Silver Fox, won that year by Ontario’s Anne Dunn and Northern Ontario’s Al Hackner, who then represented Canada at the 2007 world seniors in Edmonton, where both finished second.
Manitoba has won a leading 10 Canadian senior men’s crowns since the event began in 1965 in Port Arthur, Ontario. Prince Edward Island has three victories, all by skip Wen MacDonald.
Ontario has won a leading 10 women’s titles since the inaugural championship in 1973 in Ottawa, while Prince Edward Island has yet to win. The men’s and women’s events were held separately until being combined, beginning in 1985 in Yorkton, Saskatchewan.
Skips Mel Bernard of the host club and Shirley Berry of Cornwall will carry ‘the Islanders’ colours this year.
The 2009 Canadian Seniors champions will then represent Canada in the 2010 world seniors, at a site and date to be announced.
Last year’s Canadian Seniors winners, Saskatchewan’s Eugene Hritzuk and British Columbia’s Pat Sanders, will carry Canada’s colours at the 2009 world seniors, April 24-May 3 in Dunedin, New Zealand. The 2007 Canadian Senior champions, Alberta’s Pat Ryan and Diane Foster, won gold medals at the 2008 world seniors in Vierumäki, Finland.
Draw results for the 2009 Canadian Seniors will be instantly available at www.curling.ca.