The two men’s and two women’s teams from the Atlantic region for the CIS/CCA Canadian University Curling Championships from March 14-18 in Welland, Ontario were chosen today as the Atlantic University Curling Championships wrapped up at the Cornwall Curling Club. Three of the four teams have PEI connections.
On Sunday morning, UPEI’s Brett Gallant rink beat the Colten Steele foursome from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax 8-5 in the men’s A final, while the Erin Porter team from Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) edged the Lindsay Doucet rink from Acadia 7-6 in the women’s. A three point eighth end gave the advantage to Gallant in an otherwise tight game. Steele had to draw from the outside of the sheet into the four foot around a number of guards and facing three Gallant counters, but the shot was too heavy, giving the triple to the Gallant team, which also includes Alex MacFadyen, Sam Ramsay, and Connor MacPhee, and is coached by Kathie Gallant. Other members of the Porter rink are Alysha Renouf, Julie Devereaux, and Carolyn Suley, with coach Rob Thomas.
Photo (L-R): Brett Gallant, Alex MacFadyen, Sam Ramsay, Connor MacPhee
Photo (L-R): Erin Porter, Alysha Renouf, Julie Devereaux, Carolyn Suley, coach Rob Thomas.
The other two teams for the nationals were chosen in the afternoon B finals. The Robert Mayhew rink from Acadia, coached by Alan Mayhew, a PEI native and 1977 World Junior curling champion, doubled the Colten Steele rink from Saint Mary’s by a 6-3 score, while the Saint Mary’s team skipped by PEI native Anita Casey scored four points in the eighth end on the way to a 9-6 victory over the Lindsay Doucet foursome from Acadia. Other members of the Mayhew rink are Michael Brophy, Alex Trites and Ben Creaser, with fifth player Luke Melanson, while Sara Spafford, Mackenzie Proctor, and Julia Williams, with coach Bill Williams, complete the Casey team.
Photo (L-R): Gayle Johnston (Curl Atlantic), Robert Mayhew, Michael Brophy, Alex Trites, Ben Creaser, fifth player Luke Melanson, coach Alan Mayhew
The defending CIS/CCA Canadian champions, the Colin Thomas rink from MUN, missed their chance to return to the national event, losing 5-1 to the Mayhew team in the morning draw. UPEI’s Sarah Fullerton rink were also eliminated in the morning draw, with an 8-7 to the Casey rink. Casey was down one coming home, and pulled off a tough hit for two with her last rock for the win.
The Thomas rink, last year’s men’s champions, are off to compete as Team Canada in the Karuizawa International Curling Championships in Japan January 25-30, while the winning teams from this year’s CIS/CCA championships will represent Canada at the FISU Winter Universiade in Maribor, Slovenia, January 30-Feb. 9, 2013.