The 2012 Credit Unions of PEI Provincial Seniors Curling Championships, for curlers age 50 and over. will take place on consecutive weekends this year, with the men’s event going Feb. 9-13 at the Crapaud Community Curling Club, and the women’s championship taking place the following weekend, Feb. 17-21 at the Western Community Curling Club in Alberton.

In last year’s women’s final, the June Moyaert rink from the Montague Curling Club unseated the two-time defending champion Shirley Berry foursome from the Cornwall and Charlottetown curling clubs by a 12-4 score  to win the women’s  championship. Other members of the Moyaert rink were Sherren MacKinnon, Terri Thompson, and Kathy Clarey

In last year’s men’s event, the Charlottetown and Cornwall Curling Club rink of Bill Hope, Craig Mackie, John Mullin, and David Murphy swept all three triple-knockout section finals, all against the Bob Matheson rink from the host Maple Leaf Curling Club in O’Leary, to win the championship.

Nine rinks, with players from six curling clubs, are entered in this year’s men’s event, with eight teams from five curling clubs entered in the women’s section. All four skips from last year’s finals are back again this year, with Matheson playing third for Clair Sweet on the lone entry from the Maple Leaf club.

The winning rinks from this year’s events will advance to the Canadian Seniors championships, March 17-25 in Abbotsford BC.

Here are the team rosters for this week’s men’s competition (skip to lead, club or clubs):

Mel Bernard, Ted MacFadyen, Lou Nowlan, Earle Proude, Silver Fox Curling & Yacht Club.
Barry Cameron, Paul Matheson, Dwayne MacNeill, Jim Arsenault, Silver Fox Curling & Yacht Club.
Dale Cannon, Marc LeClair, Dave Riley, Bruce Montgomery, Silver Fox Curling & Yacht Club.
Bill Hope, Craig Mackie, Matt Smith, David Murphy, Charlottetown and Cornwall CC.
Blair Jay, Kevin Ellsworth, Mike Trudeau, Roland Richard, Silver Fox Curling & Yacht Club.
John Likely, Rod MacDonald, George Koke, Doug MacGregor, Charlottetown/Montague CC.
Frank MacDonald, Donald Whitehead, Dario Zannier, Kenny Stewart, Crapaud Community Curling Club.
Clair Sweet, Bob Matheson, Muncey Harris, Wayne Arsenault, Maple Leaf Curling Club.
Charlie Wilkinson, Ken McGregor, Phillip McInnis, Bill Doherty, Charlottetown Curling Club.

The teams will play a triple knockout format, with the first draw this afternoon at 1 pm, and draws at 1 and 6 pm daily through Sunday. Opening ceremonies are this afternoon at 5:15 pm. The two game championship round goes Monday, also at 1 and 6 pm. If a team wins all three triple knockout sections, they will be declared the champion without playing the championship round. If a team wins two sections, they will play in both championship games against the third section winner, and will win the event if they take either game. If there are three separate section winners, the team that played in the most section finals will advance to the second game, and will play the winner of the first game, between the other two section winners, in the final.

Here are the opening draws:

Thursday Feb. 9 at 1 pm:
Ice 2: Charlie Wilkinson (Charlottetown) vs Frank MacDonald (Crapaud Community)
Ice 3: John Likely (Charlottetown/Montague) vs Barry Cameron (Silver Fox)

Thursday Feb. 9 at 6 pm:
Ice 1: Bill Hope (Charlottetown and Cornwall) vs Mel Bernard (Silver Fox)
Ice 2: Blair Jay (Silver Fox) vs winner Likely/Cameron from 1 pm draw
Ice 3: Dale Cannon (Silver Fox) vs Clair Sweet (Maple Leaf)
Ice 4: Losing teams from 1 pm draw

Complete draw at PEICurling.com/seniors. End-by-end results will be available at LiveCurling.com