OTTAWA — Curling fans around the world will be able to access the rich history of the Roaring Game in Canada with just a click of the mouse.

The Canadian Curling Association (CCA) announced today that it has launched a new web site for its Canadian Curling Hall of Fame. It can be accessed at www.curling.ca/hof.

On the site, fans and media will be able to get information on the 385 members of the Canadian Curling Association Hall of Fame, including 2013 inductees Cathy King, Sonja Gaudet and Laura Lochanski, through a virtual tour.

“So much of the attention is paid to the here and now when it comes to curling, but it’s due to the work of the athletes and builders in the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame that game is thriving, healthy and prominent today in Canada,” said CCA Chief Executive Officer Greg Stremlaw. “Our Hall of Fame web-based platform is a wonderful and comprehensive tribute to those people, and a terrific way for fans to find out more about the game and the people who’ve made it so great by exploring the virtual Hall of Fame.”

The online Hall of Fame features pictures and biographies of most of the inductees over the years, although the site will continue to evolve as pictures and information on some of the early inductees are submitted.

“We’re hoping our great curling fans can supply some more background details and photographs of our inductees,” said Glenn van Gulik, the CCA’s Director, Information Services and Technology, who oversaw the Virtual Hall of Fame project. “It’s a great way for people to get involved with, and contribute to, the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame.”

Click to read at the CCA website

The reigning champions will get a chance to defend their title in their home province at the 2014 Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship, it was announced today by the Canadian Curling Association.

The 11th edition of the national wheelchair championship will be played April 28 to May 4, 2014, at Club de curling Boucherville in Boucherville, Que.

At the 2013 championship at the RA Centre in Ottawa, Quebec’s Benoît Lessard and his team from Magog — Carl Marquis, Sébastien Boisvert, Johanne Daly and coach Germain Tremblay — claimed their province’s first Canadian wheelchair title.

“Curling Quebec is excited that the country’s top wheelchair curlers will be in Boucherville for the Canadian championship,” said Curling Quebec executive-director Marco Ferraro. “It’s going to be a wonderful season of curling in our province, with both the Canadian wheelchair championship and the 2014 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Montreal. Quebec’s curlers and curling fans couldn’t be happier.”

The 2014 Canadian Wheelchair Championship will be organized and operated by Défi sportif AlterGo, a Quebec-based organization focused on raising awareness of sports for athletes with a disability.

“We have an extensive background in running competitions for athletes with a disability, and we know there’s a passion for wheelchair curling in this country,” said Maxime Gagnon, the director for Défi sportif AlterGo. “We’re truly excited to be a part of this championship as it’s staged in Quebec for the first time. We’re confident that the curling community in Boucherville and around the province will embrace the 2014 Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship and make it a big success.”

The Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship began in 2004 and has previously been won by Team Canada (skip Chris Daw) in 2004, 2005 and 2006; by British Columbia in 2007 (skip Darryl Neighbour), 2008 and 2009 (skip Jim Armstrong) and 2010 (skip Gary Cormack); by Manitoba (skip Chris Sobkowicz) in 2011; and by Saskatchewan (skip Darwin Bender) in 2012.

Click to read at the CCA website

(by Allen Cameron)

One of Canada’s best-known curlers has accepted a position to oversee the Chinese Curling Association’s men’s and women’s teams for the 2013-14 curling season, including the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Four-time Canadian champion Marcel Rocque will coach the Chinese men’s and women’s teams during the 2013-14 curling season. (Photo, CCA/Michael Burns)

Marcel Rocque of Edmonton, a four-time champion at the Tim Hortons Brier and three-time champion at the Ford World Men’s Curling Championship, all playing lead for the legendary Randy Ferbey team, made the announcement today.

“I will have an opportunity to experience an Olympic Winter Games, which is the only thing that isn’t on my list of accomplishments in the sport,” said Rocque. “Although I dreamed of this experience as a player with the Ferbey Four, trying to provide assistance as a coach would be the next best thing.”

Click for full story at the CCA website.

In order to meet the goals of having as many teams benefit from the Canada Games process and preparing our curlers and coaches for the upcoming CWG competition, the committee has decided to offer all interested teams a CWG Team Prep Program. The Team Prep Program will include:

Strength & Conditioning Training;
Nutrition Sessions; Coaching Sessions;
Team Dynamics Sessions;
Strategy Sessions; and
Sport Psych Sessions.

There will be a fee of $200 per team to participate in Team Prep Program. The training and sessions will be scheduled beginning in July and will continue until the Trials in February.

Once teams have registered for the Team Prep Program and interest is known, the committee will work to confirm the rest of the sessions. Topic and/or speaker ideas are welcome and the committee will work with the teams to try to meet the needs of the teams.

To register…
Please send your team info
Amy Duncan ([email protected]) by June 25, 2013.

Payment can be mailed to:
Curl PEI, P.O. Box 302, Charlottetown, PE, C1A 7K7

Cheques payable to:
Curl PEI

Strength & Conditioning Session #1

Kris MacPhee from Synergy Fitness has been brought onboard to work with all interested 2015 Canada Games curling hopefuls. He and his team will be developing the Strength and Conditioning Training program for Curl PEI.

The Strength & Conditioning

Training will include:
Training programs designed by Kris MacPhee for curlers, for their age group;
Two (2) in-person group sessions every 8 weeks to:
Session #1—Introduce the (new) program, and
Session #2—Check for proper form of the exercises.

In between the group sessions teams will be left on their own to train in the facility of their choice (a membership to Synergy Fitness is not included in the fee).

The first date is:
July 2, 2013
6:30pm or 7:45pm
Synergy Fitness (in the CARI Complex)
Cost included in Team Prep Program Fee

To register for the Strength & Conditioning Session …
Please send your team info & your choice of (time) session to
Amy Duncan ([email protected]) by June 25, 2013.

The Crapaud Community Curling Club’s Annual General Meeting was held on May 23rd.

The 2013/2014 board is as follows:

President: Ron Matters

1st Vice President: Nathan Hardy

2nd Vice President: Daniel MacFadyen

Secretary/Treasurer: Kim Matters

Members:

Mike Forrest

Julie Mutch

Brian Ellis

Miranda Peters

Kevin Smith

Committee Chairs:

Ice: Ron

Building: Daniel

Kitchen/Bar: Miranda/Mike

Junior Curling: Miranda/Mike

Fundraising: Board

Membership: Kevin/ Mike

Publicity /Website: Julie/Nathan

(by Allen Cameron)

The 2013 Canadian Curling Association National Curling Congress (NCC) is underway this week in Ottawa, and it’s been an inspiring few days.

Here’s a look at one of the reasons why.

Brian Rippin was basically a non-curler looking for a business opportunity in Dartmouth, N.S., 10 years ago.

For some reason, curling struck a chord with him, and he decided open a little shop in Dartmouth called The Curling Store. Today, it’s a thriving business and Brian is preaching the gospel of curling to all who will listen.

Recently, Brian encountered a local dad looking for an ice sport for his sons. Their ensuing conversation produced this video from the Nova Scotia Curling Association, called The REAL reason curling is better than hockey. It was presented to rave reviews on Friday at the NCC.

Link to video on YouTube

This morning, Travelers announced that it has agreed to acquire The Dominion from E-L Financial Corporation and will combine it with its Canadian operations. The press releases issued by Travelers and E-L Financial Corporation Limited can be seen here and here.

Bud Lund of Charlottetown, who, playing third for skip Lorne Burke, won the Canadian Senior Legion Curling Championships in 1986, and also skipped 7 consecutive PEI Masters championship rinks from 1987-1983, passed away on Tuesday June 4 at the age of 87. Lund was also a member of the PEI Softball Hall of Fame, won over 90 professional fights as a boxer, and was an avid golfer.

Visiting hours were Friday June 7 from  2 – 4 & 7 – 9 p.m at the Hennessey Cutcliffe Charlottetown Funeral Home. Veteran’s Tribute Service at the funeral home was held Friday evening at 6:45 p.m. Funeral mass was 10 am Saturday at St. Dunstan’s Basilica.

Click for funeral announcement.