Monthly Archives: March 2018

PEI drops opener to former national champ at Canadian Firefighters

Posted on by March 31, 2018

The opening draw is in the books at the 59th Canadian Firefighters Curling Championship in Thunder Bay Ontario, with all teams except Northern Ontario seeing action. PEI’s team from the Summerside Fire Department, skipped by Gordon MacFadyen, lost their opening match 9-5 to Nova Scotia’s Chad Stevens rink from the Chester Fire Dept in eight ends. Stevens won Nova Scotia’s first national Firefighters title in 2016.

Photo (L-R): Skip: Gordon MacFadyen, Third: Jason Cameron, Second: Robbie Rankin, Lead: Ray McCourt, PEI Director Peter A. MacDonald. 

Opening draw winners also included all three Prairie provinces and Southern Ontario.

Sunday draws are at 9:30 am and 2:30 pm Eastern time, with PEI taking on Alberta and Quebec.

Live results at:  curlingresults.com/firefighters/2018

Peter Gallant to coach Switzerland’s Tirinzoni team

Posted on by March 30, 2018

Charlottetown’s Peter Gallant, who recently coached the South Korean Women’s Team to an Olympic Silver Medal, announced this evening that he will be taking on a new coaching assignment next season, for the Silvana Tirinzoni women’s rink, who were Switzerland’s representatives at the Olympics in PyeongChang.

Sportsnet Photo By: Anil Mungal

The Swiss team at the Olympics consisted of skip Tirinzoni, along with third Manuela Siegrist, second Esther Neuenschwander, and lead Marlene Albrecht, but announced recently that while Silvana and Esther are continuing on for the next Olympic cycle, third Manuela will “step back for a while to fully recover her knee injuries” and that “Marlene wants to take it easier next season but will still be seen on the ice here and there.” Alina Pätz and Melanie Barbezat will now join the team, so the new lineup will be Silvana Tirinzoni, Alina Paetz, Esther Neuenschwander, and Melanie Barbezat. Pätz is a two-time World champion who currently skips her own team on the World Curling Tour and is the former alternate player for the Mirjam Ott rink which represented Switzerland at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Melanie Barbezat is the skip of another Swiss team.

Peter Gallant

Hope rinks to represent PEI at Canadian Masters, starting Monday in Surrey/Whiterock BC

Posted on by March 30, 2018

Play begins Monday, April 2nd and wraps up Sunday the 8th at the Coastal Engineering & Surveying Canadian Masters Curling Championships, for curlers age 60 and over, at the Cloverdale Curling Club and Peace Arch Curling Centre in Surrey and White Rock BC.

PEI is represented by the Bill Hope men’s and Sandy Hope women’s teams from the Cornwall Curling Club. The PEI men, and Arleen Harris from the PEI women’s rink, have just finished competing in the Canadian Seniors in Stratford Ontario.

(L-R): Bill Hope, Craig Mackie, Peter Murdoch, David Murphy

(R-L): Sandy Hope, Shelley Ebbett, Debbie Rhodenhizer, Arleen Harris

Event website: https://www.2018masterscurling.com/

Women’s teams, schedule and scores: http://bot.curlbc.ca//web/CompRR?compid=2741

Men’s teams, schedule and scores: http://bot.curlbc.ca//web/CompRR?compid=2739

You can also follow Team Bill Hope’s progress on their Facebook page 2018 PEI Men’s Masters Curling Team.

Ontario men, with 2 players originally from PEI, Sask. women win Everest Canadian Seniors titles

Posted on by March 29, 2018

Team Ontario, skipped by Bryan Cochrane, with PEI natives Ian MacAulay and Morgan Currie at third and second, along with lead Kenneth Sullivan, beat New Brunswick’s Terry Odishaw rink 5-2 this afternoon to win the men’s final of the Everest Canadian Seniors in Stratford Ontario. 

Curling Canada photo (L-R): Thompson. Currie, MacAulay, Cochrane

Cornwall PEI’s Bill Hope team finished play with a 3-6 win-loss record.

The Sherry Anderson rink from Saskatchewan repeated as women’s champs, edging Nova Scotia’s Mary Mattatall rink 7-6 in an extra end in the final.

Cornwall PEI’s Shirley Berry team ended play with a 4-5 record.

 

PEI’s Lauren Ferguson and Calvin Smith beat Dana Ferguson & John Epping at Canadian Mixed Doubles

Posted on by March 29, 2018

After an opening loss to Jennifer Jones (fresh off her gold-medal performance at the World Women’s Curling Championship in North Bay, Ont.) and Brent Laing (who competed at the Olympics in Pyeongchang with Team Kevin Koe),  PEI’s Lauren Ferguson and Calvin Smith have picked up a win at the Canadian Mixed Doubles in Leduc Alberta, scoring four points in the fourth, and stealing three points in an extra end to defeat the duo of Dana Ferguson and John Epping by a 9-6 score this afternoon.

 

Photo: Lauren Ferguson (left) and Calvin Smith at the PEI Mixed Doubles Ch’ship

At 7 pm, the PEI team will play 2016 Canadian Mixed Doubles champ Jocelyn Peterman, paired with Derek Samagalski because her regular partner Brett Gallant is competing in the World Men’s at Las Vegas with Team Canada skip Brad Gushue.

Update: Team PEI (1-2) lost 11-2 to Peterman/Samagalski (3-0).
 
Here is PEI’s full round-robin draw:

Date Draw  W/L Time (ADT) Opponent
Mar 28
2
L
 11:30 PM  Jones/Laing
Mar 29
4
W
 2:00 PM  Ferguson/Epping
Mar 29
6
L 
 7:00 PM  Peterman/Samagalski
Mar 30
8
 
 12:00 AM  Kitz/Stewart 
Mar 30
10
 
 2:00 PM  Sweeting/March
Mar 30
12
 
 7:00 PM  Kasner/Kalthoff
Mar 31
14
 
 12:00 AM  Sturmay/Sturmay

CBC will be live streaming games from the mixed doubles championship until the weekend, then broadcasting playoff games on the CBC television network. Go to http://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/winter/curling/broadcast then click on the “CBC Television” tab beside the “CBC Sports Streaming” for the CBC TV schedule.

Find scores, news and teams on the event website here: http://www.curling.ca/2018mixeddoubles/

Second member of Team Gushue dealing with loss of a relative (The Telegram)

Posted on by March 29, 2018

Brett Gallant’s grandfather, who helped introduce him to curling, died Tuesday

Mark Nichols isn’t the only curler on Brad Gushue’s Brier-championship team who is going through a difficult time in the days leading up the world men’s curling championship which opens Saturday in Las Vegas.

Three days after Nichols’s mother, Helen, passed away at age 63, Brett Gallant’s grandfather, Lorn “Luker” Burke, died Tuesday in Charlottetown, P.E.I. He was 86.

Geoff Walker and Brett Gallant (right) sweep a rock during the Elite 10 Grand Slam of Curling event earlier this month in Winnipeg. Gallant is the second member of Brad Gushue’s curling rink dealing with the death of a close relative this week as the team prepares for the world men’s curling championship in Las Vegas. Gallant’s maternal grandfather, Lorn Burke, died Tuesday in P.E.I. just three days after third Mark Nichols mother passed away.

Geoff Walker and Brett Gallant (right) sweep a rock during the Elite 10 Grand Slam of Curling event earlier this month in Winnipeg. Gallant is the second member of Brad Gushue’s curling rink dealing with the death of a close relative this week as the team prepares for the world men’s curling championship in Las Vegas. Gallant’s maternal grandfather, Lorn Burke, died Tuesday in P.E.I. just three days after third Mark Nichols mother passed away. – Anil Mungal/Grand Slam of Curling

Gallant, second stone on Gushue’s foursome, grew up in a curling family in Charlottetown. His father, Peter, is one of the finest curlers to hail from Prince Edward Island, with nine Brier appearances, winning four provincial mixed and one provincial senior championships over a 28-year career as a player.

His mom, Kathie Gallant, is no curling slouch, either, winner of a P.E.I, junior championship and three provincial women’s championships, one as skip. She also won six provincial mixed championships.

But it was Brett’s grandfather who introduced him to the game. Burke, too, was part of P.E.I. curling royalty, a Hall of Famer who was actually inducted with his daughter, Kathie, in 2011.

His lengthy career includes a berth in the 1970 McDonald Brier in Winnipeg, three years after he curled for P.E.I. at the first Canada Winter Games held in Quebec City.

“He was the one I practiced with mainly for the first 10 years I was curling, from the time I was four right through my teens,” Gallant told The Telegram back in December at the Olympic Trials in Ottawa.

“I used to love to go to the rink with him, just to throw rocks.”

Lorn Burke was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease when he passed away.

Click for the full story in The Telegram

Summerside Fire Department rink begins play Saturday at Canadian Firefighters

Posted on by March 28, 2018

Play gets underway on Saturday at 3:30 pm Eastern at the Port Arthur Curling Club in Thunder Bay, Ontario, as the Northern Ontario Firefighters Curling Association hosts the 59th Canadian Firefighters Curling Championship, in support of Muscular Dystrophy Canada. The championship game goes April 7th at 1 pm.

Photo (L-R): Skip: Gordon MacFadyen, Third: Jason Cameron, Second: Robbie Rankin, Lead: Ray McCourt, PEI Director Peter A. MacDonald. 

PEI  is represented by the team of  Skip: Gordon MacFadyen, Third: Jason Cameron, Second: Robbie Rankin, and Lead: Ray McCourt, from the Summerside Fire Department, with support from PEI Director Peter A. MacDonald. 

Eleven teams, from all provinces except Newfoundland and Labrador, including teams from Northern and Southern Ontario, plus the Northwest Territories. The defending champion Aaron Bartling team from Alberta are back this year looking to defend their title.

Live results from the championship will be available at curlingresults.com/firefighters/2018/

Team placement in the round robin draw is not determined until shortly before the first draw.

 

 

Team Gushue, with PEI’s Gallant, goes for back-to-back gold at World Men’s Ch’ship (Curling Canada)

Posted on by March 28, 2018

A Canadian team will be chasing history when it opens play Saturday at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas at the 2018 361° World Men’s Curling Championship, presented by Ford of Canada.

Canada’s Brad Gushue team, including, from left, Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brett Gallant and Geoff Walker, is taking aim at back-to-back gold in Las Vegas. (Photo, Curling Canada/Michael Burns)

Brad Gushue and his team from St. John’s — vice-skip Mark Nichols, second Brett Gallant, lead Geoff Walker, alternate Tom Sallows, team coach Jules Owchar and national coach Rick Lang — will try to become just the fifth team, all of them Canadian, to successfully defend a world men’s championship after claiming gold in 2017 in Edmonton.

Ernie Richardson’s legendary Saskatchewan team did it twice — 1959/’60 and 1962/’63 — while the other back-to-back winners were Calgary’s Ron Northcott in 1968 and ’69, Winnipeg’s Don Duguid in 1970 and ’71 and Edmonton’s Randy Ferbey in 2002 and ’03.

Gushue’s team earned its trip to Las Vegas by winning its second straight Tim Hortons Brier title earlier this month in Regina; Team Canada will open the world men’s championship on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (all times Eastern) against Russia’s Alexey Timofeev, who played vice-skip on the Alexey Stukalskiy-skipped Russian team that went 0-11 last year in Edmonton.

Team Gushue will be back on the ice later Saturday, at 9:30 p.m. against Scotland’s Bruce Mouat,  the 2016 World Junior Men’s and 2017 Winter Universiade champion, who also claimed top spot at the Grand Slam Boost National earlier this season.

Looming large on the schedule for Team Canada will be a showdown Friday, April 6, at 11:30 a.m. against two-time world champion Niklas Edin of Sweden — a rematch of the 2017 world championship final. Edin also won an Olympic silver medal last month in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The team the Swedes lost to at the Olympics won’t be in the field in Las Vegas, as John Shuster’s gold-medal squad didn’t play at the U.S. championship. Instead, the U.S. will be represented by Greg Persinger’s team; Canada will take on its southern rival on Thursday, April 5, at 9:30 p.m.

Other teams in the 13-team field are China’s Dejia Zou, Germany’s Alexander Baumann (featuring 2004 Canadian junior men’s champ Ryan Sherrard at lead), Italy’s Joel Retornaz, Japan’s Go Aoki, the Netherlands’ Jaap Van Dorp, Norway’s Steffen Walstad, South Korea’s ChangMin Kim and Switzerland’s Marc Pfister.

It will be the 60th edition of the world men’s championship; Canada has won a leading 36 world men’s titles, and Canadian teams have reached the podium 52 times in those 59 previous world championships, collecting nine silver and seven bronze to go along with the gold medals.

It will be the first time the world men’s championship has featured a 13-team field, as the World Curling Federation added a third team from the Pacific-Asia zone this past summer.

Round-robin play will run through to Friday, April 6, with the top six teams making the playoffs; no tiebreakers will be played, so ties for playoff spots will be broken based on head-to-head results, and if that doesn’t resolve the tie, then the pre-game Last-Shot Draw distances.

The top two teams from round-robin play will be seeded directly into the semifinals, while third will play sixth and fourth will play fifth in the quarter-finals on April 7.

The winners will advance to the semifinals later on Saturday. The semifinal winners will play for gold on April 7 at 8 p.m., with the semifinal losers battling for bronze on April 7 at 3 p.m.

In addition to the competition on the ice, there will be two significant World Curling Hall of Fame induction ceremonies staged during the 361° World Men’s Championship involving Canadian curling legends.

On April 3 prior to the 4:30 p.m. draw, former World and Olympic champion Kevin Martin will be formally inducted into the World Curling Hall of Fame, and on April 5, before the 9:30 p.m., legendary ice technician Shorty Jenkins will be inducted posthumously; he will be represented in Las Vegas by his daughter Kitty.

TSN/RDS2, the official broadcast partners of Curling Canada’s Season of Champions, will provide live coverage of Canada’s round-robin games, in addition to all playoff games. Go to www.tsn.ca/2017-18-curling-broadcast-schedule-1.593081 for their complete broadcast schedule.

The list of teams, schedule information and live scoring can be found on the event website, www.worldcurling.org/wmcc2018.

Click to read at Curling Canada

Curl PEI taking orders for Trainwave Curling Edition Workbooks

Posted on by March 28, 2018

Curl PEI is placing an order for Trainwave Curling Edition workbooks.  This is a sport-specific mental training workbook to support the programming efforts of curling coaches.  All activities, examples, and content have been reviewed and edited by Curling Canada’s national team coaches, athletes, and sport scientists to ensure accuracy, validity, and relevance.

Trainwave is designed in line with Canada’s Long Term Athlete Development framework and based on introductory sport psychology literature, as well as cognitive-behavioural interventions for psychological change.  Trainwave is packaged to be accessible, exciting, and practical for athletes.

The workbooks are $29 each (all fees in).

Please let Amy at Curl PEI know by Thursday, April 5 if you and/or your team is interested in purchasing.

 

UNB, with PEI’s Alex Gallant, in Bronze Medal game today at U Sports Ch’ships (Curling Canada)

Posted on by March 28, 2018

LEDUC, Alta. (U SPORTS) – The Alberta Golden Bears and Winnipeg Wesmen, along with the Alberta Pandas and Thompson Rivers WolfPack each advanced to Wednesday’s U SPORTS men and women’s championship finals, winning their respective semifinal matches on Tuesday night.

Kristen Streifel, University of Alberta (Don Voaklander/University of Alberta)

The semifinal matches were set early on Tuesday morning, before the championship final matches were solidified following the night matches at the 2018 national championship. The top-ranked Alberta Pandas knocked off Mount Allison 8-3, before Thompson Rivers squeaked past Brock 8-7, each advancing to tomorrow’s women’s final. On the men’s side, the Golden Bears made quick work of UNB with a convincing 9-3 win, followed shortly by a 5-4 upset win for the Winnipeg Wesmen over the No. 1 Waterloo Warriors.

“The team played fantastic, they made my job look easy,” said Golden Bears skip, and Leduc native Karsten Sturmay. “They we are all really consistent from start to finish, so I can’t ask for much more. I think our guys are really going to enjoy playing in tomorrow’s final. The chance to win a national title at home is special.”

Karsten Sturmay (University of Alberta (Don Voaklander/University of Alberta)

The national final appearance is the fourth straight for the Bears, who won their last banner in 2015, followed by back-to-back losses in 2016 and 2017. The Pandas are also looking to add to their already impressive resume, as a win tomorrow over TRU would be their third national championship in four years.

Winnipeg and Thompson Rivers can each earn their respective programs’ first-ever national championship with victories. The winners will also earn the right to represent Canada at the 2019 Winter Universiade in Krasnoyask, Russia.

After locking up first in the women’s standings, the 5-2 Pandas needed a few ends before taking control over Mount Allison. Tied 2-2 after five ends, Alberta scored three in the sixth, followed by another two in the eighth, en route to the 8-3 win over the Mounties.

TRU and Brock, meanwhile, engaged in a back-and-forth thriller. The ‘Pack held an early 5-2 lead, before the Badgers stormed back to eventually even the match at 7-7 after nine. A single by Thompson Rivers in the 10th sent them to the national final.

The Winnipeg men earned the lone upset win on Tuesday, erasing an early 2-0 deficit to eventually eliminate the top-seeded Waterloo Warriors 5-4. The Wesmen earned the final playoff spot thanks to a win over Regina in Draw 7.

After losing to UNB in round robin play, Alberta exacted some revenge with 9-3 win over the Varsity Reds in the other men’s semifinal.

“It’s been an unreal experience. Leduc has put on a fantastic event,” continued Sturmay. “The opportunity to complete as the host team in a national final, as well as in my hometown is really incredible.”

Winnipeg Wesmen and Waterloo Warriors (Don Voaklander/University of Alberta)

Both U SPORTS Championship finals will get underway Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. ET / 11:00 a.m. PT. The men’s final will be streamed live on CBCSports.ca

DAY 4 Team Standings

Men

Waterloo Warriors: 5-2
Alberta Golden Bears: 5-2
UNB Varsity Reds: 4-3
Winnipeg Wesmen: 4-3
Dalhousie Tigers: 4-3
Ryerson Rams: 3-4
Brock Badgers: 2-5
Regina Cougars: 1-6

Women

Alberta Pandas: 5-2
Thompson Rivers WolfPack: 5-2
Brock Badgers: 5-2
Mount Allison Mounties: 4-3
Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks: 3-4
Regina Cougars: 3-4
Queen’s Gaels: 2-5
Memorial Sea-Hawks: 1-6

Click to read at Curling Canada

PEI’s Ferguson/Smith to face Jones/Laing in their opener tonight at Canadian Mixed Doubles Ch’ship (Curling Canada)

Posted on by March 28, 2018

The Canadian Mixed Doubles Championship gets underway today in Leduc Alberta, returning to the city where the event made its debut in 2013 at the BMO Centre, when won by Quebec’s Robert Desjardins and Isabelle Néron.

The 32-team competition lineup includes the husband and wife tandem of Jennifer Jones and Brent Laing, along with last year’s champions and world mixed doubles silver medallists Joanne Courtney and Reid Carruthers. Jones, the 2014 Olympic gold medallist, and six-time Scotties champ, recently won the 2018 Ford World Women’s Championship in North Bay, her second world title, after claiming the 2008 championship. Laing is a three-time world men’s champion.

Photo: Calvin Smith (left) and Lauren Ferguson

The PEI champions, Lauren Ferguson and Calvin Smith from the Crapaud Community Curling Club, will face Jones and Laing in their opener at 11:30 pm Atlantic tonight. 
Here is PEI’s round robin draw:

Date Draw Time (ADT) Opponent
Mar 28
2
 11:30 PM  Jones/Laing
Mar 29
4
 2:00 PM  Ferguson/Epping
Mar 29
6
 7:00 PM  Peterman/Samagalski
Mar 30
8
 12:00 AM  Kitz/Stewart 
Mar 30
10
 2:00 PM  Sweeting/March
Mar 30
12
 7:00 PM  Kasner/Kalthoff
Mar 31
14
 12:00 AM  Sturmay/Sturmay

Other well-known curlers include the pairings of Chelsea Carey and Colin Hodgson, Cathy Overton-Clapham and Matt Dunstone, Dana Ferguson and John Epping, Marliese Kasner and Dustin Kalthoff, Nancy Martin and Steve Laycock, 2016 champ Jocelyn Peterman, paired with Derek Samagalski because her regular partner Brett Gallant is competing in the World Men’s at Las Vegas with Team Canada skip Brad Gushue, Laura Crocker and Kirk Muyres, who replaces her regular partner Geoff Walker, since he, too, is at the World Men’s with Gushue, 2015 winners Kalynn Park and Charley Thomas, 2014 champions Kim and Wayne Tuck, 2017 Canadian Mixed winning skip Trevor Bonot (paired with Amanda Gates) and 2013 winner Robert Desjardins.

While not playing, Kaitlyn Lawes and John Morris, 2018 Olympic gold medallists in the debut of Mixed Doubles at Pyeongchang, South Korea last month, will make a special media and public appearance on March 28, when the championship gets underway.

The winner of the 2018 Canadian Mixed Doubles will represent Canada in the 2018 World Mixed Doubles Championship, April 21-28 at Östersund, Sweden.

CBC Sports will live stream various games during the preliminary rounds and finals. You can watch at cbcsports.ca or via the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android.

Event website: www.curling.ca/2018mixeddoubles/

Draw results are available at www.curling.ca.

Click to read at Curling Canada.

PEI Curling Hall of Fame member Lorn Burke passes away at age 86

Posted on by March 28, 2018

J. E. Lorn “Luker” Burke, a PEI Curling Hall of Fame and Museum member, the father of Kathie Gallant, also a Hall of Fame member, and grandfather of reigning world champion curler Brett Gallant, passed away Tuesday at the age of 86. His brother Art is also a Hall of Fame member. 

Here is the funeral announcement:

Peacefully at Beach Grove Home on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 of J. E. Lorn “Luker” Burke of Charlottetown, age 86 years, a long-time employee of Sears.

Beloved husband of Beryl Burke (nee Beagan) and dear father to Kathie Gallant, Lorna DesRoches (Donald) and Cheryl Dillon (Bill). Also survived by grandchildren Brett Gallant, Chantelle DesRoches, Mathieu DesRoches, Daniel Dillon and Mark Dillon, brothers Art Burke (Bev), Cy Burke (Bernadette) and sister Shirley Doyle (Ray). Predeceased by his parents Anthony and Julie “Lillie” (nee Gallant) Burke, Frank and Clarence Burke and sister Mary Ryan.

Resting at the Hennessey Cutcliffe Charlottetown Funeral Home from where visitation and a Memorial Service will be held at a later date. If so desired, donations may be made to KidSport PEI or the PEI Alzheimer’s Society. Online condolences may be made at www.islandowned.ca

Photo: Lorn Burke and his daughter Kathie Gallant at the 2011 PEI Curling Hall of Fame and Museum induction ceremony, holding portraits drawn by Wayne Wright.

Here is his biography from the 2011 PEI Curling Hall of Fame induction ceremony:

Lorn “Luker” Burke

Lorn Burke began an impressive career of competing in provincial and national curling events when, in 1967, he played second stone for Dr.Wen MacDonald’s team at the first Canada Winter Games held in Quebec City. At that time, the Games’ competition was a mixed team event, with no age limit.

Lorn continued on to compete in no less than 17 more national and two Maritime competitions.

In 1970, he won the PEI Men’s Curling Championship, playing lead with the Art Burke team. Other team members were George Dillon and Joe Saunders and they represented the province at the Canadian Men’s Curling Championship (MacDonald Brier) in Winnipeg.

Lorn was a member of three PEI Seniors Men’s Curling Championship teams. In 1986, with Lorn as skip, Walter Lund, John Stewart, and Norm MacNeill, they represented the province in Portage la Prairie at the Canadian Senior Men’s Curling Championship. Playing lead in 1989, Lorn Burke joined with skip Doug Cameron, third Robert Dillon and second John Stewart to win his second PEI Senior Men’s’ Curling Championship. In 1996, Lorn skipped his provincial winning team of Ernie Diamond, Phillip Perry, and Myron MacKay in the Canadian Senior Men’s Curling Championship held in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

Lorn won three PEI Legion Regular Curling Championships.  In 1978, he skipped his team of Hugh Montague, Joe Saunders, and Albert Mosher.  In 1981, he played third for Gerry (Soupie) Campbell, and in 1984, he skipped again, with Boyde White, Joe Saunders, and John Stewart.

Lorn enjoyed his greatest success as a curler as a ten-time winner of the PEI Senior Legion Curling Championships – in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1994, going on to compete at the Canadian Senior Legion Curling Championships each year. He skipped seven times and played third the other three times.

In 1986, in London Ontario, Lorn won the Canadian Senior Legion Championship and was the recipient of the all-star skip award. Other team members that year were Bud Lund, Bill Acorn, and John Stewart.

Lorn won the PEI Masters Curling Championship in 1993, playing third for Bud Lund. They went on to win the Maritime Masters Championship that year, held in Charlottetown, with an unbeaten record. With the same team, they were runners-up in the Provincial Masters in 1994, and also the runners-up in the Maritime Masters that year.

Lorn coached his grandson Brett Gallant up until 2003, assisting in his development as an outstanding junior curler.

Lorn was also involved in hockey, harness racing and golf, but it is curling that was his main sport and we are here tonight to honour his accomplishments as he is inducted into the Hall of Fame as a curler.

 

Holland College slips to 1-5 after close battle with Niagara at Collegiate Ch’ships (Curling Canada)

Posted on by March 27, 2018

LEDUC, AB – The third day of the 2018 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Curling Canada Championships began to sort of out the playoff picture after the afternoon and evening draws, setting up multiple win-or-go-home scenarios heading into the final draw of round robin play on Tuesday.

Jacob Reid, Sault Cougars (Railene Hooper/CCAA photo)

Men’s Draw

Draw 5 kicked off for the men with an all-ACAC matchup between the NAIT Ooks (3-2) and the University of Alberta-Augustana Vikings (3-2). Curling 80 per cent as a team, the Ooks took advantage of scores in three ends to earn a 7-4 win over the Vikings.

In an exciting game between Ontario schools Sault College Cougars (2-3) and Niagara College Knights (1-4), it was the Cougars hanging on for a 9-8 win by scoring a single in the 10th end for the victory. Both teams faced difficult shots throughout the game, with the Cougars curling 70 per cent as a team to squeak out a win at the end.

The Concordia University of Edmonton Thunder (3-2) took advantage of a Fanshawe College Falcons (3-2) miscue in the 10th end to steal one as Falcons skip Charlie Richard flashed one through the house to give the Thunder an 8-7 victory. Thunder third Tyler van Amsterdam was solid throughout the game, curling at 81 per cent as the top curler in the match.

The final game of Draw 5 saw the Douglas College Royals (5-0) remain undefeated as they earned a 7-5 win over the persistent Red Deer College Kings (0-5). The Kings threw everything they had at the Royals, backed by lead Jordan Smith curling at 91 per cent. With the comeback falling short, the Kings are still in the hunt for their first win, while the Royals have fended off every test so far due to strong and consistent team play.

In Draw 6, the Fanshawe College Falcons (4-2) picked up an important win over the Red Deer College Kings (0-6) who shook after eight ends to concede an 8-3 score to the Falcons. Lead Brady St. Louis was exceptional for Fanshawe with a 94 per cent stat line for the game.

Andrew Klassen, Augustana (Railene Hooper/CCAA photo)

The Douglas College Royals (6-0) won their sixth game of the championships with an 8-5 defeat of the Concordia University of Edmonton Thunder (3-3). The Royals were clinical in scoring off of mistakes by the Thunder, while providing few opportunities for the Thunder to make a push late in the game.

In the feature game being broadcast on CBC Online in Draw 6, the Sault College Cougars (3-3) and the NAIT Ooks (3-3) played an entertaining game, with the Cougars coming out on top. The game was tied 5-5 after eight ends, when the Cougars made a couple nice shots to score three in the ninth end, eventually running the Ooks out of rocks in the 10th. Strong play from the Cougars second Dan Lethbridge (91 per cent) and Ooks lead Sam Stephenson (93 per cent) made for an engaging matchup that delivered a great performance for the online viewers.

In the final game of Draw 6, the Niagara College Knights (2-4) proved to be too much for the University of Alberta-Augustana Vikings (3-3), taking an 8-4 win back to the hotel. A stretch of three ends mid-way through the game where the Knights scored points in consecutive ends created a deficit that the Vikings could not find an answer for. The Knights were solid across the board, curling an amazing 86 per cent as a team.

Women’s Draw

In Draw 5 on the women’s side, the Fanshawe College Falcons (4-1) continued to set the pace at the top of the standings as they faced off against the Holland College Hurricanes (1-4). The Hurricanes would give the Falcons everything they had, but it was not enough as Fanshawe walked away with a 9-7 victory to improve their record to 4-1 for the championships. Falcons 2nd Samantha Lees led the way, curling at 83 per cent for Fanshawe.

In a battle of the Knights, the Fleming College (0-5) squad was just what Niagara College (3-2) needed to get back into the playoff conversation. Niagara jumped out to an early 4-0 lead after scoring deuces in the first and third ends, while never looking back on their way to a 7-2 over Fleming College. Despite a consistent stat line for Fleming, they just could not recover from a couple of missed shots early in the game.

Taylor Reese-Hansen, Camosun College (Railene Hoooper/CCAA photo)

After starting the championships at 0-2, the Camosun College Chargers (3-2) have rattled off three straight wins, with their most recent coming against the MacEwan University Griffins (3-2). The Chargers built up a 5-1 lead after six ends and held on for a 6-3 win over the Griffins. Skip Taylor Reese-Hansen was on fire for Camosun, curling at 85 per cent for the match.

The Red Deer College Queens (3-2) picked up their third win of the championships over ACAC rival NAIT Ooks (3-2) behind a strong performance from Shelby Primrose. The convincing 10-5 win was much needed for the Queens as they keep their playoff hopes alive amongst the five teams tied for second place in the standings with records of 3-2.

In Draw 6, the Fleming College Knights (0-6) were on a mission to earn a win in the championships with a late rally against the first place Fanshawe College Falcons (5-1). A steal of two in the 10th end fell short of the comeback as the Falcons held on for a 8-7 win.

Cynthia Pearson, Holland College (Railene Hooper/CCAA photo)

In a back-and-forth match between the Niagara College Knights (4-2) and the Holland College Hurricanes (1-5), it was the Knights coming out on top for a 7-5 victory. Second Renee Boyce led the Knights by curling at 73 per cent, while Hurricanes lead Taya-Ray Crossman stood out curling at 71 per cent.

An impressive 93 per cent curled by Red Deer College Queens (3-3) lead Katie Primrose was not enough to best ACAC opponent MacEwan University Griffins (4-2) in the late draw. A steal of four points in the ninth end by the Griffins sealed the fate of the Queens as they could not hold the lead late into the game.
The Camosun College Chargers (4-2) continued their notable four-game win streak as they handed the NAIT Ooks (3-3) their third loss of the championships. Chargers skip Taylor Reese-Hansen sustained her stellar play while leading Camosun to a much-deserved 7-5 win.

 

Standings after Day 3

Women’s Teams Record

Fanshawe College Falcons 5-1
Camosun College Chargers 4-2
MacEwan University Griffins 4-2
Niagara College Knights 4-2
Red Deer College Queens 3-3
NAIT Ooks 3-3
Holland College Hurricanes 1-5
Fleming College Knights 0-6

Men’s Teams Record

Douglas College Royals 6-0
Fanshawe College Falcons 4-2
University of Alberta-Augustana Vikings 3-3
Concordia University of Edmonton Thunder 3-3
NAIT Ooks 3-3
Sault College Cougars 3-3
Niagara College Knights 2-4
Red Deer College Kings 0-6

Sheet G will be televised throughout the 2018 CCAA Curling Canada National Championships, and will be available for viewing online at www.cbc.ca/sports.

Click to read at Curling Canada

PEI women finish round robin at 3-3, men at 1-5, out of championship pool at Everest Seniors (Curling Canada)

Posted on by March 27, 2018

The Championship Pools are set in both women’s and men’s pool play as the round robin finished up Monday evening at the Everest Canadian Seniors Curling Championships in Stratford, Ont.

Nova Scotia’s Mary Mattatall watches her rock as sweepers Jill Alcoe-Holland and Andrea Saulnier (Curling Canada/Robert Wilson photo)

Nova Scotia’s Mary Mattatall finished up the round robin with a perfect 6-0 record after an 8-6 win over New Brunswick’s Heidi Hanlon. Earlier in the day, Mattatall needed two in the final end to win a close 6-5 contest over Alberta’s Terri Loblaw.

“We are so pleased with the ice, and felt we have a good read on it early,” Mattatall said, adding that the last few weeks have been key to their early success in Stratford. “The preparation we did for the Nationals is paying off so far. Our plan moving forward is to keep this consistency going into the championship pool.”

Ontario’s Colleen Madiona heads Pool B with a perfect 6-0 record, picking up wins against Lynne Noble’s British Columbia foursome, 6-5, and Newfoundland and Labrador’s Diane Roberts, 10-0, in their final two draws of the round robin.

Championship Pool play starts Tuesday morning, as the top four teams from each pool move on and play the top four teams in the opposite pool. Rounding out the women’s Championship pool is Nova Scotia’s Mattatall, Ontario’s Colleen Madonia, New Brunswick’s Hanlon, British Columbia’s Noble, Saskatchewan’s Sherry Anderson, Quebec’s Odette Trudel, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Diane Roberts and Peggy Taylor from Northern Ontario.

The rest of the teams will play in a seeding pool to determine their standing for the next year.

In men’s Pool A action, reigning champ Wade White of Alberta finished at 5-1 in a three-way tie for top spot with an extra-end win over Saskatchewan’s Darrell McKee. White’s only loss was to Ted Butler of Buckingham, Que., in the final game of the round robin.

“We don’t feel the pressure as much this year,” said White. “Maybe because we won this last year, and with worlds only a few weeks away, we now try to look at it as the best practice opportunity we could have asked for prior to our World Championship, where we’re sure we’ll feel the pressure.”

(Curling Canada/Robert Wilson photo)

Joining him in the Championship round from Pool A is Northern Ontario’s Al Hackner, who finished with a 5-1 record. Quebec, finishing with a matching 5-1 record, and Saskatchewan’s Darrell McKee are also through to the Championship pool after McKee downed the Yukon team skipped by Pat Paslawski in an extra end to clinch the fourth spot of Pool A.

In Men’s Pool B, Ontario’s Bryan Cochrane [which includes PEI natives Ian MacAulay and Morgan Currie] took over top spot with a 5-1 record after defeating New Brunswick’s Terry Odishaw 7-4 in a battle of the leaders.

“We’re getting better, and the ice is getting better,” said Cochrane. “We’re having a lot of fun out there and that was a big accomplishment to be 5-1, but we still have lots of work to do.”

Odishaw and Manitoba’s David Boehmer finished with 4-2 records to grab second and third spot, while the final Championship Pool B spot came down to the final round robin draw between Nova Scotia’s O’Leary and British Columbia’s Craig Lepine. O’Leary came out on top with a score of 7-3 and clinched the coveted final spot in the Championship pool.

The Championship pool play continues on Tuesday with draws at 9:30 a.m, 2:00 p.m., and 6:30 p.m., all times EDT.

Scores and draw results for the 2018 Canadian Seniors will be available at http://www.curling.ca/scoreboard/.

For event information, visit http://www.curling.ca/2018seniors.

Click to read at Curling Canada

Story by Robyn Mattie