(Carberry Draw #8: December 16) ROBERTSON, MCDONALD ADVANCE TO NEXT ROUND: ONE SPOT LEFT … Former champion Kristy McDonald had a great day personally Thursday at the Scotties in Carberry. On the noon draw she won the game with a last draw freeze on the button. On the late draw, she won her team the first end hammer by covering the pinhole in the pre-game draw contest for hammer.
McDonald takes aim in a short game win over Zacharias
Winning last shot, however, is not as important as what you do with it. McDonald used it to make a final shot angled run-back on a rock halfway to the house – onto a pair of Mackenzie Zacharias stones in the four foot. The double kill turned trouble into a four-ender from which the young Altona team never recovered.
Zacharias scored a deuce on the second end but gave up five more on the fourth in a 9-3 short game victory. McDonald’s record is now 3W-1L with a game to play.
Zacharias 020 01x =3 McDonald 400 50x =9
The Zacharias foursome faces a must-win game tomorrow if they wish to advance to the championship.
Robertson
Early on the game for first place in the pool, between Beth Peterson and Darcy Robertson (both Assiniboine Memorial), looked to be going Peterson’s way. They scored a single to open the game then stole one when Peterson made a hit and roll behind cover and watched Robertson slide deep with her draw. From there however the game went Robertson’s way, scoring six over the next four ends to lead 6-3 enroute to an 8-6 win. Team Robertson stays undefeated while Peterson drops to 2W-2L, tied with Zacharias.
In a game with local bragging rights on the line, Terry Ursel (Neepawa) and Alyssa Calvert (Carberry) met, both hoping to end their winless string at this year’s championship. The game was going in Ursel’s favour until Calvert scored a four on the ninth to tie coming home but the Ursel team recovered to score one and an 8-7 victory.
Calvert 110 010 004 0 =7 Ursel 003 201 010 1 =8
At 4W-0L, Robertson will advance to the championship round as will McDonald at 3W-2L. The third team advancing from this pool will be the final game winner between Zacharias and Peterson.
(Carberry Draw #7: December 16) WATLING, JONES, FLEURY ADVANCE TO NEXT ROUND ..The two unbeaten teams in the group met on Sheet A today in their next to last round-robin draw at the Carberry Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
Both from Assiniboine Memorial, Kristy Watling and Kaitlyn Jones (skipped by Abby Ackland), Jones built a 3 point, 2 end lead but Watling authored a comeback win.
Abby Ackland looks on as Hailey Ryan watches Kristy Watling’s ninth end final draw approach. A freeze to the back red stone set up a steal.
The ninth end was pivotal. Tied 4-4 with hammer, Team Jones gave up a steal of one. To set up the steal, Watling drew the four foot facing two and watched Jones slide deep to give up the steal. The tenth saw the same storyline. Facing two, Jones had a last rock draw that needed to almost bite the four foot. She slid deep again as the rock had to be swept to try to curl it past a guard and the weight didn’t come off fast enough once past that guard.
Jones 120 010 000 0 =4 Watling 001 101 011 2 =7
Watling improves to 4W-0L while Jones is 3W-1L. The result of the game could be critical in determination of the first place team advancing from the championship round to the playoffs.
Needing a win to stay even with the loser of the Jones-Watling game, top seeded Tracey Fleury (East St. Paul) delivered, scoring an 8-4 victory over Jennifer Clark-Rouire (Miami). Fleury’s record is now 3W-1L while Clark-Rouire is still winless.
Fleury 030 011 021 x =8 Clark-Rouire 100 200 100 x =4
Gaining experience with each game, Meghan Walter (East St. Paul) and Shae Bevan (St. Vital) met in the third game on the 4PM draw. Up two coming home, and facing two Bevan stones in the four foot, Walter’s last shot runback attempt did not work out and Bevan drew for a third point and the teams’s first win. The Walter record falls to 1W-3L.
Walter 010 200 011 0 =5 Bevan 001 001 100 3 =6
With one game left to play in the round-robin, the Watling, Jones and Fleury teams are assured of advancing to the championship round from this pool.
(Carberry Draw #6: December 16)ROBERTSON AT 3W-0L, THREE AT 2W-1L ..The noon draw at the Manitoba Scotties Tournament of Hearts presented by Bayer offered three much more competitive games than had been played on the opening draw Thursday.
Results of Draw #6 in Carberry put Darcy Robertson (Assiniboine Memorial) in first place at 3W-2L with three teams right behind at 2W-1L. Kristy McDonald (Granite), Beth Peterson (Assiniboine Memorial), and Mackenzie Zacharias (Altona) all share second place in the pool.
Third Lisa Blixhavn eyes the line on the Kristy McDonald 7th end triple kill
McDonald set up her win with a triple kill to count two on the seventh end, but the game winner was her clutch last shot coming home draw to the button.
The game winning draw – no contact on the yellow Peterson the back of the button
That draw came to rest near frozen to a Beth Peterson (Assiniboine Memorial) stone on the back of the button. Peterson attempted to negotiate a narrow port with a hit but there is question whether the McDonald stone could be removed. We’ll never know. McDonald stole for a 10-8 victory.
The local team skipped by Alyssa Calvert gave Team Zacharias all they could handle. Tied coming home, Zacharias nose hit a centre guard peel attempt, allowing Calvert to draw behind. She reached the full eight foot so Zacharias just had to be a little better with her final stone of the end. The young Altona skip teased the local fans as her draw slid through the four foot circle but came to rest as shot stone in the back eight-foot.
Terry Ursel’s Neepawa team took their third loss as Team Robertson improved to 3W-0L. Ursel controlled the first half of the game, leading 4-1 after four ends. Robertson fought back to lead 5-4 and forced Ursel to take a single for a 5-5 tie after none ends. Lying second shot, Robertson had an open hit for the 7-5 victory.
(Carberry Draw #5, December 16) WATLING, JONES STAY PERFECT Three teams advance from each group to the championship round of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts presented by Bayer and three teams are separating themselves from the rest in the group which played this morning in Carberry,
The Kristy Watling and Kaitlyn Jones teams (both Assiniboine Memorial) stayed undefeated while top seed Tracey Fleury (East St. Paul) improved to 2W-1L on the morning draw.
The Jons team, skipped by Abby Ackland, posted a shut-out over Shae Bevan (St. Vital) while Watling controlled play in a 10-5 eight end win over Jennifer Clark-Rouire (Miami).
Kristy Watling controlled play through the morning game with Team JCR, skipped by Lisa McLeod
The Fleury win was also a short game victory over Megham Walter (East St. Paul)
Fleury 202 204 x =10 Walter 010 010 x = 2
At the conclusion of round-robin play, three teams will advance to the championship round from each pool. Their records carry forward with them as they play the three teams from the other pool. The top three after that will advance to the playoff round; #1 direct to the final #’s 2 & 3 to the semi-final.
If you’re looking for a copy of the Manitoba Scotties draw – look no further, you’ve found it. The CurlManitoba livestreaming of a game per draw (except Wednesday evening) will feature the games scheduled on SHEET B.
(Carberry Draw #4: December 15) PETERSON, ROBERTSON 2W-0L AFTER THEIR FIRST DAY .. Darcy Robertson (Assiniboine Memorial) and Beth Peterson (Assiniboine Memorial) have 2W-0L records as the opening day of the Manitoba Scotties wraps up in Carberry.
Robertson was tied 6-6 coming home with Mackenzie Zacharias (Altona). Robertson forced Zacharias to draw facing a pair of counters – a draw which had to bite the button. She got full to the four foot circle but no measure was required to ascertain that she had come just centimetres short. Zacharias’ record is 1W-1L after Day #1.
Peterson was tested by the Terry Ursel team (Neepawa) whose opening day had them playing the two top seeds in the pool. The Ursel team trailed 5-4 after 6 ends and 7-6 after eight but could get no closer as Peterson posted a 9-6 win.
Peterson 100 040 202 x =9 Ursel 011 002 020 x =6
Kristy McDonald’s Granite team earned a first day split with a 5-4 win over Alyssa Calvert (Carberry), a game that was tied coming home, McDonald with hammer.
(Carberry Draw #3: December 15)WATLING, JONES 2W-0L AFTER THEIR FIRST DAY .. Top seeded Tracey Fleury had a split of her two games on opening day at the Scotties in Carberry. After a morning win, Fleury’s East St. Paul team was upset on the late afternoon draw by the Kaitlyn Jones team (Assiniboine Memorial), skipped today by Abby Ackland with Jones throwing fourth.
Fourth thrower Kaitlyn Jones helped author an upset over the #1 seeded Fleury foursome
A steal of one on the ninth end gave Jones/Ackland an 8-6 lead coming home. Facing three playing end #9, Fleury hit and rolled away to give up the steal of one. She had a shot to tie coming home but it was a wide in-off to kill the Jones shot rock and the East St. Paul team could only manage a single point for an 8-7 loss. The Jones/Ackland team is 2W-0L after the first day of play in Carberry.
Jones 100 301 021 0 =8 Fleury 021 010 200 1 =7
Watling & sweepers
Also at 2W-0L is Kristy Watling (Assiniboine Memorial) who posted an 11-3, seven end win over Shae Bevan (St. Vital). Bevan is winless after her first two games.
Bevan 101 001 0x =3 Watling 040 100 6x =11
In the third game of the 4PM draw, Meghan Walter (East St. Paul) made a last rock draw to the four foot, facing a buried opposition stone for victory over Jennifer Clark-Rouire (Miami).
(Carberry Draw #2; December 15) .. ZACHARIAS, PETERSON, ROBERTSON WIN SCOTTIES OPENERS Second seeded Mackenzie Zacharias (Altona) and her reigning World Junior champion team had their handful today with Terry Ursel’s Neepawa foursome. Team Ursel, a very competitive Senior Women’s team, forced Zacharias to a single point on the eight end and a 6-4 lead.
On the ninth, Zacharias jammed on her first rock kill attempt, leaving Ursel one buried. Ursel drew to bite the top of the rings behind a centre guard and had a shot for three when Zacharias threw her rock deep into the back 12 foot circle. Ursel’s draw-tap for a possible three made contact with that Zacharias stone but not enough to push it through and they had to settle for two and a 6-6 tie coming home.
The Ursel team was unable to establish the guards needed for a steal but they did force Zacharias to play a last rock hit for the win. Facing two, Zacharias needed to hit and stick in the eight foot circle or make a double kill. She did both, and counted a pair for a hard-fought 8-6 win.
Zacharias 010 301 010 2 =8 Ursel 101 010 102 0 =6
Tied 5-5 playing the eight end, Kristy McDonald (Granite) made a tapback on her own stone in the eight foot circle, facing four Darcy Robertson (Assiniboine Memorial) rocks around the four foot. McDonald pushed her rock to backing to count a point and lead 6-5. McDonald was able to force Robertson to a last rock hit for a single, a tie and an extra end.
The extra end saw Robertson pay a last rock tap on a McDonald stone on biting the back of the button but with enough separation that McDonald could see an angle hit to score the winner but she overcurled slightly and rubbed her own stone as well – leaving Robertson a steal of two for victory.
In the third game, Beth Peterson (Assiniboine Memorial) was tied 2-2 with hometown favourite Alyssa Calvert (Carberry) when she saw Calvert slide a couple of inches deep on a draw the four foot facing two. The steal of two gave Peterson a 4-2 lead enroute to a 9-4 victory.
Peterson 001 120 302 x =9 Calvert 110 001 010 x =4
Draw # 3 goes on the ice at 4PM in Carberry. A complete copy of the draw can be accessed from thecurler.com’s Front Page!
(Carberry Draw #1: December 15)OPENING SCOTTIES WINS FOR FLEURY, JONES, WATLING A key hit & roll out facing five was the difference in the game this morning as Kristy Watling (Assiniboine Memorial) opened the Scotties Tournament of Hearts presented by Bayer with a win over Meghan Walter (East St. Paul).
Team Watling controlled play much of the game, twice forcing Walter to draw facing a pair and once forcing her to hit facing a pair. The big end end, however, built slowly and Walter faced the five, overcurled with her last stone and rolled out to give up the four on the seventh end in an 8-5 Watling victory.
Watling 002 011 400 x =8 Walter 101 100 020 x =5
Number one seed and acknowledged favourite Tracey Fleury and her East St. Paul team played patiently, building a6-2 lead after six ends. A four in that game, in the eighth end, resulted in Shae Bevan (St.Vital) conceding a 10-2 Fleury win.
Fleury 202 200 04x =10 Bevan 000 011 00x = 2
In a come-from behind, the Kaitlyn Jones (Assiniboine Memorial) team, skipped by Abby Ackland, scored a deuce on the eight end to tie at 5-5. Jones throwing last, actually had a chance for three that end but a wide out-turn draw did not curl up as expected and they scored only the deuce.
After a blanked ninth, Lisa McLeod, skipping the Jennifer Clark-Rouire Miami entry, was in some trouble for most of the end. Team Jones had a rock biting the back of the button which McLeod tried to draw to but was a bit heavy and with her final rock, Jones threw a second counter into the four foot, buried. It left McLeod only an angle tap which had to bite the button but she over-curled and gave up the stolen victory for Team Jones.
(Curling Canada News Release) All 16 teams are confirmed following Sunday’s Brantford Mixed Doubles Classic. The event offered two berths to the top non-qualified teams in the top four of the event. The event’s conclusion also signalled the end of the qualification period for the 2022 Canad Inns Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials. The remainder of the teams qualified based on Canadian Mixed Doubles Rankings (CMDR) points earned this season.
As was the case in 2018, some players and teams had to be replaced because they were victorious at the 2021 Tim Hortons Canadian Curling Trials earlier this year in Saskatoon.
The 2022 Canad Inns Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials, scheduled for Dec. 28, 2021 – Jan. 2, 2022, at Stride Place in Portage la Prairie, Man., will decide Canada’s mixed doubles entry into the Winter Olympics mixed doubles competition. The winner will defend Canada’s gold medal earned at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games by Kaitlyn Lawes and John Morris.
Morris will have an opportunity to become the first player to win back-to-back Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials titles in the young history of the event. This year, 2018 Olympian Rachel Homan joins Morris in pursuing gold.
Here’s a look at the 16 teams that qualified. Italic names indicate the player will have already qualified for the Olympic Winter Games in four-player team competition and will not compete in Portage la Prairie. Bold names indicate a team’s replacement player:
Jennifer Jones (Horseshoe Valley, Ont.) replaced bySelena Njegovan (Winnipeg)/Brent Laing (Horseshoe Valley, Ont.) – CMDR as of May 20, 2020
Nancy Martin (Saskatoon)/Tyrel Griffith (Kelowna, B.C.) – CMDR as of May 20, 2020
Rachel Homan (Beaumont, Alta.)/John Morris (Canmore, Alta.) – CMDR as of May 20, 2020
Chelsea Carey (Calgary)/Colin Hodgson (Red Lake, Ont.) (Brantford Mixed Doubles Classic qualifier #2)
Shannon Birchard (Winnipeg)/Catlin Schneider (Regina) (CMDR as of Dec. 14, 2021)
Val Sweeting (Lottie Lake, Alta.)/Marc Kennedy (St. Albert, Alta.)(CMDR as of Dec. 14, 2021)
Clancy Grandy (Pickering, Ont.)/Patrick Janssen (Pickering, Ont.) (CMDR as of Dec. 14, 2021)
Laura Walker (Edmonton)/Kirk Muyres (Regina) (CMDR as of Dec. 14, 2021)
Kim Tuck (Strathroy, Ont.)/Wayne Tuck (Strathroy, Ont.) (CMDR as of Dec. 14, 2021 – excluding CTRS points)
Émilie Desjardins (Chicoutimi, Que.)/Robert Desjardins (Chicoutimi, Que.) (CMDR as of Dec. 14, 2021 – excluding CTRS points)
Bobbie Sauder (Spruce Grove, Alta.)/Brendan Bottcher (Spruce Grove, Alta.) (CMDR as of Dec. 14, 2021 – due to no qualifier at Qualico Mixed Doubles Classic qualifier)
Jocelyn Peterman (Winnipeg)/Brett Gallant (St. John’s, N.L.) – CMDR as of May 20, 2020 REPLACED BY Lauren Wasylkiw (Kleinburg, Ont.)/Shane Konings (Stouffville, Ont.) (CMDR as of Dec. 14, 2021 – due to Peterman/Gallant qualifying on four-player teams)
The teams will be divided into two pools of eight teams based on CMDR and play a seven-game round robin. The top team in each pool will receive a bye, while the teams with the following four best records qualify for the playoffs.
Round-robin play begins on Dec. 28 at 9 a.m. (all times Central) and concludes on Dec. 31 at 12:30. Playoffs start on Dec. 31 at 4 p.m., with the semifinal occurring at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 2 and the final at 1:30 p.m.
The mixed doubles competition at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing beings on Feb. 2 and the gold-medal game will be held on Feb. 8.
Tickets for the 2022 Canad Inns Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials can be purchased here.
Broadcasting details and event schedule will be released later this month.
The 12 competing teams in the Manitoba Scotties Tournament of Hearts presented by Bayer were the first Manitoba curlers to throw a brand new set of CurlManitoba curling stones when they practiced today in Carberry. (CLICK HERE for a copy of the Scotties Draw)
A few twigged to the fact that they were different stones, a few figured out they were brand new stones, a few, playing for the first time on Manitoba Scotties ice had no reason to even think about it. For the record, the new rocks should not have been a surprise. The curlers were told they would be playing with new stones in pre-event information but it is fair to guess that sometimes the pre-event information does not always get read completely.
Veteran coach and volunteer Lorne Hamblin was one who wondered about them. The coach of Terry Ursel’s Neepawa team was matter of fact in his assessment of the new stones as an overall first impression. “A fair bit of swing, nice ice, the rocks reacted consistently,” he said. That’s all you can ask!
CurlManitoba Executive Director Craig Baker advised that new stones became a priority after there were issues with the old rocks at the Scotties in Rivers two years ago.
CurlManitoba knew at that time that had to replace the legendary “MCA rocks”. The Viterra championship that year was played with Curling Canada stones borrowed for the occasion.
New Red Trefor granite with insert running surfaces were ordered from Canadian Curling Stone almost immediately, after an appropriate tender process, and would have been available last year for CurlManitoba’s arena events if the season had not been covid-cancelled.
Brand new stones will be in play at the CurlManitoba arena championships this season. The women use them first, starting Wednesday morning in Carberry. Some of the men in Selkirk might just be able to gain a little advantage if their spouse/partner happens to be playing in Carberry.
“The new stones are as perfectly matched as it is possible to make them – and each weighs 44 pounds,” says CurlManitoba’s Chief Ice Technician Greg Ewasko. He is very happy with how they have performed through the first day’s practice sessions. However, like every Ice Technician, Ewasko is always expecting something could go wrong so he is cautious in predicting anything about the new stones until he has seen them through an entire event.
In a nod to the need for caution and the value of good insurance, the ‘old’ CurlManitoba stones are also in Carberry “just in case”.
The former stones reached legendary status in Manitoba from decades of very limited service, mainly in the men’s championship which at one time was the MCA’s only arena event. As their legend grew however, they travelled the country, used in many different Briers, Scotties and other events.
They were re-conditioned several times and, as they retire from service, they have reached the stage where they are very near and perhaps very slightly under the standard minimum weight of 36 pounds.
What happens with those old stones? Baker says it is still under discussion and a plan will be announced, perhaps by the end of this curling season.
One thing he knows, curlers are sentimentalists! Maybe there is a market in the memories arena – perhaps the guy who remembers throwing a specific rock to win the Manitoba championship would like to buy it and give it a good home.
One thing I’ll tell him – I have no interest in the rock that I left short of the rings in the Tankard final in 1981 but maybe Mark Olson would be interested in the one that the Burtnyk team buried behind it.
Meghan Walter started her visit to Western Manitoba for the Scotties in Carberry a few days early with a championship in the Manitoba Mixed Doubles Tour`s Brandon bonspiel on the weekend.
Meghan & Brett Walter
Teamed with her brother, Brett, the Walter duo defeated the local team of Steve Irwin and Stacey Fordyce in the final game. The result meant both teams finished with 4W-1L records as Fordyce-Irwin had beaten the Walters in round-robin play.
However, the championship and the $1000 first prize went to Meghan & Brett Walter on that final game win. Fordyce-Irwin earned $500.
Brett and Meghan Walter defeated locals Steve Irwin and Stacey Fordyce 7-4 in the finals. $1000 for 1st, $500 for 2nd.
Walter-Walter join Kadriana Sahaidak-Colton Lott (Morris Mixed Doubles Fall Opener) and William & Mikaylah Lyburn (Dauphin Mixed Doubles Classic presented by Nexus BioAg) as the third event winner in the inaugural three events in the Cargill Curling Training Centre Manitoba Mixed Doubles Tour presented by Asham.
Although the Brandon event attracted only five entries, the fledgling Mixed Doubles Tour continues to gain traction. Two additional events have been added to the Tour’s January-February schedule and discussion continue about additional possible locations.
The next event will be in Arborg, January 22 & 23 while La Salle Curling Club will host a new event February 5 & 6, 2022.
(December 10) The daughter-father Mixed Doubles team of Mikaylah and William Lyburn would love to play in the Canad Inns Mixed Doubles Trials in Portage in late December.
Mikaylah & William Lyburn, shown after winning the Dauphin Mixed Doubles, are in Brantford competing to qualify for the Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials in Portage.
They know it is a long-shot but they’re willing to make the effort.
“Realistically, we’d have to hope to qualify for the last-chance event in Brantford and try to win one of the spots available,” William Lyburn said between games in late October in Dauphin during the NexusBioAg Mixed Dauphin Mixed Doubles Bonspiel, the second event in the new Cargill Curling Training Centre Manitoba Mixed Doubles Tour presented by Asham Curling Supplies.
At the time, they had a 4W-0L round robin record and were assured of a spot in the bonspiel’s championship game. They completed the event with a clean 6W-0L record and the bonspiel championship.
They had entered the event to get back into the Mixed Doubles frame of mind in advance of playing in the Ototoks Mixed Doubles bonspiel. The Lyburns did ‘just OK’ at that Okotoks event, winning one game and losing two in their three game round-robin series – not good enough to make the playoffs.
Undaunted, they next set their sights on the event underway this weekend in Brantford, ON and they got an invitaiton. There are two direct berths available through the event and the Lyburns are far enough down the CMDR (Canadian Mixed Doubles Ranking) that they probably have to finish in at least the final four or even make the final of the spiel to qualify for Portage. However, there are also eight rankings list berths to be awarded after the conclusion of the bonspiel, so it might be possible to climb up the CMDR to earn one of them.
Mikaylah, who plays third on the Emily Ogg team which led the Manitoba Junior Curling Tour at the time, has serious aspirations for her curling career as a junior and beyond into the Scotties.
At 18, she still has a couple of years of juniors. William, who has been one of the junior team’s co-coaches, likes the chances this year for the young team which played three games together last year but who really have to consider this their first year as a team.
“They have progressed well this year. I think by the time the provincials come around that they are one of five or six teams who have a good chance,” William says.
It is an interesting time for him. The Lyburn clan has been prominent in Manitoba curling circles since the family came to the Brandon area from Scotland about three decades ago thanks to both William and his brother Allan. And now the generational change is beginning with Mikaylah continuing the family legacy.
“I really enjoy Mixed Doubles,” William says. “It’s a fast game and great exercise.” With a smile he adds that he appreciates the fact there is much less organization required than for a 4’s team and hotel costs are lower as well.
He especially likes the opportunity to compete as an equal with his daughter.
“How many fathers get to play a sport they love with their daughter and know they can be competitive,” he says.
“Just as important, how many coaches get to actually compete on the same team as a person they are helping train and observe what skills they need to work on, how they throw under pressure, how they handle game situations,”
For Mikaylah, there is no extra pressure from playing with Dad – just the self-imposed pressure of wanting to do well.
She likes the game because there is more action and anyone can score that surprise three or four ender at any time. As for playing with her Dad, she knows there is a development advantage in playing with an older, stronger partner.
“I think I am probably learning more about the game than I would if I were playing with a partner my own age,” she says.
With a smile, she says it is maybe an advantage maybe a disadvantage that her dad/partner is quite willing to give her “heif” when she needs it. There doesn’t seem to be a definition for “heif” – suffice to say it may be a family word – maybe it is a real scottish or gaelic word that they both understand perfectly.
Is there a future for William outside Mixed Doubles? He thinks so – believing his team can contend this year at the provincial men’s and win him that elusive Brier trip. (NOTE: Team Lyburn was awarded an MCT-2022 Viterra berth based on rankings after the DEKALB Bonspiel!)
Is there a future for Mikaylah outside Mixed Doubles? She hopes so but is realistic, saying only “it will happen when it happens’. Just as it happened for the Manitoban champions she has long admired – Jennifer, Kaitlyn, Kerri, Selena. And for Rachel, a player she has gained admiration for as she has matured.
For now though the immediate focus is Mixed Doubles and that hope, faint as it might be, of a chance to play in Portage in December.
At Fort Garry, on the 6th end, Ken Ringaert had no out-turn path so he tried a long in-turn raise but scored only the one to tie. Stolen 7th & 8th ends gave him a 6-4 win over Lionel Walz.
(December 8) Three teams from Winnipeg’s Granite and individual teams from nine different clubs across Manitoba have won invitations this week to compete in the Manitoba Credit Unions Masters Men’s Curling Championship in early March at Assiniboine Memorial.
Regional playoffs were completed late Wednesday afternoon when Laurie Hogg defeated Rob Atkins with a last shot takeout, stick for one, to win the second berth available in the East/Interlake playoff.
The dozen winners this week join defending (from two years ago, pre-Covid) champion Murray Warren, berth bonspiel winners Greg McGibbon (Granite) and Gord McTavish (Pembina) in the 16-team provincial field. The one remaining berth available will be available through the Brandon Men’s Masters bonspiel in early-January.
This week’s provincial berth winners are: Sam Antila – Burntwood, Thompson Dale Brooks – Hamiota Mark Franklin – Granite, Winnipeg Carl German – East St. Paul Allan Gitzel – Morris Laurie Hogg -Stonewall Paul Kruk – Souris Bill Menzies – Granite, Winnipeg Jim Renwick – Brandon Ken Ringaert – Granite, Winnipeg Kelly Robertson – Dauphin Al Sharpe – Fort Rouge, Winnipeg
(December 14, 2021) CurlManitoba has announced plans to expand remote access to championship curling entertainment next week from the Manitoba Scotties Tournament of Hearts presented by Bayer.
As in the past, nation-wide television coverage will be provided by Sportsnet for the semi-final at 10AM and the final at 4PM on Sunday, December 19.
In addition, plans are in place for livestreaming of at least a dozen games from the Carberry Plains Community Centre. The livestreaming, sponsored by Sunrise Credit Union and Rocky Mountain Equipment, will include a featured game on all but one of the round-robin draws plus all of the championship round draws daily Wednesday, December 15 through Saturday, December 18.
Only the 8PM draw on Wednesday evening will not be in the live-streaming program. If the scheduled Saturday evening tiebreaker game is required, it will also be livestreamed.
“Make no mistake, we very much want lots of people in the arena,” says CurlManitoba Executive Director Craig Baker. “Large crowds are an important part of the experience for teams going on from Manitoba championships. We think the experience of playing in front of the large, enthusiastic crowds who come to our arena championships may be worth a win or even two to a new Manitoba team going the national Scotties.”
However, Baker goes on to acknowledge that friends, fans, and family cannot always be in the arena to support their team.
“We know that the distances involved in Manitoba travel are a factor and one of the services which CurlManitoba can provide our member clubs and their members is to make it possible to follow favourite teams remotely by way of the livestreaming option,” Baker says.
All 12 teams in the competition will be featured in a livestreamed game at least once during the week. Many will be featured twice and a few more often based on the number of times they play on the sheet of ice set up with the required cameras.
The games will be available beginning at 8:30AM, Wednesday, December 15 at the CurlManitoba You Tube channel or at curlmanitoba.org.
Later this season, curling fans can also look forward to watching livestream games from the Viterra Men’s Championship in Selkirk and the Telus Juniors in Brandon.
(Updated: December 8, 9PM) Team Fleury Top Seed in Manitoba Scotties .. Tracey Fleury’s season with her East St. Paul team of Selena Njegovan, Liz Fyfe, and Kristin McCuish has made them the #1 seed in this year’s CurlManitoba Scotties Tournament of Hearts presented by Bayer.
TEAM FLEURY at the Canadian Curling Trials Curling Canada/ Michael Burns Photo
The honour is determined by a consensus vote of the other competitors in the event with consideration as well for the team’s CTRS ranking.
“Coming off a great week at the Canadian Curling Trials, and being ranked number one on both the Canadian (CTRS) and World Curling Federation team rankings, obviously Team Fleury was going to be seeded number by the other teams,” says CurlManitoba Executive Director Craig Baker. “With both Team Canada Kerri Einarson and Olympic Team Jennifer Jones absent from the event, the suspense was always going to be around who would be the rest of the top five seeds.”
The rest of the Scotties top five seeds are: #2 SEED: Mackenzie Zacharias (Altona), Karlee Burgess, Emily Zacharias, Lauren Lenentine, Coach Sheldon Zacharias: Currently CTRS #10 & WCF #20 #3 SEED: Beth Peterson (Assiniboine Memorial), Jenna Loder, Katherine Doerksen, Melissa Gordon: Currently CTRS #24 and WCF #28 #4 SEED: #4 Seed: Kristy Watling (Assiniboine Memorial team (Hailey Ryan, Emilie Rafnson, Sarah Pyke, Coach Jim Watling): Currently CTRS #17 and WCF #45 #5 SEED: Darcy Robertson (Assiniboine Memorial), Laura Burtnyk, Gaetanne Gauthier, Krysten Karwacki: Currently CTRS #34 and WCF #42 #6: SEED: Kaitlyn Jones (Assiniboine Memorial), Robyn Kjegovan, Abby Ackland, Sara Oliver, Coach Howard Restall: Currently CTRS #26 and WCF #48
The Manitoba Women’s Championship will be played at the Carberry Plains Community Centre in Carberry, December 14-19.
“We look forward to hosting Manitoba’s best women curlers,” says Host Committee Chair Rob Van Kommer. “Carberry was one of the clubs which met in December of 1888 to form the original curling association in this province. Now 133 years later, we are proud to be added to the list of communities which have hosted CurlManitoba’s arena championship events.”
Van Kommer adds “our community is excited by this opportunity and our volunteers are ready and able to create a very memorable event for both the curlers and their fans.”
“On behalf of Kruger Products and our parent company Kruger Inc., I’d like to extend a warm welcome to kick off the 2022 Provincial Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Carberry, says Rynie Nachtigall, Business Development Manager, Western Canada, Kruger Products. “We’ve been proudly sponsoring Women’s curling for over 40 years and thank CurlManitoba, the entire Host Committee/volunteers and all the Curlers who will make this another successful event.”
The 12-team championship will be played in a round-robin in two pools of six with three teams from each pool will carry their records forward and play the three teams from the other pool. After the eight games, three teams will advance to the playoffs with #2 playing #3 and the winner meeting #1 in the final,
Continuing the tradition of broadcast, the semi-final at 10:00am and the final at 4:00pm will be available nation-wide on Sportsnet.
CurlManitoba has also recently announced that remote access to Scotties games has also been expanded by the addition of a comprehensive live-streaming plan. One game from each draw, except the evening draws, will be available at the CurlManitoba You Tube channel and at curlmanitoba.org.
(November 22)NEEPAWA’S URSEL TEAM WINS WESTMAN SCOTTIES BERTH .. Neepawa’s Terry Ursel team picked up the fourth Scotties berth available on the weekend, joining Kaitlyn Jones, Kritsy McDonald, and Jennifer Clark-Rouire’s team in winning invitations to compete in Carberry in mid-December.
Ursel (with Wanda Rainka, Kaya Hunter, Tracy Igonia, and fifth Chris Hamblin) won two out of three in Rivers against Alyssa Calvert, who is hoping to be a home team in the Carberry event.
Had it been a ‘total-points’ series, they would have needed an extra end as the two teams each scored 21 points in the three games. Calvert won game #2 9-6 while Ursel was a 7-5 and 8-7 winner. The teams were so closely matched that they were tied coming home in Game #3.
Team Calvert still has a chance to qualify as they will play Shae Bevan’s team for the fifth regional berth at a date & location yet to be determined. The 12th invitation for the Carberry championship will be awarded after the Morris bonspiel in early December.
(UPDATED 8PM: Saturday, Nov. 20) TEAM JCR JOINS JONES, MCDONALD IN EARNING SCOTTIES BERTHS … Kaitlyn and Jones are two well known Manitoba curling names – but two different people playing this week in Saskatoon. Kaitlyn Jones is a pretty well known name as well: a former Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia Junior champion AND Canadian & World junior champion.
Team Kaitlyn Jones
Now Kaitlyn Jones is set to make her mark at the Scotties level and she has made the first step by skipping her team (Robyn Njegovan, Abby Ackland, Sara Oliver) to an invitation to compete in Carberry at the Manitoba championship in mid-December.
Trailing 4-1 playing the fourth end, Jones had a draw for a three and a 4-4 tie. The momentum of the game shifted and after a series of singles, Jones had a hit for three on the eighth end. She rolled away but scored a pair to go up 7-6.
The Jones team controlled the final end, got two buried in the four foot and the game ended when Lisa McLeod (skipping the Jennifer Clark-Rouire entry) couldn’t make an in-off attempt to score at least one for tie. The final score was 9-6.
Team Kristy McDonald
A very well known Manitoba curling name, Kristy McDonald, will join the Jones team in Carberry. Returning to competition after some family time away, McDonald (Lisa Blixhavn, Lindsay Titheridge, Raunora Westcott) adds another former Manitoba Scotties champion skip to the Carberry roster.
McDonald led Shae Bevan 3-0 after two ends but gave up a three on the third when she missed a double kill attempt and left Bevan a draw for the three. McDonald led 5-4 after five ends and had a draw for a four on end #6 to go up 9-4. The final score was 10-5.
On the 5PM draw, the third Winnipeg regional entry into the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Carberry went to the Jennifer Clark-Rouire foursome, skipped by Lisa McLeod (with JCR, Kelsey Meger, Laurie Macdonell, Jolene Callum)
Team JCR, led by two but faced four with their final stone on the last end. Mcleod was certain of a tie after her throw but it was even better than that as Shae Bevan and her team scored only a single; a 4-3 victory for McLeod and her team.
In Rivers, Terry Ursel won game one of the best-of-three series 7-5 but Alyssa Calvert rebounded to win 9-6 in the second game. A third, deciding game will be played in Rivers at 10AM Sunday.
At a time yet to be determined, Shae Beavan’s foursome will play the loser in Rivers for the fifth berth available through regionals.
(November 19)FIVE SCOTTIES BERTHS AVAILABLE THIS WEEKEND … It is fair to suggest Tracey Fleury and Jennifer Jones and their teams would prefer a trip to Beijing over a trip to Carberry.
The top two favourites to win this year’s Manitoba’s Scotties Tournament of Hearts presented by Bayer will be playing in Saskatoon, beginning this weekend, in an attempt to win their way out of that trip to Carberry in mid-December.
If either wins Canada’s Olympic Curling Trials, formally knows the Canadian Curling Trials, they would be dropped out of the Manitoba championship as they would be unable to represent Manitoba at the National Scotties which ends just a few days ahead of the Beijing Olympics.
Four other teams have also qualified for the Manitoba championship. These include Mackenzie Zacharias, Darcy Robertson, Beth Peterson, and Kristy Watling.
That leaves five invitations to play in Carberry up for grabs this weekend in regional qualifying – and six teams want them.
In Winnipeg at the Deer Lodge, Jennifer Clark-Rouire, Shae Bevan, Kaitlyn Jones, and Kristy McDonald will play for three provincial berths. Jones play Clark-Rouire and McDonald plays Bevan at 9AM Saturday with the winners getting invitations. Then the two losers will play for the third invitation.
In Westman, Alyssa Calvert hopes to become a home-team in Carberry when she plays a best of three series with Terry Ursel (Neepawa). That happens in Rivers beginning at 10AM Saturday.
That makes four. The losers in Winnipeg and Westman will playoff for the fifth available entry into the Carberry championship.
After this weekend, the last entry into the Carberry Scotties will be announced following the DEKALB Bonspiel in Morris.
Of course, the small number of entries in regional playoffs does not indicate the strength of field of the provincial championships. In fact, the exact opposite – the strength of the Manitoba Scotties field probably explains the lack of regional entries.
There are seven Manitoba teams in the Canadian Team Ranking Systems’ Top 20. Team Canada’s Kerri Einarson, #5, is not eligible as she has pre-qualified for the national Scotties (unless she wins the Trials). Kaitlyn Jones, a former Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia Junior champion and also Canadian and World titleist, is ranked #15 in Canada but has yet to qualify for Carberry.
The other five are pre-qualified: Tracey Fleury (CTRS #1), Jennifer Jones (CTRS #2), Mackenzie Zacharias (CTRS #12), Kristy Watling (CTRS #14), and Beth Peterson (CTRS #15). Also pre-qualified, Darcy Robertson is ranked #35 on the CTRS list.
No question, the 12-team Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Carberry in mid-December will be one of the most competitive women’s curling events ever staged in Manitoba – great championship curling entertainment.
(November 16) GREAT PROGRESS IN PLANNING FOR CARBERRY SCOTTIES …. Carberry is one of the smallest, and perhaps is the smallest, community to ever host one of CurlManitoba’s arena championship curling events.
Curl Carberry is proud to be hosting the 2021 Manitoba Scotties Tournament of Hearts presented by Bayer
Rather than being a problem, however, committee chairman Rob Van Kommer says it is an opportunity – an opportunity to showcase the spirit of the community which he is proud to call home and an opportunity to boost community pride.
The Scotties Tournament of Hearts presented by Bayer will be played in the Carberry Community Centre December 14-19, 2021 with the full support of the Town of Carberry, the Rural Municipality of North Cypress, the Community Centre and the Curling Club.
“Our committee and our community have really taken hold of the challenge of hosting the Scotties. We’re making great progress,” Van Kommer said recently. “The business community has shown great support – our nine corporate boxes are ‘sold out’ and we have at least eight gold sponsors already; we had over 120 volunteers turn out for our shirt try-on night, and nearly half of our full event passes have been sold.”
Showing the eternal optimism of the Manitoba farmer, Van Kommer can even put a positive spin on the past year’s covid-isolation and the change of timing to December, due to the 2022 Olympic schedule.
‘I don’t think there is any doubt it helps us for the event to be earlier than usual,” he said. “People were isolating for so long that this event is going to be a great way for them to get out and see their friends from across the Manitoba curling community.”
The Carberry Community Centre is a multi-sport facility which includes the four sheet curling facility, a bowling alley, a gun club, an outdoor pool, and hockey arena. For the Scotties, the curling rink will be used as a yet-to-be named hospitality facility.
People worried about it being an ’old barn’ need not be concerned. The building benefited from regular upgrades over the years with new roof, new dressing rooms and new heaters all ensuring the comfort of both fans and curlers. There is also good experience in the arena as a curling arena as Carberry Curling club has staged its annual bonspiel in the arena ever since the clubs 100th anniversary (nearly 40 years).
While seating capacity in the arena is limited to 450 bleacher seats, the total capacity will be about 1,200 curlers and curling fans. (LINK to Carberry’s Ticket Sales site) One of the innovative Carberry ideas, compared with other provincial events, will be to provide access to the hospitality area via a $20 “party pass”.
That idea was one of many which grew from the imaginations of the Carberry volunteer corps and Van Kommer is quick to credit his executive committee and the other lead volunteers for their energy and ideas. The Executive group includes Kelly Hofer (President of the Ladies Curling Club), Warren Birch (President of the Men’s Curling Club) Trevor Calvert (Past-President of the Men’s Curling Club).
Carberry was originally scheduled to host a dual Manitoba Juniors and Manitoba Seniors Championship event in early 2021 but it, of course, was cancelled due to the pandemic. When CurlManitoba needed a suitable location for the Scotties, Carberry accepted the challenge.
As one of the original seven curling clubs which formed the Manitoba Branch of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club (now CurlManitoba), Carberry is proud to join the list of communities which has hosted one of Manitoba’s major arena curling events.
However, Van Kommer and his group have not given up on the idea of that dual Juniors-Seniors championship event wrapped around their community bonspiel.
“You have to have something to look forward to,” he concludes with a smile.
Sherry Anderson (SK) and Mary Anne Arsenault (BC) with 8W-2L records tied atop the standings going forward to the women’s playoff round at the Everest Canadian Seniors in Ottawa. Nova Scotia’s Theresa Breen, with a last round win over Manitoba’s Kim Link, finished with a7W-3L record, also in the playoffs.
Link and her East St. Paul team finish at 6W-4L record as a result of the last round loss. They finished tied with Cheryl Bernard (AB) but Bernard has been awarded the fourth playoff spot based upon a round-robin loss by Link to Bernard.
In the men’s event, Randy Neufeld’s La Salle finished with a victory and an overall 5-4 record in the ‘seeding pool’ featuring the six teams which did not advance to the championship round.
TEAM LINK Photo: Curling Canada/Roy Iachetta
(9AM: December 10) TEAM LINK STILL IN CONTENTION AT CANADIAN SENIOR WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP ..Thursday was a day of missed opportunity for Manitoba’s Team Link at the Everest Canadian Seniors. The bad news was that they split their two games, going into the final day of play with a 5W-3L record and two games to play.
The good news was that Team Link do not lose ground to the leaders.
It will be and exciting final day for fans in Ottawa as seven teams have with 6W-2L OR 5W-3L records. Sherry Anderson (SK), Sherry Middaugh (ON), Mary Anne Arsenault (BC) and Theresa Breen (NS) share the lead at (6W-2L). Link, Chery Bernard (AB) and Isabelle Neron (PQ) are all at 5W-3L.
At 3W-5L, Yukon’s Rhonda Horte is the only team which cannot still win the championship.
For those seven leading teams, all play two games today and all are MUST WINs. Manitoba plays Ontario at 1pm and Nova Scotia at 6pm.
In the Men’s Division, Randy Neufeld’s foursome had a good Thursday – winning two games. At 4W-4L, they moved into a tie at the top of the seeding pool. (A Friday morning win over Nunavut has improved their record to 5W-4L)
(December 9)TEAM LINK ADVANCES TO CANADIAN SENIOR WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND … Kim Link and her East St. Paul team have lost a pair of games on the final day of round robin play but their 4W-2L record has them in contention as they advance to the championship round.
Quebec’s Isabelle Neron sits atop the pool with a 5W-1L record. Team Link shares second place in the pool with BC’s Mary Anne Arsenault and Saskatchewan’s Sherry Anderson – all at 4W-2L.
The four teams will now play the top four from the other pool with their total 10 game record determining payoff positions. The good news for Team Link and the other 4W-2L teams is that they are only a game behind the leaders. There were no undefeated teams in Pool B.
Sherry Middaugh (Ontario) and Theresa Breen (Nova Scotia) are both at 5W-1L. Alberta’s Cheryl Bernard is at 4W-2L while Rhonda Horte (Yukon) has a 3W-3L record.
TEAM NEUFELD Photo: Curling Canada/Roy Iachetta
The Manitobans play Alberta and Yukon on Thursday. Two wins would be an important step to the playoffs as they must play the two teams from the other pool, Ontario and Nova Scotia, on the final day.
Meanwhile, Randy Neufeld and his La Salle team will miss the championship round. With a pair of losses today, their 2W-4L record means they drop in the ‘ranking round’ for their last three games.
(December 7)LINK STILL LEADS CANADIAN SENIORS WITH 4W-OL RECORD .. Kim Link and Randy Neufeld and their Manitoba teams begin the final day of round-robin play with identical schedules but in much different places in their pool standings.
Link’s East St. Paul team has a perfect 4W-0L record while Neufeld’s La Salle foursome is at 2W-2L. Both will play later Wednesday, with games at 3PM and 7PM to complete their first round.
The women will play Quebec (currently 3W-1L) and Saskatchewan (currently 2W-2L) while the men take on Newfoundland-Labrador (2W-2L) and Saskatchewan (3W-1L).
The top four in each group advance tot he next round of championship play.
(December 7)LINK LEADS CANADIAN SENIORS WITH 3W-OL RECORD .. The Everest Canadian Seniors is underway in Ottawa with Manitoba represented by Kim Link (East St. Paul) and Randy Neufeld (La Salle).
With a comeback win Tuesday over BC’s Mary Anne Arsenault, Team Link has moved to the top of their seven team pool with a 3W-0L record. The Manitobans scored three on the 7th end and stole the home end for a 6-5 win over BC. Arsenault, Sherry Anderson (SK) and Quebec’s Isabelle Neron are all at 2W-1L.
Meanwhile Neufeld has had a tough start with one win in the team’s first three games. The losses have come at the hands of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick while the victory was over Northwest Territories.
The top four in each pool advance to the Championship Pool for games against teams from the other pool, while the remaining teams go to the Seeding Pool. At the conclusion of the Championship Pool on Friday, Dec. 10, the semifinals will be held Saturday, Dec. 11, at 10:30 a.m., pairing 1 vs. 4 and 2 vs. 3. The winners then advance to their respective gold-medal final while the losers will play for bronze. The medal games are set for 3:30 p.m.
thecurler.com 