CurlManitoba is pleased to announce that Seagram’s Whisky is expanding its support of curling and curling clubs in Manitoba as the new provincial title sponsor of CurlManitoba’s Curling Club Championships.
CurlManitoba’s relationship with Seagram’s Whisky began with their sponsorship of this season’s live-streaming of championship events in Portage, East St. Paul, and Neepawa.
“As a sponsor of our live-streaming program, Seagram’s Whisky helped provide exposure to over 650,000 viewers for this season’s Viterra Championship, Scotties Tournament of Hearts and TELUS Juniors,” said CurlManitoba Executive Director Craig Baker.
“When we talked with Seagram’s representatives about expanded opportunities to support curling here in Manitoba, our Curling Club Championships was an obvious excellent fit.”
Seagram’s is looking forward to our sponsorship with CurlManitoba as well as our Sponsorship of the Men’s and Women’s Provincial Curling Club Championships for the next 3 years and hopefully beyond that. Seagram’s has been a staple in curling clubs across our province for decades and we are happy to be able to give back to the curling community that has supported us for many years,” said Dean Clayton, Regional Marketing Manager for Charton Hobbs Inc., who are the provincial representative for Seagram’s Canadian Whisky.
The Seagram’s Whisky Curling Club Championships three-year agreement includes this year’s regional qualifying events in March across the province and the provincial championship at the Fort Rouge Curling Club location in the early fall of 2023. The Seagram’s Whisky Provincial Men’s and Women’s champions will represent Manitoba at the national Everest Club Championships at the Assiniboine Memorial Curling Club in November.
GOOD LUCK to the Manitoba teams in the Canada Games Men’s and Mixed Doubles competitions underway today in Prince Edward Island.
Mixed Doubles competitors Mackenzie Arbuckle and Aaron Macdonell start play at noon today (Central) while the Jace Freeman’s Men’s team (Elias Huminicki, Jack Steski, Rylan Graham, and Coach Graham Freeman will begin play tomorrow morning.
Altona’s Dayna Wahl team had a slow start in the Women’s division but advanced to the playoffs before being eliminated in the quarter-final by Saskatchewan. Nova Scotia defeated Alberta in the gold medal game.
Jace Freeman, Elias Huminicki, Jack Steski, Rylan Graham (Photo: Peter Nicholls)
TEAM CANADA -Kerri Einarson, Val Sweeting, Shannon Bichard, Brianne Harris, Krysten Karwacki, Coach Reid Carruthers defeated Jennifer Jones’ Team Manitoba in the 2023 Scotties final. It was a remarkable fourth win in a row for the Einarson foursome.
(Friday, February 17) FOUR TEAMS MANITOBA IN NATIONAL SCOTTIES Good luck to all four of the Manitoba teams playing this week in the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Play began Friday evening with Kerri Einarson’s Team Canada winning 11-8 over Quebec and Kaitlyn Lawes’ Wild Card team coming from behind to beat Alberta 8-5. Lawes plays Nova Scotia and Einarson takes on British Columbia on the last draw Saturday.
Jennifer Jones’ Team Manitoba plays Northern Ontario and Meghan Walter’s Wild Card Manitoba team plays the the Alberta Wild Cards (Casey Scheidegger) on the afternoon draw.
The first Manitoba meeting is between Jones & Walter on the Sunday morning draw. Einarson and Lawes face off on Sunday afternoon.
Team Canada: Einarson (Photo Curling Canada/Andrew Klaver)Team Manitoba: Jones (Photo Curling Canada/Andrew Klaver)Team Wild Card: Lawes (Photo Curling Canada/Andrew Klaver)Team Wild Card: Walter (Photo Curling Canada/Andrew Klaver)
Colton & Kadriana Lott (Winnipeg Beach) have won the 2023 CurlManitoba Dynasty Mixed Doubles Curling Championship. The couple, who had previously won the Manitoba Mixed Doubles title in 2018, defeated Lisa McLeod & Lyall Hudson (Pembina) Monday afternoon at St. Vital Curling Club to complete an undefeated run thorough the championship.
Kadriana & Colton Lott with Dynasty rep Aaron Tycoles
For Colton Lott, this year’s second Mixed Doubles victory is a second provincial championship of the season and his sixth lifetime Manitoba curling title. He won the 2023 Viterra Men’s Championship at second for the Matt Dunstone team and previously won Manitoba Junior Men’s titles in 2012, 2013, and 2016. For Kadriana Lott (as Sahaidak) the only previous championship was the 2018 Mixed Doubles.
After opening the games with single steals in each of the first two ends, Colton Lott’s big weight hit ability paid dividends with a slash double to remove a buried McLeod-Hudson shot stone. McLeod’s draw was behind the button and Kadriana’s last shot draw was good enough for a single point. They stole two deuces in the next two ends.
Trailing 5-2 after five ends, McLeod-Hudson used their power play on the sixth. It worked to produce a two to pull them within one point. Lott-Lott used their power play on the seventh and ended the game when they were able to put a five on the scoreboard.
Lott-Lott were unbeaten “A” qualifiers to advance to the playoffs and were riding a five game winning streak going into the final game. McLeod-Hudson had reached the final as “C” qualifiers with five wins in their first seven games.
In the Sunday afternoon semi-finals, McLeod-Hudson defeated Thomas Dunlop & Katie McKenzie (Stonewall) while Lott-Lott ousted Mikaylah & William Lyburn (Granite).
The four playoff qualifiers who were eliminated in the first round Sunday were Sarah-Jane Sass & Lucas Van Den Bosch (Granite), Stacey & Steve Irwin (Brandon), Lauren Rajala & Cyrus Brandt (St. Vital), and Janelle Lach & Corey Chambers (Fort Garry).
A total of 20 teams participated in the triple knock-out championship attempting to advance to the Canadian Mixed Doubles Championship in Sudbury, ON in lat March.
Teams from St. Vital and Springfield took home the trophies in the Manitoba Stick Curling Association’s 2023 championships in Morris.
Warren Johnson & Dan McDonald (St. Vital) and Lorna Marr & Val Kolsun (Springfield) with their trophies and the CurlManitoba champions jackets.
St. Vital’s Warren Johnson and Dan McDonald, regulars at MSCA events and club bonspiels, lost one game in round-robin play, finished first in their group, and won three in a row on championship Sunday to win their first championship. For McDonald, it was a first-ever. Johnson has won twice previously, with Brad Childe in 2017 and with Earl Stephenson in 2012.
The final game against Darren MacMillan & Terry Proctor (Marquette) in the SunLife Financial MSCA Open Championship presented by Jim Anton went right to the last shot.
Tied 1-1 after four ends, Johnson & McDonald had stolen two on the fifth to lead 3-1 coming home. Laying one in the four foot, Proctor played a lightweight tap shot on a pocket of three stones in the back four foot but got the worst possible angle on them, touching all three and rolling forward across the teeline and out of the four foot circle to score only one.
In the semifinals, Johnson-McDonald defeated Herb Sulkers & Harold Peterson (East St. Paul) and MacMillan-Proctor beat Larry Weatherburn & Rick Willetts (Eriksdale).
The four teams eliminated in the first round of playoffs were Charlie McCullough & Wayne Johnston (Carman), Don Fischer & Grant Nicolson (St. Vital), Bill Reid & Ed Thompson (Wildewood at Thistle), and Norm Magusson & Resby Coutts (Fort Rouge).
McCullough & Johnston were the only undefeated team in the event. Sulkers & Peterson and Willetts & Weatherburn advanced to the playoff round through a tiebreaker. They had been tied after round-robin play with Jim Rouse & Ross MacMillan (Warren/Marquette) but survived the tiebreaker.
A total of 24 teams participated in the SunLife Financial Open Championship presented by Jim Anton.
Lorna Marr & Val Kolsun (Springfield) defeated 2020 champions Gwen Smith and Lynne Rehbein (St. Vital) to win the 7-team 2023 MSCA Women’s Championship. Down 3-2 coming home, Marr-Kolsun scored a single point to force an extra end then won the game with a steal in the extra when a last shot draw to the four foot circle slid a little too deep.
At the end of round-robin play, Marr & Kolsun, Smith & Rehbein, and Irene Tully & Marilyn Campbell (Marquette) had been tied with 4 win – 2 loss records. Marr & Kolsun won the tiebreaker and the bye to the final. Smith & Rehbein eliminated Tully & Campbell in the semi-final.
MSCA President Britta Spiring and SunLife’s Jim Anton present the crests and trophy to Lorna Marr & Val Kolsun (Springfield)MSCA President Britta Spiring and SunLife’s Jim Anton present the crests and trophy to Warren Johnson & Dan McDonald (St. Vital)
(Sunday, February 19, 1:30PM) FINALS SET IN STICK CHAMPIONSHIPS Warren Johnson & Dan McDonald (St. Vital) will play Darren MacMillan & Terry Proctor (Marquette) in the final game of the SunLife Financial Manitoba Stick Open Championship presented by Jim Anton. The game is set for 2 PM in Morris.
MacMillan-Proctor defeated Larry Weatherburn & Rick Willets (Eriksdale) in the semifinal. Proctor, tied coming home and facing three, half tucked a draw behind a counter in the top of the rings and marked up the 2-1 win when Willets rubbed his own stone.
Johnson & McDonald gave up a three on the opening end , came back with three of their own on the second and led Herb Silkers & Harold Peterson (East St. Paul) 6-4 coming home. Sulkers faced a difficult tap back of a counter on the button for two with his last stone. He rubbed the target stone but left a steal of one for a 7-4 win.
In the Women’s final, Lorna Marr & Val Kolsun (Springfield) will play former champions Gwen Smith & Lynne Rehbein (St. Vital) . Smith-Rehbein were 5-2 winners over Irene Tully & Marilyn Campbell (Marquette) in the morning semi-final.
(Saturday, February 19, 10PM) MCCULLOUGH-JOHNSTON LONE UNBEATEN TEAM, PLAYOFFS SET IN STICK CHAMPIONSHIPS Carman’s Charlie McCullough and Wayne Johnston are the only team to reach the playoffs of the two Manitoba 2-person Stick Championships undefeated. In a game for first place in Pool D, McCullough-Johnston defeated Norm Magnusson & Resby Coutts (Ft. Rouge) on the Saturday evening draw. Both teams will advance to the Sunday playoff round.
(l-r) Charlie McCullough, Norm Magnusson, Wayne Johnston, Resby Coutts
In Pool A of the SunLife Open Championship presented by Jim Anton, Grant Nicolson & Don Fischer (St. Vital) finished first with a 4W-1L record. Bill Reid & Ed Thompson (Wildewood at Thistle), with a 3W-2L record, also advance to the playoffs.
In Pool B, Warren Johnson & Dan McDonald (St. Vital) and Darren MacMillan & Terry Proctor (Marquette), with 3W-1L records, both advance to the playoff round.
A three team tiebreaker was required in Pool C. Of the three teams with 4W-1L records, the tiebreak win went to Herb Sulkers & Harold Peterson (East St. Paul) and Rick Willets & Larry Weatherburn (Eriksdale).
The eight teams will play a single knock-out playoff on Sunday beginning at 11AM in Morris.
A three-team tiebreaker was also required in the Women’s championship – to determine the first place bye to the final in the three team playoff. Lorna Marr & Val Kolsun (Springfield), 2020 champions Lynne Rehbein & Gwen Smith (St. Vital) AND Irene Tully & Marilyn Campbell (Marquette) all finished with 4W-2L records. Lorna Marr & Val Kolsun earned the bye to the final.
(Friday, February 18, 9PM)THREE TEAMS UNBEATEN IN MANITOBA STICK CHAMPIONSHIPS Three of 23 teams have unbeaten records as play began Saturday at 3PM in the SunLife Financial Manitoba 2-Person Stick Open Championship presented by Jim Anton in Morris.
In Pool C, former Canadian Champions Jim Rouse & Ross MacMillan have a 3W-0L record with two games to play. Two teams trail them with 2W-1L records.
In Pool D, Charlie McCullough and Wayne Johnston (Carman) and Norm Magnusson & Resby Coutts (Fort Rouge) share the lead with 3W-0L records. They will meet in their final round robin game Saturday evening.
In Pool A, Grant Nicolson & Don Fischer (St. Vital) lead the way with a 3W-1L record. Four teams have 2W-2L records in this group.
Pool D play has been complicated by a team withdrawal due to injury. This group is now five teams and is led by Warren Johnson & Dan McDonald (St. Vital) with a 3W-1L record. Darren MacMillan & Ross Proctor (Marquette) have a 2W-1L record in that group.
Two teams from each pool will advance to the playoffs.
In the Women’s Championship, Lorna Marr & Val Kolsun (Springfield) lead the way with a 4W-1L record and a game to play. 2020 champions Lynne Rehbein & Gwen Smith (St. Vital) AND Irene Tully & Marilyn Campbell (Marquette) have 3W-1L records and two games to play.
(Friday, February 17, 9PM) 2-PERSON STICK CURLING CHAMPIONSHIPS IN MORRIS THIS WEEKEND Two different forms of 2-person curling are on display in championships underway this weekend. At St. Vital, CurlManitoba’s Dynasty Mixed Doubles Championship has attracted 20 teams, most of them from the younger curling demographic. In a triple elimination event, the teams will play down to eight teams in the knockout playoff round on Monday.
A somewhat older demographic is demonstrating the skills involved in the 2-person stick game in Morris in the Manitoba Stick Curling Association’s SunLife Financial Open Championship presented by Jim Anton, as well as in the Association’s Women’s Championship. The seven-team Women’s event is being played in one pool so each team will play six games. Irene Tully & Marilyn Campbell (Marquette) won their only two games on opening day while Darlene Maywood & Melanie Shura (St. Vital) AND Lorna Marr & Val Kolsun (Springfield) also won a pair (but also had a loss). The top three teams will advance to Sunday playoffs.
In the SunLife Financial Manitoba Open Stick Championship presented by Jim Anton, 24 teams are competing in four pools. Six teams won their first two games on Friday.
While the Manitoba Stick Curling Association’s SunLife Financial Open & Women’s Championships presented by Jim Anton are underway in Morris, at St. Vital, CurlManitoba’s Dynasty Mixed Doubles Championship has attracted 20 teams. While most of the teams are from the younger curling demographic, there are recognizable Scotties and Viterra Championship names included among the eight teams which have reached “A” Side semi-finals.
In the triple elimination event, three rural teams (from Brandon, Winnipeg Beach, and Stonewall), two teams from Granite, and one each for Fort Garry, Pemina and the host St. Vital club will play at 5:30PM or 8:30PM Saturday to determine the teams who will be in the first two qualifying games at 9:00AM Sunday.
Those match-ups include Colton & Kadriana Lott (Winnipeg Beach) vs Sarah-Jane Sass & Lucas Van Den Bosch (Granite); Steve & Stacey Irwin (Brandon) vs Thomas Dunlop & Katie macKenzie (Stonewall); and Corey Chambers & Janelle Lach (Fort Garry) vs Lyall Hudson & Lisa McLeod (Pembina) at 5:30PM. Cyrus Brandt & Lauren Rajala (St. Vital) vs Bryce McEwen & Roxie Trembath (Granite) is scheduled for 8:30PM.
The original 20 teams will play down to eight teams in the knockout playoff round on Monday.
Three Canadian champion teams and two other individuals who have won the Canadian title are included in the field of 24 teams from across Manitoba who will compete for the Manitoba Stick Curling Association’s Open Championship this weekend in Morris.
In addition, seven women’s teams including the 2020 Manitoba champions will compete for the MSCA’s Women’s Championship.
Competition in the round-robin plus playoffs formatted event will begin at 9AM Friday with round-robin play winding up on Saturday evening. Playoffs go Sunday with the two provincial finals set for 2PM.
Tom Campbell-Killarney delivers a stone in the 2022 Canadian Championship in Moncton, NB. Two sheets over, Britta Spiring-St. Vital prepares to deliver.
Highlighting the MSCA Open are Norm Magnusson & Resby Coutts-Fort Rouge (2022 Canadian champions), Tom & Rae Campbell-Killarney (2018 Canadian champions) and Jim Rouse & Ross MacMillan-Warren/Marquette (2015 Canadian champions) along with Canadian champions Warren Johnson-St. Vital (who won in 2012) and Charlie McCullough-Carman (who won in 2010).
Past Manitoba champions in the field include Ken & Shirley Strand-St. Vital (2018 Manitoba champions). Those who have won with different partners include two-time Manitoba champion Warren Johnson-St. Vital (2012 & 2017), and Manitoba champions Jim Webster-Stonewall (2020), Ron Shafirka-St. Vital (2022), and Ross MacMillan-Marquette (2015).
Gwen Smith and Lynne Rehbein-St. Vital were the MSCA Women’s champions in 2020, the last time a Women’s championship was held.
The Open AND Women’s champions earn a berth, and the opportunity to wear CurlManitoba’s provincial champions jackets, in the Canadian Open and Women’s Championships respectively. The event will be played in Nanaimo, BC in late-March. Seven of the teams competing in Morris this weekend have already indicated intention to compete in the Canadian championship bonspiel. These include Melanie Shura & Darlene Maywood-St. Vital in the Women’s. In the Open event Strand & Strand, Campbell & Campbell, Magnusson & Coutts, Grant Nicolson & Don Fischer-St. Vital, Dan McDonald & Warren Johnson-St Vital, and Britta & Fred Spiring-St. Vital will all be making the trip to Nanaimo
There was a shuffle in the Manitoba curling record books, relating to championship finals appearances and records, when the Dunstone & Carruthers teams faced off in Neepawa.
Jeff Stoughton still has the most final game appearances (12) and that remarkable 11W-1L finals record. Remember he only lost the one final game, in 2004 to Brent Scales.
Two curlers are now only one appearance behind as Reid Carruthers and Mike McEwen now share second place with 11 appearances. Carruthers could still catch Stoughton in the win column but a victory in Neepawa would have been a big help there.
With eight games played and six wins, Carruthers moved ahead of Jon Mead in both number of games played (122) and number of games won at the provincial championship. He moved into a tie in the number of games won (98) with former skip Mike McEwen.
Derek Samagalski was in his ninth final, now tied with Kerry Burtnyk, Jimmy Welsh and Jock Reid with both the same number of appearances and wins (5W). BJ Neufeld, who was also in his ninth final, separated himself from former teammates Denni Neufeld and Matt Wozniak, who are among five with eight finals appearances.
Colton Lott, Matt Dunstone, and Connor Njegovan all now have one Manitoba Men’s Championship win, although Lott has one more finals appearance.
Dunstone: 2 Finals with 1 win & 1 loss (Terry Ursel photo)
MEN’S FINAL APPEARANCES: 12: Jeff Stoughton (11W-1L) 11: Reid Carruthers (7W-4L) 11: Mike McEwen (4W-7L) 9: Derek Samagalski (5W-4L) 9: Kerry Burtnyk (5W-4L) 9: Jimmy Welsh (5W-4L) 9: Jock Reid (5W-4L) 9: BJ Neufeld (3W-6L) 8: Steve Gould (6W-2L) 8: Ken Watson (4W-4L) 8: Grant Watson (4W-4L) 8: Denni Neufeld (2W-6L) 8: Matt Wozniak (2W-6L)
Ryan Harnden also has one Manitoba Men’s championship final appearance and victory….. to go with a 13W-1L Northern Ontario finals record.
MEN’S GAMES PLAYED: 180: Jeff Stoughton 120: Kerry Burtnyk 142: Orest Meleschuk 142: Peter Nicholls 133: Vic Peters 131: Mike McEwen 130: John Usackis 122: Reid Carruthers 112: Keith Fenton
MEN’S GAMES WON: 144: Jeff Stoughton 117: Kerry Burtnyk 98: Reid Carruthers 98: Mike McEwen 93: Jon Mead 92: Vic Peters 90: Derek Samagalski 85: Orest Meleschuk 84: Peter Nicholls 82: Steve Gould
(CurlManitoba Release: Sunday, February 12, 8:PM)TEAM DUNSTONE WINS VITERRA CHAMPIONSHIP In a stunning 10th end comeback, Fort Rouge’s Matt Dunstone, BJ Neufeld, Colton Lott, Ryan Harnden and Coach Adam Kingsbury won the 2023 Viterra Manitoba Men’s Curling Championship today in Neepawa.
Dunstone, Neufeld, Lott, Harnden, Kingsbury, Viterra Rep Ray Baloun
Team Dunstone trailed Reid Carruthers (Morris) 7-5 coming home after a brilliantly executed draw on the ninth gave Carruthers a steal of one.
With all the stones in play but one when Dunstone threw his first rock, he was faced with a Carruthers stone so completely buried that he had to blow things up. Dunstone’s hit angled a centre line guard onto a Carruthers stone in the start of a five rock combination. The result – Team Dunstone lying three and Carruthers in big trouble.
Dunstone did not have to throw his last rock in an 8-7 win.
In the now 20 year history of the Page Playoff at the championship, this was only the second time the 2-2 game winner won the title.
On the late draw Saturday, the new champions had beaten Brandon’s Steve Irwin. In the Sunday morning semi-final they defeated Braden Calvert, also of Fort Rouge.
It was the third Manitoba Men’s title for BJ Neufeld and the first for Matt Dunstone, Colton Lott and Ryan Harnden.
#1 seed Matt Dunstone
(CurlManitoba Release: Saturday, February 11, 11:PM)CARRUTHERS, DUNSTONE, CALVERT LEFT IN VITERRA CHAMPIONSHIP Three teams will play Sunday in Neepawa for CurlManitoba’s Viterra Championship, the Manitoba Men’s curling championship.
Reid Carruthers and his second seed is in the favorite position as he and his Morris team have advanced to the Sunday 2:30PM final game. Team Carruthers qualified for the 8-team playoff from the “B” Side of the 32-team qualifying round and won their opening game Friday evening over former junior champion JT Ryan (AMCC). Team Carruthers trailed Steve Irwin (Brandon) 7-1 after four ends but fought back to win 10-8 on Saturday morning to move on to the final stage, the 4-team Page Playoff.
On Saturday evening in Neepawa, Carruthers was tied 4-4 playing two-time former world junior champion Braden Calvert (Fort Rouge) when he benefitted from a ‘pick’ on Calvert’s ninth end last stone. A steal of three gave Carruthers a 7-4 lead, the final score, and a spot in the Sunday final. Calvert dropped into the semi-final.
In the final game, Carruthers will play the winner of the Sunday morning 9AM semi-final between Calvert and #1 seed Matt Dunstone (Fort Rouge).
Dunstone had a three game day Saturday. He had reached the 8-team playoff round with an unbeaten run through the preliminary round and a first game win over Corey Chambers (Fort Garry). A Saturday morning loss to Calvert dropped Dunstone to the “B” Side where his team won back-to-back elimination games. The top seed beat #3 Ryan Wiebe (Fort Rouge) in six ends to earn a spot on the bottom side of the Page Playoff Championship and then beat Brandon’s Steve Irwin in five ends to advance to the Sunday semi-final
Irwin reached the Page Playoff with a win over Corey Chambers (Fort Garry).
Ryan and Justin Richter (Beausejour) lost a pair of games back-to-back to be eliminated after reaching the 8-team playoff round. Wiebe and Chambers both posted loss-win-loss records to be eliminated.
(CurlManitoba Release: Friday, February 10, 11:PM)CARRUTHERS, DUNSTONE, CALVERT LEFT IN VITERRA CHAMPIONSHIP – Three teams remain undefeated at the 2023 Viterra Championship in Neepawa as the preliminary round ended and the first games of the eight-team playoff round began. The eight qualifiers all start fresh in a new double knock-out phase of the competition.
Top seed Matt Dunstone (Fort Rouge), #5 seed Braden Calvert (Fort Rouge), and Steve Irwin (Brandon) all qualified through the “A” Side of the 32-team preliminary round with three wins. They won their fourth games of the event on the evening draw Friday.
The fourth “A” qualifier, Ryan Wiebe (Fort Rouge),was beaten 7-4 Friday evening by #2 seed Reid Carruthers (Morris) who had lost in the “A” Q-game to Irwin.
On the 9:00AM draw Saturday, Irwin has a re-match with Carruthers and Calvert meets Dunstone. The winners will advance to the Championship Page Playoff round.
The elimination side of the Playoff Round draw includes #3 seed Wiebe; #4 seed Corey Chambers (Fort Garry), who lost 7-2 to Dunstone; Justin Richter (Beausejour), who lost 9-3 to Calvert; and JT Ryan (Assiniboine Memorial), who lost 9-2 to Irwin.
The elimination draw at 9:00AM has Richter playing Chambers and Ryan playing Wiebe. The final two Championship qualifiers will be determined on the 2:00PM draw.
Prior to the evening draw, CurlManitoba presented Justin Richter with the annual Pat Spiring Award. Selected by the competitors in the Viterra Championship, the award recognizes the competitor who best exemplifies on-ice ability, competitive spirit, love of the game, and respect for the traditions and spirit of curling.
(CurlManitoba Release: Thursday, February 9, 11:PM)FIRST VITERRA CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFF QUALIFYING GAMES AT 8:30AM FRIDAY The original field of 32 teams from across Manitoba has been cut in half at the 2023 Viterra Championship in Neepawa after two days of play. By end of play Friday, the group will be halved again.
The first four teams into the 8-team payoff round will be identified on the 8:30AM Friday draw. The match-ups in those games are #1 seed Matt Dunstone-Fort Rouge vs Brett Walter-Assiniboine Memorial; #2 seed Reid Carruthers-Morris vs Steve Irwin-Brandon; #3 seed Ryan Wiebe-Fort Rouge vs Riley Smith-Thistle; and #4 seed Corey Chambers-Fort Garry vs #5 seed Braden Calvert-Fort Rouge.
Corey Chambers with sweeper Brendan Bilawka
The 12:15 draw “B” Side match-ups are Sean Grassie-Deer Lodge vs Justin Reynolds-Winnipeg Beach; Jeff Stewart-Gladstone vs JT Ryan-Assiniboine Memorial; Tanner Lott-Fort Rouge vs Steen Sigurdson-Assiniboine Memorial; and Jorden Peters-Fort Rouge vs Justin Richter-Beausejour.
The other four final-eight qualifiers will come from the “B” Side of the draw. The eight teams who go on the ice for the 12:15 draw will have to win two in a row to qualify.
The 8:30AM “A” Side game losers drop into the “B” qualifier games at 4:00PM. The eight team playoff round begins at 7:45PM Friday.
One game every draw, with commentary, is available on the CurlManitoba YouTube Channel.
BJ Neufeld throws with sweepers Colton Lott and Ryan Harnden
(CurlManitoba Release: Wednesday, February 8, 11:PM) TOP FIVE WIN OPENERS; FOUR TEAMS OUSTED FROM VITERRA CHAMPIONSHIP The first day of play at the Viterra Championship rolled out very much according to the form chart.
All of the top five seeds advanced through their opening games. Among the top five, Braden Calvert-Fort Rouge was the only one pushed past eight ends. Leading 6-4 playing the ninth end, Calvert used last rock to score a three in defeating Grant Shewfelt-Baldur.
Top seed Matt Dunstone-Fort Rouge (over Tuffy Seguin-Burntwood), #2 Reid Carruthers-Morris (over Rob Van Kommer-Carberry), #3 Ryan Wiebe-Fort Rouge (over Mark Franklin-Granite) and #4 Corey Chambers-Fort Garry (over Wayne Ewasko) all dominated their openers.
Reid Carruthers with sweeper Derek Samagalski
Wiebe, Chambers and Calvert all play their second game on the 8:30AM draw Thursday while Dunstone and Carruthers return to the ice at 12:15 PM Thursday. In the 32-team qualifying round, teams who win three consecutive games advance to the 8-team Playoff Round.
At the other end of the competition spectrum, four teams lost two games on opening day to be ousted from the double knockout event. Ryan Hyde-Portage, Rob Van Kommer-Carberry, Mark Franklin-Granite, and Steve Pauls-Pilot Mound are the four teams whose two loss day earns them an early exit.
Teams drop to the “B” Side of the draw as they lose a game on the “A” Side. Two more teams will be eliminated at 8:30AM, five at 4:00PM, and five at 7:45 Thursday, cutting the original 32 teams to 16 by the end of the second day of play.
Update (9:30PM) Jace Freeman’s Team Manitoba scored a 6 on the sixth end, trailing 5-1 at the time, and went on to win their first round playoff game . Team Freeman will play Alberta’s undefeated Zachary Davies at 8:30AM Friday morning (Ontario time).
Grace Beaudry’s Manitoba #2 team fell short in their playoff game, a 6-4 loss to the Newfoundland-Labrador team and have been eliminated.
(Thursday, February 9, 4PM)FREEMAN & BEAUDRY ADVANCE TO U-18 PLAYOFFS: Jace Freeman and his Team Manitoba have finished the preliminary round of play at the Canadian U-18 Championships in Timmins with a 4W-2L record, good enough to advance to the playoff round.
Team Beaudry- Curling Canada/Katelyn Malo photo
In the straight knock-out 12-team playoff, all teams start over. Freeman (Elias Huminicki, Jack Steski, Rylan Graham, Coach Graham Freeman) will play Raphael Tremblay-Quebec in their first game with the winner advancing against Alberta’s Zachary Davies. Tremblay had a 4W-2L record while Davies was undefeated in the preliminary round.
Ronan Peterson’s Manitoba #2 team finished out of the playoffs with a 3W-3L record.
On the U-18 Women’s side of the event, Grace Beaudry’s Manitoba #2 team (Cassidy Dundas, Lauren Evason, Tessa Terrick, Coach Guy Beaudry) also finished with a 4W-2L record. They have advanced to the playoffs as well.
The opening game for the Beaudry foursome in the straight knockout playoff will be against Cailey Locke-Newfoundland/Labrador with the winner advancing against Anne-Sophie Gionest-Quebec.
Locke’s record was 3W-3L and Gionest was 5W-1L in the preliminary round.
Dayna Wahl’s Team Manitoba finished with a 1W-4L record and out of the playoffs.
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