It looked like Murray Warren’s Team Manitoba was cruising to a victory over unbeaten Al Hacker (Northern Ontario) when they hit a speed bump sixth end Friday afternoon. Up four at the time, Warren and his team saw the Hackner foursome build a four ender to tie and then steal two on the seventh to lead by two coming home.
The last end looked like the Hackner win streak would continue until second Terry Warren buried in the 12 foot circle behind a corner guard (picture 1). The peel attempt was flashed and play moved to the centre where Hackner was laying two. A series of draws and taps turned the two red stones into two yellow Warren stones. With his first stone, skip Murray Warren put his stone exactly where he wanted it in the eight foot in front of the tee line.
Hackner had nothing but a double and roll (picture 2) to some kind of protected position but he rolled out and left Warren a draw to the rings for 3 and an 11-10 win.
Despite the loss, Northern Ontario will advance to the playoff round. The win gave Team Manitoba a 7W-2L record but no guarantee yet of being in the playoffs. They will advance with a Saturday morning win over New Brunswick. However, BC, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Mark Franklin’s Manitoba Host team are all at 6W-3L so the three teams to join Hackner in the playoffs will all be determined on Saturday’s final draw.
All four games on the final draw will have a bearing on the final standings.
In the women’s championship, Manitoba’s Judy Colwell team will advance to the playoff round. With a game to play Friday evening, British Columbia and Nova Scotia had 7W-1L records while Manitoba
A pair of wins Thursday moved Mark Franklin’s Manitoba Host team into the heart of the championship race at the Canadian Masters Men’s Championship at Pembina CC.
Franklin, now 5W-3L, opened the day with a 4-3 extra end win over Murray Warren’s Team Manitoba and then, on the late draw, posted a 7-6 win over Ontario.
The Warren team rebounded with a late 9-3 win over Saskatchewan to improve their record to 6W-2L, tied with British Columbia who gave up a steal of two on the last end to lose 6-5 to still undefeated Al Hackner, Northern Ontario.
In all, six of the eight teams in the championship round are still very much in contention.
MEN STANDINGS AFTER 2 CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS: 8-0 Northern Ontario 6-2 British Columbia 6-2 Manitoba 5-3 Saskatchewan 5-3 Ontario 5-3 Manitoba Host 3-5 New Brunswick 3-5 Nova Scotia
With two games in the championship round yet to play, six of the eight teams can still qualify for the final four semifinals. Northern Ontario and British Columbia must still play two teams who are in the top six. The other four contenders have only one game remaining against a team in the top six.
** Northern Ontario will play Manitoba (6W-2L) and Ontario (5W-3L) ** Manitoba will play Northern Ontario (8W-0L) and New Brunswick (5W-3L) ** British Columbia will play Saskatchewan (5W-3L) and Manitoba Host team (5W-3L) ** Manitoba Host team will play Nova Scotia (3W-5L) and British Columbia (6W-2L) ** Saskatchewan will play British Columbia (6W-2L) and Nova Scotia (3W-5L) ** Ontario will play New Brunswick (5W-3L) and Northern Ontario (8W-0L)
Manitoba’s Judy Colwell team and Nova Scotia’s Jocelyn Nix team both won a pair of games Thursday to move up the standings board in the championship round of the Canadian Masters Women’s Championship at the Pembina Curling Club.
The Team Manitoba wins came over Alberta (7-4) and Saskatchewan (10-2) while Nova Scotia beat the Manitoba Host team (6-3) and Ontario (6-4).
A win and a loss on the day by British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta creates a three-way first place tie with BC, Ontario, and Nova Scotia all holding 6W-1L records. Right behind at 5W-2L are Manitoba and Alberta.
With two games to play Friday, the final four to advance to the Saturday semifinals are still very much in question with Ontario having the toughest draw featuring two games against teams in contention. Alberta, BC, Nova Scotia and Manitoba have only one game Friday against teams in the top five.
** Ontario will play BC (6W-1L) & Manitoba (5W-2L) ** BC will play Ontario (6W-1L) & the Manitoba Host team (2W-5L) ** Manitoba will play the Manitoba Host team (2W-5L) & Ontario (6W-1L) ** Nova Scotia will play Alberta (5W-2L) & Saskatchewan (2W-5L) ** Alberta will play Nova Scotia (6W-1L) & Quebec (3W-4L)
WOMEN STANDINGS AFTER 2 CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS: 6-1 British Columbia 6-1 Ontario 6-1 Nova Scotia 5-2 Manitoba 5-2 Alberta 3-4 Quebec 2-5 Saskatchewan 2-5 Manitoba Host
As the second men’s championship round game of the day went on the ice for the late draw Thursday, Northern Ontario’s Al Hackner was the only undefeated team left in the double championship event. Six teams, including both Murray Warren’s Team Manitoba and Mark Franklin’s Manitoba Host team still were well positioned to advance to the Saturday playoffs.
MEN STANDINGS AFTER 1 CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND: 7-0 Northern Ontario 6-1 British Columbia 5-2 Manitoba 5-2 Saskatchewan 5-2 Ontario 4-3 Manitoba Host 3-4 New Brunswick 2-5 Nova Scotia
Although they have a big job ahead to make the playoffs, both of Manitoba’s Women’s teams have advanced to the championship round of the Canadian Masters at the Pembina Curling Club.
Judy Colwell’s Team Manitoba completed the preliminary round with a 3W-2L record while Sandra Cowling’s Manitoba Host team advanced with a 2W-3L record. (A provincial host team is included as a wildcard team in the draw when there are an odd number of provincial/territorial entries.)
British Columbia and Ontario lead the way with perfect 5W-0L records while Alberta and Nova Scotia are at 4W-1L.
The four teams from each pool will play the four from the other pool in the championship round. The preliminary round record carries forward and wins continue to accumulate to determine the four semi-finalist teams to meet Saturday at 2PM, with the finals set for 10AM Sunday.
Women’s championship round play is underway at the Pembina Curling Club with future games set for Thursday, Nov 17: 4pm; and Friday, Nov. 18: 10am & 6pm. Men’s championship round play is scheduled for Thursday, Nov 17: 12:15pm & 7:45pm; Friday, Nov. 18: 2pm; & Saturday, Nov 19: 10am.
On the Men’s Championship Round, Team Manitoba (Murray Warren) plays the Manitoba Host team (Mark Franklin) at 12:15pm Thursday. Warren advanced with a 5W-1L record while Franklin has a 3W-3L record.
Former Brier and World Champion Al Hackner and his Northern Ontario team have advanced to the championship round of the Canadian Masters (age 60+) Men’s Championship at Pembina Curling Club with an undefeated run through their first six games.
Hackner, whose Canadian championship career began in Manitoba with a 1982 Brier win in Brandon, previously won the Canadian Masters in 2017. Teammates Eric Harnden, Frank Morissette, and Bruce Munro were all part of that 2017 Masters championship team.
The leader in the other 7-team pool is Murray Warren’s Team Manitoba. Warren, with his brothers Reg & Terry and Brian Barker, opened round robin play with a loss to Ontario but reeled off five straight wins for a 5W-1L record. British Columbia also sits at 5W-1L but a Manitoba win over BC gives the home team the seeding edge.
Behind Manitoba and BC in the pool standings are Ontario at 4W-2L and three teams (Northwest Territories, Alberta, Nova Scotia) at 2W-4L. Based on the tiebreaker formula, Nova Scotia advancess to the championship round.
Behind Northern Ontario, Team Saskatchewan has a 4W-1L record. Tied at 3W-3L, Team New Brunswick and the Manitoba Host team skipped by Mark Franklin will also advance. (A provincial host team is included as a wildcard team in the draw when there are an odd number of provincial/territorial entries.)
The four teams from each pool will play the four from the other pool in the championship round. The preliminary round record carries forward and wins continue to accumulate to determine the four semi-finalist teams to meet Saturday at 2PM, with the finals set for 10AM Sunday.
In the Masters Women’s championship, the final round robin draw at 7:45pm Wednesday will determine the fate of the two Manitoba teams. The Manitoba Host team, skipped by Sandra Cowling, has completed the preliminary round with a 2W-3L record while Judy Colwell’s Team Manitoba has a 2W-2L record and a game to play. Results of several different games on the ice at the same time will dictate whether either or both advance to the women’s championship round.
Women’s championship round play is scheduled for Thursday, Nov 17: 8:30am & 4pm; and Friday, Nov. 18: 10am & 6pm. Men’s championship round play is scheduled for Thursday, Nov 17: 12:15pm & 7:45pm; Friday, Nov. 18: 2pm; & Saturday, Nov 19: 10am.
Twenty-six curling teams from across Canada will be at Winnipeg’s Pembina Curling Club November 13-20 for the first Masters national championship events to be played in Winnipeg since 2011.
The COVID-delayed Canadian Masters Men’s & Women’s Championships, for curlers age 60 and better, will feature the best in the age group from 13 provinces and territories on the men’s side and 11 provinces and territories on the women’s side. To ensure an even draw, in keeping with the event’s traditions, Manitoba will have both a provincial representative and a host team entry.
The teams roster list is full of individuals and teams with extensive curling resumes ranging right back to juniors (underlining the age of the players is the fact that juniors is referred to in some of the biographies as ‘school-boys’). Every team has many past provincial championships to boast but a few of the players stand-out for their national and world championship credentials.
Leading this list is Al Hackner, the Northern Ontario skip who won the 1982 Brier in Brandon and went on to win the world championship. He repeated the double in 1985. He followed those wins with Canadian Senior (2006) and Masters (2017) championships. His teammates Eric Harnden, Frank Morissette, and Bruce Munro were all part of that 2017 Masters championship team.
The Alberta men’s front end of Randy Ponich and Wilf Edgar were both members of the 2013 Canadian Senior champion and World Gold medal winning Senior Men’s team. On the women’s side, Ontario skip Jan Carwardine won the Canadian Senior Women’s title in 2007.
In addition to the Hackner team, there are four past Masters champions in the competition. Alberta men’s skip Mickey Pendergast won gold in 2018 and repeated in 2019. The Saskatchewan Women’s team has three past champions in the line-up – skip Beverly Krasowski (2019), second Linda Delver (2012, 2014 & 2016), and lead Trudy Dykes (2016).
Manitoba’s four teams include provincial Masters champions Murray Warren-Brandon (Brian Barker, Reg Warren, Terry Warren, alternate Gary Barker) and East St. Paul’s Judy Colwell (Wendy Nykoluk, Donna Smiley, Leslie Brown, alternate Debbie Palson). The Manitoba host teams are Sandra Cowling-Hamiota (Sheila Gregory, Jackie Brooks, Jeannine Skayman, alternate Wenda Turner) and Mark Franklin-Granite (Jamie Hay, Barry Campbell, Greg Ziemanski, alternate Blair Smith).
The teams will arrive in Winnipeg for practice on Sunday, November 13 with opening ceremonies scheduled that evening at 7:00PM. The first games will go on the ice at 8:30AM on Monday with four draws a day through the week. The playoff schedule has semi-finals at 2PM Saturday and the finals and bronze medal games at 10:00AM Sunday followed by closing ceremonies.
Joyce McDougall and her team won the Canadian Masters championship at Assiniboine Memorial in 2011. Manitobans have won Canadian Men’s Masters titles on six previous occasions: Barry Fry (2001-Winnipeg), Ken Grove (2002-Medicine Hat), Martin Bailey (2004-Kelowna), Doug Armour (2005-Brandon), Ray Orr (2009-Saskatoon), and Ron Westcott (2015-Whitehorse).
Event passes ($50.00), daily passes ($10.00) and tickets for each draw ($5.00) will be available at the Pembina Curling Club (1341 Pembina Hwy). for other event details, go to https://pembinacc.com/
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
(4PM: Thursday, Nov. 25) 2019 Manitoba Masters Champion Gord McTavish and his Pembina team have joined Greg McGibbon’s foursome as the berth winners in this week’s CurlManitoba Credit Unions Masters Berth Bonspiel at Fort Rouge.
MCTAVISH ROLLED HIS YELLOW STONE TO THE PERFECT POSITION WITH HIS LAST ROCK
Team McTavish handed Carl German his second loss of the day to win the berth Thursday afternoon.
McTavish (with Neil Okumura, Victor Bellay, and Larry Lagace) stole three on the fifth end for a 7-2 lead. They looked set to give German back the three, maybe 4 or 5, on the sixth but McTavish made a hit and roll (facing four) which buried in the four foot. German made an attempt to pick the rock out from behind one of his own but overcurled, rubbed and rolled harmlessly away.
In 2019, when McTavish won the title, he was aided by Okumura, Lagace and Ross Allen.
TEAM MCGIBBON
(Noon: Thursday, Nov 25) MCGIBBON WINS FIRST BERTH IN MASTERS BERTH BONSPIEL … Greg McGibbon, Peter Nicholls, Darren Oryniak, and Andy Stewart have won the first of two provincial berths available in the CurlManitoba Credit Unions Masters Berth Bonspiel at Fort Rouge.
The Granite foursome defeated Carl German’s East St. Paul team in six ends this morning at Fort Rouge.
German will now play former champion Gord McTavish and his Pembina team for the second provincial berth available through the bonspiel. McTavish had to miss the morning game but, playing with three, Neil Okumura skipped the team to victory over Granite’s Mark Franklin team.
(5PM: Wednesday, Nov. 24) FINAL FOUR PLAYOFFS SET IN MASTERS BERTH BONSPIEL … The last four unbeaten teams in the bonspiel are the four teams lined up to play in Thursday’s playoff games in the CurlManitoba Credit Unions Masters Berth Bonspiel at Fort Rouge.
Greg McGibbon (Peter Nicholls, Darren Oryniak, Andy Stewart) stayed perfect Wednesday afternoon with a 6-4 win over former Masters champion Gord McTavish (Neil Okumura, Victor Bellay, Larry Lagace). By the same score, former Manitoba senior champion Carl German (Harold Mauthe, Ray McDougall, Mirron German) pushed another former Masters champion, Mark Franklin (Jamie Hay, Barry Campbell, Greg Ziemanski) to the “B” side of the draw.
Thursday, McGibbon and German face off at 10AM in a berth game with a second chance. The winner earns the first of two available provincial berths. The loser drops in the “B” final at 1:30PM against the winner between Franklin and McTavish.
(Updated 5PM: Tuesday, Nov. 23) FOUR UNBEATEN IN MASTERS BERTH BONSPIEL ..The Mark Franklin (Granite), Gord McTavish (Pembina), Greg McGibbon (Granite) and Carl German (East St. Paul) teams won their second games in the CurlManitoba Credit Unions Masters Berth Bonspiel Tuesday morning at Fort Rouge. Having reached “A” semi-finals, the four will face off, McGibbon vs McTavish and Franklin vs German, with the two winners qualifying for the playoff round.
Mark Franklin led Lionel Walz (Pembina) by four when he gave up a five on the fifth end. They were tied coming home with Franklin holding last rock. Walz’ second man Bill Mamchuk made a perfect draw to the four foot with his last stone. It was buried behind a four stone line-up on the centre line. “Automatic” said the clubroom experts but it took three remove and replace shots before Walz saw his guard attempt slide a little too deep allowing Franklin to make the four stone runback to stick in the four foot. With his last stone draw attempt, Walz was full four foot but not quite good enough and Franklin won without throwing his last.
With Neil Okamura skipping the team in McTavish’s absence, the Pembina team beat Rob Atkins (East St. Paul) in six ends. The key shot was an Okamura rub and roll behind cover in the four foot to lie three coming home. It turned into a steal of three and victory.
German needed an extra end, thanks to a delicate tapback that had to executive a centre-line port to get to the Bill Menzies (Granite) stone in the four foot circle. On the extra end, German had to choose between leaving Menzies a last stone draw or runback. He guarded the draw line and Menzies last shot hit didn’t curl up quite enough and his own raised stone crossed the shot stone without contact, leaving German a steal of one.
In the fourth game, Greg McGibbon led Ron Westcott 7-4 coming home and ran the Fort Rouge team out of stones.
In “B” side games, Howard Doerksen (Pembina) beat Pat Carson (Ft Rouge) and Neil Schmidt (East St. Paul) defeated Barry Mandryk (Ft Rouge).
UPDATE: On the afternoon draw, Walz (8-4 over Dave Fisher), Menzies (8-4 over Brian Kushner), and Rob Atkins (8-2 over Neil Schmidt) all recovered from the morning loss with “B” side wins. Only Ron Westcott (8-4 loss to Howard Doerksen) had two losses on Tuesday.
(5PM: Monday, Nov. 22) FORMER CHAMPS WIN OPENERS IN MASTERS BERTH ‘SPIEL .. Gord McTavish, who skipped Manitoba’s 2019 Manitoba Masters Men champion team, won his opener on Monday afternoon at Fort Rouge. McTavish bested clubmate Howard Doerksen 7-1.
First win for Team Kushner
McTavish join former champions Mark Franklin and Ron Westcott with first game wins. A pair of former senior champion skips, Carl German and Lionel Walz, also won their openers earlier Monday.
Also on the afternoon draw at Fort Rouge, Rob Atkins and his team defeated the host club’s Pat Carson for their first win.
Meanwhile, Lorne Hamblin’s Morris team and the Lawrie Hogg Stonewall team had their second, elimination, loss. Hamblin lost to Brian Kushner while Dave Fisher beat the Hogg entry.
(1PM: Monday, November 22) MORRIS ROOKIES COME CLOSE IN MASTERS BERTH ‘SPIEL ..In a rink full of household names it was a group of competition rookies who pushed their opposition the furthest this morning at Fort Rouge in the opening draw of the Masters Berth Bonspiel.
Hamblin & his sweepers
Lorne Hamblin’s name and record as coach and volunteer organizer are well known, and he has even had some success as a competitor. However his Morris team of three “somewhat over 60” players are all competition rookies – playing for the first time in a CurlManitoba provincial qualifying bonspiel, although one does admit he thinks he played in a zone playoff “about 40 years ago”.
Hamblin (with Rene Nolette, Normand Lemoine, and George Lecuyer) fell behind three time Manitoba Masters champion Mark Franklin, trailing 7-3 after five ends but scored one on the sixth and stole two on the seventh to trail 7-6 coming home without last rock.
They forced Franklin to throw that last rock. Facing one wide open with a possible second shot fully buried, Franklin’s in-turn hit on the shot stone in the edge of the eight foot rolled to the four foot for one and the win.
“It was close. If he rolled out, we’d have measured – I think we had it,” said Hamblin after the game – sounding exactly like every skip who has ever come off the ice in the same situation.
However, maybe they did. Certainly, Franklin’s ice call was such that he was clearly ensuring the in-roll to remove any doubt.
Along with Franklin’s Granite team, first game winners were those household names referred to: Ron Westcott (Ft. Rouge), Lionel Walz (Pembina), Carl German (East St. Paul), Bill Menzies (Granite), and Greg McGibbon, Granite.
The bonspiel continues to with two draws daily and provincial berth finals at 10AM and 1:30PM on Thursday at Fort Rouge.
(5PM: November 14) Lionel Walz and his team from Pembina CC (Gord MacKay, Bill Mamchuk, Brian DeRiviere) won the 2nd Bob Picken-Valour Road Master’s Bonspiel today at the Thistle Curling Club, winning the Global News Radio – 680 CJOB Championship final.
Walz posted an 8-2, six end win over Carl German’s East St. Paul foursome. German led 2-1 after three ends and appeared in control on the fourth but Walz’ third, Gord MacKay made a double runback to remove one of two German stones in the four foot circle. Not yet out of trouble, the Walz team benefitted from the German team’s misfortune when a jam removed that second rock. By the end of that fourth end, Walz had a steal of three and a 4-2 lead enroute to the six-end win.
Global News Radio – 680 CJOB Championship LIONEL WALZ 001 313 xx =8
CARL GERMAN 020 000 xx =2
In the St. James Rehabilitation Physiotherapy event, Dave Fisher jumped out to a three point lead after two ends but Karen Sheldon (skipping the Nancy Scammell entry) fought back to tie after six ends. Sheldon forced Fisher to a single on the seventh and had an open hit with her last rock for victory.
St. James Rehabilitation Physiotherapy Center DAVE FISHER 030 010 10 =5
In the Valour Road Past President event, Ron Westcott (skipping the Larry Dewis entry) took one on the second end after blanking the first – but never scored again. After scoring a single on the third end, Dave Johannson made a 4-rock combination raise to remove a Westcott rock in the four foot and set of a steal. He set up another steal on the fifth end when he made an angle raise to remove another Westcott four-foot counter. The game ended after six with a Johannson steal of three more when Westcott’s last rock could not negotiate a very narrow port on an attempted draw to the four foot.
Valour Road Past President Event DAVE JOHANNSON 001 002 x =6
RON WESTCOTT (Larry Dewis entry) 0010 000 x =1
Although there was a relatively small entry of only 12 teams, due mainly to a rescheduling from early in the year as a covid precaution, the bonspiel has been deemed to be a success. Planning for the third Bob Picken Masters Bonspiel, including the question of scheduling for 2022, will be beginning in the near future.
(5PM: November 13) WALZ, GERMAN UNBEATEN, PLAY FOR CHAMPIONSHIP …. Final round wins by Lionel Walz (over Laurie Hogg) and Carl German (over Bruce Burton) while Ron Westcott was losing to Don Archer leaves Walz and German the only undefeated teams and set to meet in Sunday’s Bob Picken ‘Spiel championship final.
German
Five teams finished with 2W-1L records. Despite the last shot kill for two, and the win over Westcott, Archer’s team will find themselves on the outside looking in as the three event final games take place
Walz
Walz and German will play for the Global News Radio 680 CJOB championship.
Based on the bonspiel’s tiebreaker formula, Dave Fisher will play Nancy Scammell in the St. James Rehabilitation Physiotherapy Center Ltd. event and Westcott, skipping the Larry Dewis entry, will play Dave Johannson in the Valour Road Past President event.
The three finals are set for 10AM Sunday at the Thistle Curling Club.
(8PM: November 12)THREE TEAMS AT 2W-0L in PICKEN BONSPIEL …. It was a dramatic end to the second day of play in the Bob Picken-Valour Road Masters Bonspiel at Winnipeg`s Thistle Curling Club (formerly the Valour Road CC) as Laurie Hogg threw a wide out-turn tap of his own stone to full four foot, a count of three, and a 7-6 win.
Watching the shot come down the ice, Brian Kushner was convinced he was only giving up two and a tie – he was preparing to go to an extra end. Watching the draw run down the ice, Hogg thought he had missed – admitting he was trying to throw a draw that had to curl inside his own stone to get to the four-foot circle for the third point.
Hogg, who won the first Bob PIcken Bonspiel in 2019, has a 1W-1L record after two games. Within his pool, Hogg trails former Manitoba Senior Men`s champion Lionel Walz who improved to 2W-0L with a win today over Karen Sheldon (skipping the Nancy Scammell entry). Walz led 6-5 coming home and Sheldon just missed on a last shot attempt to rub and roll to the four foot circle for a tie and an extra end.
Former Canadian Senior men`s champion Carl German posted his second win, a short game victory over the Coutts entry while another former Manitoba champion, Ron Westcott (skipping the Larry Dewis entry) beat Norm Magnusson to also improve to 2W-0L.
(9PM: November 11) WINTER RETURNS AS PICKEN `SPIEL OPENS ….. The Bob Picken Masters Bonspiel at Thistle was greeted today by the first blast of winter but the veteran curlers entered in the bonspiel have seen worse in their time. All games started on schedule.
Keen ice greeted the players and more than one of them was heard to marvel at the amount of curl – conducive to a lot of rocks in play in most games.
Nancy Scammel opened the bonspiel with a win over Laurie Hogg, who won the 2019 version of the bonspiel. Scammel and two of her teammates are former Manitoba Masters Women`s champion.
Former Manitoba Senior Men`s champions Ron Westcott (skipping the Larry Dewis entry), Carl German, and Lionel Walz all won their opening games. Wins were also posted by Barry Mandryk (skipping the Bruce Burton entry) and by Don Archer.
(10PM: November 10)BOB PICKEN MASTERS BONSPIEL THIS WEEKEND….The Bob Picken-Valour Road Masters Bonspiel takes place November 11-14 at the Thistle Curling Club.
The second Bob Picken Bonspiel is occurring over two years after the original bonspiel in 2019 due to the covid-cancellation of last year’s curling season and a decision by the committee to move the bonspiel later into the season for this year.
That decision was made recognizing that the older demographic involved in the bonspiel should be given a few weeks of club curling to “get their feet under them again” before taking on the challenge of several days in a row curling.
The bonspiel is going ahead with a smaller field of 12 teams playing a round-robin in three pools of four. The teams will play a game a Thursday (1PM & 3:30PM), Friday (1PM & 3:30PM) and Saturday (10AM & 1PM) and six teams will advance to playoffs on Sunday.
Among the competing teams are former Manitoba champions Carl German, Lionel Walz, and Ron Westcott (with the Larry Dewis entry).
The bonspiel’s Championship is sponsored by GLOBAL NEWS RADIO – 680 CJOB where Bob’s sports reports at “25 after the hour” were the go-to for sports fans, and especially curling fans, in Manitoba for many years.
The other events are the St. James Rehabilitation Physiotherapy Center Ltd. and the Valour Road Curling Club Past President events, named in honour of the sponsor and in tribute to Bob Picken who had also served as a Valour Road CC President.
Other contributing supporters include Asham Curling Supplies, INHOUSE Strategies, thecurler.com, and the Thistle Curling Club.
Proceeds from the bonspiel will continue to find the Bob Picken Junior Legacy Fund. After the 2019 bonspiel grants of $500 each were provided to support the junior programs at the Thistle, Oakville and Riverview Curling Clubs. Plans for junior program support in 2021 will be announced in the near future.
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