Jubilation for Jennifer Jones and her team and heartbreak for Tracey Fleury and her team, as Fleury’s last stone on an extra end, an attempted tapback for victory, over-curled and rubbed a guard. Jennifer Jones, Kaitlyn Lawes, and Dawn McEwen won gold undefeated eight years ago in Sochi. Kaitlyn also won gold in Pyeongchang in Mixed Doubles. Jocelyn Peterman is a first time Olympian. Fifth Lisa Weagle went to the Olympics in South Korea with Rachel Homan but will be looking for her first Olympic medal.
For Team Fleury – undefeated for nine full games but the taste of defeat for the first time in the 11th end of the final, next up is the Manitoba Scotties in Carberry. With Jones and Einarson absent from the field, they will be the over-whelming favourites to win and go to the national Scotties as Team Manitoba.
TEAM FLEURY Curling Canada/ Michael Burns Photo
(11PM: Saturday, Nov. 27) FLEURY-JONES FINAL IN THE WOMEN’S TRIALS .. A Manitoba team will represent Canada in Women’s Curling at the Beijing Olympics. Tracey Fleury and her East St. Paul team, who finished #1 in the round robin, will play Jennifer Jones and her St. Vital foursome, who finished #2 and won the Saturday evening semi-final.
Krista McCarville team lost that semi-final 8-3 to Jones. McCarville’s Northern Ontario team had reached the semi-final with a 4-3 extra end win over Kerri Einarson. The Gimli team had won the first tiebreaker game over Casey Scheidegger.
(7PM: Friday, Nov. 26)MANITOBA WOMEN’S TEAMS #1 & #2, PLAYOFF FOR #3 AT THE TRIALS .. Tracey Fleury and her East St. Paul foursome played, and beat, former Olympic gold medalist Jennifer Jones and her St. Vital team in the Canadian Curling Trials. They had already assured themselves of the bye to the Sunday final. The 7-6 win gave Team Fleury an undefeated record and, perhaps more important, if/when they play Jones again they have that knowledge they have already beaten Jones once.
To advance, Team Einarson faces a three game day Saturday. In Tiebreaker #1 at 9AM, Einarson plays Scheidegger. The winner plays against McCarville in Tiebreaker #2. The winner plays Jones in the semi-final at 7PM
Team Jones finished in 2nd place with their 5-3 record. Their playoff gamed will be against the survivor of a three game tiebreaker draw.
Kerri Einarson was positioned to grab the third playoff spot with a win but lost 8-4 to Kelsey Rocque. With a final record of 4W-4L. the Gimli team is tied with Krista McCarville, who had already completed their 8 games and with Casey Scheidegger, who defeated Rachel Home on the final draw.
TEAM EINARSON Curling Canada/ Michael Burns Photo
FINAL ROUND ROBIN STANDINGS 8-0 Tracey Fleury (Manitoba) 5-3 Jennifer Jones (Manitoba) 4-4 Krista McCarville (N. Ontario) 4-4 Kerri Einarson (Manitoba) 4-4 Casey Scheidegger (Alberta) 3-5 Laura Walker (Alberta) 3-5 Kelsey Roque (Alberta) 3-5 Jacqueline Harrison (Ontario) 2-6 Rachel Homan (Ontario
(10PM: Thursday, Nov. 25)FLEURY UNDEFEATED, EARNS BYE TO THE TRIALS FINAL … Tracey Fleury and her East St. Paul team won a pair of games today (11-7 over Laura Walker, 10-3 over Casey Scheidegger) and have assured themselves of finishing first in the Canadian Curling Trials round robin.
They will have the bye to the final, a win away from the trip to the Olympics, no matter the result of their Friday game against Jennifer Jones and her St. Vital team.
Jones lost 7-5 to Rachel Homan and has a 5W-2L record and needs to beat Fleury to be assured of second place in the standings.
Kerri Einarson’s Gimli team takes on Kelsey Roque (currently 2W-5L) and needs a win to be assured of a playoff spot. With a loss she would be tied for third with Krista McCarville who has finished at 4W-4L.
STANDINGS AFTER DAY FIVE 7-0 Tracey Fleury (Manitoba) 5-2 Jennifer Jones (Manitoba) 4-3 Kerri Einarson (Manitoba) 4-4 Krista McCarville (N. Ontario) 3-4 Laura Walker (Alberta) 3-4 Casey Scheidegger (Alberta) 2-5 Jacqueline Harrison (Ontario) 2-5 Rachel Homan (Ontario 2-5 Kelsey Roque (Alberta)
(6PM: Wednesday, Nov. 24) FLEURY, JONES IMPROVE TO 5 WINS IN SASKATOON …They needed an extra end but Tracey Fleury and her East St. Paul team bested Jacqueline Harrison this afternoon at the Tim Hortons Canadian Curling Trials in Saskatoon to improve their perfect record to 5W-0L. As the only team with a perfect record, Team Fleury sits in first place in the women’s Trials.
A loss behind is Jennifer Jones and her St. Vital team with a 5W-1L record following their Wednesday afternoon victory over Kelsey Roque and two wins back are Kerri Einarson (Gimli) and Krista McCarville (N. Ontario) after McCarville’s win over Einarson.
STANDINGS AFTER DAY FOUR 5-0 Tracey Fleury (Manitoba) 5-1 Jennifer Jones (Manitoba) 3-3 Krista McCarville (N. Ontario) 3-3 Kerri Einarson (Manitoba) 2-3 Laura Walker (Alberta) 2-3 Jacqueline Harrison (Ontario) 2-3 Casey Scheidegger (Alberta) 1-4 Rachel Homan (Ontario 1-4 Kelsey Roque (Alberta)
(10PM: Tuesday, Nov. 23)MANITOBA WOMEN TOP 3 IN SASKATOON … Tracey Fleury and her East St. Paul team are the only unbeaten team left in the women’s Canadian Curling Trials in Saskatoon. Team Fleury handed Rachel Homan’s Ontario team their third loss, an 8-3 Fleury win.
At the same time, a dramatic last shot victory for Kerri Einarson’s Gimli team over previously unbeaten Jennifer Jones and her St. Vital foursome handed Team Jones their first loss in five starts Tuesday in Saskatoon.
Team Einarson jumped out to a 6-0 three end lead but trailed 9-8 coming home. When Jones was inches heavy on her last stone draw to split the rings, Einarson played a hit for two and victory.
STANDINGS AFTER DAY FOUR 4-0 Tracey Fleury (Manitoba) 4-1 Jennifer Jones (Manitoba) 2-3 Kerri Einarson (Manitoba) 2-2 Jacqueline Harrison (Ontario) 2-3 Casey Scheidegger (Alberta) 2-3 Krista McCarville (N. Ontario) 1-3 Rachel Homan (Ontario 1-3 Laura Walker (Alberta) 1-3 Kelsey Roque (Alberta)
(10PM: Monday, Nov. 22)JONES, FLEURY BOTH WIN TO STAY PERFECT IN SASKATOON .. With wins Monday evening, Jennifer Jones and her St. Vital team improved to 4W-0L and Tracey Fleury and her East St. Paul team improved their perfect record to 3W-0L.
Team Jones, was a 7-5 winner Monday evening over Casey Scheidegger (Alberta). On the weekend, they had posted wins over Krista McCarville (N. Ontario), Jacqueline Harrison (Ontario), and Laura Walker (Alberta).
Team Fleury’s Monday evening win was a 9-2 victory over Krista McCarville (N. Ontario. On Sunday, they defeated Kelsey Roque (Alberta) and they opened Saturday with a win over Manitoba’s 2-time reigning Canadian Scotties champion Kerri Einarson.
After the opening loss to Fleury, Team Einarson has a record of 2W-2L, with wins over Casey Scheidegger and Laura Walker (both Alberta) and a loss to Harrison.
STANDINGS AFTER DAY THREE 4-0 Jennifer Jones (Manitoba) 3-0 Tracey Fleury (Manitoba) 2-1 Jacqueline Harrison (Ontario) 2-2 Kerri Einarson (Manitoba) 2-2 Casey Scheidegger (Alberta) 1-2 Rachel Homan (Ontario 1-2 Laura Walker (Alberta) 1-3 Krista McCarville (N. Ontario) 0-3 Kelsey Roque (Alberta)
Manitoba’s Meghan Walter and Jordon McDonald teams have been eliminated in the first round of playoffs at the Saskatoon Junior competition to determine Canada’s reps for the 2022 World Juniros in Sweden.
Walter lost 7-4 to Nova Scotia Friday morning while McDonald was a 7-2 loser to Nfld-Labrador.
TEAM WALTER – Curling Canada Photo
(8PM: Thursday, Nov. 25)MANITOBANS ADVANCE AT JUNIOR WORLD QUALIFIER IN SASKATOON .. The Manitoba teams skipped by Meghan Walter (East St. Paul) and Jordon McDonald (Deer Lodge) have advanced to the knockout playoff round at the junior event underway in Saskatoon. The event’s objective is to identify teams to represent Canada at the World Juniors in Sweden in 2022.
Team Walter (Lane Prokopowich, Katie McKenzie, Mackenzie Elias, Coach Frank Walter) advanced with a 3W-2L record and must win three games to win the trip to the worlds. They will open Friday morning at 10AM against Nova Scotia who had a 4-1 record in the other Pool. The winner plays Northern Ontario at 5PM. N. Ont had a 4-1 record in the Walter pool.
TEAM MCDONALD – Curling Canada Photo
The other side of the draw has New Brunswick (3-2 in the Walter Pool) against Ontario (2-3 in the other pool) with the winner playing Alberta, the only unbeaten team in the competition.
Team McDonald (Reece Hamm, Elias Huminicki, Alexandre Fontaine, Coach Blaine Malo), with a 3W-2L record, will meet Nfld-Labrador (4W-1L) in the first playoff game and, if the win they will take on undefeated Nova Scotia. Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario comprise the teams in the other half of the playoff draw.
Regional qualifying for the Viterra Championship in Selkirk, in late January, has concluded around the province.
In Winnipeg, three of the four teams who lost “A” finals yesterday, bounced back to win the “B” berths Sunday afternoon. Only one “B” semi-final winner was able to win two games, and a Viterra invitation, on Sunday.
Team Martin
That team was Travis Bale (skipping the Evan Martin Fort Rouge entry with Ian Fordyce, Nigel Milnes, and fifth Jonathan Ray) jumped out to a 4-1 lead after five ends over William Lyburn but Lyburn fought back to tie 5-5 coming home. With a Bale rock biting the back of the four, Lyburn’s last shot draw-freeze attempt didn’t curl up enough and Bale did not have to throw his final stone.
Richard Muntain – Granite (Darren Oryniak, Al Purdy, AJ Girardin), former champion Mark Lukowich – Fort Rouge (Sheldon Oshanyk, Chris Chimuk, Stu Gresham), and Daniel Birchard – Pembina (Kelly Fordyce, William Moore, Andrew Peck) all dropped from “A” final losses Saturday night and won “B” finals today.
Team Muntain
Muntain saw Corey Anderson blank the opening end, score one and steal one to lead 2-0 after three ends. A two and three single steals gave Muntain a 5-2 seven end lead. He forced Anderson to one on eight ended the game with three on the ninth.
Team Lukowich
Lukowich grabbed a big four point lead with a five on the fifth end but to their credit Richard Hawkins and his young Jack Hykaway team did not fold. They were forced to one on the sixth end and stole two on seven to trail by only two but that was as close as they could get in an 8-4 win for Lukowich.
Team Birchard
Pembina’s Daniel Birchard and his teammates, who have curled together for most of 20 years, blanked the first two ends and scored a two deuces in the next three ends to lead 4-1 but Derek Blanchard fought back to trail 5-4 coming home. With his last shot, Blanchard had a chance to leave Birchard a tough last stone double kill but didn’t get the needed roll. Birchard made a routine hit wide open in the four foot for the win.
AROUND THE PROVINCE:
In Rivers, Virden’s Graham Freeman, curling with his sons Brooks and Jace and Dwayne Barkley, won the “B” side berth.
In Morden, the “B” side berth winner was Carman’s Dean North with Kyle MacNair, Wayne Nussey, and Michael Hutton.
(1PM: Sunday, Nov. 21)WINNIPEG “B” BERTH FINALS SET, FOUR RURAL BERTHS AWARDED … Four “B” semi-finals at Winnipeg’s Deer Lodge finished early this morning as four teams advanced to the 1:30PM berth finals draw.
Richard Hawkins with Jack Hykaway, once coach now teammate.
Richard Hawkins, skipping and throwing first for the Jack Hykaway team, won in eight although the writing was on the clubhouse wall earlier. A five in the fourth end and a 7-2 lead after six was proof that Bill Menzies team didn’t have it this morning.
Even earlier for Corey Anderson and Derek Blanchard who needed four and six ends for their wins over Derek Oryniak and Andrew Wickman respectively.
The fourth game saw Travis Bale skipping the Evan Martin entry) go up 7-5 after five ends on Rod McLeod. McLeod scored back to back deuces on ends 6 & 7. Facing three with his last stone, McLeod’s attempted rub and roll to the button behind 3 guards rolled about six inches too far leaving Bale a hit for four and an 11-6 win.
In the Winnipeg berth finals Hykaway plays Mark Lukowich, Bale (Martin) plays William Lyburn, Blanchard plays Daniel Birchard, and Anderson plays Richard Muntain.
AROUND THE PROVINCE: Four rural regional berths have been awarded this morning.
In Thompson, the north regionalberth was won by Sam Antila and his Burntwood team (Rylan Young, Jeff Antila, Ian Graham).
In Morris, the regional berth has been won by Randy Neufeld – La Salle (Dean Moxham, Peter Nicholls, Dale Fust)
In Dauphin, Jeff Stewart-Gladstone (Eric Zamrkut, Austin Mustard, Geoff Trimble) is the winner.
In Rivers, Kelly Marnoch-Carberry (Bart Witherspoon, Branden Jorgenson, Dean Smith) won the first berth. The “B” berth final between Graham Freeman and Steve Irwin is set for this afternoon.
In Morden, Dean North and Ryan Hyde will play for the “B” berth.
Team Grassie
(11:30PM Saturday, Nov. 20) FOUR WINNIPEG BERTHS AWARDED SATURDAY .. The first of four Viterra Championships berths from the 20-team Winnipeg regional playoff was won by the host Deer Lodge club’s Sean Grassie team. Grassie (with Tyler Drews, Daryl Evans, and Rodney Legault) was in control from the outset, posting a 7-0 won over former champ Mark Lukowich. The win, with an earlier 8-0 win over Chad Barkman, means Grassie qualified for provincials without giving up a point.
The other three spots went to the young guns – Brett Walter, JT Ryan, and Jacques Gauthier.
Team Walter
Walter (with Graham McFarlane, Hugh McFarlane, and Jake Zelenewich) left William Lyburn a double kill to blank attempt on the ninth end but he killed only one and Walter stole to go up 5-4 coming home. Lyburn was in trouble the entire tenth end and Walter stole another for a 6-4 win.
Team Ryan
JT Ryan (with Colin Kurz, Brendan Bilawka, and Tyler Forrest), playing a not so much older Daniel Birchard, was up one (5-4) the ninth. With his own first stone he split the rings. A Birchard attempted hit and roll behind cover rolled too far leaving Ryan a draw for two and a 7-4 lead coming home. That was the final score.
Jacques Gauthier (with Jordan Peters, Brayden Payette and Cole Chandler) was down 6-5 playing the ninth but his ability to throw big weight paid dividends. With Richard Muntain laying first & third, Gauthier second and fourth, all in the four foot – Gauthier’s rocket ticked the edge of his own stone and removed both Muntain rocks plus one of his own. But he also had fifth shot and his shooter hung on for a three and an 8-6 score coming home. That was the final score.
Lukowich, Muntain, Lyburn, and Birchard all drop in “B” finals Sunday at 1:30PM for a second chance to qualify for provincials.
(10PM: Saturday, Nov. 20) FOUR MORE RURAL BERTHS TO BE DETERMINED SUNDAY
AROUND THE PROVINCE: Berth playoffs will be completed Sunday in four rural Manitoba curling clubs.
In Morris, “A” winner Randy Neufeld must be beaten twice by William Kuran. The same goes in Dauphin where “A” winner Jeff Stewart must be beaten twice by Greg Todoruk.
In Rivers, Kelly Marnoch will play Graham Freeman in the “A” final. The winner get a berth and the loser drops to the “B” berth final against the winner of a game between Steve Irwin and Cale Dunbar.
In Morden, four teams survive on the “B” side of the draw. Rob Van Kommer plays Ryan Hyde and Kyle McCannell plays Dean North. The winners will meet in the “B” berth final game.
(5PM: Saturday, Nov. 20)VITERRA BERTHS AWARDED IN MORDEN, WINNIPEG BEACH
AROUND THE PROVINCE: Justin Richter won his best of three against Steen Sigurdson. Richter (with Kyle Einarson, Jared Litke, Mitch Einarson) will be in Selkirk.
In Morden, Garth Shewfelt (Mike Johnson, Rob Van Deynze, Mike Orchard) and Ryan Thomson (Marcus Titchkosky, Mark Georges, Evan Gillis) have won berths. The “B” side of the 9-team playoff continues with the winner earning a third berth.
In Morris, Randy Neufeld has won the “A” side of the draw and must be beaten twice by the “B” winner. The same for Jeff Stewart in Dauphin.
In Rivers, Kelly Marnoch will play for a berth in the “A” final against the winner of a game between Cale Dunbar and Graham Freeman.
IN WINNIPEG: Playing last night was no advantage for the four teams who won opening games Friday evening as all four lost their second “A” side games in the Winnipeg Viterra qualifying event at Deer Lodge.
On the early draw Saturday JT Ryan beat Corey Anderson (8-5) and Daniel Birchard beat Travis Bale, skipping the Evan Martin entry (9-6). On the PM draw, William Lyburn beat Bill Menzies (9-3) and Jacques Gauthier beat Derek Blanchard (8-1).
On the early draw, Mark Lukowich, the only former Manitoba Men’s champion skip in the competition, made a raise takeout for two on the sixth end to take a 7-3 lead over Andrew Wickman. Wickman fought back but eventually the Lukowich team posted a 9-6 win. Sean Grassie also marked up a first win, 8-0 over Chad Barkman.
On the afternoon draw, Brett Walter was a 7-3 winner over Derek Oryniak and Corey Thompson’s Deer Lodge team led Richard Muntain 7-6 coming home but gave up a deuce in an 8-7 Muntain win.
Travis Bale
(10PM: Friday, Nov. 19) VITERRA REGIONAL QUALIFYING UNDERWAY WITH FOUR GAMES FRIDAY….There were three different types of games among the opening four games of Viterra qualifying in Winnipeg Friday evening at Deer Lodge.
Travis Bale (skipping the Evan Martin entry from Fort Rouge) jumped out to a lead against Granite’s Robert Daudet team (skipped by Corey Boisvert) and controlled play in a 9-2 win. In the same way, Corey Anderson’s Charleswood team got an early lead on the Jack Hykaway entry from Pembina (skipped by Richard Hawkins) and controlled play in an 11-4 victory.
Darryl Gunnlaugson (l) and Larry Borus prepare to sweep a Bill Menzies stone.
Bill Menzies and his Granite team were able to come from behind for victory. Trailing 4-2 after four ends against the Perche brothers team from Charleswood, Menzies was forced to take one on end #5. It was the sixth end which changed the momentum. Looking at a buried Perche stone in the four foot, Team Menzies took considerable time to make a decision. With his first rock, Menzies cleared a pair of guards with a hit double raise which rolled off another rock to sit second shot covered. Perche had to leave something and Menzies second stone was a tap-back past a guard which removed the shot rock and left Menzies lying three. Perche removed on but left the steal of two. Momentum had shifted – Perche was forced to one and a tie in the seventh and a Menzies three on the 8th was the final margin of victory.
In the fourth game, Rod McLeod and his Fort Rouge team followed the Menzies model, coming back from down 5-2 to lead 6-5 after none ends. Derek Blanchard and his Assiniboine Memorial team were forced to a single on the home end to tie. In this game, however, the single broke McLeod’s momentum. Team Blanchard got their rocks in to the centre line in the rings with plenty of cover and forced McLeod to a wide outside draw with his final stone. He had to touch the four foot circle but came up short, giving up a steal and an 8-6 Blanchard win.
The four games were the extra series games in the 20 team regional playoff. The winners all advance against team who will be playing their first games Saturday.
In Morden, in three of the four games on the opening draw , the winners controlled all the way. Ryan Thomson (8-0 over Eren Oleson), Ryan Hyde (9-3 over Kyle McCannell) and Grant Shewfelt (7-1 over Rob Van Kommer) posted easy wins. The fourth went an extra end with Gerry Janz scoring three on the ninth for a one point lead. Steve Pauls tied to force an extra end but Janz won it on the extra end.
(November 18) VITERRA REGIONAL QUALIFYING THIS WEEKEND ….Viterra Championship regional playoffs take place this weekend with a total of 43 entries competing in seven locations for 17 regional entries in the Viterra Championship in Selkirk in late January.
The provincial event is January 25-30, slightly earlier than usual because this is the Olympic year.
When Corey Chambers won the Steinbach berth bonspiel a few weeks ago, his team became the sixth pre-qualified entry. At that time, they joined Mike McEwen, Jason Gunnlaugson, Braden Calvert, Jordon McDonald, and Ryan Wiebe and their teams with invitations to compete in Selkirk. Since, per CurlManitoba rules, Pat Simmons and Riley Smith have also been assigned 2021-22 CTRS berths (highest eligible teams on CTRS on November 5).
It is fair to suggest the Manitoba champion may have already qualified for Selkirk but that won’t minimize the competition when the games get underway Friday evening or Saturday depending on the number of teams in the regional competition. The opportunity to compete in the Viterra Championship on the world class arena ice provided by CurlManitoba’s Ice Technicians is still a major attraction for Manitoba curlers.
There are two teams playing in each of the North and East regions so these are simple best of three draws on Saturday (Sunday finals) featuring Sam Antila against Grant Brown in Thompson and Justin Richter against Steen Sigurdson in Winnipeg Beach.
CurlManitoba President Ray Baker, Manitoba Seniors finalist, has his eye on a Viterra berth
In the West 1 playoff in Dauphin, the host club’s Ray Baker, who had a finalist finish a week ago in the Manitoba Seniors, will face Jeff Stewart (Gladstone) and Greg Todoruk (also Dauphin) in their double knock-out for one provincial berth. Play will start in Dauphin on Saturday morning.
In the West 2 playoff, Saturday and Sunday in Rivers, five teams will play a double knock-out for two provincial berths. Kelly Marnoch and Devin Moore, (Carberry), Graham Freeman (Virden), Steve Irwin (Brandon) and Cale Dunbar (Riverview) will be looking for the provincial invitations.
The South 1 playoff has the largest entry of the rural regions with nine teams from five communities. Pilot Mound is represented by Kyle McCannell, Rob Van Kommer, & Steve Pauls), Portage by Ryan Hyde & Eren Oleson), Baldur by Grant Shewfelt and Gerry Janz, Carman by Dean North, and the host club Morden by Ryan Thomson. The “A” side of the double knock-out draw will award two of the three provincial entries available while the survivor on the “B” side gets the third berth. Competition in Morden begins Friday evening.
In the South 2 playoff in Morris, Manitoba Senior Champion Randy Neufeld and his team will be challenged for one provincial entry by Allan Gitzel (Morris), Kurt Braden (Lorette) and William Kuran (St. Adolphe) in a double-knockout competition beginning Saturday morning.
2020 World Junior champion Jacques Gauthier heads the list of entries in Winnipeg regional playoffs
The Winnipeg region will award eight provincial entries in a 20 team event beginning Friday evening at the Deer Lodge Curling Club. Seven Winnipeg clubs are represented. Most high profile of the teams competing include a trio of recent junior champions: World Junior Champion Jacques Gauthier, 3-time Canadian Junior champion JT Ryan, and Manitoba Junior Champion Brett Walter along with multiple Manitoba champion Sean Grassie, a former Manitoba Men’s championship finalist. The only former Manitoba Men’s champion skip in the field is Mark Lukowich.
The Winnipeg regional competition includes five Fort Rouge entries (Lukowich, Andrew Wickman, Derek Oryniak, Evan Martin, Ron McLeod); four Assiniboine Memorial teams (Gauthier, Ryan, Walter, Derek Blanchard); four from Granite (Richard Muntain, Bill Menzies, Robert Daudet, William Lyburn); two each from Charleswood (Corey Anderson, Darren Perche), Pembina (Daniel Birchard, Jack Hykaway), and Deer Lodge (Grassie, Corey Thompson); plus one from St. Vital (Chad Barkman).
“A” side competition, beginning Friday evening, will determine four provincial entries with those games scheduled for 9PM Saturday evening at Deer Lodge. The losers of those berth games will drop into the four “B” side berth games at 1:30PM Sunday.
At the conclusion of play on Sunday, when these 17 Viterra berths have been assigned, there will still be seven invitations for the championship in Selkirk available. The current situation is:
Sunday was another good day at the Pembina Curling Club. It was this season’s second fall Learn to Curl session day at the club which is preparing to celebrate its 75th anniversary next year.
Club President Gord MacKay says the club has made a real effort in recent years to get new people in the facility through their Learn to Curl programs. In late October, there were 70 people in attendance. For this day in mid-November, they had pre-registered 96 participants scheduled to go on the ice in three groups of 32 each.
A busy day – Pembina President Gord MacKay also won the Bob Picken Masters Bonspiel Sunday, playing third for Lionel Walz
As MacKay watched the first session on the ice, he acknowledged that only 20 had showed up and speculated that the arrival of Winnipeg’s winter on the weekend may have discouraged some from attending.
By the end of the day, 19 people had attended session two and 25 were there for session three – a total of 64 people, most of them stepping on the curling ice for the first time. “Pretty darn good,” he said.
The three session instructors included Christine MacKay – a recently successful junior & Scotties level curler who has stepped back from competition while she focuses on her education; Lisa McLeod – a Pembina youth program graduate and successful competitive player hoping to qualify on the coming weekend for the 2021 Scotties; and Rick Sproule – a club past-president & Honourary Life Member and good club level curler. They focused on exposure to the game and technical instruction suitable to the age of the group of people they were supervising.
In conversation, MacKay emphasized the importance of getting new people into our curling facilities. He knows one session won’t turn them into curlers but that it can excite them about the sport as something that may interest them.
He suggests it isn’t hard to get people to come to the club for the experience of one Learn to Curl session. “The real challenge is figuring out how we can get them to become active participants in the club,” he says.
Pembina’s next effort begins with what they call their five-week miniseries – a fairly short commitment for the individuals but long enough to give them a taste of regular participation in the sport. The miniseries are offered at different times on weekends and weekday evening.
The Learn to Curl initiative began at Pembina in 2015. Perhaps not surprisingly the best response was for a February event in 2018 when excitement from the Olympics was an important factor. They’ll be gearing up again for a February program after the 2022 Olympics but there is a downside in the fact that there is little time left to the Winnipeg curling season after February and giving them that immediate experience is important.
The club has also learned that promotion of the Learn to Curl sessions can be quite inexpensive. “For October we advertised on social media – twitter, facebook, the club website,” he explained. “For this November session, we had the added benefit of exposure on a CTV Morning Live feature.”
He notes that the response came from significantly different demographic groups. For October, the response was a very high percentage of new-Canadian Asian families, a group which curling organizers everywhere would like to encourage into the sport. For November, there was a much higher percentage from the traditional curling market group – another experience to be learned from, he suggests.
Asked if the participants in the sessions are mainly from the immediate area of the Pembina Curling Club, Gord MacKay says he suspects a very high percentage is but he isn’t particularly concerned about it.
He is Pembina‘s President this year but he is also a lifetime curling supporter. If his club’s efforts to introduce curling to new people turns into possible future curlers in other city facilities, he is perfectly OK with that.
The Canadian Deaf Curling Championships, featuring both a men’s competition and a mixed doubles competition, were played this weekend at Morris with a pair of Manitoba Men’s teams meeting in the championship final. The Cargill Curling Training Centre in Morris is the Official Training Centre of the Canadian Deaf Curling Program.
The gold medal, and the chance to represent Canada at the World Deaf Curling Championship in March in Banff, was won by Ross LaVallee (Shawn Demianyk, Kayle Miller, Brian Broszeit, Coach Lorne Hamblin). Team Lavalle was one up coming home with last rock and marked up the victory over Joe Comte’s foursome (Bill Kluchnik, Chris Stewart, Cam Hurst, Coach Chris Hamblin). The two teams had finished the round-robin with identical 3W-1L records but Team LaVallee was awarded the first place bye to the final thanks to a win over Team Comte. Team Comte defeated a British Columbia team (Craig Waldbillig, David Johnson, Frank Chung, Alnoor Mitha, fifth John Sigurdson) in the semi-final.
GOLD MEDAL: Michael Austria/Manitoba & Sally Korol/Alberta
In the Mixed Doubles competition, which is new to the Deaf Curling Program, the winning team was Albertan Sally Korol and Manitoban Michael Austria. They too will have the opportunity to represent Canada in Banff. Their gold medal win came over Emma Logan/Nova Scotia & Frank Chung/BC. The Bronze Medal was won by Hannah Brown/Manitoba & Calvin Novak/Alberta.
Due to limited entries, there was no Women’s competition this year. A team has been selected by the Canadian Deaf Curling Association to represent Canada at the World event. Emma Logan (NS) will be the skip with Holly Maschmeyer (Alberta) at second. Manitobans Hannah Brown and Susanne Beriault are the third and lead respectively.
By coincidence of timing, the final games of the 2021 Bob Picken Masters Bonspiel ended about an hour before the launch of a new Inter-Club Youth League, sponsored in part by the Picken Bonspiel committee and named in hour of the curling broadcast legend.
The Bob Picken Legacy Inter-Club Youth League is a pilot project of CurlManitoba involving the junior leagues at Fort Garry, Pembina, La Salle, Elmwood and Assiniboine Memorial.
In explaining the objectives of the league to the 32 young curlers assembled at Fort Garry for the first games, CurlManitoba’s Rob Gordon said the organizers want young curlers to experience curling outside their own curling club.
“Travelling to other clubs, experiencing different ice conditions, and playing against new people are all part of learning about and enjoying the sport of curling,” Gordon said.
Two teams from each junior program will participate on five different weekends with the two teams from each program playing the two teams from another club. Midway through each two hour session, the teams will swap ice in order to allow for a fresh start and to play on a different sheet of ice.
Although a slight modification in schedule will be required when the league visits La Salle’s three-sheet facility, the intent is that all the teams will play each time the teams get together.
Gordon expects that some of the teams will represent their club each time while there may be more than two teams involved in a rotation from other clubs.
At the start of the final day of play in the Bob Picken Masters Bonspiel, when told of the plans for the Inter-Club Youth League, the players competing at the Thistle Curling Club gave resounding support for this new initiative as a very appropriate way to invest some of the proceeds from the annual Bob Picken-Valour Road Masters Bonspiel at Thistle.
The Masters age curlers playing in the bonspiel recognize they are competing with and beside competitors and friends gained over a lifetime on the curling ice, playing in their own clubs and visiting other clubs for bonspiels and inter-club play. In essence, it is a ‘passing of the torch’ with the older curlers finding a way to help our youth discover the fellowship that develops through friendly competition.
(11PM: Sunday, Nov. 7) Jordan McDonald and his team (Reece Hamm, Elias Huminicki, Alexandre Fontaine, Coach Blaine Malo) and the Meghan Walter foursome (Lane Prokopowich, Katie McKenzie, Mackenzie Elias, Coach Frank Walter) have won the Manitoba Junior “World Qualifier” competitions staged this weekend at Heather.
In the Junior Men’s event, Team McDonald blanked the opening end and had a draw for a three on the second after a Jordan Johnson takeout attempt wrecked on a guard. Up 3-0, Team McDonald controlled the play and the game ended in six ends with the score 7-1.
CurlManitoba Photo: l-r Coach Frank Walter, Mackenzie Elias, Katie McKenzie, Lane Prokopowich, Meghan Walter
The result in the Junior Women’s event also seemed inevitable after Team Walter stole two on the second end and three more on the third – both ends set up by a single centre guard and aggressive play behind it. Team Emma Jensen fought back with a single and steal of one to trail 5-2 at the break and they controlled play on the sixth end as well. Walter’s last rock, a delicate tap of her own stone to the button between a pair of Jensen stones with Jensen laying two, moved momentum back to her side. Team Walter won a measure for a steal on the seventh and Team Jensen conceded after making a last rock draw for one on the eighth.
The two teams will wear the Manitoba jackets at a national event in Saskatoon later this month. The winners there will represent Canada at the 2022 World Juniors.
(Noon: Sunday, Nov. 7)MCDONALD ADVANCES, MAISEY PLAYS JOHNSON IN JUNIOR MEN’S SEMIFINAL …..Jordon McDonald and his team have advanced to the final of Manitoba’s Junior Men’s “World Qualifier” at the Heather. Team McDonald defeated Josh Maisey and his team 7-5 this morning, scoring three coming home to win.
Maisey led early but a lead change after six showed a real momentum shift. Maisey led by three after three – McDonald scored four over the next three ends to lead 4-3 after six. Maisey made a game saver hit through a centre line port facing two on the seventh and tied the game 4-4.
Midway through the eighth end, the bell rang, signaling that the ninth would be the final end of play. McDonald had played the end aggressively, playing for a deuce and had Maisey in trouble. Facing three, Maisey outdrew the shot rock which was at least half on the button. McDonald had a makeable hit for two, possibly three or four, but rubbed a guard to give up a steal and trail 5-4 playing the final end.
McDonald was in trouble on the ninth until third Reece Hamm made the kind of double kill that earns a double star in the stats records – a hit up centre line that had to ‘paper’ past a guard. A Maisey draw followed by a McDonald miss and another Maisey draw, set up a dramatic double kill victory for McDonald.
Team Maisey drops to the afternoon semifinal against Jordan Johnson, who beat Jace Freeman in the playoff elimination game.
(11PM: Saturday, Nov. 6) JUNIOR PLAYOFFS SET FOR SUNDAY AT HEATHER…….With a 6-1 victory, Jace Freeman and his team have earned the fourth, and final, playoff spot in the Junior Men’s “World Qualifier” competition at Heather. Team Freeman defeated Thomas McGillivary and his team in the “C” Event qualifying game.
Team Freeman (Ryan Ostrowsky, Cyrus Brandt, Andrew McKay) plays Team Jordan Johnson (Jayden Rutter, Tim Johsnon, Ryan Zapotochny) in the Page Playoff bottom side game with the loser eliminated and the winner advancing to the semi-final.
In the Page Playoff top side game, with the winner going direct to the final and the loser to the semi-final, Team Josh Maisey (Sean Flatt, Sean Giesbrecht, Adam Flatt) plays Team Jordon McDonald (Reece Hamm, Elias Huminicki, Alexandre Fontaine)
The first playoff draw is scheduled for 9AM Sunday with the semi-final at 2PM and the final at 7:30PM. The playoffs winning team will play in a national “World Qualifier” bonspiel in Saskatoon, later this month.
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In the Junior Women’s competition, final standings have been determined a last round win by Team Emma Jensen (6-5 over Team Meghan Walter) and losses by Team Tansy Tober (10-6 to Team Morgan Maguet) and by Team Grace Beaudry (6-3 to Team Emily Ogg).
Team Jensen (Jaycee Terrick, Becky Friesen, Julia Millan) finishes in first place with a 4W-1L record while Team Tober (Lexa Sigurdson, Caitlin Kostna, Stephanie Feelus) and Team Walter (Lane Prokopowich, Katie McKenzie, MacKenzie Elias) finishes tied with in second with a 3W-2L record.
The three-team playoff, semi-final winner advancing to the final against the first place team, is also scheduled for Sunday.
(5PM: Saturday, Nov. 6) JUNIOR PLAYOFFS WILL BE SET ON 7:30 DRAW SATURDAY DRAW….Jordan Johnson and his team have joined “A” Event qualifers Jordon McDonald and Josh Maisey in the Sunday playoff round of the “World Qualifier” competition underway at Heather.
Johnson bested Thomas McGillivary 9-4 Saturday afternoon to win the “B” event playoff spot. McGillvary will play Jace Freeman Saturday at 7:30PM in the “C” Event qualifying game.
In the Junior Women’s competition, Meghan Walter, Emma Jensen, and Tansy Tober and their teams all have 3W-1L records after posting win Saturday afternoon. Walter plays Jensen on the 7:30PM draw withthe winner improving to 4W-1L and being assured of a top two finish. If Team Tober beats Grace Beaudry on the evening draw, Tober will also be at 4W-1L and the three will be the top three finishers.
If Beaudry, whose record is currently 2W-2L, happens to beat Tober then there will be a three way tie for second place and the tiebreaker process will be implemented.
(7PM: Friday, Nov 5)MAISEY, MCDONALD ADVANCE IN JUNIOR MEN’S WORLD QUALIFIER……Team Josh Maisey and Team Jordon McDonald are the first teams to qualify for Sunday’s playoff action at Manitoba’s Junior “World Qualifer” bonspiel at Heather.
Maisey, with a win Thursday evening and one Friday, and McDonald with a pair of wins Friday will meet Sunday in the top side of the Page Playoff draw. As unbeaten teams, the loser will drop into the semi-final while the winner will advance direct to the final.
The third team to reach the junior men’s playoff round will be determined on the 2PM draw Saturday when Team Jordan Johnson plays Team Thomas McGIllivary.
In the women’s competition, Friday ends with four teams sitting on 2W-1L round robin records. On the Friday late draw, a win by Team Emma Jensen over Team Grace Beaudry brought Team Beaudry back into a 2W-1L tie with Team Jensen as well as with Team Meghan Walter and Team Tansy Tober, who both won on that draw.
(10PM: Thursday,Nov. 4)MAISEY OPENS WITH A WIN IN JUNIOR “WORLD QUALIFIER COMPETITION……Just over a month ago, Sean and Adam Flatt were lined up with their former junior skip Ryan Wiebe playing in the awkwardly named Pre-Trials Direct Entry event with a long-shot chance of going to the Olympics..
This week, they have joined forces with former rivals, Josh Maisey and Sean Giesbrecht, in this year’s last chance opportunity to go to the Canadian and World Juniors.
This new Maisey team was assembled just for this competition which presents an opportunity to compete in Curling Canada’s 2022 World Junior Qualifying Bonspiel later this month. Although the Wiebe team fell well short in Ottawa in September, winning only one of four games, the experience of competing at that level will be an asset this week at the Heather Curling Club.
Throwing third stones, Sean Flatt played a key role coming home in Team Maisey’s opening game against Aaron Van Ryssel. Trailing by one coming home, Van Ryssel got a good start to the end and was building an end to steal when Flatt peeled two guards with his first rock and removed two from the rings with his second. From there it was a simple matter of trading rocks with Maisey winning the game on a last rock hit.
In the second Junior Men’s game on the Thursday evening kick-off draw, Tanner Graham dominated Ronan Peterson in a six end game. Graham returns to the ice at 9AM for a game against the top ranked team on the Manitoba Junior Curling Tour skipped by Jordon McDonald.
The Junior Women’s event also starts at 9AM Friday.
CONGRATS!!! to Jason Gunnlaugson, Adam Casey, Matt Wozniak, and Connor Njegovan who qualified this morning for the Canadian Curling Trials in Saskatoon. A last rock draw which needed full sweeping to out-count a pair of Tanner Horgan counters earned the Morris based team a Pre-Trials qualifying game victory and showed that Gunnlaugson is much more than ‘just a hitter’.
And kudos to Horgan and his team who went on to win the second Trials spot with a win over veteran Glenn Howard who eliminated Pat Simmons’ young Winnipeg Beach team of Colton & Tanner Lott and Kyle Doering, the team Horgan had skipped pre-Covid.
On the Women’s side, congrats as well to Krista McCarville’s team and Jacqueline Harrison’s team who were the Women’s Trials qualifiers.
It took until the conclusion of the 9PM Saturday draw, the final round robin draw of the event, to sort out the playoff positions in Pools C & D of the Manitoba Men’s Club Championship underway at the Brandon Curling Club.
In Pool C, Brett MacDonald (Fort Rouge) earned first place with a 5W-1L record by beating Dale Fust (LaSalle) on the late draw. Fust ended round robin play at 4W-2L along with Derek Blanchard (AMCC) and Mark Anderson (Riverview). The second place team is determined based on head to head results which show Fust defeated both Blanchard and Anderson.
In Pool D, Travis Taylor (Brandon) and Andrew Irving (Fort Rouge) won late draw games to finish at 5W-1L to earn the two playoff spots from their group. Allan Croy (Petersfield) and Kelly Marnoch (Carberry) finished at 4W-2 L and out of the playoffs.
Earlier, a Trevor Loreth (Granite) 5-2 win over Kyle Forsyth (Dauphin) earned Loreth the second playoff spot from Pool B with a 5W-1L record. Corey Anderson (Charleswood) had already locked up the first spot with a perfect 6W-OL record.
At the same time as Loreth was winning, in Pool A, Paul Scinocca (St. Vital) posted a 6-2 win over Graham McFarlane (AMCC) giving both a 5W-1L record and the two playoff spots from the pool. The Scinocca win eliminated both Jesse McCullough (Fort Garry) and Darren Perche (Charleswood) who won their final games to improve to 4W-2L.
In the playoff quarterfinals at 9AM Sunday, Scinocca plays Taylor, MacDonald plays Loreth, Irving plays McFarlane, and Anderson plays Fust.
In the Women’s Championship, Stacey Fordyce (Brandon) has completed a perfect 5W-0L round robin and will advance to the playoffs Sunday. The other three playoff positions will be determined on the 9AM draw Sunday. Deb McCreanor (LaSalle) has a 4W-0L record and is assured of advancing. In Pool A, Betty Buurma (Carberry) plays Patti Ulrich (St. Vital). The winner will improve to 4W-1L and grab the second spot from that pool. Judy Colwell (East St. Paul) has a 3W-2L record while Liza Park (Deloraine) is at 3W-1L with a game to play.
(3PM: October 30)MCCREANOR, FORDYCE STILL PERFECT IN WOMEN’S CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS With three games yet to play as Nature’s Bounty Women’s Club Championship play began Saturday, former champion Deb McCreanor (LaSalle) had a perfect 2W-0L record, tied with Betty Buurma (Carberry).
The two met on the noon draw at Brandon Curling Club, knowing the winner would gain a real advantage looking to tomorrow’s playoff round as only two teams from each round-robin pool will advance.
McCreanor jumped out to a 4-0, three end lead before Buurma scored a single, with a double kill up the centre line facing three. The final score was 7-2 as McCreanor improved to 3W-0L. Patti Ulrich (St. Vital) sits at 3W-1L after a noon draw win over Kristin McLellan (Brandon).
In the other Women’s pool, former three time champion Stacey Fordyce and her Brandon team lead the way with a perfect 3W-0L record. Liza Park (Deloraine) and Judy Colwell (East St. Paul) have 2W-1L records. Fordyce plays Colwell on the 2:30PM draw in a game that will have a big impact on playoff positions.
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(2PM: October 30) ANDERSON, LORETH, MCFARLANE ALL CLAIM PLAYOFF SPOTS Trevor Loreth and his Granite team bounced back from last night’s loss to beat Brooks Freeman (Virden) on the Nature’s Bounty Men’s Club Championship noon draw in Brandon. At 4-1, Loreth trails Corey Anderson (Charleswood) in Pool B whose record is a perfect 6W-0L after a last shot victory on the noon draw over Dean North (Carman). Anderson and Loreth are assured of being the two teams advancing to the Sunday playoff round from this group.
In Pool A, Graham McFarlane (AMCC) is also at 5W-0L and assured of advancing to the playoffs following a noon draw victory over Luc Audette (Lorette). Darren Perche (Charleswood) kept playoff hopes alive with an extra end steal to hand Paul Scinocca (St. Vital) a first loss. Scinocca with a 4W-1L record, Perche at 3W-2L, and Jesse McCullough (Fort Garry) also at 3W-2L all still have a chance to be the second playoff team from Pool A.
Pools C&D will be somewhat clarified after the 2:30 draw.
In Pool C, Derek Blanchard (AMCC) leads with a 4W-1L record. He plays 3W-1L Brett MacDonald (Fort Rouge). Dale Fust (La Salle), skipped by Randy Neufeld, is also at 3W-1L.
In Pool D, the situation is identical. Allan Croy (Petersfield), at 4W-1L, plays Travis Taylor (Brandon) who has a 3W-1L record. Andrew Irving (Fort Rouge) has the same 3W-1L record.
(11:30PM, October 29)ANDERSON WINS KEY GAME, IMPROVES TO 5-0 Corey Anderson’s Charleswood team has a perfect 5W-0L record with a game to play on Saturday in the Nature’s Bounty Men’s Cub Championship after a 7-3 victory Friday evening over previously unbeaten Trevor Loreth and his Granite team. At 3W-1L, Loreth is still in second place in Pool B.
Corey Anderson (r) and Justin Reischek consider the options.
With only a game to play on Saturday, Team Anderson may also have a significant advantage in Sunday’s playoff rounds as the other pool leaders and potential playoff teams will play at least two and possibly three games Saturday
In Pool A, Graham McFarlane (AMCC) and Paul Scinocca (St. Vital) are both perfect at 4W-0L with two to play.
In Pool C, Dale Fust’s La Salle team, skipped by Randy Neufeld, has a 3W-0L record and will play three on Saturday. Brett MacDonald (FRCC) and Derek Blanshard (AMCC) both have 3W-1L records and will play two Saturday.
The Pool D leaders, at 3W-1L, are Allan Croy (Petersfield) and Travis Taylor (Brandon). They’ll play two Saturday. At 2W-1L, three teams in Pool D have three games Saturday so more than the others, this group is still wide open. The three include Kelly Marnoch (Carberry), Brad Wainikka (Morden) and Andrew Irving (Fort Rouge)
(5PM OCTOBER 29)LORETH-ANDERSON MATCH A KEY GAME UPCOMING IN BRANDON: It is still too early in the event to make much of the developing story at Manitoba’s Nature’s Bounty Men’s Club Championship but there is no doubt that the late draw (9pm) tonight has a key game in Pool B. Trevor Loreth and his Granite team, at 3W-0L, and Corey Anderson and his Charleswood team, at 4W-0L) both won on the afternoon draw. The two meet tonight and if both continue to lead the way in that pool, the winner of the game will have the advantage in that all-important win between the two.
Play continues through Sunday in the Nature’s Bounty Men’s & Women’s Club Championships in Brandon
In Pool A, with wins this afternoon, Graham McFarlane and his Assiniboine Memorial team improved to 4W-0L while Paul Scinocca of St. Vital improved to 3W-0L.
In Pool C, the Dale Fust team from LaSalle, skipped by Randy Neufeld, is the lone unbeaten team with a 2W-0L record.
In Pool D, Allan Croy of Petersfield (3W-0L) and Kelly Marnoch of Carberry (2W-OL) are still unbeaten.
All records noted are as the 6PM draw goes on the ice in Brandon. Play continues with two draws yet Friday and five on Saturday.
In the Women’s competition, former champion DebMcCreanor’s LaSalle team leads Pool A with a 2W-0L record tied with Betty Buurma and her Carberry team. The Carberry foursome improved to 2W-0L this after when Buurma made a last rock angle raise takeout of a Kristin McLellan rock in the four foot. McLellan, with her last rock had made a double raise to the four foot to sit shot stone.
Former champion Stacey Fordyce and her Brandon team have a 3W-0L record to lead Pool B.
William Lyburn and his daughter Mikaylah have won 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.
William & Mikaylah Lyburn (l) defeated Katie McKenzie & Thomas Dunlop in the Dauphin ‘Spiel final
The Lyburns had a perfect weekend, winning six games in what was both a show of support for the fledgling Mixed Doubles Tour and a tune-up for a Mixed Doubles event this weekend in Okotoks, AB.
The Lyburns had a 5W-0L record after the round robin portion of the event and defeated Katie McKenzie & Thomas Dunlop in the championship game.
McKenzie & Dunlop had finished the round robin at 3W-2L, tied with Chris & Lorne Hamblin and with Lisa Hale & Ray Baker. They ranked second based on the tie-break of best pre-game button draws. Hale-Baker defeated the Hamblins in the 3-4 ranking game.
Hannah McQuay & Keith Pottle had a 1W-4L record while Kristen Beaumont & Steve Michaleski were winless after the round robin but defeated McQuay-Pottle in the 5-6 ranking game.
It was the second of two 6-team Cargill Curling Training Centre Mixed Doubles Tour events. The first, played in Morris in September, was won by the nationally ranked Manitoba Mixed Doubles team of Kadriana Sahaidak & Colton Lott.
A total of 10 different teams have now competed in the two Mixed Doubles Tour events. The third event in the series is scheduled for December in Brandon.
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