Tonight may be the official evening for ghosts, ghouls and trick or treaters, but Halloween came early this year at the Nanaimo Curling Centre.
The club held its first bonspiel of the season last weekend with the staging of the annual Halloween Open Bonspiel. Continuing a format begun several years ago, the competition allowed for teams with any combination of men and women curlers to enter. A total of 24 rinks took part this year, including entries from Duncan, Victoria, Qualicum and Comox.
As usual, the local club hosted a very successful event, complete with catered banquet, Halloween decorations and a costume parade. Congratulations go first of all to organizers Al and Linda Torgerson, Vic and Bronwen Brice, Dennis Anderson, Kellie Rice, Kevin Smith, Patty McRory and the others on the bonspiel committee.
As for the curling itself, games were held throughout the weekend leading up to finals on the Sunday.
It was a pair of Nanaimo mixed teams skipped by Frank Voysey and George Duffell that faced each other in the final of the A event, sponsored by Christensen Collision. Trailing 3-2 after five ends, the Voysey team struck for six points in the sixth end to take charge of the game and emerge with an 8-5 victory.
Teaming with Voysey for the bonspiel win were third Bob Franklin, second Eleanor Voysey and lead Anita Chambers. Others on the Duffell squad were third Sally Noonan, second Jake McGlenen and lead Jill McGlenen.
Third place in A event went to the foursome of Steve Waatainen, Keith Clarke, Angela Price and Michelle Waatainen.
Local teams also swept top spots in the bonspiel’s Tegart Memorial B event. Mike Kenefick skipped the winning team, which led all the way in an 8-2 decision over the Frank Smith foursome. On the Kenefick team were third Elaine Cloutier, second Burnie Smith and lead Charmaine Fines, while Smith was backed by third Zorka Smith, second Ian Cook and lead Linda Wood.
Claiming third place in B event was the five-person Nanaimo junior team of John MacDonald, Dakota Stevens, Jarod Nobel, Brendan Sandberg and Steven Franklin.
Sponsor for the bonspiel’s C event was Big O Tire and the final featured an interesting showdown between teams skipped by Bob Chlan and Brenda Ridgway. A back-and-forth match saw the game tied 4-4 after six ends. But a steal of two points in the seventh propelled the Chlan foursome to a 6-4 win. Others on the victorious team were third Heather Lindsay-Lecuyer, second Harold Levesque and lead Howard Jeglum. With Ridgway were third Leslie Shearer, second Susan Chepil and lead Lois Russell.
The team of Ron Kaneen, Al Torgerson, Chuck Rogerson and John McKay took third place in C event.
There’s more bonspiel action this coming weekend, as the Nanaimo Curling Centre is hosting a one-day Junior Spiel this Saturday (Nov. 2), with young curlers in action from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Also upcoming, the popular annual Hangover League men’s bonspiel is set for Nov. 15-17 and a Masters Open daytime bonspiel is Nov. 27-29.
Whatever your sport, a reminder in closing to play your hardest, play fair, and show good sportsmanship.
Ian Thorpe writes about sports Thursdays.