There’s plenty of curling action happening at this time of year, with local teams involved not only in league games, but also playdown action and bonspiel competition.
The Nanaimo Curling Centre on Wall Street recently hosted the annual Nanaimo Ladies’ Open Bonspiel. Always a popular event on the curling calendar, this year’s competition attracted a total of 32 teams, with one quarter of the field coming from out of town. The number of teams marked an increase from last year and managed to reverse a trend that has seen overall participation in bonspiels decline in recent years.
Credit for that success goes to bonspiel chair Marg Blackley and her hard-working organizing committee members. They deserve recognition for their efforts in promoting the bonspiel and for staging an event that featured plenty of fun and entertainment as well as top-notch curling. In addition to the on-ice games, curlers were treated to a banquet, a champagne breakfast and a costume contest based on the bonspiel’s western theme.
Finals were held on Sunday afternoon, with plenty of spectators on hand. A event was sponsored by Bastion Trophies and featured the only two undefeated teams in the field. One of those was the Pat Saunders rink from Mill Bay and the other was Kesa Van Osch and her Nanaimo squad. The local team jumped out to a 4-0 lead after three ends, led 5-3 after six, then scored four more to post a 9-3 decision.
Members of the championship entry were skip Kesa Van Osch, third Nicole McCurrie, second Marika Van Osch and lead Kalia Van Osch.
Nanaimo teams captured third and fourth places in A event. Third went to Rhonda Stoner and her team of Darah Provencal, Toni Lepore and Gertie Pick.
Nanaimo Toyota sponsored the B event in the ladies’ bonspiel. Sunday’s final resulted in a win for Vancouver skip Karen Lapine and third Karen Vanos, who teamed with Nanaimo’s Cindy Van Osch and Colleen World. The Lapine team fell behind 4-0 early, but came back to tie things up and then scored five in the fifth end en route to a 10-5 victory over the Nanaimo team of Patty Pedersen, Denise Wood, Sandy Wilkinson and Joanne McCord.
Third place in the event went to the local squad of Leslie Shearer, Dodie Braithwaite, Tracy Mousseau and Tanis Wilson.
A visiting team defeated a Nanaimo foursome in the final of C event, which was sponsored by McGregor Krastel Dougan Chartered Accountants. First place was earned by Qualicum skip Lynne Noble and her team of third Lorraine Jeffries, second Lorraine Gagnon and lead Kristin Nickells. Having to settle for second place was the Nanaimo team consisting of skip Teri Palynchuk, third Darcy Dreger, second Laurie Grobowsky and lead Terry Harper.
Finishing third in C event was the Nanaimo entry of Capri Koster, Noreen Martin, Sally Noonan and Linda Torgerson.
Nanaimo curlers figured in all three top positions in D event, which was sponsored by Harbour Chandler. In the final, skip Shirley Sloan and her squad scored in the first four ends to give themselves a 7-0 victory over the Marg Obee foursome. Backing Sloan on the winning team were third Karen Hungar, second Joanne Phillips and lead Susan Barber. On the Obee team, Jill McGlenen threw third stones, Moyra Graham was second and Pat Ground was lead.
Local skip Sandra Colton and her team of Joan Hall, Dorina Medland and Lorna Sobie placed third.
Bonspiel action at the Nanaimo Curling Centre continued last week with the annual Senior Ladies’ Nifty Fifty Bonspiel. We’ll pass along results from that and other curling happenings in a future column.
Whatever your sport, a reminder in closing to play your hardest, play fair, and show good sportsmanship.
Ian Thorpe writes about sports Saturdays.