Spring is officially here now and with the change of seasons we quickly approach the end of another curling season. Last weekend featured some final games at both the local and international levels…
Starting on the international scene, last Sunday saw the Canadian team fall agonizingly short of a gold medal at the world women’s curling championships in Denmark. Saskatchewan’s Amber Holland got off to a slow start at the worlds, but fought all the way to the final. There, some crucial misses in that last end proved costly, allowing Sweden’s Anette Norberg to steal the winning points for a 7-5 victory.
Next, we’ll see how the Canadian men’s team skipped by Jeff Stoughton fares at the world championships which get underway today (April 2) in Regina.
Locally last weekend, the final competition of the season was held at the Nanaimo Curling Centre on Wall Street. This year’s Spring Fling Mixed Bonspiel featured a field of 32 teams.
The Johnson Franklin law firm sponsored A event, with Sunday’s final involving the only two undefeated teams in the field. Both were local entries, as Nanaimo skips Kevin Weinreich and Mark Knutson faced each other. Steals of single points in the fourth and fifth ends and two more in the sixth, cemented a 5-1 victory for Knutson and his team of third Teri Palynchuk, second Brian Mahovlich and lead Colleen World. Others on the runner-up Weinreich rink were Kalia Van Osch, Griffin Woodward and Marika Van Osch.
Finishing third in A event were Gerry De Groot, Ted De Groot, Kelly Konrad and Tracey Mousseau.
In the final of B event, sponsored by Christensen Collision, Victoria skip Deanna Bekker claimed an 8-2 win over Nanaimo’s Garry Smith. Others on the Smith squad were third Dianne Smith, second Rick Ringma and lead Sharon Ringma. Nanaimo’s Dallyce Gillespie and her team of John MacDonald, Ava Whitney-Coulter and Brenden Booth placed third in B.
The bonspiel’s C event was sponsored by Bastion Trophies and the final pitted Ken Hall’s Nanaimo foursome against an up-island entry skipped by Tom Baker. It was the visiting team that prevailed, as Baker got off to a 3-0 lead and later stole several points for a 7-1 win. With Hall on the runner-up team were Joan Hall along with Bob and Heather Buchanan. Third in C event was Nanaimo skip Shaelyn Rice and her teammates Matthew Van Osch, Megan Blake and Alex Denninger.
In the novice division of the bonspiel, sponsored by McDonald Environmental Sciences, an extra end was needed to decide the final. Skip Brenda Ridgway saw her team jump out to a 3-0 lead in the first end. Opposing skip Frank Voysey fought back though and the lead changed hands several times. Ridgway scored singles in both the seventh and eighth ends to tie the score at 8-8 after regulation, then Voysey used final rock in the extra end for a 9-8 victory. Also on the winning team were Eleanor Voysey, Patrick Belanger and Thirza Voysey. Teamed with Ridgway were Ross and Tami Barnard and Howard Jeglum. Claiming third place in the novice event was the entry of Linda Torgerson, Fred Rumo, Toni Lepore and Terry Finkle.
The Spring Fling bonspiel marked a successful conclusion to local curling for the year, thanks largely to the efforts of organizers Joanne Phillips, Marg Blackley and Kyle Anderson. With the ice now removed, all that remains is year-end awards. We’ll pass along results from those in the weeks ahead.
Whatever your sport, a reminder in closing to play your hardest, play fair, and show good sportsmanship.
Ian Thorpe writes about sports Saturdays.