It was a perfect day for the Cornwall Curling Club’s annual nine hole, best ball golf tournament today at Countryview Golf Club. The teams played a standard “scramble” format, except that the 9th hole had to be played with nine-irons only, except for the green, where a provided curling broom had to be used. Greg Groves managed to sink the putt on the first shot.
Greg Groves and Paul Durant celebrating Greg’s putt. Paul doesn’t look too disappointed that he didn’t get to try!
Back in the Clubhouse, after a meal of burgers and fries, the scores were tallied, with the foursome of (L-R) John and Shirley Berry, Donald Weeks, and Kimball Blanchard coming in first by a single stroke, and getting first pick of the prize table.
Next up were the closest to the pin and long drive awards.
Jean Anderson won the ladies closest to the pin (hole 2)
Brent Irving won the men’s longest drive, for hole 4
Shirley Berry won the women’s, for hole 7.
Paul Durant won the men’s closest to the pin (hole 8)
Now, back to the team prizes. There was a tied score for second place, between the Brent Irving and Greg Groves teams, with the Groves threesome, which also included Paul Durant and Derek MacEwen, winning after retrogression rules were applied.
Team Irving (L-R): George Younker, Brent Irving, Angela Sanderson, Rob Gallant
Other teams in order were the Gary O’Sullivan foursome, followed by the Chris MacDougall team, then the Bill Hope squad, and the “Most Honest” team, the Cornwall women’s club champions from last season, captained by Kim Nicholson.
Thanks to organizer Gary O’Sullivan, the prize sponsors, and the Countryview Golf Club for another great event!
Here is the “shotgun” start (all teams start at once, from separate holes) for the Cornwall Curling Club’s 19th annual 9 Hole Best Ball golf tournament at Countryview Golf Club, Route 19 in Fairview. All players are required to be there by 8:30 am this Saturday, June 15, to review the rules and allow time to make your way to your respective tees by 9 am tee-off time.
Current forecast:
Clearing. Fog patches dissipating this morning. Wind southwest 20 km/h. High 23 except 16 along parts of the coast. Humidex 25. UV index 7 or high.
This is a 9 hole “best ball” scramble format, which means you have to use two tee shots from each player before you reach the 9th hole. Each player will tee off, and you will then decide whose shot to use for that hole. Following the tee shot, each player will hit from where the “best” ball from the team landed, and you will continue to do this until a ball is in the hole.
Special 9th hole rules :
Since it is the “9”th hole, you will only be using a 9 iron until it’s time to putt. When you reach the 9th hole, you will have to choose which player will hit off the tee (with a 9 iron). Players will then shoot in turn (with 9 irons) until you are on the green. Once you are on the green, you will go back to the best ball “scramble” format. When putting, you are required to use the designated putter, which is a curling broom! You must putt with the broom brush side down. Please leave the broom at the side of the green for the next team.
As well as overall winners and door prizes (you have to be present at draw time to win these) there will be prizes for closest to the pin, longest drive, and 9th hole.
Cornwall Town Council met last evening with the incoming executive of the Cornwall Curling Club to discuss their continuing collaboration with the Club as they renew their lease agreement with the Town. With over 300 members, the curling club is the largest in the province and it is a leading source of sports tourism in the Town.
Here is Cornwall Councillor Corey Frizzell (left), congratulating new Cornwall Curling Club President Bryan Sutherland on his recent appointment.
Here is the “shotgun” start (all teams start at once, from separate holes) for the Cornwall Curling Club’s 19th annual 9 Hole Best Ball golf tournament at Countryview Golf Club, Route 19 in Fairview. All players are required to be there by 8:30 am this Saturday, June 15, to review the rules and allow time to make your way to your respective tees by 9 am tee-off time. Current forecast for Saturday is for a comfortable 18 degree high and only a 30% chance of showers.
If you can’t make it or want to be added to the Spare list, contact Gary O’Sullivan at bantamgary@gmail.com or 902-388-0592.
Here are the rules from previous years (always subject to change):
This is a 9 hole “best ball” scramble format, which means you have to use two tee shots from each player before you reach the 9th hole. Each player will tee off, and you will then decide whose shot to use for that hole. Following the tee shot, each player will hit from where the “best” ball from the team landed, and you will continue to do this until a ball is in the hole.
Special 9th hole rules :
Since it is the “9”th hole, you will only be using a 9 iron until it’s time to putt. When you reach the 9th hole, you will have to choose which player will hit off the tee (with a 9 iron). Players will then shoot in turn (with 9 irons) until you are on the green. Once you are on the green, you will go back to the best ball “scramble” format. When putting, you are required to use the designated putter, which is a curling broom! You must putt with the broom brush side down. Please leave the broom at the side of the green for the next team.
As well as overall winners and door prizes (you have to be present at draw time to win these) there will be prizes for closest to the pin, longest drive, and 9th hole.
Sign up now for our annual nine-hole, Best Ball Golf Tournament on Saturday, June 15 at beautiful Countryview Golf Club, Route 19 in Fairview. You can sign up by contacting Gary O’Sullivan at bantamgary@gmail.com or 902-388-0592. Teams will be balanced as much as possible to accommodate all experience levels (including none at all!). The best ball/scramble format makes it fun for everyone! Please include your phone number, and golf handicap (if you know what that is). The tournament is followed by lunch and prizes (very few go home empty-handed).
Cost is $40 a player, or $20 for Countryview members (last year’s info, subject to confirmation for this year). Arrive by 8:30 am for the shotgun start at 9.
Thanks to everyone who helped out again this year at our lobster and steak catering event for the PEI Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association. The upstairs hall was filled to capacity, and the downstairs bar was busy too, and by all reports, the Association and attendees were VERY pleased with the event, which we cater annually as a Club fundraiser.
This individual will help promote the sport of curling to help build membership through public events, marketing materials, and personal engagement with groups and individuals. This person will be expected to plan, organize, and track activities and travel across PEI.
Responsibilities:
Assist with the scheduling of summer Street Curling events
Assist with the production of marketing materials to be used during the various events
Promote the sport of curling using Street Curling and Floor Curl equipment
Provide basic curling instruction directly to the general public and children during various events
Set up and tear down the display at each event
Preferred Skills:
Energetic and enthusiastic
Strong verbal communication
Ability to organize, control and generate enthusiasm in a group of 20-30 children
Ability to work independently
Good organization and time management skills
Experience teaching or coaching elementary aged children in a sport, camp, daycare, or school setting is an asset
Experience delivering public presentations is an asset
Knowledge of the sport of curling is an asset, but not a requirement
Special Requirements:
Valid drivers license
Access to a vehicle is required for this position
Must travel to events across the Island (compensated for travel)
Successful completion of a criminal record check (vulnerable sector) is required prior to starting employment
Non-standard hours may be required
This is an 8-week position; 30 hours per week.
Applicants must be between 15-30 years of age and legally able to work in Canada.
Join members of RCAFA 201 (Confederation) Wing on Monday 24 June 2019 for our Third Annual Lew Black Memorial Golf and Social.
Golfing will take place at Glen Afton Golf Course, 4608 Route 19, Nine Mile Creek. If you would like to participate in Golf and then the bbq after, (or either) please contact our Sports Chair Paul Miller at paulmiller@bellaliant.net to register.
Lew passed away in June 2016 and is the husband of Elaine Black. He was a former President of 201 Wing, avid golfer, curler Air Force Veteran and a member of Mikinduri Children of Hope. (MCOH). He was a very well-liked member of the Cornwall Curling Club.
If just attending the BBQ, please bring your beverage and meat to bbq, everything else in included. Location and more details will be provided to anyone who is attending. Open to the Public.
MCOH and 201 Wing are again this year selling 250 tickets with four opportunities for $500 (2), $1,000, and the grand prize of $7,500. Tickets are $100.00. If you wish to purchase, contact 201 Wing President Debbie Reid at 902-367-0450 or reid.debbie@rocketmail.com or MCOH member Elaine Black at 902-569-9124 or e.black@pei.sympatico.ca to purchase one. The draw will be held on the day of the Third Annual Lew Black Memorial Golf Tournament on Monday 24 June 2019.
As we mentioned in the AGM recap, we are pleased to welcome Lori Fitzpatrick as our new manager. She is originally from Newfoundland, but has recently been the food and beverage manager at a golf and curling club in BC. Although not a curler, she is a curling fan, and attended the 2017 Brier in St. John’s, won, of course, by Newfoundland’s own Brad Gushue team. She even got a photo with Brad!
This individual will help promote the sport of curling to help build membership through public events, marketing materials, and personal engagement with groups and individuals. This person will be expected to plan, organize, and track activities and travel across PEI.
Responsibilities:
Assist with the scheduling of summer Street Curling events
Assist with the production of marketing materials to be used during the various events
Promote the sport of curling using Street Curling and Floor Curl equipment
Provide basic curling instruction directly to the general public and children during various events
Set up and tear down the display at each event
Preferred Skills:
Energetic and enthusiastic
Strong verbal communication
Ability to organize, control and generate enthusiasm in a group of 20-30 children
Ability to work independently
Good organization and time management skills
Experience teaching or coaching elementary aged children in a sport, camp, daycare, or school setting is an asset
Experience delivering public presentations is an asset
Knowledge of the sport of curling is an asset, but not a requirement
Special Requirements:
Valid drivers license
Access to a vehicle is required for this position
Must travel to events across the Island (compensated for travel)
Successful completion of a criminal record check (vulnerable sector) is required prior to starting employment
Non-standard hours may be required
This is an 8-week position; 30 hours per week.
Applicants must be between 15-30 years of age and legally able to work in Canada.
The Cornwall Curling Club’s Annual General Meeting was held Friday evening, with a big turnout.
As we have recapped previously, it was another very successful season for the Club, which successfully hosted Provincial, Maritime, and Canadian championships in the past season, and had teams competing at all these levels, with one team (Lauren Ferguson rink) participating in three Canadian championships!
Financial
The Club reported another financially successful season, with membership revenue holding steady, and revenue increases in almost all areas, including bar and food sales, pro shop, ice rentals, bonspiels, and lockers. Offsetting this were increases in a number of expenditure lines, including rent (adjusted to the CPI), and, most notably, salaries with an increased minimum wage, and a 3% raise given to regular staff, the first in a number of years, with the Club finishing the season in the black, but with an overall surplus of less than $1000. Treasurer Jean Sinclair CPA, CA suggested a small dues increase for the upcoming season, to ensure that the Club continues to enjoy a positive cash flow.
President Gary O’Sullivan reported that the Club’s facility rental agreement with the Town of Cornwall is being renewed for another 5 years, with ongoing increases pegged to the CPI, as before.
50 X 50
Motions were raised and approved to make changes to the weekly 50X50 “snowball” draw. These draws are typically used in places such as bars to increase attendance at the facility, as patrons will show up to “sign in” and buy something while they are there. The Cornwall Curling Club is a different type of business, though, where members normally show up only during their weekly draw or draws, so there is no real advantage to having them personally “sign in”. Having members “sign in” is actually decreasing, rather than increasing revenue (and winnings for members!) because we have always carried the draw over to a second week if there was a draw cancellation due to a storm or other reason during a given week. The following week, the only people eligible to contribute are the members of the missed draw, and a number of draws were carried over in the recent curling season. Motions were approved to:
(1) Allow members to pay for their 50X50 draw for the entire season in advance, based on the number of weeks in the season.
(2) Allow others to pay and sign in for you if you are unavailable in a given week.
With these changes, the 50X50 will now be held every curling week during the season
Ice King
Facilities chair Greg Groves reported that the Ice King ice scraper, obtained new in February 2013 and valued at $12,000 to $15,000, may need replacement in the upcoming season. Lance Lowther explained that they are having difficulty obtaining needed parts, but it is possible that the company, under new ownership, will resolve its parts supply problems.
Junior, and Learn to Curl
A successful Seniors Learn to Curl program was held this past season, with the help of a grant from Curl PEI, with 9 participants. Plans are to have a general Learn to Curl program, of a shorter duration, next season, so they can integrate the graduates into the regular draws.
Junior curling enrollment was down slightly, but the program was very successful, with a large turnout for their U13 event. The instructional program will start Oct. 26 next season.
Daytime
Another successful season with busy draws. Money was raised to but a new BBQ for the Club. 64 curlers at the Ch’town/Cornwall combined day.
Advertising and Fundraising
Three news signs – for Cavendish Farms, Fly PEI, and J.A. Langdale Real Estate were sold last year, with signs for C.A.R.S. Auto Repair (Vision Auto) and KFC not renewed. Murphy’s Pharmacies bought an in-ice sign, and plans are to expand on this advertising format. A raffle for the Scotties in Sydney raised $440.
Manager and Icemaker
The competition for a new manager was successful, with Lori Fitzpatrick receiving the job offer. She is originally from Newfoundland and has recently been the bar manager of a golf and country club in British Columbia. Welcome!
Icemaker Lance Lowther has agreed to stay on to put the ice in this October. Staffing for new icemaking staff will occur in the fall.
Sponsorship and Volunteers
President Gary mentioned the great sponsorship and volunteerism the Club has and urged members who won draws and bonspiels to support the sponsors by using their gift certificates over the summer.
Next Season
Online Registration, and the same draws and club bonspiels schedule will continue.
The Saturday morning Junior Developmental league didn’t go last season, as a number of teams were competing in off-Island competitions. There are plans to bring the league back for the new season.
Cornwall will be hosting the provincial Senior Men’s and Women’s Curling Championships, (age 50+) and the Maritime Masters Men’s and Women’s Curling Championships (age 60+).
Board of Directors
Three members of the Board of Directors – Angela and Myrna Sanderson, and Jean Sinclair, have now served their term on the Board, and three new members were recommended by the Selection Committee, chaired by Past President Gary O’Sullivan. The following new Board Members were approved: Doug Campbell, Jennifer Lenentine, and Amanda MacIntosh.
New President
At the end of the meeting, two-term President O’Sullivan handed the (imaginary) gavel over to Bryan Sutherland, who will take on the role of President for the 2019-2020 season.
This is official notice that the Cornwall Curling Club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place on Friday, May 24 2019 at 7 pm at the Club, preceded by a half-hour social at 6:30 pm. All Club members are urged to attend.
This is official notice that the Cornwall Curling Club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place on Friday, May 24 2019 at 7 pm at the Club, preceded by a half-hour social at 6:30 pm. All Club members are urged to attend.
Sign up now for our annual nine-hole, Best Ball Golf Tournament on Saturday, June 15 at beautiful Countryview Golf Club, Route 19 in Fairview. You can sign up by contacting Gary O’Sullivan at bantamgary@gmail.com or 902-388-0592. Teams will be balanced as much as possible to accommodate all experience levels (including none at all!). The best ball/scramble format makes it fun for everyone! Please include your phone number, and golf handicap (if you know what that is). The tournament is followed by lunch and prizes (very few go home empty-handed).
Cost is $40 a player, or $20 for Countryview members (last year’s info, subject to confirmation for this year). Arrive by 8:30 am for the shotgun start at 9.
Sport PEI offers Sport Scholarship awards which recognize excellence and achievement in sport, academics and community involvement.
The 2019 scholarships are made possible with support from Sport Centre Physiotherapy, Avis Car Rental and Connolly Group and the family of Earl Smith.
In 2018, four scholarships of $1000.00 each were awarded to Island student athletes. Congratulations to curler Lauren Lenentine, along with Emma Jinks, Christopher McQuaid and Ethan Boyd.
The 2019 scholarships are made possible with support from Sport Centre Physiotherapy, Avis Car Rental and Connolly Group and the family of Earl Smith.
To be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria:
Graduating from a Prince Edward Island High School;
Have excelled in high school and or provincial sports during the current school year;
Have demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities through volunteerism and sport
Have maintained a strong academic standing during the current school year;
Entering 1st year at a post-secondary institution in the fall of the current year as a full-time student.
Applications for the scholarship must include the following items with the application form:
List and prioritize your five (5) most outstanding sport achievements. (Please be specific, e.g. 1st team All-Star AA Field Hockey, Bronze medal at Canadian Judo Championships-Junior division, -44 kg). in order of importance, International, National, Regional, Provincial & School or Club.
List of leadership & volunteering activities in community, sport & school
Detail your future plans in school and sport.
Two (2) Letters of Reference (sport and/or leadership).
The Cornwall Curling Club, a four-sheet curling facility located at 29 Cornwall Road, Cornwall PEI, is looking for a Club Manager. Employment will commence on or about September 30, 2019 and will end on or about April 11, 2020, with an option to renew each year for the next curling season.
The position of Club Manager is, on behalf of the Board of Directors, responsible for the overall operation of the Cornwall Curling Club, including the management of staff, provision of supplies, rental of the facility, and the maintenance of financial accounts and filing systems. The goal of the position is to ensure the club operates at a high level of efficiency, providing an inviting environment for members and customers.
As Club Manager, you will report to the Board of Directors. You will be responsible for club employees including; the ice maker, the cleaner, and all bartenders. Regular hours of work shall be Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week during the normal hours of operation of the Club, although your hours of work may vary and be irregular in order to perform the duties and meet the objectives of your employment and to fulfill the obligations of the Club.
Essential requirements of the job are basic computer skills such as Word, Excel and Simply Accounting or equivalent software. A valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle are also a requirement. If you are a people person, have experience working for a non-profit organization with a volunteer board of directors, or similar managerial experience, this may be the job for you. Curling skills not required.
A full job description is available upon request. Applications should be sent to Gary O’Sullivan at Bantamgary@gmail.com no later than May 10, 2019 with a view to finalizing a job offer before our Annual General Meeting on May 24, 2019.
Sport PEI offers Sport Scholarship awards which recognize excellence and achievement in sport, academics and community involvement.
The 2019 scholarships are made possible with support from Sport Centre Physiotherapy, Avis Car Rental and Connolly Group and the family of Earl Smith.
In 2018, four scholarships of $1000.00 each were awarded to Island student athletes. Congratulations to curler Lauren Lenentine, along with Emma Jinks, Christopher McQuaid and Ethan Boyd.
The 2019 scholarships are made possible with support from Sport Centre Physiotherapy, Avis Car Rental and Connolly Group and the family of Earl Smith.
To be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria:
Graduating from a Prince Edward Island High School;
Have excelled in high school and or provincial sports during the current school year;
Have demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities through volunteerism and sport
Have maintained a strong academic standing during the current school year;
Entering 1st year at a post-secondary institution in the fall of the current year as a full-time student.
Applications for the scholarship must include the following items with the application form:
List and prioritize your five (5) most outstanding sport achievements. (Please be specific, e.g. 1st team All-Star AA Field Hockey, Bronze medal at Canadian Judo Championships-Junior division, -44 kg). in order of importance, International, National, Regional, Provincial & School or Club.
List of leadership & volunteering activities in community, sport & school
Detail your future plans in school and sport.
Two (2) Letters of Reference (sport and/or leadership).
Here are the Draw winners for the season that have been sent to us. Thanks to our generous sponsors and congrats to all the award winners!
Monday evening Mixed
Congratulations to the winners of round one of our Monday evening single-entry mixed, who received gift certificates from sponsor Montana’s BBQ and Bar: Lorianne Davies, Donald Weeks, Rick Neumeyer, and Donna Musto.
L-R: Donald Weeks, Lorianne Davies, Donna Musto, Rick Neumeyer
Third: Paul Durant foursome (photos not available): Paul Durant, Danny Kneabone, Larry Nigh, Carl Currie
Everyone received gift cards along with a promo item from sponsor Upstreet Craft Brewing
(Photos courtesy of Jane DiCarlo)
Kneabone rink are daytime champs!
The Danny Kneabone rink are the winners of the Cornwall Curling Club’s Wednesday Daytime League, sponsored by Lance “The Iceman” Lowther, which wrapped up this afternoon. The winning team, which includes skip Danny Kneabone, third Karen Currie, second Al MacCormac, and lead Roger DesRoches, had a record of 12 wins and two losses for the season.
(L-R): Lance “The Iceman” Lowther, Roger DesRoches. Danny Kneabone, Al MacCormac. Missing from photo is Karen Currie
Ebbett and Nicholson teams win Wed. evening Ladder League final round
The Wednesday evening Ladder League wrapped up for the season tonight, with the Shelley Ebbett team winning the A pool and the Kim Nicholson team taking the B for round three.
Shelley is curling in the Canadian Masters in Saskatoon, and Colleen Soltermann was also not curling this week, so team members Paulette Richard and Kim Pippy had a couple of spares for the final night, but will ensure that the gift certificates from Clow’s Red and White get to their rightful owners. Going into the final night, both Ebbett and Rachael MacLean were tied in number of wins, and both won their games tonight, so we looked at head to head results. Ebbett beat MacLean in their round robin encounter and took the gift certificates.
Left to right: Mike MacDonald, Paulette Richard, Kim Pippy, Terry MacCormac
In the B pool, first place was a battle between the Kim Nicholson and Josh MacInnis rinks, who, as it happened were playing each other. Kim picked up the win and the gift certificates and notepad from New Glasgow Lobster Suppers.
Left to right: Darlene Howlett, Kim Nicholson, Jean Sinclair. Missing: Dena Farrell
Thanks to everyone who curled in our Ladder League again this year!
Thanks also to our round 3 sponsors, Clow’s Red and White, and New Glasgow Lobster Suppers!
Josh McInnis and Ray Biagé rinks win Wed. Ladder League Round Two
Although both teams lost their final game, the Josh McInnis and Ray Biagé teams won the Wendy’s “A” pool and Lowther’s Snow Removal “B” pool, respectively, as round two wrapped up this week in the Wednesday evening Ladder League. Both teams had only two losses in the round.
(L-R): Bob Deziel, Jesse Kennedy, Mitch Dunphy, Josh McInnis
Last round’s “A” winner, the Shelley Ebbett team, had the same win-loss record as the McInnis rink, but lost to them in their round robin encounter, so they missed out on the Wendy’s gift certificates from sponsor D.P. Murphy Inc.
The Biagé team won the “B” pool thanks to Mark MacDonald, who picked up a win over Rachel MacLean in a final-night battle of second-place teams. Had MacLean won, she would have taken the first place prize from sponsor Lowther’s Snow Removal (gift certificates for the Cornwall Curling Club), as she and Biagé would have had the same record (two losses), and she had beaten Biagé in their round robin match. Since the Biagé foursome had beaten the MacDonald team in their game, they won the round via the head-to-head results.
(L-R): Ray Biagé, Rick Doiron, Rebecca Rolfe, Derek MacEwen
Ebbett, Sanderson rinks win Wednesday Ladder League round one
Round one of the Wednesday Evening Ladder League concluded Wednesday evening, with the Shelley Ebbett rink winning the “A” Pool, and the Emily Sanderson rink taking the “B”. The Ebbett rink and the Kim Nicholson team were tied going into their final game, against each other, but Ebbett, and her team of Kim Pippy and Paulette Richard, helped out by Joe Callaghan who was sparing for Colleen Soltermann, were on their game this evening, and picked up the win. The Sanderson team were leading by a couple of games and had secured the B Pool top spot before tonight’s match. Other members of the team are Emma Coffin, Kaylee Stewart, and AnnaMaria MacDonald. The Ebbett team won $25 Cornwall Curling Club gift certificates, courtesy of sponsor Lowther’s Snow Removal, while the Sanderson squad won $20 gift certificates for Sam’s Cornwall Restaurant.
(Right to Left) A Pool winners Shelley Ebbett, Paulette Richard, and Kim Pippy. Missing from photo is Colleen Soltermann
(Right to Left): B Pool winners Emily Sanderson, Emma Coffin, Kaylee Stewart, and AnnaMaria MacDonald.
Beck rink wins final Thursday evening draw of the season
The final Thursday evening draw of the season, sponsored by Griffin’s Towing and Service Centre, wrapped up tonight, with the rink of Melody Beck, Doug Kelly, Len Cudmore and Amanda MacIntosh receiving the sponsor prizes. Thanks to the players and organizers for another great season of Thursday evening curling!
(L-R): Melody Beck, Doug Kelly, Len Cudmore, and Amanda MacIntosh
Winners of Thursday Evening League Round Two, sponsored by Mary’s Cornwall Bakery
The first round, sponsored by Pizza Delight, of the Thursday evening single entry mixed league concluded last evening, and was won by the three-person team of (left to right) David O’Connor, Jennifer Lenentine, and Hans Wicki.
L-R: O’Connor, Lenentine, Wicki
Sunday evening Mixed Doubles
Sponsor Sam’s Family Restaurant, Cornwall – no report received
The ice is out, and it’s time to wrap up another great season at our Club!
Team Ferguson returning from the Canada Games
One of the highlights of the year was the Lauren Ferguson rink competing in THREE Canadian Championships – the Canadian Juniors, the Canada Games, and the Under 18, with David Murphy coaching the first two, and Pat Quilty subbing in the U18 while David was curling in the Canadian Masters. They also won the Fall Fling in Summerside. Team member Alexis Burris and coach Quilty both won Balance Plus Fair Play awards at the U18.
Team Mitchell Schut was also both Canada Games and U18 reps.
We also hosted both the Maritime and the Canadian Stick Curling Championships, along with the PEI Under 18 championships, and by all reports, all went well!
Here is a month-by-month recap of our season. Click on each story for more info.
August:
2018 Canada 55+ Games in Saint John, N.B.:
The Cornwall rink of Gloria Clarke, Ruth Stavert, Elaine Hughes, and Janette Fraser won the 65-plus women’s curling division, while Cornwall member Marjorie Matthews earned two gold medals and a silver in track and field, In bocce, Adrian Clarke and Cornwall member Ernie Stavert were in a four-way tie for first but lost on tie-breaking rules.
Remaining events this year are our Annual General Meeting on May 24th, and our annual Golf Tournament on June 15
Next season will be somewhat of a transition year at the Club, with our long-time Manager, Bev McCormick, retiring, and Lance Lowther, our only head ice-maker since the Club began, also announcing that he is stepping back. We wish them the best of luck in the future and note that our Club will have a number of changes to deal with, but we’re sure things will go well, with help from our members and our Board of Directors! We hope to see everyone back at the Club in mid-October for our 2019-2020 season!
Glooscap Curling Club members Sandra Walker and Uttara Deshpande recently won gold at the Canadian Women’s Stick Curling Championship in Cornwall, P.E.I. – Contributed
‘It hasn’t sunk in yet’
KENTVILLE, N.S. — It wasn’t too long ago that Uttara Deshpandewas second-guessing her future in curling while friends held her upright on the ice during a learn to curl event.
“I thought, ‘this is not going to work for me,’” the North Kentville resident recalled with a laugh in a recent interview.
When her husband retired and suggested they try curling, she welcomed the idea with an open mind. She’d played sports in the past but nothing in a rink – nothing that involved hurrying hard on the hard ice surface.
Her first objective in learning to curl was facing her fears.
“I was just afraid of the ice because I had never been on the ice,” she said.
That’s hardly the case today.
“I love to be on the ice and in the morning almost every day I go, and I play the game,” said Deshpande.
The folks at Kentville’s Glooscap Curling Club took her under their collective wing and pointed her in the direction of stick curling, a version of the sport that allows the curler to wear a gripper sole on both feet.
“The people are very nice, very friendly,” she said.
“Everybody helped us so much, especially me, because for me it’s a new game.”
Some four years later Deshpande is celebrating a big win.
Sheis quick to hand the credit off to her stick curling partner, Sandra Walker, and the Glooscap Curling Club as she reflects on ending the current season with a gold-medal win at nationals.
“We managed to win, and it hasn’t sunk in yet,” she said, with glee.
“We thought we would go and see how it goes.”
They went to the recent Canadian Women’s Stick Curling Championship in Cornwall, P.E.I. thinking they’d likely be taking in the final match as spectators.
Needless to say, they thought wrong.
“We kept calm and here we are, we are national champions,” said Deshpande.
Walker had decades of curling experience under her belt before she transitioned to stick curling about five years ago. That said, the recent gold-medal performance at nationals marked a first in her curling career.
The Coldbrook resident has watched with enthusiasm asDeshpande evolved into a force to be reckoned with on the ice, at home and afar.
“She can be deadly with a stick. She’s doing very, very well,” said Walker.
Synergy Fitness & Nutrition is once again offering an off-season Sport Performance Training Program to Island curlers. All ages are welcome. The folks at Synergy Fitness & Nutrition will work with your level of fitness to ensure your training is fitting your needs.
Participating Curlers will receive:
60-minute Training Sessions
Training Program
Training Skills Session (Goal Setting, Growth Mindset, Nutrition, etc.)
Performance Fitness Testing
This 36+ Session Package is $250+tax.
In addition to the package, Curl PEI is hosting a FREE TRAINING NIGHT, open to those who would like to try it out before committing as well as to those who already know they will be participating and would like to get started! The FREE TRAINING NIGHT will be Monday, May 6 from 6:30-8:30 pm and will include 60 minutes of training as well as a Goal Setting Session. Please let me know if you are interested in attending the FREE TRAINING NIGHT by Friday, May 3 (minimum participation is required).
The Sport Performance Training Program will run Mondays and Wednesdays (May 6-September 18) starting at 6:30 pm. If you miss a session you will be provided makeup times/dates. If you are unable to attend on Mondays and Wednesdays you can work with the folks at Synergy Fitness & Nutrition to find a schedule that works for you.
*Note: May 6 & May 8 will be 6:30-8: 30 pm as there will be 60 minutes in the gym followed by a workshop session*
This is a great opportunity to work on conditioning in the off-season to prepare to reach your goals next winter.
If you are interested in participating in this program please let me know by May 3.
The Cornwall Curling Club, a four-sheet curling facility located at 29 Cornwall Road, Cornwall PEI, is looking for a Club Manager. Employment will commence on or about September 30, 2019 and will end on or about April 11, 2020, with an option to renew each year for the next curling season.
The position of Club Manager is, on behalf of the Board of Directors, responsible for the overall operation of the Cornwall Curling Club, including the management of staff, provision of supplies, rental of the facility, and the maintenance of financial accounts and filing systems. The goal of the position is to ensure the club operates at a high level of efficiency, providing an inviting environment for members and customers.
As Club Manager, you will report to the Board of Directors. You will be responsible for club employees including; the ice maker, the cleaner, and all bartenders. Regular hours of work shall be Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week during the normal hours of operation of the Club, although your hours of work may vary and be irregular in order to perform the duties and meet the objectives of your employment and to fulfill the obligations of the Club.
Essential requirements of the job are basic computer skills such as Word, Excel and Simply Accounting or equivalent software. A valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle are also a requirement. If you are a people person, have experience working for a non-profit organization with a volunteer board of directors, or similar managerial experience, this may be the job for you. Curling skills not required.
A full job description is available upon request. Applications should be sent to Gary O’Sullivan at Bantamgary@gmail.com no later than May 10, 2019 with a view to finalizing a job offer before our Annual General Meeting on May 24, 2019.
Once again Team Red wins, but things were definitely closer than the last few years…it was a nail biter for sure!
Well another closing spiel has wrapped up. The Leary’s Independent Grocer Red vs. Blue Spiel has come to an end with a victory for the Red team! Using the Skins format again this year, the Friday night draw ended with both teams tied! The Red Team overtook the Blue Team in the end though!
Throughout the weekend there were a few ways to earn bonus points. Friday night word games were played and Saturday was all about team challenge activities! Lots of fun was had by all who participated and the energy in the room was contagious!
Amanda (right)
At the end of the day, Shirley Berry took home $100, half of the Draw to the Button sign-up fees . The 50/50 was drawn by Jen Lenentine with Amanda MacIntosh taking home $105.
Gerald
The reverse draw for a membership was held again this year and Gerald Dykerman was the big winner.
Paul (right) with organizer Lacey Gallant
A prize was awarded to our best-dressed member, Paul Neima of the Blue Team (not the first time he has won this!)
There was no shortage of food on the weekend. Friday night curlers were treated to lots of finger foods as well as entertainment from the band, Just Cuz. Saturday we enjoyed muffins, sweet loaves and biscuits for breakfast from Mary’s Bakery and lunch was barbecued burgers and sausages.
After the last of the stones were thrown for the year, we headed upstairs for our amazing beef dinner prepared by Alan Carmichael. After dinner, our Club President, Gary O’Sullivan presented the prizes and thanked organizers, members, club staff, and all our many volunteers! He was not exaggerating saying that this had been a great season, and inviting everyone to attend the annual Golf Tournament.
Top team (L-R): Hans Wicki, Bryan Sutherland, Jen Lenentine, Gerald Dykerman
2nd place (by a draw): Angus Kennedy, Myrna Sanderson, George Piercey
The awards ceremony started then with 1st prize to the Spiel Champs, taking first place for Team Red, Team Bryan Sutherland (by a draw after a tie with Team Angus Kennedy), who were given the first pick from the table, then on to the highest amount of skins being won by the Team Blue (a tie) Team Greg Groves and Team Joe Callaghan. All other teams were then called up in order of skins they had won to choose from the prize table.
Laurie and I would like to extend a special thank you to Ray Biage for doing up the Teams & Draws for this event and Derek MacEwen for his computer expertise! We know Draw Master is not an easy Job! Thanks! Also thanks to our Banker, Carlene Peters, nothing got by her!
As always there are many thanks to pass along and in fear of forgetting someone we would like to just thank all those who helped out even if you didn’t think what you did was a big job it was to us as organizers. All the little things really add up to something Big! So a big Thank you to all our Volunteers!!! Lastly to our sponsor Leary’s Independent Grocer it’s great to have your support thanks so much!!!
We hope everyone enjoys their summer off and look forward to doing it all over again next year!
Organizers Lacey Gallant & Laurie Kelly
Here is an album of photos from the event, courtesy of Lacey and Amanda. Click to enlarge.
Sign up now for our annual nine-hole, Best Ball Golf Tournament on Saturday, June 15 at beautiful Countryview Golf Club, Route 19 in Fairview. You can sign up by contacting Gary O’Sullivan at bantamgary@gmail.com or 902-388-0592. Teams will be balanced as much as possible to accommodate all experience levels (including none at all!). The best ball/scramble format makes it fun for everyone! Please include your phone number, and golf handicap (if you know what that is). The tournament is followed by lunch and prizes (very few go home empty-handed).
Cost is $40 a player, or $20 for Countryview members (last year’s info, subject to confirmation for this year). Arrive by 8:30 am for the shotgun start at 9.
This is official notice that the Cornwall Curling Club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place on Friday, May 24 2019 at 7 pm at the Club, preceded by a half-hour social at 6:30 pm. All Club members are urged to attend.
I would like to thank the club members, board and staff for the very generous retirement gifts. I will certainly enjoy using the gifts and remembering your thoughtfulness.
I really appreciated all of the kind words, well wishes and lots of great retirement advice.
As I look forward to a new life after my retirement, I will certainly miss the enjoyable time I have spent working for the Cornwall Curling Club. I will very much miss seeing everyone on a daily or weekly basis; the draws, the events, the meetings and even the small disasters!
I am very proud of what the Club has accomplished over the years and wish the club members, board and staff continued success.
The PEI Stick Curling Association and the Cornwall Club received many compliments from all across Canada as we played host to 62 teams from 8 provinces and the Yukon from March 31 to April 3. This was the largest championship in the history of Canadian stick curling. We were fortunate to have had the expertise and dedication of many people to make this happen.
I will not attempt to name every person at the Charlottetown and Cornwall Clubs who helped make the event successful. However, I will identify the people who assumed leadership positions. They are: a)the core Host Committee from Stick Curl PEI- Audrey Callaghan, Roger Gavin, Shirley Lank, Bryan Sutherland, and Ernie Stavert, b)managing the two days at Charlottetown were Kimball Blanchard, Cathy Dillon, and Dennis Fleming, c) Carolyn Crockett who coordinated the hospitality at Cornwall, d)Angela Hodgson who chaired the official opening e) Sterling Stratton for taking care of the entertainment at a very successful banquet, f) the staff at Cornwall under the leadership of Club Manager, Bev McCormick (special thanks to Lance Lowther and his crew for doing the ice every 2 hours for 4 long days). Bev’s experience and dedication were much appreciated g) finally to Amy Duncan and Derek MacEwen for doing the program and live scoring for what was likely the largest event in the computer era of curling on PEI. Their work received accolades from many, many participants including the Canadian Stick Curling Executive. h)finally to Ruth Stavert for her assistance and patience over many months. To quote Bev McCormick, ” When the Staverts volunteer for something, you get two for one”
Once again thanks to all who contributed to a successful event.
Once again Team Red wins, but things were definitely closer than the last few years…it was a nail biter for sure!
Well another closing spiel has wrapped up. The Leary’s Independent Grocer Red vs. Blue Spiel has come to an end with a victory for the Red team! Using the Skins format again this year, the Friday night draw ended with both teams tied! The Red Team overtook the Blue Team in the end though!
Throughout the weekend there were a few ways to earn bonus points. Friday night word games were played and Saturday was all about team challenge activities! Lots of fun was had by all who participated and the energy in the room was contagious!
At the end of the day, Shirley Berry took home $100, half of the Draw to the Button sign-up fees . The 50/50 was drawn by Jen Lenentine with Amanda MacIntosh taking home $105. The reverse draw for a membership was held again this year and Gerald Dykerman was the big winner. A prize was awarded to our best-dressed member, Paul Neima of the Blue Team, as well.
There was no shortage of food on the weekend. Friday night curlers were treated to lots of finger foods as well as entertainment from the band, Just Cuz. Saturday we enjoyed muffins, sweet loaves and biscuits for breakfast from Mary’s Bakery and lunch was barbecued burgers and sausages.
After the last of the stones were thrown for the year, we headed upstairs for our amazing beef dinner prepared by Alan Carmichael. After dinner,our Club President, Gary O’Sullivan presented the prizes and thanked organizers, members, club staff, and all our many volunteers!
He was not exaggerating saying that this had been a great season, and inviting everyone to attend the annual Golf Tournament. The awards ceremony started then with 1st prize to Spiel Champs, taking first place for Team Red, Team Bryan Sutherland (by a draw after a tie with Team Angus Kennedy), who were given the first pick from the table, then on to the highest amount of skins being won by the Team Blue (a tie) Team Greg Groves and Team Joe Callaghan. All other teams were then called up in order of skins they had won to choose from the prize table.
Laurie and I would like to extend a special thank you to Ray Biage for doing up the Teams & Draws for this event and Derek McEwen for his computer expertise! We know Draw Master is not an easy Job! Thanks! Also thanks to our Banker, Carlene Peters, nothing got by her!
As always there are many thanks to pass along and in fear of forgetting someone we would like to just thank all those who helped out even if you didn’t think what you did was a big job it was to us as organizers. All the little things really add up to something Big! So a big Thank you to all our Volunteers!!! Lastly to our sponsor Leary’s Independent Grocer it’s great to have your support thanks so much!!!
We hope everyone enjoys their summer off and look forward to doing it all over again next year!
SHERWOOD PARK, ALTA. — Northern Ontario’s Bella Croisier and her team became the first to win gold at both the Canada Winter Games and Canadian Under-18 Curling Championships in the same season.
2019 Canadian Under-18 Curling Champions. Team Ontario of the Coldwater & District Curling Club: Dylan Niepage, Sam Hastings, Cameron Vanbodegom, Treyton Cowell, Chris Inglis and .Jeff Vanbodegom. Team Northern Ontario of the Idylwylde Golf & Country Club, Sudbury: Bella Croisier, Jamie Smith, Piper Croisier, Lauren Rajala, Shawn Croisier. (Photo, Infinite Eye Photography)
Croisier, vice-skip Jamie Smith, second Piper Croisier, lead Lauren Rajala and coach Shawn Croisier of the Idylwylde Golf & Country Club in Sudbury, Ont., defeated Ontario’s Emily Deschenes (Manotick Curling Club) 6-2 on Sunday afternoon at the Glen Allan Recreation Complex in Sherwood Park, Alta.
It’s the second national gold medal the team will add to its trophy case this season. Team Croisier won gold at the Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, Alta., in February 2019.
“What a way to end the season. We played really good all week and I’m pumped,” Croisier said.
Croisier and her team took control of the game in the second half. Northern Ontario had a 2-1 lead at the fourth-end break and produced steals of two in both the fifth and sixth ends to take control of the game.
“I’m so happy. Couldn’t believe we actually pulled it out. I don’t have any words,” she said, noting her team stayed positive throughout the week which helped lead to their success.
On the men’s side, Ontario’s Dylan Niepage of the Coldwater & District Curling Club and his team won their first national Under-18 title. Ontario defeated British Columbia’s Erik Colwell (Vernon/Kamloops/Invermere Curling Clubs) in a closely-contested 6-5 game.
With the game tied 2-2, Ontario capitalized on a steal of two in the third and a steal of one in the fourth for a 5-2 lead.
“It’s so surreal. The fact that we came into this even hoping to make the championship round and now to be wearing this gold medal is just so surreal,” Niepage said following the game.
Ontario started the week with one win and two losses before putting together seven straight wins to claim the gold medal.
“We’ve been so resilient. Even though we were down in the beginning of the week we fought back every single game,” he said.
One of Ontario’s initial losses came at the hand’s of Colwell. That 4-3 loss in the first game of the week was in the back of Niepage’s mind going into the final, but he believes his team improved a lot over the week.
“We had known we didn’t play our best. We knew if we played as well as we had been for the last four or five games that we’d have a pretty good shot of at least making it close and winning,” he said. “We knew it was going to be a close and tough game no matter what, so it was nice to end up on the winning side this time.”
Bronze-medal winners were also determined on Sunday afternoon. Manitoba’s Jordon McDonald (St. Vital Curling Club, Winnipeg) defeated Nova Scotia’s Adam McEachren (Truro Curling Club) 4-2 to win bronze. His team consists of vice-skip Jaedon Neuert, second Braxton Kuntz, lead Alexandre Fontaine and coach John Neuert.
British Columbia’s Kaila Buchy (Kimberley Curling Club) picked up a solid bronze-medal win on the girl’s side against New Brunswick’s Melodie Forsythe (Curl Moncton) 8-1. Buchy’s team is rounded out by vice-skip Katelyn McGillivray, second Hannah Lindner, lead Arissa Toffolo and coach Tom Buchy.
U18 Mixed Doubles Gold Medallist Mitchell Schut (left) and Silver Medallist Liam Kelly
A mixed doubles tournament for non-playoff teams also concluded Sunday. Cate Fitzgerald (Nova Scotia)/Mitchell Schut (Prince Edward Island) and coach Brian Kelln (Northwest Territories) defeatedTaylourStevens (Nova Scotia)/Liam Kelly (Prince Edward Island) and coach Les Sonnenberg (Alberta Host Team) 8-6 in the gold-medal game.
Chasity Atigikyoak (Northwest Territories) and Zachary Pedneault (Quebec) won bronze earlier in the day by defeating Katie Follett (Newfoundland & Labrador) and Sean Breadmore (Northern Ontario).
Players and coaches awards were also handed out on Sunday. The Balance Plus Fair Play Awards (as voted on by umpires) were awarded to:
Girls: Skip: Cynthia St-Georges, Quebec Third: Shayla Moore, Saskatchewan Second: Alexis Burris, Prince Edward Island Lead: Caylee Smith, New Brunswick Coach: Pat Quilty, Prince Edward Island
Boys: Skip: Adam McEachren, Nova Scotia Third: Wil Robertson, New Brunswick Second: Jaxon Hiebert, Alberta Host Team Lead: Shawn Dragon, Northwest Territories Coach: Les Sonnenberg, Alberta Host Team
Players and coaches voted on the Sportsmanship Awards with the winners being: Girl’s Pool A: Kiana Maningas, Yukon Girls’s Pool B: Katie Follett, Newfoundland and Labrador Men’s Pool A: Jaedon Neuert, Manitoba Men’s Pool B: Ethan Nygaard, Saskatchewan
Coaching awards were also presented to: Girl’s: Michel St-Georges, Quebec Boy’s: Tara Naugler, Northwest Territories
Under 18 in Sherwood Park Alberta: PEI teams have finished out of the Championship Round. Lauren Ferguson girl’s rink got off to a great start with a 3-0 record, but lost their last three round robin games, to Northern Ont., Alberta 2, and Ontario. The Mitchell Schut boy’s finished at 2-4, losing their last three matches to Saskatchewan and the two Alberta rinks.
Canadian Masters in Saskatoon: PEI’s Sandy Hope women’s team advanced to the Championship round, and have a 3-5 record, and will finish up against Alberta at 1 pm Saturday. Sask. leads at 8-0, followed by Albarta at 7-1.
PEI’s Bill Hope men’s rink were in the Seeding Pool following round robin play, and are at 2-6, finishing against NS today. Sask. leads at 8-0, followed by BC at 7-1.
Under 18 in Sherwood Park Alberta: Cornwall’s Lauren Ferguson girl’s rink are atop the standings with a 3-0 record following Wednesday play, with wins over the Yukon and Nova Scotia. They play Northern Ontario today. The Mitchell Schut boy’s team, also from Cornwall, is 2-2, following a win over NL and a loss to Sask. Team Schut faces Alberta today.
Sandy Hope team
Canadian Masters in Saskatoon: Cornwall’s Sandy Hope women’s team has advanced to the Championship round, finishing the round robin with a 3-2 record. Bill Hope and his Cornwall and Silver Fox men’s rink ended round robin play at 2-4 and will go to the seeding pool. The event wraps up on Sunday.
The Wednesday evening Ladder League wrapped up for the season tonight, with the Shelley Ebbett team winning the A pool and the Kim Nicholson team taking the B for round three.
Shelley is curling in the Canadian Masters in Saskatoon, and Colleen Soltermann was also not curling this week, so team members Paulette Richard and Kim Pippy had a couple of spares for the final night, but will ensure that the gift certificates from Clow’s Red and White get to their rightful owners. Going into the final night, both Ebbett and Rachael MacLean were tied in number of wins, and both won their games tonight, so we looked at head to head results. Ebbett beat MacLean in their round robin encounter and took the gift certificates.
Left to right: Mike MacDonald, Paulette Richard, Kim Pippy, Terry MacCormac
In the B pool, first place was a battle between the Kim Nicholson and Josh MacInnis rinks, who, as it happened were playing each other. Kim picked up the win and the gift certificates and notepad from New Glasgow Lobster Suppers.
Left to right: Darlene Howlett, Kim Nicholson, Jean Sinclair. Missing: Dena Farrell
Thanks to everyone who curled in our Ladder League again this year!
Thanks also to our round 3 sponsors, Clow’s Red and White, and New Glasgow Lobster Suppers!
Nova Scotia teams have won both gold medals at the Canadian Stick Curling Championships, which wrapped up Wednesday afternoon at the Cornwall Curling Club.
Open Division Gold Medal winners Dave MacDougal (left) and Paul Doucet
The duo of Paul Doucet and Dave MacDougal from Nova Scotia defeated the Leslie Hardy and Glen Betts twosome from the Western Community Curling Club in Alberton by a 6-1 score in the Open (men and mixed) division championship game. The Alberton team are relatively new to the stick curling variant of curling, and were called in to play at the last minute after another team could not make it due to a flight cancellation.
Open Division Silver Medallists Glen Betts (left) and Leslie Hardy
Women’s Gold Medallists Sandra Walker (left) and Uttara Deshpande
Meanwhile, the team of Uttara Deshpande/Sandra Walker beat the host club duo of Gloria Clarke and Ruth Stavert 7-3 in the women’s final.
Women’s Silver Medallists Gloria Clarke (left) and Ruth Stavert
The Cornwall team of Etta Reid and Elaine Hughes won the women’s bronze medal game, beating the Patti Simpson/Lynn Doucette duo from Nova Scotia 10-3 in the bronze medal game, while the team of Brian Nickerson and John Cameron from Nova Scotia took the Open division bronze, with a 4-2 win over Cornwall’s Roddie MacLean, teamed up with Haylett Clarke from Nova Scotia.
Etta Reid (left), and Elaine Hughes, Women’s Bronze Medallists
John Cameron (left) and Brian Nickerson, Open Division Bronze Medallists
Next year’s Canadian Open Stick Curling Championship will be at the Highland Curling Club in Regina.
Here are photos from the Banquet on Monday evening at the Rodd Royalty for the Canadian Stick Curling Championship, which concludes today at the Cornwall Curling Club. Some of the banquet highlights include dancing by the Havenwood Dancers, fiddling by 12-year-old Lucas Hall, exercise and comedic stylings from Sterling Stratton, who also held a contest based on the names of the curlers in the event, followed by speeches from organizer Ernie Stavert, Cornwall Deputy Mayor Cory Stevenson, Cornwall Curlling Club President Gary O’Sullivan, Canadian Stick Curling President Harold Cook, and Bob Dunlop, from the Highland Curling Club in Regina SK, who will be the hosts for next year’s Championship. Ernie, PEI’s first Stick Curler, was also presented, by Sterling Stratton, who originally came to him with the idea, with a replica of Ernie’s first stick, a piece of PVC pipe with an elbow on the end.
The playoff round goes today at the Canadian Open Stick Curling Championship here in Cornwall, with the Open (men and mixed) and Women’s finals at 3:20 pm.
Under 18 in Sherwood Park Alberta: Cornwall’s Lauren Ferguson girl’s rink are 1-0 following opening day play, with a 5-3 win over Saskatchewan. They play the Yukon and Nova Scotia today. The Mitchell Schut boy’s team, also from the Cornwall Curling Club, is 1-1, following a loss to Nova Scotia and a 5-4 win over Josh Nowlan and his New Brunswick team. Nowlan is the grandson of PEI curlers Lou and Marg Nowlan. Team Schut faces Newfoundland and Labrador, and Saskatchewan today.
Sandy Hope team
Canadian Masters in Saskatoon: round robin play wraps up today. Cornwall’s Bill Hope men’s rink is 1-3 following Tuesday losses to Newfoundland/Labrador and Saskatchewan, and play the Yukon and Quebec today, while Cornwall’s Sandy Hope women’s team is 2-1 following wins over the Yukon and Quebec yesterday and play Newfoundland/Labrador and Saskatchewan today.
Round robin play wrapped up on Tuesday at the Cornwall Curling Club in the Canadian Open Stick Curling Championship, with five Open Divison (men or mixed) teams coming out of their round-robin pools with perfect 5-0 win-loss records, and the top two teams from each of the eight pools advancing to playoff games at 8 or 9:15 am on Wednesday. The winners will square off in the quarter-finals at 12 noon, with the semis going at 1:45 pm, and the Open final at 3:20 pm.
The 8 am 1st round playoff matchups see Stewart/MacDonald (PE, 3-2) play Doucet/MacDougal (NS, 5-0), MacCulloch/Johnston (MB, 5-0) take on Beach/Desnoyres (SK, 4-1), Nickerson/Cameron (NS, 3-2) face Campbell/Campbell (MB, 5-0), and Oliver/MacMillan (MB, 3-2) play Dunsford/Clarey (PE, 4-1)
The 9:15 1st round Open Division playoff pairings will have Sheckenberger/Mattis (ON, 3-2) meet Malcomson/Thurston (ON, 5-0), Russell/Larson (NS, 4-1) face MacLean/Clarke (PE/NS, 4-1), Hardy/Betts (PE, 4-1) play Kerwin/Power (PE, 4-1), and Rutt/Slauenwhite (NS, 5-0) battle Bennett/Densmore (NS, 3-2).
In the Women’s section, the top four teams in each of the two pools square off in the quarter-finals at 10:45 am, with the winners advancing to the semis at 1:45 pm and the Women’s final at 3:20 pm.
The Women’s quarters will see Simpson/Doucette (NS, 3-2) play Barwise/Callaghan (PE, 4-1), Skiffington/Mattson (NS, 3-2) face Despande/Walker (NS, 3-2) Sanderson/Craswell (PE, 4-1) battle host clubmates Reid/Hughes (PE, 3-2) and Clarke/Stavert (PE, 3-2) square off against Densmore/Belliveau (NS, 3-2)
Future Canadian curling stars are converging in Sherwood Park, Alta., for the third edition of the Canadian Under-18 Boys and Girls Curling Championships, beginning today at the Glen Allan Recreation Complex.
Both the Nova Scotia boys and girls teams will attempt to defend their titles at the 2019 Under-18 Canadian Curling Championships. (Photo, Curling Canada/Mark Finley)
Both the Nova Scotia boy’s and girl’s teams are aiming to defend their titles after sweeping the competition last year in Saint Andrews, N.B.
Nova Scotia boys vice-skip Owen Purcell and lead Scott Weagle return from last year’s lineup, this time joined by skip Adam McEachren and second Alex McDonah from the Truro Curling Club. Coach Anthony Purcell returns as coach.
It is Purcell’s third national championship this season. He threw fourth stones for Nova Scotia at the 2019 New Holland Canadian Juniors and third for Dalhousie University Tigers at the 2019 U SPORTS-Curling Canada Championships.
Alberta will have two boys teams at the event. The first team, which won the Alberta U-18 title, is skipped by Nathan Molberg from the St. Albert Curling Club. His team played at the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, Alta., last month and advanced to the quarter-finals with a 7-3 round-robin record.
Alberta will also have a host team skipped by Cortland Sonnenberg, the son of Renée, who skipped Alberta at the 1999 and 2001 Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Sonnenberg is also a coach for the Curling Canada women’s program and analytics lead.
(L-R): Schut, Johnston, Kelly, MacKenzie, coach Lori Robinson
[PEI is once again represented by the Mitchell Schut rink from the Cornwall Curling Club, which also includes Nick Johnston, Liam Kelly, and Colin MacKenzie, who were also PEI’s Canada Games boys representatives this season.]
Fourteen boys teams will compete for the title. Nunavut and Yukon are not sending representation; therefore those spots were filled by the Alberta host team and, because it won last year’s competition, Nova Scotia received a second spot in the boy’s event – the Ethan Young rink from Halifax.
On the women’s side the defending Nova Scotia girl’s champions, skipped by Isabelle Ladouceur, will not be in the competition but the province still has strong representation. Cally Moore of the Mayflower Curling Club in Halifax aims to build on the bronze medal she earned at the 2019 Canada Winter Games.
However, the Canada Winter Games gold-medallists might have something to say about that. Northern Ontario’s Bella Croisier hopes to win her second gold medal in Alberta in just over the span of a month at the U-18 championships after earning gold for Ontario at the Canada Winter Games.
(L-R): Ferguson, Shaw, Burris, Murray, coach Pat Quilty
The quartet of Lauren Ferguson, Katie Shaw, Alexis Burris and Lexie Murray from the Cornwall Curling Club in Prince Edward Island will also reach a special milestone this season. This will be third time they’ve represented P.E.I. at a national curling championship this season after playing at the New Holland Canadian Juniors and Canada Winter Games.
Nunavut is not represented in the girl’s competition this year; therefore in addition to Alberta’s championship team skipped by Jessica Wytrychowski (Airdrie Curling Club), Alberta will also have a host team led by Julia Bakos from the Crestwood Curling Club in Edmonton.
The teams competing will attempt to continue a trend that’s been set over the first two years of the event. Each year a province has swept both the boy’s and girl’s titles. Northern Ontario won both titles during the inaugural championships in 2017 and Nova Scotia did the same in 2018.
The fourteen teams in both the boys and girls competitions are divided into two pools of seven. They’ll play a six-game round robin with the top four teams from each pool advancing to a double-knockout bracket that will qualify four teams for the medal-round games. Those four teams compete in the semifinals with the winners advancing to the gold-medal games and the losers playing for bronze.
Listen to CBC Radio’s Mainstreet this afternoon for a feature on the Canadian Stick Curling Championship here in Cornwall. Mainstreet airs from 4-6 pm.
Play got underway Monday at the 2019 College Clean Restoration Canadian Masters Curling Championships, for curlers age 60 and over, which continues through April 7 at the Nutana Curling Club in Saskatoon,
PEI’s Bill Hope rink split their opening day draws, downing the Northwest Territories 11-2, and losing 7-3 to Alberta. The Islanders play NL and Saskatchewan today. The Sandy Hope women’s rink lost their opener 9-3 to NS and take on the Yukon and Quebec in Tuesday action.
The 2019 College Clean Restoration Canadian Masters Curling Championships, for curlers age 60 and over, goes from March 31 to April 7 at the Nutana Curling Club in Saskatoon, with the first draws taking place on Monday April 1st. PEI will be represented by the Bill Hope rink from the Cornwall and Silver Fox clubs, and the Sandy Hope team from Cornwall.
Here are photos and a video of the piping-in of the curlers at the 2019 Canadian Open Stick Curling Championship at the Cornwall Curling Club. Angela Hodgson was the Master of Ceremonies. Phyllis Lowther sang the National Anthem, Cornwall Deputy Mayor Corey Stevenson and Cornwall Curling Club President Gary O’Sullivan (who did double duty as flag bearer) were on hand with words of welcome. Lance Lowther, icemaker at the Cornwall Curling Club since its inception, used a delivery stick to throw the ceremonial 1st rock, while Ernie Stavert, championship organizer and one of the early members of the Cornwall club, was on hand to sweep the rock, which ended up in the four foot ring without much sweeping needed.
The 2019 Canadian Open Stick Curling Championship is being hosted by the Cornwall Curling Club from March 31-April 3, with curling getting underway at 9 am on Sunday the 31st. Some of the games the first two days are being played at the Charlottetown Curling Complex. Sixty-two two-person teams, from eight provinces and one territory, are taking part. There are 48 teams in the Open division (men and mixed) and 14 in the Women’s division, which was introduced when Cornwall previously hosted the championship back in 2013, and beginning this year, the division is now a permanent part of the championship.
There will be about 170 games played in total. Besides having an “Open” division, the championship is also “open” in that, although spots are reserved for the champions in each province and territory that chooses to participate, additional spots are available for other teams, on a space-available basis.
Much like the other two-person version of curling, “Mixed Doubles”, Stick Curling is relatively new, and both new versions share similarities, although there are also differences. Of course, the biggest difference with Stick Curling is that “delivery sticks” are used to deliver the curling rock from a standing position, rather than having the curler slide out from an ice-level rubber “hack”. Although it can be played and enjoyed by anyone, Stick Curling is designed to accommodate persons who might have difficulty sliding from the hack to deliver a rock. Additionally, and unlike Mixed Doubles, there is no sweeping between the hog lines.
With both sports, the maximum number of points that may be scored per end is six, while eight points (although rare) may be scored in an end of traditional four-person per team curling. Six rocks are thrown per team per end in Stick Curling, while Mixed Doubles has one rock per team pre-positioned on the playing surface, and five rocks are thrown per team in each end. Stick Curling games are six ends and take about an hour to play, while Mixed Doubles games are normally eight ends and take slightly longer. The first Canadian Stick Curling Championship was held in Winnipeg in 2008. Coincidentally, the 1st World Mixed Doubles Championship also took place the same year.
2013 champs Roddie MacLean (left) and Paul Field, after scoring a rare “six-ender” at that event.
When Cornwall previously hosted back in 2013, the Open Division was won by Cornwall’s Roddie MacLean and Paul Field, while the Women’s event was won by Ruth Stavert and Eileen Blanchard, also from the host club. MacLean and Stavert are both back this year.
Rae (left) and Tom Campbell, 2018 Open division champions
The 2018 defending Open Division champions are Tom and Rae Campbell from Winnipeg.
The official opening ceremony will be held at Cornwall on Sunday, March 31 at 3:45 pm. Off-ice events include a banquet at the Rodd Royalty Inn on Monday evening, and entertainment and a social time at the Cornwall club on Tuesday evening at 7:30.
Game scores may be accessed at peicurling.com. Everyone is welcome to drop in to either of the Clubs from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm to watch. The final games will be held at Cornwall about 3 pm on Wednesday April 3rd. Further information on this event may be obtained from the event Chair, Ernie Stavert, at eandrstavert@gmail.com
Groups, Draw and Schedule:
Open Division Groups
Group 1
1. MacLean/Clarke PEI/NS
2. Spinney/Hanham NS
3. Childe/Johnston MAN
4. Malcolmson/Thurston ON
5. Barbour/Barbour YK
6. Glydon/MacPherson PEI
Group 2
7. Dunsford/Clarey PEI
8. Wesley/Dorland NS
9. Campbell/Campbell MAN
10. Kotylak/Kotylak SK
11. Lord/McGraw NB
12. O’Rourke/Chaisson PEI
Group 3
13. Fisher/Arsenault PEI
14. Doucet/MacDougal NS
15. Rouse/Rouse MAN
16. Beach/Desnoyres SK
17. Stewart/Stewart NB
18. Hackett/Hackett PEI
Group 4
19. Kerwin/Power PEI
20. Bennett/Dunsmore NS
21. Spiring/Spiring MAN
22. Wejr/Prokopetz BC
23. Olson/Olson AB
24. Hogan/Hogan PEI
Group 5
25. Gill/Campbell PEI
26. Rutt/Slauenwhite NS
27. Anton/Cook MAN
28. Hardy/Betts PE
29. Sheppard/Sheppard ON
30. Mattson/Wood NS
Group 6
31. Stewart/ MacDonald PEI
32. Dyke/Burgess NS
33. McCullough/Johnston MAN
34. Dunlop/Moore SK
35. MacLeod/Thibault NS
36. McIntrye/Sutherland NB/PEI
Group 7
37. Callaghan/Vincent PEI
38. Nickerson/Cameron NS
39. Oliver/MacMillan MAN
40. Gallant/Armstrong NB
41. Whitlock/Whitlock ON
42. Stratton/Craswell PEI
Group 8
43. Gavin/Bernard PEI
44. Russell/Larson NS
45. Strand/Strand MAN
46. Sears/Sears BC
47. Scheckenberger/Mattis ON
48. Higginbotham/Higginbotham PEI
Women’s Division Groups:
Group A
A. Reid/Hughes PEI
B. Densmore/Belliveau NS
C. Hallett/Orser NB
D. Barwise/Callaghan PEI
E. Despande/Walker NS
F. Stretch/Doiron PEI
G. Stirling/Burbine NS
Group B
H. Clarke/Stavert PEI
I. Bullerwell/Malinson NS
J. Shultz/Laird MAN
K. Sanderson/Craswell PEI
L. Simpson/Doucette NS
M. Skiffington/Mattson NS
N. Minns/Harris NB
Cornwall
Sunday
Time
Ice 1
Ice 2
Ice 3
Ice 4
9:00
Barbour/ Barbour Vs Glydon/ MacPherson
MacLean/ Clarke Vs Spinney/ Hanham
Childe/ Johnson Vs Malcolmson/ Thurston
Olson/ Olson Vs Hogan/ Hogan
10:15
Deshpande/ Walker Vs Doiron/ Stretch
Reid/ Hughes Vs Densmore/ Belliveau
Hallett/ Orser Vs Barwise/ Callaghan
Kerwin/ Power Vs Bennett/ Densmore
11:40
Lord/ McGraw Vs O’Rourke/ Chaisson
Dunsford/ Clarey Vs Wesley/ Dorland
Campbell/ Campbell Vs Kotylak/ Kotylak
Spiring/ Spiring Vs Wejr/ Prokopetz
12:55
Stewart/ Stewart Vs Hackett/ Hackett
Fisher/ Arsenault Vs Doucet/ MacDougal
Rouse/ Rouse Vs Beach/ Desnoyers
Reid/ Hughes Vs Sterling/ Burbine
2:20
Spinney/ Hanham Vs Childe/ Johnson
Malcolmson/ Thurston Vs Glydon/ MacPherson
Bennett/ Densmore Vs Spiring/ Spiring
MacLean/ Clarke Vs Barbour/ Barbour
3:45
Official Opening
4:30
Densmore/ Belliveau Vs Hallett/ Orser
Deshpande/ Walker Vs Stirling/ Burbine
Wejr/ Prokopetz Vs Hogan/ Hogan
Barwise/ Callaghan Vs Doiron/ Stretch
5:45
Wesley/ Dorland Vs Campbell/ Campbell
Kerwin/ Power Vs Olson/ Olson
Dunsford/ Clarey Vs Lord/ McGraw
Kotylak/ Kotylak Vs O’Rourke/ Chaisson
7:00
Doucet/ MacDougal Vs Rouse/ Rouse
Beach/ Desnoyers Vs Hackett/ Hackett
Gill/ Campbell Vs Rutt/ Slauenwhite
Fisher/ Arsenault Vs Stewart/ Stewart
Charlottetown
Sunday
Time
Ice 1
Ice 2
Ice 3
Ice 4
Ice 5
9:00
Shephard/ Shephard Vs Mattson/ Wood
MacLeod/ Thibault vs McIntyre/ Sutherland
Stewart/ MacDonald Vs Dyke/ Burgess
10:20
McCullough/ Johnston Vs Dunlop/ Moore
Simpson/ Doucette Vs Skiffington/ Mattson
Clarke/ Stavert Vs Bullerwell/ Mallinson
Shultz/ Laird vs Craswell/ Sanderson
Whitlock/ Whitlock Vs Stratton/ Craswell
11:45
Callaghan/ Vincent vs Nickerson/ Cameron
Oliver/ MacMillan vs Gallant/ Armstrong
Sheckenburger/ Mattis vs Higginbotham/ Higginbotham
The final Thursday evening draw of the season, sponsored by Griffin’s Towing and Service Centre, wrapped up tonight, with the rink of Melody Beck, Doug Kelly, Len Cudmore and Amanda MacIntosh receiving the sponsor prizes. Thanks to the players and organizers for another great season of Thursday evening curling!
(L-R): Melody Beck, Doug Kelly, Len Cudmore, and Amanda MacIntosh
L-R: O’Connor, Lenentine, Wicki
