Crokinole tourney attracts record numbers
Even Premier Wade MacLauchlan showed his skill
A record number of players from across the Island turned out to try their skill at the 18th annual Island crokinole championship April 8 in the North River Fire Hall.
The list of 76 players included several previous champions set to repeat their wins along with unknown first-timers ready to try their luck.
John VanEkris, the winner of the first tournament in 2000, returned with his son Bill, and after warming up in the singles match, placed in the top 10 in doubles.
Premier Wade MacLauchlan, who had also played in that first event, returned for the second year in a row. With Evelyn Smith a last-minute scratch, the premier and partner Gordie MacCallum were able to focus on the game without distracting political questions and improve their standing in the doubles. But they are not yet ready for the playoffs.
During the morning, the sound system was hard to hear over the noise of 56 players playing a 10-game preliminary singles match won by Lawson Lea of Vernon river with 66 of a possible 80 points and was followed closely by Derwin MacDonald of Elmsdale. They played off in a best two of three games that were won by MacDonald leaving him with the first-place gold medal as well as the Sheldon Moore medal and plaque for top Island player.
The third-place bronze medal was won by Richard Myers of Bethel, who also had the most centres of the match.
The women’s top player was Alma Nunn of Wilmont Valley, who went on to win the best two of three play-off games against her second-place sister and doubles partner Jean MacRae of Hunter River. The third-place bronze medal went to Hazel MacKenzie of Saint Catherine’s.
After lunch, 38 pairs played an eight-game doubles match. Coming first were Lea and his partner, Wilfred Smith of Hunter River, anxious to win back the title they had lost last year, with an impressive 58 of a possible 64 points as well as a match-winning 136 centres. The second-place team of Del Moore of New Dominion and partner Fenton MacSwain of Charlottetown were determined to upset Lea and Smith and came very close losing only in the third game of a best twoof-three-game play-offs which lasted over an hour. The thirdplace bronze medal went to the team of Richard Myers and Don Steeves of Alexandra.
At least a dozen players from this championship plan to play in the world crokinole championships held annually since 1999 in Tavistock Ont., which is felt to be near the birthplace of this more than 150-year-old very Canadian game.