Guelph hosts national masters championship
Guelph is hosting a national curling championship and will have a one of the sport’s bestknown icons in attendance.
The 2017 Masters Canadian Curling Championship, sponsored by Hy-Grade Steel Roofing System, will be held at the Guelph Curling Club on April 3-9.
The master category is for those aged 60 and over. It is currently not a sanctioned event by Curling Canada, the country’s governing body.
“We’re really close to it (becoming sanctioned),” said Gerry Sundwall, a member of the event’s host committee and a master curler himself.
“The provinces have been working really hard. We have such broad participation. I am hoping that within two to three years it will be sanctioned.”
This means all the teams making the trip are covering their own travel and accommodation costs. CurlON officials will be on hand but the host club is receiving no financial aid from either the national or provincial governing bodies.
“The organizing committee has worked really hard at fundraising and have done a great job,” said Sundwall. The cost of running the weeklong champs was budgeted at $60,000.
“We are going to break even or maybe come a dollar or two ahead,” Sundwall said.
All provinces with the exception of Nunavut are represented in the men’s; Nunavut and Yukon are missing for the women’s.
The most high-profile player in attendance will be Northern Ontario’s Al Hackner. Hailing from Thunder Bay, Hackner made nine appearances at the Brier from 1980 to 2001, winning the event in 1982 and ’85 and going on to two world championships the same seasons.
“He’s probably the biggest name people will recognize. The team from Saskatchewan is Jim Wilson who went to the worlds in 1980 with (Rick) Folk.”
Interestingly enough, Folk defeated Hackner in the 1980 Brier final.
Due to being the host club, Ontario men will be represented by two teams — this year’s champion Bruce Delaney and runnerup Jim Lyle.
Galt Curling Club’s Dale Curtis will be the local team to cheer on in the women’s side.
Tickets and information for the event are available online at www.2017masterscurling.ca
The opening ceremony for the event is Sunday, April 2, at 6:30 p.m.
Biters
Guelph is also in the curling news for winning its third Trophy title in five years and fourth in nine years. This time around it was the foursome of Tina Mazerolle, Allison Singh, Erin Cook and Heather Cook. After posting a 5-2 record in round robin, the rink won a tiebreaker then knocked off previously undefeated Michelle Gray (Orangeville) in the final. It’s back to back titles for Singh and Erin Cook, who won last season with Kathy Brown. Brown had also won in 2013. Carol Jackson won the event for Guelph in 2009.
Frank Gowman (Galt) is in the field for the senior mixed provincials this weekend in London with Rosemary Gowman, Gerry Sundwall and Jill Ferguson. The Gowmans previously won the title in 2004. Sundwall is also a previous winner, in 2010.
Brad Gushue and the rest of Team Canada begin their quest for a world title April 1 in Edmonton. TSN will have Canada’s opening game against Switzerland at 4 p.m.