by Jeremy Rody
The 2018 curling season has officially come to a close with the last of the Island bonspiels being played this past weekend. This is a good time to thank all of the club executives and volunteers for all of their hard work prior to and during the season. These individuals donate many evenings to organize our curling clubs and all of the curlers certainly appreciate the effort and the opportunity provided to enjoy the sport of curling and the camaraderie between our friends and neighbours from all across the Island.
The Assiginack Curling Club held their annual Closing Curffle Tournament on the Friday night and Saturday of Easter weekend. The Leona Reid Memorial closing bonspiel encourages everyone to wear their favourite red toque as a nod to Leona’s curling trademark out on the ice. Congratulations goes out to the winners of the event, Carol and Jamie Ferguson. Carol made an excellent draw to win the game.
The Little Current Curling Club was wonderfully decorated to celebrate the Magical World of Disney for their Annual Ladies Bonspiel. There were princesses and superheroes hurling the stones from end to end in a display of endless enchantment. Wait, enchantment is not the word I’m looking for, it was more like a curling inspired fractured fairytale. Anyway, it was certainly the most magical place in Little Current this past weekend. Great work, to all the organizers and volunteers from the decorators, draw makers, ice crew, to the cooking crew.
1st event winners: Sandi Merrylees rink, Runner-up: Tammy Rolston rink;
2nd event winners: Kristin Bickell rink, Runner-up: Helen Gordon rink;
3rd event winners: Kim Cooper rink, Runner-up: Barb Sheppard rink;
4th event winners: Mandy Case rink, Runner-up: Janelle Proulx rink.
Congratulations and Happily Ever After to all the winners and participants of the Little Current Ladies Bonspiel!
The Men’s World Curling Championship ended this past weekend. It was a rematch of last year’s final between Niklas Edin of Sweden and Brad Gushue of Canada. The Canadian rink was going for back to back World titles while the Swedish rink was trying to avoid another championship loss. Sweden had lost last year’s Worlds to Canada and the Olympic Gold medal to the Americans.
Sweden beat Canada 7-3 and was clearly the better team in the final. Brad Gushue was apologetic of his team’s play after the final which was played in front of a crowd full of Canadian supporters. There are a two more Grand Slam events for Team Gushue to play before their season ends.
