by Tom Sasvari
SUDBURY—In their first ever Canadian Masters Curling championship the Robbie Gordon rink reached the finals and secured a silver medal, losing the final game.
“We lost the final to the Alberta rink, skipped by Wade White, 3-2,” Mr. Gordon told The Expositor last week. The team competed in the Nationals, having earned their first ever Northern Ontario Master’s curling championship earlier this year which qualified them to represent the Northern Ontario Curling Association.
Mr. Gordon has close family ties to Manitoulin Island. His parents were Ian Gordon and Barbara (McCannell) Gordon. His grandparents were Ron and Lizzie Gordon who operated the former Gordon’s Lodge in Gore Bay for many years. He spent many of his summers as a youngster in Gore Bay.
“We lost in the final 3-2, but that’s what happens. We had a nice run,” Mr. Gordon said. He explained his rink lost its first three games of the nationals then recovered to end up 7-3 before winning the semi-final game and qualifying for the finals.
“It was very satisfying to get to the finals,” said Mr. Gordon. “This was the first time we had played in the Masters division (for those 60 years of age and over). I wasn’t able to play in the provincials and then Ron Henderson wasn’t able to play in the nationals as he is recovering from eye surgery. Bruce Munro of Idylwylde Curling Club played as our third, and played really well at the nationals.”
Mr. Gordon played on his long-time rink that included Dion Dumontelle and Doug Hong, along with Mr. Munro.
The Gordon rink have made four appearances at the senior nationals, “and we are already looking forward to next season and talking about, hopefully, if the schedule turns out being able to play both the senior and masters competitions,” he added.
The Masters nationals were held at Thistle St. Andrews Curling Club in New Brunswick earlier this month.
