GORE BAY – It went to the final shot to determine the winner, but the Sherry Forest rink won the Gore Bay Curling Club annual ladies’ bonspiel first event, this past weekend.
The final game between Elva Carter’s and Ms. Forest’s rinks was tied coming home in the final end. The Sherry Forest rink also included vice Heather Hall, second Nancy Head and lead Holly Williamson. The Elva-Carter-skipped rink included vice Linda Williams, second Louise Marois and lead Sue Flynn.
For their efforts the Forest rink was presented with the Doris “Toots” Strain Trophy, emblematic of the first event champion at the annual Gore Bay ladies’ bonspiel.
“I would like to thank the Gore Bay Curling Club for an awesome bonspiel,” stated Ms. Forest.
“We would like to thank everyone for coming out here this weekend and supporting the club and this bonspiel,” said Sandi Merrylees, master of ceremonies for the awards ceremony held Sunday evening. “And thank you to the Blind River club team that took part.” She also acknowledged the efforts of Dan Marois who looked after the ice for the bonspiel and worked in the bar, Kim Orford and her kitchen crew for organizing the kitchen and preparing the wonderful meal Saturday evening, all the ice makers and bartenders and Lorraine McDonald for organizing the skits, the weekend theme (“Totally 80’s”), and for decorating.
In presenting the awards in the second event, Ms. Merrylees pointed out, “last year was the first year we have had the Phyllis Smith Memorial Trophy presented to the second event winner. Last year the winning rink was the Marilyn Proulx rink, and again this year they have won.”
“I just want to mention what a special honour it is for our team to win this trophy,” said Ms. Proulx. “We had a lot of good times, and laughs with Phyllis over the years.”
Ms. Proulx’s rink also included vice Lori Clark, second Wendy Niven, and lead Sue Whynott. The runner-up in the second event was the Mollyanne McLaughlin rink, which also included vice Sheila Brandow, second Rose Jackson and lead Nancy Clark.
Something very unusual happened in the third event final. The Kim Orford rink and the Anita Moran rink of Blind River actually stood tied after the final end. However, the Orford rink withdrew from playing an extra end.
The Anita Moran rink was cited as the third event winner, and included vice Danielle Melmoth, second Joanna Hammond and vice Kristy Blanchet.
The Kim Orford rink which was the runner-up in the third event included vice Sue Case, second Mary-Lea Buchan and lead Barbara Armstrong.
Ms Moran told the Recorder, “we have taken part in a few spiels out of town (Blind River), and in our own club. We’ve never felt so welcome as we did this week! Sandi (Merrylees) greeted us when we arrived and everyone has been very welcoming. It shows this is a very nice community, and we will be back.”
Piper Dave Beaton had led all the rinks on the ice prior to the final games taking place.
A total of 20 rinks took part in this weekend’s bonspiel.
