The ice is being installed at local curling clubs around the Westman area, and it’s bound to be an exciting season.
Brandon’s Rob Fowler and his team of Allan Lyburn, Richard Daneault and Derek Samagalski are hoping to return to the Tim Horton’s Brier and earn a spot in next year’s Olympic trials or pre-trials. Teams skipped by former Brandonites Mike McEwen and William Lyburn of Winnipeg also have the same goals.
The region will also be hosting five provincial curling championships this season. Neepawa will host the biggest one in Westman this season, the Safeway Championship, from Feb. 6-10. Fowler, the defending champion, and McEwen, who earned a Canadian Team Rankings System spot, have both already booked their tickets to that event.
The Brandon Curling Club kicks off the busy provincial championship season with the junior men’s and junior women’s events from Jan. 3-7. The Killarney Curling Club will then host the senior men’s provincials from Feb. 21-25. The Souris Curling Club will put on the Manitoba senior women’s curling championship from Feb. 21-24.
There will also be a slew of provincial berth and playdown events in southwestern Manitoba as well.
MCT: The Manitoba Curling Tour was supposed to kick off with the Manitoba Lotteries Men’s Fall Classic in Brandon on Oct. 5, but the event has been postponed until the weekend of Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 due to low entries. The tour will now start on Oct. 5 with the Nott Autocorp Thanksgiving Charity Open in Winnipeg.
The MCT debuts in Westman with the men’s King Spud Classic in Carberry from Oct. 12-14. The women’s King Spud Classic runs from Oct. 26-28.The other tour stop this year is the Clinic Pharmacy Cash Spiel in Dauphin from Nov. 16-19.
SUN LIFE JUNIORS: The Sun Life Financial Junior Challenge has expanded from 12 to 16 teams in the junior men’s and junior women’s categories and will run from Nov. 16-18 at the Brandon Curling Club. The 32-team event, now in its second year, will feature a preliminary round with teams divided into pools followed by playoffs as top junior teams from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and the United States battle for the crowns.
Local junior teams confirmed for the event will be skipped by Janelle Schwindt (formerly Vachon) and Jennifer Curle in the women’s draw and Neil Cowie, Cory Gill and defending champion Braden Calvert in the men’s event.
TEAMS NEEDED: The Brandon Curling Club still has spaces for some of its leagues and bonspiels.
There is a shortage of teams for the Neil Andrew Legends Classic bonspiel, which runs from Oct. 12-14. The masters morning league is also looking for teams or individuals. Training sessions for player wanting to learn how to throw with a stick may be available.
The club’s youth curling program starts on Oct. 18 and people can register for $50. The Friday night mixed league is full for a 6:30 draw, but will consider opening an 8:30 p.m. draw if enough teams register. For more information, contact the club at brandoncurls@wcgwave.ca or call 204-726-3560.
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition September 27, 2012
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