Rylan Campbell foursome finish 4-2 in round-robin play

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This article was published 09/02/2024 (587 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Canada’s next generation of curling stars have been on display in Ottawa for the 2024 Canadian 18 curling championships at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.

Among the 42 teams — 21 female and 21 male entries — competing for the national championships to be decided on Saturday is Brandon’s Rylan Campbell and his Altona foursome.

After six draws over four days, Team Campbell sports a 4-2 record — he opened play with an 8-2 victory facing Team Snider (Yukon 1), but then dropped a 5-3 decision to Team Hiebert (Alberta 2). The following day, he rebounded with an 8-6 win facing Team French (Newfoundland & Labrador 2). Team Dalrymple (New Brunswick 1) then defeated Team Campbell 7-4. The following day, Team Campbell cruised to a 10-2 win facing Team Winters (Northern Ontario 2), which set up day four’s early morning tilt on Thursday with Team Strong (Nova Scotia 2), where the Sheldon Zacharias-coached foursome out of the Altona Curling Club prevailed 14-2.

Campbell is playing alongside lead Rylan Graham, second Nick Senff and third Logan Zacharias.

The 21 teams participating in Ottawa were distributed to all 14 member associations, with additional spots awarded based on a two-year ranking of results from the Canadian U18 championships.

If any province or territory declined an entry, additional teams were accepted from the next highest ranked member association. As a result, many provinces are represented by two teams, including Manitoba with Nash Sugden’s foursome out of the Morden Curling Club, where Team Sugden is 2-4 after four days (three games conceded).

Teams are separated into three pools of seven teams and are playing a round-robin schedule within each pool. Twelve teams — the top four in each pool — advance to the playoffs for an opportunity to win a gold medal on Saturday.

Team Campbell finished third in pool C with his 4-2 record, while Team Sugden is fifth in pool B.

However, after conceding 10-1 to Team MacTavish (Ontario 1) Thursday afternoon, Team Campbell was relegated to the. consolation B side, with a game this morning at 7:30 facing Team Winters (Northern Ontario 2). A victory would see Team Campbell play on Saturday at 7:30 a.m. in the B side final against the winner of Team Nicholls (Ontario 2) versus Team Snow (Saskatchewan 2).

The Canadian U18 curling championships made its debut in 2017 in Moncton, N.B., and gave some of today’s top men’s and women’s players their first exposure to national championship competition.

It’s also been an event where the kids of some of Canada’s most accomplished curlers show that curling talent runs in the family.

In 2023 in Timmins, Ont., at the McIntyre Curling Club, Team Myla Plett of Alberta — featuring Alyssa Nedohin (daughter of former Scotties and Brier champions Heather and David Nedohin) and Allie Iskew (daughter of former Scotties champ Beth Iskiw) — won the female championship as part of an historic season which saw them also win the New Holland Canadian U21 championship.

This year, notable names include two Gushues (Brad’s daughters Hayley and Marissa, playing vice-skip and lead respectively for Cailey Locke’s Newfoundland/Labrador No. 1 team from St. John’s) along with an Ideson (three-time Paralympic medallist Mark’s daughter Brooklyn, playing vice-skip for the host Ontario No. 1 team from Ottawa skipped by Dominique Vivier) and a McCarville (Krista’s daughter Bella playing second for Northern Ontario No. 1 skipped by Claire Dubinsky, from Kakabeka Falls).

Teams from Alberta (Team Plett and Team Zachary Davies respectively) swept the gold medals last year when the event was held in Timmins.

» The Brandon Sun