IN THE HOUSE: Seven-time champion leaves Super League

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This article was published 04/10/2012 (5013 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Brandon Sun Westman Super League of Curling will be without one of its most decorated curlers this season.

Neepawa’s Kelly Robertson has chosen not to compete in the league, opting instead to focus on his senior men’s team that includes Souris’ Doug Armour, Dauphin’s Peter Prokopowich and Winnipeg’s Bob Scales.

“We’ve talked about it for a couple years now and we finally made it,” said Robertson, who lost last year’s final to Terry McNamee. “It is a tough one because I like playing against the guys over there and you’re getting good competition every week, too.”

Robertson has been a dominant force during his time in the Super League. He has won seven titles as a skip, six of which he shared with Armour and Ace Ross. Armour has won 10 titles overall, with three others coming as a skip and once as Mel Logan’s third.

Robertson and Armour senior’s team has also had a lot of success. It won a Canadian title two seasons ago and finished second at the 2012 world championship.

Robertson hopes taking this season off from the Super League and playing more bonspiels will help them win another national title and hopefully their first worlds. He also hopes the squad will be good enough to earn a spot at the Safeway Championship, which is in his hometown of Neepawa this season.

“I’d like to be in both, but we probably have a better chance at the seniors than at the men’s,” he said. “I’d sure like to play in Neepawa though, that’s for sure.”

Duane Lang, who played with Robertson in the Super League last season, will be back this year, skipping a team featuring Glen Lang, Jamie Moreland and Dwayne Stone.

ICE UPDATES: The Brandon Curling Club got behind putting its ice in due to a massive cleaning effort and new technology. The club’s executive found dust all over the place after horse show season wrapped up, and the Keystone work crews went to town to get the dust out of the playing area.

The ice was also delayed as people were hanging up the eight new cameras over the houses at the far end of the rink. The cameras, and the 16 monitors that will be in the viewing areas, cost the club about $23,000, raised through saved money, grants and a plaque program. For $300, people or businesses can put a name plate on one of the 16 monitors. Contact the club at 204-726-3560 for more info.

The ice will be finished on the weekend and ready for use when house leagues start on Tuesday.

As a result, the Westoba Credit Union Masters Super League’s schedule has been set back by a week. It will debut Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, the ice is ready for use at the Riverview Curling Club and it will be broken in on Tuesday courtesy of its ladies league players.

WCT EVENTS: Brandon’s Rob Fowler and Brandon native Mike McEwen are in Toronto to play in the StuSells Toronto Tankard from Friday through Monday. There is a $45,000 purse for the 24-team event. Meanwhile, former Brandonites William Lyburn and Nolan Thiessen, who plays lead for Alberta’s Kevin Koe, are in the Westcoast Curling Classic in New Westminster, B.C., from Friday through Monday. The 18-team event has a $52,000 purse.

MCT: Brandonites Scott Ramsay and Kelly Marnoch are skipping teams at this season’s first Manitoba Curling Tour event, the Nott Autocorp Thanksgiving Charity Open, in Winnipeg from Friday through Monday.

EXTRA ENDS: The Westman Junior Super League is still looking for teams. The league, which starts Oct. 28, plays on Sundays and the occasional Saturday. Interested teams can contact Gil Van Daele at 204-726-3560.