Sweeping changes in local rinks

Keith Borkowsky

Curlers outdo NHL general managers when it comes to making moves on their teams.

By the time the bagpipes fell silent at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Gimli, many of the teams there — and some who weren’t — opted for a fresh look for 2008-09.

Brandon’s Kristen Williamson helped start the early shakeups by leaving this year’s provincial finalists, skipped by Barb Spencer, to form her own rink with up-and-coming Kaileigh Strath of Souris and Kristy Jenion’s former front end, Leslie Wilson and Raunora Wescott.

"Truthfully, I had a fantastic season, but it just wasn’t a good fit," Williamson said. "By December, I had already decided I would be moving on."

The new team has credentials to contend. Wilson and Wescott played in the provincial semifinal last year and lost a provincial final in the past. Strath made it to the Manitoba junior women’s title game last season and won $4,725 on the Manitoba Curling Tour last season. In addition to curling in the Scotties final, Williamson has won the Manitoba junior women’s crown (2002), two Manitoba university championships (2002, 2004), and two Manitoba mixed titles (2003, 2006). Ron Westcott, Manitoba’s senior men’s champion in 1999, will coach the team.

The only thing left to be settled is who skips the new entry and they will determine that after curling together in a few late-season events.

"I am super-pumped," Williamson said. "This is a fabulous lineup."

That shift left Brandon’s Lana Hunter out in the cold when her skip, Darcy Robertson, decided to throw third stones for her sister Spencer.

"I haven’t set anything up yet because I am waiting to see what else happens," Hunter said. "If I don’t have to skip, that would be lovely. I don’t want to go back there if I don’t have to."

Hunter has settled on one thing. She doesn’t want to travel as extensively as she did last year with Robertson and that means more Manitoba Curling Tour appearances.

Her niece, Tasha Hunter, also has uncertain curling plans for 2008-09 after skipping her own rink this season. There are no imminent plans for the two Hunters to join forces.

Brandon’s Tanya Enns found herself looking for a new foursome after the Shauna Streich rink broke up. She’s hunting down some new teammates, though nothing is finalized.

Maureen Bonar of Brandon, who curled out of Beausejour this season, also made a move closer to home and picked up former Liza Park second Rhonda Ritchie of Brandon and two sisters, Nancy Smith and Dana Allerton, a former lead for Jennifer Jones and a 2002 Manitoba women’s champion. Smith curled with Renelle Bryden of Calgary on the World Curling Tour and is married to Kerry Burtnyk lead Garth Smith.

Ritchie has curled with Bonar in the past, including the 1993 Manitoba championship team that lost the Canadian women’s title to the late Sandra Schmirler.

"Basically, I needed a change and when I was approached with this idea, I thought it may be worth a switch," Ritchie said. "I went to nationals with Maureen in 1993 and with the two she brought on board it seemed like a good opportunity."

Park said she does not have a replacement for Ritchie yet and will take some time to consider her options with her team.

Thursday, February 8th, 2007

Westcott one well-travelled competitor at provincials

Rob Henderson

DAUPHIN — It wasn’t even noon yet and Ron Westcott was ready for a nap. Westcott and his senior team from the Fort Rouge Curling Club had just polished off 10th seed Kelly Robertson of Neepawa 9-8 in an extra end for the biggest upset of the opening round of the provincial men’s Safeway Championship. The win completed an all-night odyssey that took Westcott from Thunder Bay, Ont., to Dauphin, via Toronto, getting him in just in time for breakfast and the morning draw.

Westcott, working on an hour’s sleep, compared his journey to Dave "Night Train" Boehmer’s red-eye train ride from Saskatchewan to Winnipeg in time to qualify for the provincial men’s championship through the MCA Bonspiel a few years back.

"We’re Night Train, black and white edition," Douglas-native Westcott cracked. "We go way back, right? (Boehmer is) the colour edition, we’re the Night Train black and white."

In Ontario for business, Westcott arrived in Winnipeg at 12:45 a.m., on Wednesday.

After a power nap he left Winnipeg at 3:30 a.m., for the drive into Dauphin.

Sorely disappointed to miss out on the Manitoba senior championship at his home club this season, Westcott said the provincial men’s event was never on the radar until his team’s run at the MCA Bonspiel gave it the last remaining spot.

"That’s why I booked the trip to Toronto, because I didn’t think we would ever win with my team," said Westcott, who won the 1999 provincial senior men’s title with Neil Andrews of Brandon at third. "I couldn’t get out of my trip, it was so important for my job. But anyway, we got the win. Now I can sleep."

That Westcott would be able to perform on so little sleep shouldn’t be that surprising. The self-described second-best curler to come out of Douglas (behind Mabel Mitchell) said he’s gotten used to curling after long nights of soaking up the atmosphere.

"Remember, I’ve played with Orest Meleschuk over the years and a few other guys like that," joked Westcott, who will also curl in the provincial masters championship in Brandon next month.

"But you know curling. When it’s time to play we’re ready to play. I like to socialize, that’s why I play. It’s a game, it’s fun."

The Tenth End: A look at the week on the ice 10/16/2008

Some of the curling action, as the Lyburn rink makes a shot in the fourth end. Journal Photo by Brent Fitzpatrick   There’s an inclination for most folks to say the defending champion is the #1 team until somebody beats them. Rare are the Stanley Cup or World Series champs able to repeat, but still, as the season begins, we generally think of them as #1.   So when I published my start-of-season Manitoba curling team rankings at www.thecurler.com a few weeks ago, it was easy for me to put Kerry Burtnyk and Jennifer Jones at the top of the list. Jones had the World Champion team intact and Burtnyk had a new third who, according to most, strengthened his Manitoba champion team.   Three weeks later, they’re both still #1 in my mind, but the gap between them and #2 is closing.   Burtnyk has had a solid start. He lost the final of one Ontario ‘spiel and qualified for the playoffs in another. That’s good enough to retain the top ranking.   Jones and her team have struggled, missing the playoffs in both bonspiels they have played. However, it is early in the season and right now, everyone is out to beat the World Champions. I’m betting they’ll be in the money at the Casinos of Winnipeg ‘spiel in a couple of week’s time.   So who’s #2?   On the men’s list, I started the season with Mike McEwen as #2 and Jeff Stoughton as #3. Stoughton also had a new third and had to prove it would work, I thought. Well, it didn’t take long. In the past two weeks, all they’ve done is lose the final of the Selkirk bonspiel as a warm-up to winning the renewed Manitoba Lotteries Curling Classic at the Brandon Curling Club. Stoughton must like playing in Brandon. He won the bonspiel in 2003 and 2005, as well.   Anyway, that moved Stoughton up my list to #2 this month. Not that Mike McEwen has had a bad go of it. They reached the semi-finals at Selkirk and again last weekend at the WCT event in Ontario. A lot of teams would call that a good season, but it wasn’t good enough to keep them from dropping to #3.   My men’s #4 is David Bohn’s team. They got smoked in the Manitoba final last February in Brandon but strengthened their team by adding former World Junior Champion skip David Hamblin at third. Reaching the semi’s last weekend at the

Brandon CC is good enough to keep them at #4.   My top Westman team is Allan Lyburn. I had him at #8 to start the season, but reaching the semi-finals at the Manitoba Lotteries event moved him up to #5. Both Graham Freeman and Terry McNamee squeezed onto the list by qualifying last weekend.   Behind Jennifer Jones on the Manitoba Women’s list, I started the season with Barb Spencer #2 and Janet Harvey #3. Right now, I call them a tie for second. Spencer’s was the only Manitoba team to qualify for the playoff round last weekend in Calgary at the first Women’s Grand Slam event. Harvey stayed home and won the Atkins Curling Supplies ‘spiel at Charleswood.   Reaching the semi-finals at Manitoba Tour events in Selkirk and Charleswood was good enough to keep Joelle Brown’s team in my #4 ranking.   Top ranked Westman team on my list is Kaileigh Strath. She is fast gaining the experience needed to compete at the Women’s level. Strath hasn’t cashed a cheque yet but came close at that Grand Slam event in Calgary, losing a C Event qualifier game at the end of a long 3-game day last Sunday. Right now, I’ve got the Strath team at #10. Maureen Bonar and Lisa Blixhavn (Roy) are also on my top 15 list at this early point in the season.   My complete mid-October ranking of Manitoba Men’s and Women’s teams is published on my website.   Aging bones may dictate the skill level isn’t quite as high as you saw last weekend at the Brandon CC, but be sure to take in the Neil Andrews Legends Classic this weekend. The Senior Men may not sweep quite as hard or throw quite as straight as they once did. However, there is no making up for the experience of competitors like Clare DeBlonde and Ron Westcott. Be sure to say hello – I’ll be playing a few games for our five-man team, but you know I’d rather visit than sweep.   …   For regular updates on all of the events underway, and for complete Manitoba Curling coverage, visit my website at www.thecurler. com. I invite comment and news-notes by email to resby@thecurler.com.   Until next week – don’t give up any eight enders...     By Resby Coutts