Night at the Patch

by Margo Weber

EDMONTON – Last night was a good one for those that like a party, but the gist amongst the crowd was that tonight, the final night, will be the big one. Can’t wait!

Here’s some fun things you would have heard and seen if you were at the Patch last night…

• TSN talkie Ray Turnbull confirmed his departure from TV after this year, to much resounding boos from the audience. He also confirmed his homosexual relationship with Tiger Woods.

• Kari MacLean from Team Krista McCarville had a steady line-up of males waiting to talk to her.

• Kevin Koe’s wife, Carla, walked up to Wayne Middaugh and said “Wayne, I could have made those two shots with my hiking boots on.”

• Susan O’Connor of Team Cheryl Bernard promised to be the ‘drunkest girl in the patch’ after their final game tonight, regardless of outcome.

• The rest of Jason Gunnlaugson’s team wanting to get in on autographing some boobs (heavily censored photo above).

• A re-cap on the big screen from the night before when Middaugh third Jonathan Mead danced around in undershorts (his) and a black bra (some else's).

Patch it up, folks! It's always a party!

Not a fashion show?

by Margo Weber

EDMONTON – There comes a time when we have to put the actual curling skills aside, and state the obvious.

As we have mentioned before, this is not a fashion show... but at these 2009 Roar of the Rings Olympic Trials, it seems the women in particular have been preparing in a big way.

There’s the TV time. There’s the big crowds. Let us ponder, for one moment, what it would cost to come and look your best while competing at such an event. A few hundred dollars, in some cases?

I’m pretty sure some entire teams got makeovers within the last week or two. There’s some serious French manicures out there. There is not one natural strand of hair in sight when the women take the ice (except perhaps on Amber Holland).

But they’re looking good! As a whole, this sport has come a long way. Gone are the days of Cathy King’s huge plastic earrings. Good job, ladies. And good on Mondetta for the attire the players are sporting. I’d say the outfits are flattering on most.

Let’s talk about the earrings. I think Kelly Scott has more piercings in her little ears than my entire six person family. Kim Schneider, from Holland’s squad (CCA photo by Michael Burns) has some seriously huge hearts dangling from her lobes.

Regarding the hair. I’ve been waiting for some of the skips to tie back their hair a bit, I got it Wednesday morning when both Crystal Webster and Cheryl Bernard ponytailed it up. Previous to that, I was thinking about leaving a little bag of ponytails behind each sheet.

I realize that although most skips don’t partake in sweeping duties... I think it’s their duty as players... possible future Olympic athletes... to look like athletes....to convince people that this is indeed a sport. Maybe we could start with a bobby pin or two... just put the frickin’ hair back so you can see where you’re going!

I’ll leave the men alone... for now. I see no harm in the crazy white belts the Glenn Howard team insists on wearing. As for the hair, I do applaud the Kevin Koes and Jonathan Meads for not fighting with nature and just shaving it all off. Nice work, boys.

Playah: Brent Laing

 

by Margo Weber

EDMONTON – What’s up, Playah? My pick for today’s superstar is you, Brent Laing.

You rocked the house against Randy Ferbey this morning. You have Olympic rings in your eyes and you are quickly becoming one of those killer seconds. You were almost perfect in your game today, outcurling Scott Pfeifer by more than 10 per cent, and he threw mid-eighties! You made a seriously sweet long raise double, ouch! And a squeaker hit through a tiny port… I felt that, yowza!

Tonight you play off against Kevin Martin for a spot in the final, you’ll be battling another hot shot second, Marc Kennedy. You’ve got your work cut out for you, but guess what. My husband is a serious Glenn Howard fan and will be wearing a white belt at Rexall Place tonight.

I will mention that Ben Hebert made the tick shot twice, perfectly, for skipper Martin in this morning’s game against Kevin Koe… but, nah. I’m sticking with you, Lainger.

Keep 'er going, Playah!

Men keep it simple

 by Margo Weber

EDMONTON – Okay, this is the situation for the dudes.

Tonight, Glenn Howard and Kevin Martin play for a spot in the final. Loser goes directly into the semifinal.

Jeff Stoughton (4-2) and both Kevin Koe and Randy Ferbey (3-3) are still in the mix.

However, if Stoughton beats Pat Simmons tonight, he is in the semi. Everyone else is out. If he loses, then he must play a tiebreaker against the winner of the Ferbey/Koe game.

See? The men keep it simple!

PS: The editor, gk, has asked me to remind you all about the TCN Twitter feed. I just checked it out myself and my gawd, there is so much extra curling stuff on there – including big news from the Euros over in Aberdeen, Scotland – that I think you could use the info to publish an extra edition of The Curling News every month.

So click here and check it out.

[CCA photo of Kevin Martin by Michael Burns]

Playah: Carter Rycroft

by Margo Weber

Welcome to our first installment of Playah of the Day. We thought it would be a good idea to give props to the hard-working athletes out there and, in this forum, showcase talent both on and off the ice. Daily we will provide you, the reader, with our take on who the real superstar of the day is.

This person must be tearing up the sheets. This person must be showing mad skillz. This person must be hot enough to be the curling poster boy for The Bay’s Olympic apparel... okay, there’s only one guy that fits that description: Carter Rycroft.

The second for Kevin Koe – who are now 2-0 – rocked a stellar 94 per cent in today’s afternoon game against Jason Gunnlaugson. He makes this stuff look easy.

I knew this guy would be a curling superstar ever since we both played in the 1993 Alberta Junior provincials. Even then he had boyish charm, superb curling prowess and the desire to win.

Oh Carter, I’ll never forgive you for losing not once, not twice, but thrice to Les Sonnenberg only to send him off to the Pepsi Nationals whereupon he would be disqualified for drinking at a junior event.

Carter, we know you would have done the same thing. That’s why you’re our Playah of the Day.

[CCA photo by Michael Burns]

Margo Weber: The Olympic Dream

[Welcome back Margo Weber; blogstar from the 2009 Tim Hortons Brier, she is back to pontificate on the Tim Hortons Canadian (Olympic) Trials. Here's her big-picture portrait of this amazing Olympic canvas...]

by Margo Weber

It all comes down to this, folks... because it’s finally here, what everyone has been talking about. The Roar of the Rings.

We’ve been waiting for this for years and it promises to be the best display of curling... possibly ever. This is an event with the best men’s and women’s curlers in Canada. Two teams will be crowned Olympians and go on to represent our country at home in Vancouver in February.

This is huge.

The last Olympic Trials I saw in person was in Brandon in 1997. I held my breath when Sandra Schmirler made ‘the shot’, and I sat right behind the sheet when Mike Harris casually walked away to get a drink of water, and walked back an Olympian.

I have very clear memories of sitting down with Shannon Kleibrink after her eventual loss to Team Schmirler, and with tears in her eyes she said she wasn’t upset at that moment because she’d lost the game... she just missed her kids.

This is a big deal. People put their lives on hold for this. Some wait just a few more years to start a family. Some set their careers aside, and even let them slip. Certainly most players sacrifice every vacation day they have just to prepare themselves for what might be. The Olympic Dream is a costly one.

Schmirler famously burst into tears after her final rock in that game. She was barely able to shake hands. She later explained that she simply did not know how she was going to leave her babies.

Some teams have been a threat for years. Kevin Martin, Glenn Howard, Jennifer Jones... they all qualified two seasons ago. They’ve been waiting, planning and preparing. Jason Gunnlaugson and Crystal Webster were pleasant surprises... perhaps they have less pressure on them. Maybe they will carry less on their shoulders as they march into Rexall Place. Someone like Jeff Stoughton knows he should be there... and will just take it one game at a time.

For us spectators, we sit... and wait... and, now, finally, we get to watch. And be glad we aren’t the parent of someone out there on the ice.

But we all know there are curling superstars in the making out there. Regardless of what happens, at least some of the athletes on the eventual Olympic teams will be brand new, frst-time Olympians.

They likely have no idea how their lives will change.

[CCA photo of Cheryl Bernard (nice shaaawwwt!) by Michael Burns]

Latest TCN Twitter feed:

• Behind-the-scenes pics of Opening Ceremonies and gab session

• Winner of our Glenn Howard curling condom trivia contest (say what?!)

... and more!

2010 Curling Calendar On Sale

A new curling calendar launches today, featuring action photography of some of the biggest names in The Roaring Game.

The 2010 Capital One Curling Calendar is now on sale for $16.95 (before shipping and handling) and features such rock stars as Jennifer Jones, Kevin Martin, Brad Gushue, Stefanie Lawton, Team Kevin Koe, Scottish wonderkid Eve Muirhead, and more.

“It’s a great idea and it’s an honour to be included,” said Glenn Howard, one of sixteen Olympic hopefuls who are skipping teams at Edmonton’s Roar of the Rings Olympic Trials starting December 6.

Howard’s image, captured by Capital One Grand Slam of Curling photographer Anil Mungal, appears on the cover. His team also makes an appearance inside.

“This is great for curling fans and it provides excellent exposure in an Olympic year. Curling is booming these days.”

The 13-month wall calendar hangs 9.5” x 24” in wire-o-bound for a perfect finish, and is printed in brilliant colour on the same high-grade,  glossy stock as the 2009 Women of Curling Calendar. Each calendar is also packed into a corrugated sleeve to prevent shipping damage.

The 2010 Capital One Curling Calendar is an all-ages, all-curling product and even includes event listings from far across the sport spectrum. Events both in Canada and around the world – even during the summer months – are included, making this a handy curling reference guide.

Net proceeds will be split equally between The Curling News and Shoot For A Cure Curling, the charitable campaign of the Canadian and American Spinal Research Organizations, which aims to cure spinal injuries and paralysis and boost awareness of wheelchair curling, an official 2010 Paralympic sport.

Click here to order your 2010 Capital One Curling Calendar... just in time for the holiday season!

Olympic curling roadsign

Our friend Terry Jones is back on the curling beat, and not a moment too soon.

The veteran Sun Media sports scribe, who also authored the 2007 book The Ferbey Four, was at a “32 days out” ceremony for the massive Roar of the Rings event coming to Edmonton December 6-13.

Otherwise known as the Tim Hortons Canadian Curling Trials, the event is basically the “Olympic Trials” which will declare Canada’s representatives for Vancouver 2010.

As Jones tells us here, many of the late week draw matchups were revealed as part of the news conference.

The much-anticipated and possibly crucial all-Edmonton battle between Kevin Martin and Randy Ferbey will be on the Wednesday afternoon draw, which also features Edmonton's Kevin Koe versus the other pre-qualified team skipped by Ontario’s Glenn Howard.

Thursday morning features Ferbey-Howard and Martin-Koe, and Thursday night will feature Ferbey-Koe and Martin-Howard.

Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones, Calgarian Cheryl Bernard, Saskatoon’s Stefanie Lawton and Calgary’s 2006 Olympic bronze medallist Shannon Kleibrink have their feature games against each other Wednesday morning, Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon.

As any curling fan worth his or her salt knows, the remaining squads will be known after the Road to the Roar in Prince George, B.C., which starts up pretty darned soon.

Jonesy also tells us that ticket sales are already at 134,844 for the eight-day event, and single draw tickets go on sale this Saturday.

Tickets are $50 a pop for the women’s final (Dec. 12) and the men’s final (Dec. 13), while the semifinals are $40 each. The early round-robin draws are $30 each.

For heaven’s sake, this has got to be one of the last wakeup calls for curling fans to get their butt to Edmonton, for this showdown of the ages.

“We can’t believe this event is only a month away,” said host committee woman Jackie-Rae Greening. “Probably in our lifetime we won't have the opportunity again to watch a trials where the winners get to represent Canada on their home turf at the Olympic Games. Now it’s getting so close, it’s getting so exciting.”

The last word goes to K-Mart, who unveiled some kind of countdown road sign, along with Kleibrink, at yesterday’s newser (photo by inews880AM, click to zoom in).

“I think the level of curling has increased significantly, the curlers have been training harder and have all become better than we were four years ago,” said Martin.

“That’s going to make this event even better and hopefully is going to make Canada even better at the Olympics.”

NOTE: have you signed up to follow The Curling News Twitter account?

If not, you’ve already missed today’s info on New Brunswick’s mixed team; Stoughton and Burtnyk on their Road to the Roar (and McEwen and Gunnlaugson, too); the husband of Sandra Schmirler and his honour at carrying the Olympic Torch; and Brad Gushue as an “interesting choice” to publicize the Tim Hortons Brier... considering that he hopes to not compete in it!

Head to the page and click on “Follow” to get tuned in to the digital curling world!

Curling Photo Feedback

This photo captures the millisecond following the moment of impact of Kevin Koe’s last-shot attempt to win the Grey Power World Cup of Curling.

The angle-runback missed by a hair, ticking a front guard, and two of Koe’s team members react with obvious dismay.

The photo was shot the stands at the Hershey Centre by Allen Hofstetter of Paris, Ontario.

Allen and his wife Lynne Gawley-Hofstetter started a little curling supply business called Hit The Broom Curling Gear about four years ago. The Paris Curling Club, just outside of Brantford, had lost its informal “supply guy” so the Hofstetters starting displaying curling equipment on tables at the club.

“The response was amazing,” said Allen.

In a contra deal for the selling space, Allen built a large trophy case for the club’s basement. Now the company supplies Paris and also travels to surrounding clubs during popular bonspiels.

The squad also befriended the victorious Team Glenn Howard around the same time. The friendship is such that Howard lead Craig Savill even mailing one of his official Brier shirts to the couple’s 13-year-old son, Tucker, in 2007.

In addition, the squad was sent this photo, which soon made its way to The Curling News Blog, where is has been published here, with thanks to the Hofstetter clan.

A full-size version of the photo will appear in the upcoming December issue of The Curling News. Got your subscription yet?

Incidentally, Howard third Richard Hart has been corresponding with TCN writer Matt Hames this week, following Hames’ awesome blog and twitter posts during the World Cup final last Sunday.

Hames, who has blogged about the Hart discussions is correct to note that “Prior to the internet, this world class player would never have been able to get this kind of feedback about (his own) game.

“True, he could have watched the tape of the final on CBC and got the commentators’ take on the game, but that’s more an official take. Mine was kind of off-the-cuff riffs on the game in general.

“(Hart) may or may not find value in the feedback, but he’s at least taking the time to acknowledge that feedback can be valuable.”

On a final note, the World Cup feedback from television is quite good. Sunday’s final scored 441,000 viewers on CBC-TV, while Saturday’s quarter-final matchup between Koe and Brad Gushue earned 483,000 viewers, which is up 83 per cent over last year’s numbers.

Carrot Cup of Curling

Did you hear about the Carrot Cup?

TCN publisher George Karrys, who recently made his return as a Toronto-centric Sun Media curling columnist after a 10-year absence, revealed the existence of the Cup for the first time at last week’s Grey Power World Cup of Curling.

The tell-all can be read here.

And here, at last, is the world’s first exclusive photo (above) of the Carrot Cup, temporarily clutched by the jubilant pair of Ben Hebert (left) and John Morris from Team Kevin Martin.

For the record, Team Randy Ferbey held the Cup all summer, following the Grey Power Players’ Championship. Team Kevin Koe then won the Cup over Ferbey at New Westminster. In Mississauga, the Cup changed hands four times – from Koe to Martin to Team Brad Gushue to Koe again, and then finally to Team Glenn Howard.

World Cup: Team Runback

By Matt Hames
Capital One photo by Anil Mungal

MISSISSAUGA – Holy smokes, they like runbacks.

Now, we're all for runbacks, but team Koe seems to hit first and ask questions later. This isn't a criticism, because it's hard to argue with the success. They make run backs like most teams make guards. There isn't a rock they can't or won't run back.

25 foot double? Let it roll.

In the 7th end, Howard is laying one on the wing with a center guard and he draws open. He knows that if he goes behind the guard, Koe will play the runback nut.

So he goes open. Koe beaks it, leaving Howard a simple nose hit to take the first lead of the game.

With one end to play, we'll say this: Koe deserves to win this game. They deserve a deuce and their first Grand Slam trophy. But deserving isn't enough. They have to come out and manufacture a deuce.

Our guess? They'll run back a few guards trying.

World Cup: Is the tide turning?

by Matt Hames
Capital One photo by Anil Mungal

MISSISSAUGA – This Howard team is kind of annoying. Don't get me wrong, I like to watch them, but they bug me.

They should have been down at least one (maybe more) at the fourth end break. Team Koe totally out played them and could have been up 4-0. (I still say that Koe should have capped the inturn side in 2, and I'm not sure how Howard scores.)

And with all that said, they leave Kevin Koe with a triple for one. That was the first end where things got a little difficult for Koe. Credit him for coming through with a great shot.

But you can feel a deuce coming. Meaning we're in for a cracker of a last two ends.

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World Cup: Can Koe Hold On?

by Matt Hames

Capital One photo (Kevin Koe) by Anil Mungal

MISSISSAUGA – So here we are, the second half of the game is underway. When I got here, I was surprised to learn that team Koe has been in 5 Grand Slam finals and is 0-fer in all finals.

This is a big second half for Kevin Koe and the team. If you're following this live posting, then you'll know that they dominated most of the first half of this game.

But they are tied. And even though this last end looks good for them, it says here that it's not. This is one of the first ends where things went relatively okay for Howard. Yes, it wasn't great, they crashed early, but this is a good building momentum end.

I said the game rested on this 5th end, but it doesn't. Where it rests is with confidence and body language. Team Howard are all standing together, probably listening to a joke or two from Rich. Team Koe is all over the rink, standing alone.

Curling is a team game on so many levels. The Howard team seems relaxed. The Koe didn't hang out together in the last break.

Are we reading too much into that? Maybe. We'll see right?

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• Koe fighting to break out of the shadows (nationalpost.com)

World Cup of Curling: At the Half

by Matt Hames
Capital One photo by Anil Mungal

MISSISSAUGA – So here's the skinny.

Team Koe dominates the first half of the game. We posted on Twitter that Koe was all over Howard like a cheap suit.

We don't care what the numbers say, there was never a point in this game where Koe had discomfort until Blake MacDonald's last rock in the fourth end.

Howard was down to manufacturing a deuce in the rings with three shots to come. At this level, the way these guys can throw it, that's not something that often happens. But alas, Blake MacDonald jams and gifts Howard a deuce and life.

Forget the score, the job of Koe will be to bounce back. Yes, I know. I just said bounce back. But I just watched almost four ends of domination. Howard had to throw a peel on his first rock in one and two. He has those shots, but he doesn't want to be throwing them.

Then, out of the blue, Howard gets his gimme deuce and a tie at the half.

They must be thinking that if they can come after Koe in this end, they could rattle team Koe. The history of this head to head has to be in team Koe's head.

This, ladies and gentlemen, will be the pivotal end of the game. How this end goes will go the game. Howard is going to start the second half of the this game with a halfway guard, something we talked about a couple of posts ago.

And we should be in for a cracker of a second half.

World Cup: Sweeping Rant

by Matt Hames

Capital One photo by Anil Mungal

MISSISSAUGA – The only sweeper on the sheet who sweeps with two grippers is Nolan Thiessen (at left).

This isn't a knock on Nolan, but I think it's better for the game if sweepers can use their slider. Just watch the motion of the sweeper using two grippers. It's an almost slide with a gripper on the ice.

Inevitably, that sweeper will be down the center line dragging a foot on the slide path. Conditions matter in a game like this. And the conditions will be better with less dragging.

Okay, back to the game. Richard just sailed his top four draw to the back twelve giving Koe a shot to get out of the end. Koe makes it decently which causes a conversation about the next shot.

Howard tries a double from an outside rock. That's the second end in a row that Glenn has had to try a double.

My first head scratch comes on Koe's last shot. Why did he throw an out-turn and not an in-turn come around on his last? Seems he could have really chocked off the lid and made it real tough for Howard to score if he throws the inturn.

Of course, Glenn makes the inturn draw to the lid to make it 2-1.

Still, if Koe can keep Howard throwing big weight hits on his first rock, then he might be able to break the goose egg in Grand Slam finals. As good as Howard is, I think most teams would love to see Glenn having to throw big weight hits.

World Cup: End 1

by Matt Hames
Capital One photo by Anil Mungal

At this level, it's really hard to pick the right spot for a center guard. Koe starts end #1 with a half way guard.

Any higher, and you can get rid of a rock that's buried with back line weight. Any tighter, and Howard just runs back the guard.

The real value in the guard comes late in the end. The half way guard ensures something at the end that Koe can use to force the play.

Indeed, the end really gets fun when Richard quite accidentally makes a great hit and roll to the back button. Koe manages a couple of complete pistols and steals two.

But this is the thing about Howard: they are tough to rattle. They've always seemed supremely confident in their ability to hang points.

But you can beat that Koe starts end #2 with a rock in the top of the rings, preferable biting the top four foot. This could be a fun game, especially since I'll stick to my score.

BTW, Arsenal are up 2-0 in what is being written up as quite a boring match.

Grey Power World Cup: The Preamble

by Matt Hames

MISSISSAUGA – So here we are, in the wild west of the Greater Toronto Area, for Act III. I'll be your live blogger for what is the third year in a row that Glenn Howard takes on Kevin Koe in the final of the World Cup of Curling.

Here are some stats that I'm sure CBC will mention:

1. It's the third year in a row that these two teams are playing in the World Cup final. Howard has won the last 2. But that was when the event was called the Masters of Curling. Now that it's called the World Cup, will Koe win? (We'll take your predictions in comments, but I'll throw out Howard winning 6-5.)

2. Head to head since 2006, they've played 6 times. Koe is 1-5.

3. Yesterday we watched Gushue beat Martin on CBC. My wife, a reluctant curling fan, opined the following: "Aren't people tired of Kevin Martin and Brad Gushue? Don't they always play each other?" Well, I responded, they're kind of the best. If you had of made the bet that it was Koe v Howard in the final, you weren't really going out on a limb. These guys can play. It's up to the rest of curling to catch Howard, Martin, Koe and Gushue.

4. If Howard wins, the team will tie Wayne Middaugh for second place on the all-time Capital One Grand Slam list.

5. If Koe wins, it will be his first Grand Slam win.

6. This is Team Koe's sixth Grand Slam final. See #5 for his record in finals.

7. Liverpool beat Manchester United today 2-0. I tell you that because there's a nice argument to be made that Liverpool is Koe and Man U are Howard. I won't make the argument. I'll also be updating West Ham Arsenal (Arsenal lead 1-0).

If you have questions, want to say hello, you can catch me here in comments or on Twitter at twitter.com/curling and also twitter.com/mhames.

Enjoy the game.

SoC TV, webisode I

As another weekend of epic Tour battles are underway – in Vancouver, in Switzerland, in Calgary and elsewhere – the first webisode of Season of Champions TV hit the airwaves – er, webwaves – last night.

Following some technical difficulties, the entire show is available for viewing today.

The women went first, and during the following male segment,talk turned to the pressure of Olympic expectations.

Kevin Martin spoke about his 1992 Olympic demonstration experience, which proved to be a titanic struggle.

“We didn’t handle it well in 1992,” said Martin. “We were young, heading into our first Olympics. We didn’t handle the media very well. We didn’t really know what we were going in for, we didn’t really know what to expect. And boy, that’s not a good way to go into an event.”

Later, Martin revealed how mental gymnastics can directly affect a high-performance curler.

“And the stress really got to all of us,” said Martin. “I think I started (1991) at 207 (weight in pounds); I finished in 2002 at 167.

“That’s a lot of stress.”

Later, the roundtable of Martin, Randy Ferbey and Kevin Koe discussed some great shots made against each other. Martin praised two back-to-back shots made by Ferbey fourth-shooter David Nedohin against Martin at April’s Grey Power Players’ Championship – both of them 20-foot straight back “nutters”.

Curling casting call: postscript I

The call went out right here, on The Curling News Blog, last Wednesday.

It was a curling casting call, you may recall, for the Calgary area, seeking curlers with various retro-outfits and equipment for a TV featurette on The Roaring Game.

Calls also went out to the Southern Alberta Curling Association and even the Kevin Koe men’s team, who of course showed off their own retro look last season.

The Crowsnest Films shoot featured Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones along with the local hired help, and today’s feature in the High-River Times tells more of the tale.

And we’ll have even more – including exclusive behind-the-scenes visuals – in the weeks to come, right here at The Curling News Blog!

[High-River Times photo by Alyssa Burnham]

Brewster, Ulsrud score gold

Scotland’s Tom Brewster went to Prague and came away from Saturday’s outdoor podium ceremony with the European Mixed Championship crown, plus trophy (Brewster photo above by Mr. Volfik). His squad defeated Denmark 5-1 in the final, while England grabbed the bronze. It is the second such trophy in three years for the oft-runner-up Scottish men’s finalist.

Moments ago at the Swiss Cup in Basel, Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud stopped his own recent run of silver and bronze by beating Sweden’s Niklas Edin 8-7 in the final. It was a wild affair which saw Usrud hold leads of 2-0 and 4-2 before Edin grabbed a deuce in the fifth and a big three-count in the seventh to tie the score 7-7. Ulsrud managed to end it in the eighth.

The Swedes had upset world champ David Murdoch in the quarterfinals, while the two Swiss Olympic contenders, Ralph Stoeckli and Stefan Karnusian, lost the semis. Danish Olympic squad leader Ulrik Schmidt and German veteran Andy Kapp both lost in the quarters. All in all, that’s an awful lot of Vancouver 2010 Olympic teams that qualified for the playoffs.

In Canada, Japan’s Moe Meguro – another squad headed to Vancouver – came from behind to beat 2007 world champion Kelly Scott 5-4 in a semi and then whomped Cheryl Bernard 6-1 in the final of the Twin Harbours Invitational in Vernon. On the men’s side, Kelowna’s Bob Ursel almost scored the threepeat but lost the final 7-5 on an extra-end steal of two to Edmonton’s Kevin Koe. Legends Kerry Burtnyk and Rick Folk lost in the semis, and Glenn Howard made it to the quarters before losing to Burtnyk.

In Regina, Pat Simmons won his first tourney of the season with a 7-1 shellacking of Brennan Jones in the final.

Of course, those of you who follow The Curling News on Twitter knew about most of these results yesterday.

Come, and follow...