Jimmy The Kid

EDMONTON – OK, so Je Ho (Jimmy) Lee of Korea (photo by CurlingZone) got whacked. 12-nil.

Glenn Howard… what a big meanie!

All athletes inevitably do care about their performance but Team Korea’s efforts are, for a developing nation, praiseworthy, and rest assured they were suffering no illusions about beating the Canadians.

Have you heard the story about why Lee doesn’t throw with a broom? It’s a classic.

The crowds just love The Kid.

More tomorrow...

M-15 wins Finnish election

Amid some fine preview stories on the imminent Ford World Men’s Curling Championships, The Curling News has learned, exclusively, that 2006 Olympic silver medallist and Finnish hero Markku Uusipaavalniemi was recently elected to Finland’s parliament.

As reported by the national daily Helsingen Sanomat:

On the other hand, the captain of the Finnish curling team in Torino 2006, Markku Uusipaavalniemi, managed to secure a Centre Party place from the Uusimaa constituency. M-15, as he is called in curling circles, should increase the average IQ of the 200-member assembly: he is said to be able to resolve the Rubik Cube puzzle in 25 seconds.

Incidentally, Makkuu has struggled on the ice this year. A fairly drab showing at December’s European Championships in Basel was followed by an almost-upset in the Finnish playdowns for next season’s Euro shootout; however, Uusipavaalniemi recovered to win the spot for Füssen.

M-15 received 2,804 votes and as a member of the “Keskusta partiet” will be one of only 200 people to make decisions for the entire country.

Cool.

Mead on the move – to Ontario squad

Almost one year ago The Curling News, to the embarassment of the Manitoba sports media scene, broke the news of Jon Mead’s departure from the sport of curling.

Today, the Winnipeg Sun has the scoop that Mead (photo) is on his way back to the sport, on a three-year plan to win the Olympic Trials with... guess who...

Wayne Middaugh.

Yep, no playdowns for Mead, and no physical upheaval from his Winnipeg base; just an eye on buckets of cash and CTRS points en route to Vancouver 2010. Via the province of Ontario, that is.

Welcome back Jonny. It’s not the first time you were considered for a spot on an Ontario team (any guesses folks?) but this full-time commitment is another matter.

Welcome back to Graeme “Crackers” McCarrel too, although it’s really no surprise.

Next up... who Middaugh might have played with next year, had the deal gone through. And if you thought today’s news is pretty wild, just wait until you read this.

But you’ll have to wait a bit for that.

Dane’t count them out

AOMORI – Don’t count the Danes (photo from the third end by CurlingZone) out quite yet.

They’re playing well – better than any previous efforts against Canada – and moreover, the normally rock-solid middle lineup of Team Canada, Sasha Carter and Jeanna Schraeder, are struggling a tad.

Frost warning in Japan?

AOMORI – Just a few minutes before game time, and head ice tech Hans Wuthrich is fretting about frost. It’s a gorgeous day outside – 13 degrees C – and it’s never been as warm inside as it is today.

Also, Richard Hart just called from Port Hawkesbury, where it’s gawd-knows-what time in the morning, to check in on proceedings. We suggested he and the boys film more of Craig Savill’s moves for another YouTube moment ...

All-Alberta... plus one Lotus-lander

by Teri Lake

PORT HAWKESBURY, N.S. – Getting to The Hawk was just as much about having a beer as it was hitting the arena. Mind you, the bartender at dinner asking me if I wanted a glass – or not – with my Keith’s draught order sort of threw me... but I did get my beer!

And Port Hawkesbury is indeed pumped for curling! With hardly an empty seat in the Civic Centre, and lots more filling out the standing room areas, great curling is not going unnoticed in this small Capre Breton town. Perennial fan favourite, Brad Gushue, has his own cheering section of giggly girlies, and the more experienced cougs have an eye for this guy.

Speaking of Brad and the boys, they couldn’t be in Winterpeg for this announcement, but still more congrats are in order. Here’s a photo (above) of Brad straining his hand muscles, courtesy of the local blat.

Crowd-pleasing in the pseudo-Patch was traditional Maritimers McGuinty and they are straight from the Hali pub circuit. They put on a great show and the dance floor was overtaken by local ladies looking to impress the sharp shooters (one even rocked a shirt from… here, yikes). As the night wore on, the party moved to a local bar/Chinese buffet combo… seriously!

It’s playoff time already in this third of four Grand Slam events for 06/07. No real surprises in the teams making the quarters and victories by Kevin Martin over Shawn Adams, Randy Ferbey over Scotland’s Tom Brewster and Kevin Koe over Gushue will ensure a great finish here in the Hawk. Brier champ Glenn Howard got sent packing with Team Don Walchuk’s upset victory – with Vancouverite Brent Pierce guesting for Don – and complete the roster for an all-Alberta semi round.

Speaking of those semis, time to go …

Scotland moves past U.S.

AOMORI – It was a single errant 42-pound hunk of granite that spoiled Debbie McCormick’s day.

The U.S. champion missed a crucial but routine draw in the third end of the Page 3/4 Playoff match, handed four stolen points to Scotland’s Kelly Wood and spiralled out of the 2007 World Women’s Curling Championships.

The final score was 11-5 in nine ends.

“It was a little heavy, but I guess I was just wide,” said McCormick, the 2006 finalist and 2003 champion (photo by CurlingZone).

“It’s very disappointing after getting so close last year. They (Scotland) played well.”

The beginning of the end started innocently enough. The Americans missed repeated efforts to draw behind cover, and the Scots knocked the U.S. rocks clear. On McCormick’s last stone, there were four Scottish rocks in the rings but the path was wide-open for a simple draw to the rings for a point.

However, McCormick was a touch wide, the rock ran straight and crashed on a guard, and the U.S. suddenly trailed 5-0.

“There’s no way you would imagine that,” said Wood, who will face the loser of Saturday’s Page 1/2 game between Canada and Denmark. The winner of that match is into Sunday’s final.

“There was so much ice, it was a bit of a shock. It was strange, but nice.”

Wood is guaranteed a bronze medal.

“It’s my first medal in six or seven (international) championships,” said the enthused skip. “I’ve never been this far into the playoffs. I’m just going to enjoy the games the rest of the way.”

Prior to the game, the final four teams enjoyed a practice day, followed by a demonstration of Mixed Doubles curling, the new discipline being promoted by the World Curling Federation.

Numerous teams, coaches and curious spectators attended the four-end exhibition, which featured a Danish pair – Denise Dupont and coach Ulrik Damm – versus an American twosome (alternate Maureen Brunt and coach Rob Meakin) and American pairs throwing five rocks each, and with two extra stones placed in strategic positions before each end.

The game was filmed by World Curling Television to help the sport’s 46 member nations develop the discipline in their countries.

The first World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship takes place in Vierumäki, Finland in conjunction with the 2008 World Seniors, March 9-15 next year.

TeriHawk Curling

by Teri Lake

HALIFAX – What the Hawk?

My bags are packed and I’m ready to go. And if it wasn’t for this day-job thingy holding me back, I’d be there already.

I’m heading to the epicentre-du-jour of curling… Port Hawkesbury, NS! (Ahem, epicentre of “men’s” curling this weekend… sorry Aomori).

Whaaaa? I’m going where, you ask?

Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia is the unlikely host to one of the cornerstone events on the (men’s) Asham World Curling Tour circuit: The National. A Grand Slam event, no less. For the second consecutive year, The Hawk’s Civic Centre will welcome 16 of the best teams “in the world,” according to the PHCC website. Hey, I agree!

Recent Brier top dawg Glenn Howard’s marathon rolls on as he says hello in the Hawk before jetting to Edmonton for a little event called the Ford Worlds in early April.

Tankard trophy runner-up Brad Gushue will be in town along with the veteran/young pup combo of Team Kevin Martin. Speaking of Martin, his former third Don Walchuk’s new squad is on the roster as well. Also, lycra-lovin’ Pete Fenson’s Olympic bronzers headline the international contingent. And never forget about the Ferbster and team.

Scotian entry Shawn Adams will likely be excited to get back to playin’ with the big boys after narrowly missing this year’s Brier, ‘Toban Kerry Burtnyk along with fellow flatlanders Pat Simmons and Kevin Koe up the ante as serious Slam contenders, and Scotland’s Tom Brewster will be Hammying it up on this side of the pond.

Unfortunately for me, the battle got underway earlier today and I’m still home, but staying entertained, as the work week winds down. Getting a hotel room was a heckuva task so if that’s any indication, Port Hawkesbury is pumped for curling! Looking forward to sharing the excitement with you, live from The National, when I finally get there, on Friday. And with no national television scheduled for this one, you’ve only got online options to follow along: CurlTV (subscription only), the good old boys at CurlingZone’s scoring pages, and... me!

Calendar girl sings at Brier

HAMILTON – Guess who is singing the national anthem for both tomorrow's semi-final and Sunday's final games?

She made her debut Friday night at the opening ceremonies, and they've asked her back for more. It's none other than Lynsay Ryan (photo), daughter of two-time world champion Pat Ryan and herself a two-time Ana Arce calendar girl!

A suggestion for the final three: keep your mind on the game, boys...

And why not pay a visit to TCN's calendar page, dear reader, where – looky-looky! – a spring discount is in effect...!

The 2007 calendar features 17 curling athletes/models from around the world, strutting their stuff for much-needed funding (each earns a portion from the proceeds).

Support them today!

Curling Telethon and live TeriBlog!

It's an all-Canadian post today, because The Scotties are here. Well, it actually starts tomorrow – and can be viewed for a full nine days on TSN and then CBC.

A nice preview story by Donna Spencer here.

Check out info on Sunday’s big Sandra Schmirler Foundation Telethon on TSN below (and pin image at left), one of the sport’s great causes and one which The Curling News is proud to support. But for now...

Live blogging from Lethbridge! Oh yes!

Here’s TCN scribe – and Team Nova Scotia second – Teri Lake, from first thing this morning:

Good Lord I’m tired. But we made it and that’s all that’s important!

Yesterday was a marathon. From checking our online flight status every thirty seconds due to the pending storm for us out East (and the current storm happening in Toronto) we got airborne just in time to miss the bad weather on both ends! The seven-hour flight to Calgary ended with a four-hour wait at the airport for the shuttle to Lethbridge. A very late 12:30 arrival in the ‘Bridge (count it…3:30am Halifax time!) saw these five ladies hitting the hay, and rather quickly. But who can sleep when you’ve just arrived at the Scotties? I mean really!!!

We finally settled in with enough time for a great sleep and early wake up for spa day. A lovely local woman named Angie welcomed us into her home and we took her offer to make ourselves at home very seriously, very quickly. Skipper Jill dumped out the massive bag of pin card goodies and off we went to work. A massage and manicure for five, and pin cards for 70!
Then rush, rush, rush to get our uniforms (I’ll get to that shortly), surrender our TSN head shots, practice, a tour of the Enmax Centre, and now a short rest en route to a reception.
So, I’ve got to get ready now but I’ll be back soon and it will be that much closer to when the real fun begins…

Now, for all the fabulous Schmirler stuff that is going on Sunday, this Scotties week and generally around the curling world:

The second annual Curling Club Challenge takes place during the Sandra Schmirler Foundation Telethon, Sunday February 18.

The telethon is an integral part of The Sports Network’s live TV coverage that day and comes live from Lethbridge, during the afternoon draw of the 2007 STOH.

In the last two years, a total of $324,000 has been committed to the six hospitals in the various Season of Champions cities toward the purchase of vital neonatal equipment.

The curling club that donates the most funds will receive three pairs of tickets to the 2008 major curling events – a pair each to the 2008 Scotties Tournament of Hearts (Regina), the Tim Hortons Brier (Winnipeg) and the Ford World Women’s Championships in Vernon, B.C., courtesy of the Canadian Curling Association. The second ranked club will receive two Reactor2 Carbon Fibre brooms and two autographed Olympic T-shirts, courtesy of Olson Curling Supplies and Team Shannon Kleibrink.

The telethon hotline – which can only receive donations on February 18 – is 1-866-9SANDRA (1-866-972-6372). Rules and details can be found on the Foundation website, in the “How You Can Help” section.

Also, a new limited-edition Sandra Schmirler Foundation lapel pin – featuring the new “Champions Start Small” slogan – is now available. In the center of the pin is the logo of the Sandra Schmirler Foundation, which has forearms clasped together around a heart, showing the strength that a united effort can bring to any challenge.

The pin costs $6.00 (tax and shipping inclusive) and it is also available with the French slogan, “Petit champion deviendra grand”.

To order, contact the Foundation office at 1-866-210-6011 or send an e-mail here.

curlquebec.tv

Just two men’s provincials left, folks.

In Quebec, Pierre Charette “upset” Jean-Michel Menard in the Page 1/2 game and awaits the winner of the Menard/Robert Desjardins semi, which is played this morning. The final is tonight.

Did you know you can see tonight’s final on curlquebec.tv? Well, now you know.

In Ontario, the TSC Stores Tankard is underway with Glenn Howard and Wayne Middaugh pegged to clash in the final for the third consecutive year.

Yesterday, The Curling News watched veteran Jim Lyle outpoint former champ Bryan Cochrane live on Rogers Television (you can also see it on Cogeco) and the memories were already rushing around before we read today’s Morris Dalla Costa piece. Lyle’s team entered playdowns to get ready for seniors – same as Saskatchewan’s Eugene Hritzuk – and, well, now that Gene made it all the way to the Sask final before losing to Pat Simmons, one wonders if Lyle’s Geritol Gang can do the same.

Lyle has a rather tall slide that TCN remembers seeing before. “Nev” Breivik and Ted Smith have been to the Tankard a hundred times, losing the 1991 capper to Russ Howard. Ken Baute has been around and we remember him bringing down the house at a few Port Elgin SuperSpiels.

There were lots of Cochrane memories, too. This is his 10th Tankard, which is remarkable, and we don’t think his hair has moved one millimetre out of place in all that time. Chris Fulton has won this before – he was a charter member of the time-clock-challenged Rich Moffatt squad after arriving in Ottawa from Nova Scotia – and we still can’t believe a tall guy can get so low in his delivery. Jeff Henderson is a Northern Ontarian, and of course John Steski is, well, a Steski. ’Nuff said.

Congrats to Charley but, also, to PEIs silver medallists, who have a very bright future. Meanwhile, the junior women’s final has stirred up a mild case of controversy. Give it a rest, folks.