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Posts here are mirrored on the Wheelchair Curling Blog, often with photos. Leave comments at the blog or email  eric@wheelchaircurling.com
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Canada posts big margin wins at Norwegian Open  10/14/2011

Both Canadian teams posted big margin wins in the opening draws of the Norwegian Open at the Halden Curling Centre. The draw and results are available HERE.

Team Canada off to Norway and Scotland  10/12/2011

Team Canada's only international trip before defending their World title in South Korea next February is to Norway, where they play this weekend, then on to Scotland the following week.

The Norwegian Open, to be held at the Halden Centre starting Friday, failed to attract any other contending teams and will serve as a warm-up for the Kinross event beginning next Tuesday.

Canada is fielding two teams with Calgarians Anne Hibberd and Jack Smart joining the six carded squad members. In Norway, roles and positions will be flexible, but Canada's medal team expect to play together in Scotland.

The eight teams in Norway include four local teams, plus Finland and Denmark.

The ten teams that will compete in Kinross include two from Russia, plus Norway, Switzerland, Latvia and three Scots teams. Team members can be seen here.

NB's Capital Winter Club access fundraising close to $60K target 10/12/2011

As part of its 50th Anniversary celebration, the volunteer run Capital Winter Club in Fredericton NB has almost reached its $60,000 fundraising target that will, with matching provincial funds allow the installation of a lift to the upstairs viewing area.

Club president Rob Wight told The Daily Gleaner: "we're hoping to extend that at some time in the future to where we can actually have wheelchair curling and give people with disabilities access to the ice."

Give-it-a-go at The Peak in Stirling (SCO) October 5th  10/4/2011

There will be a "taster" session at The Peak in Stirling from 2.30 to 3.30  on Wednesday October 5th. Stirling WCC has 13 regular curlers and is actively seeking members.

Aileen Neilson voted "Athletes' Athlete" by Scottish peers 10/4/2011

Team Scotland skip Aileen Neilson was awarded the coveted Gordon Brown Memorial Trophy at the Scottish Disability Sport's AGM on September 28th.  This honour is voted for by fellow athletes to the individual who has excelled at the highest level in their sport.

Aileen skipped her team to a silver medal at the 2011 World Championships in Prague, a return to the podium for the former wheelchair curling powerhouse after several years. You can read the RCCC report on the event HERE

Team Canada devlopment camp begins in Richmond BC  9/30/2011

Twenty six wheelchair users and a dozen coaches will gather this weekend at the Richmond CC in British Columbia, the pay-off to last season's promise that the regional development camps held across the country would lead to opportunities to connect with the present Team Canada squad and their coaches. Attendees will have an opportunity to learn what it takes to win at the international level, and use those insights to strengthen their provincial programmes.

It's easy to underestimate just how much work, and how many hours go into developing the skills that underpin winning performance, hours that for the national squad are eased by financial support, and guided by coaching staff with the resources to analyse and adjust performance. While Canada is blessed with enormous coaching experience across the country, specific experience in wheelchair curling is very limited outside of the national program, and the efforts of a handful of provincially based coaches volunteering their time.

So the weekend will be an opportunity to spread the word about good practices and proven methods that can improve standards nationally. It will also probably demonstrate how wide is the gap both in execution and ambition between those athletes with access to expert coaching and training and the resources to devote significant hours each week to their sport, and those making their own way.

Expert coaching can change that equation, especially in the area of technique, on which all else rests, and which even experienced able-bodied coaches will find alien. A stable repeatable delivery is essential to success, and while individuals will differ in their throwing motions, delivery positions, and stick configurations depending on their physique, an educated eye can help maintain the consistency that eventually allows for measured change of force, and the ability to judge distance.

Anyone disappointed at not receiving an invite to Richmond can console themselves knowing that with a settled squad holding both Paralympic and World titles and unlikely to voluntarily give up carding system booty, the opportunity to break into the squad before 2014, baring accident, illness or even more dramatic legal imbroglios than a felony drug distribution conviction, remains slim to none. The true worth of the weekend will be whether teams competing in Thunder Bay next March arrive better prepared to bridge the gap between the National Champions, and the chosen.

Quebec's Johanne Daley is this week's CCA featured athlete  9/29/2011

Johanne Daley, who brought a wealth of high performance sport experience to her debut on curling ice in 2008, is this week's featured ahlete on the CCA website. Discover what rule she'd change, and how hard she can throw a takeout and much more in Jean Mills' profile HERE.

Wheelchair curling in the Yukon?  9/28/2011

The Yukon Curling Association, in a news release reported by the Whitehorse Daily Star, suggests they are interested in starting wheelchair curling in the territory. There were no details given for locations, or what if any clubs might be wheelchair accessible, but Yukon wheelchair users interested in participating should contact the YCA office at 867-668-7121 or by e-mail at yca@sportyukon.com

Calgary change of venue and Edmonton's ice is in  9/27/2011

The Ogden Legion CC, host for seven extremely successful years to Calgary's wheelchair curlers, succumbed to financial pressures and closed its doors this summer, forcing the wheelchair curling program to relocate to the Garrison Curling Club.

Regular weekly Sunday evening sessions resume at 4.45pm, commencing October 16^th.

The ice is in at the Jasper Place CC, site of last year's Nationals and also host of this season's Provincial Championship January 20-22, 2012. A tweet from Cathy, the club manager (@1CathyC) suggested a wheelchair curling clinic is planned for the October 1st weekend. Contact her for more information.

Invitation to 6th Open Czech Tournament 2011 9/22/2011

The event will be held from November 25th to November 27th at the Prague curling hall.

Entry forms and hotel information are available HERE and the booking deadline is October 24.

Ohioans offered an opportunity to learn to curl  9/22/2011

Columbus (Ohio) Curling Club is holding another learn to curl session on Sunday October 2nd from 9 - noon. The session is designed introduce wheelchair athletes to the sport of curling, as well as for able-bodied curlers interested in learning to teach wheelchair curling.

Cost is $10 per participant and veterans are free. Visit the club's website for more information and to sign up.

McCreadie steers Scotland II to season opening win in Denmark  9/21/2011

The 5th Annual Danish Open in Tårnby September 9-11 attracted a full complement of ten teams to open the 2011/2012 competitive curling season. Scotland, Russia and Norway each sent two teams, and Germany, Finland, Czech Republic and Denmark also competed.

Scotland II and the Czechs topped their groups (which were scored on more than won/loss records) with the Scots running our easy winners in the gold medal game and Russia taking 3rd. Gregor Ewan moved from Scotland I replacing an injured Jim Gault and did a fine job of calming any rookie nerves from Ian Donaldson and Gill Keith, according to coach Tony Zummack.

Final Standings - teams played a final crossover game between the two pools.

GB 2 beat Czech Republic for Gold
Russia 1 beat Norway I for Bronze
Russia 2 beat Finland for 5th
GB 1 beat Denmark for 7th
Germany beat Norway 2 for 9th

The Scots were coming from an intensive two week camp that straddled the end of August, one of several innovations their full-time coach has introduced this season. As reported by Bob Cowan, the wheelchair curlers attended as part of the newly integrated Royal Club/British Curling World Class Performance Programme, sharing ice and classroom time.

"It was a really good camp," said Zummack, and after eight days we had the opportunity to bring in some other competitive wheelchair curlers for a day, and then finish with a well-attended "give-it-a-go" session for wheelchair users and people interested in coaching, that several senior players stayed around for.

"We're spending a lot of time on the ice in supervised practice," he said, possible with a full-time national wheelchair coach. "From now on the squad of eight will be spending at least two 4-hour practice sessions a week, some where they will come to me, and some where I will travel to them. This hasn't been done in Scotland before, and we'll see how it goes this season, then evaluate.

"Six of the squad are using a parallel delivery and seven are using the (Eales) off-side brace, but the most important thing is they use a delivery that fits their body and with which they feel comfortable." It also appears they have dropped the long-range shooting style favoured by the previous regime.

Manitoban Dennis Thiessen featured on CCA website 9/20/2011

Team Manitoba 3rd Dennis Thiessen is the featured athlete on the newly revamped CCA website.

2011, after some local controversy over team formation, was a big year for Dennis and his teammates when, as Team Manitoba, they converted a string of three bronze medals into gold at the national championships in Edmonton. That win earned them an invitation to the end of September Team Canada Development/Evaluation camp in Richmond BC.

Find out who Dennis would invite to dinner, and what his favourite website is, by reading Jean Mills' profile HERE.

News from Team Canada  9/19/2011

There are six Canadian athletes currently receiving financial support through the national carding system; the five who won gold at last year's World Championships in Prague, plus Manitoban Chris Sobkowicz, skip of the current national champions, who receives a smaller "development" grant.

The six all participated in the optional monthly training camps at Edmonton's Saville Centre over the summer, and will be joined by 20 invitees and 9 coaches at a Development/Evaluation Camp that will be held in Richmond BC from September 30-October 2.

This camp, which had initially been proposed for the end of last season, is a follow-on from the series of regional camps held by national team staff and athletes throughout last season. Invitees to Richmond were chosen in part on impressions gained at those camps, as well as performance at observed competitions, and recommendations from regional coaches.

With the present Team Canada appearing as both Paralympic and World Champions, the camp is probably less about breaking into the national team than an opportunity for athletes and coaches to familiarise themselves with national training procedures that may be carried back into and improve regional programs.

A full list of Richmond invitees can be seen at the end of this post.

An eight person TC squad will travel to Norway (October 14-16) and then with just a day's turnaround, compete at the Kinross event in Scotland (October 18-20). Albertans Jack Smart and Anne Hibberd will join the squad for those two events. In Norway the team lineups will be flexible, but the world champion team is expected to play together in Scotland.

Canada will also field two teams at the Richmond International (November 2-5) though personnel may change.

A further but smaller development camp is planned for later in the season.

Expected to attend the Richmond camp

National Team coaches Laura Farres, Joe Rea, Wendy Morgan, Gerry Peckham

National squad members Jim Armstrong, Darryl Neighbour, Ina Forrest, Sonja Gaudet, Bruno Yizek, Chris Sobkowicz

National Champions Manitoba coach Rob Lamb, with Dennis Thiessen, George Horning, Don Kalinsky, Melissa Lecuyer

BC coach Karen Watson with Frank Labounty and Alison Duddy

Alberta coach Andy Jones with Jack Smart and Anne Hibberd

Saskatchewan coach Lorraine Arguin with Darwin Bender and Gil Dash

N. Ontario coach Dave Kawahara with Carl Levesque

Ontario coach Carl Rennick with Collinda Joseph, Chris Rees, Mike Munro and Mark Ideson

Quebec coaches Germaine Tremblay/Alan Smith with Benoit Lessard
and Carl Marquis

Atlantic region coach LeslieAnn Walsh with Joanne McDonald, Darlene Jackman and Trendal Hubley- Bolivar

Highland Wheelchair Curling begins in Inverness Sept. 27  8/29/2011

The Highland WCC would like to encourage wheelchair users and all those with mobility problems, to join them on Tuesdays  from 1.30 to 3.30pm during the curling season at the Inverness Ice Centre. Sessions begin September 27 and you don't need to stay the full two hours.

Mo Simpson says: Wheelchair Curling is an enjoyable and social sport from grassroots to elite level. It is also one of a number of sports which can be played on an equal basis, alongside and with, non-disabled people. The club will provide trained coaches and any equipment needed; just wear layers of clothing, gloves and a hat if required. Should I not be available when you come, please ask for Morven Marwick, Curling Development Officer, or Ron Wynton, Wheelchair Coach.

For further information on wheelchair curling or to book a Come and Try place please contact Mo Simpson at wheels77uk@yahoo.co.uk or tel: 01463 716227 or 07798 710404.

The Callie Commitment 8/29/2011

As part of its commitment to bring new participants into the club, Regina's Callie CC is continuing its wheelchair curling program. If you use a wheelchair or know someone who does, join the fun. Contact Bob Capp at (306) 789-0367 or contact the Callie.

Entry deadline for 4th Annual Wetzikon (Zurich) Open is Sept. 30 8/27/2011

The 4th Annual Wetzikon tournament will take place October 22-23 at the Wetzikon Curling Centre, near Zurich SUI.

Competition details, including fees, accommodation and map can be found HERE along with an entry form to be completed by September 30.

Norwegian Open October 14-16. Registration deadline August 19 8/11/2011

This year's Norway Open will be held at the Halden Curling centre from October 14-16. The registration deadline for this event is Friday August 19 and full details including cost, transportation and accommodation can be found HERE. Email Anne Grethe Bremnes for more information.

Nova Scotia loses a skip. New Brunswick gains a mentor  8/8/2011

Nova Scotia skip Mike Fitzgerald, who shares with Colleen Jones a record of four consecutive provincial titles, is retiring from his job and moving to New Brunswick where he and his wife Anna spent their childhood.

“I depart with mixed feelings," said Mike. "Loss in leaving a team that had success from a great work ethic and good coaching. Then there is the excitement of retiring and moving home knowing I have plenty of time to help the New Brunswick program develop.

“I have learned a great deal about wheelchair curling. In the beginning there was little instruction. Now I can use all that knowledge about skill development and team dynamics to assist others who are just beginning.”

Friend and teammate Laughie Rutt said, “It's sad to see him move on but it is something Mike had planned for years. Mike took us very close to the big prize. He remains one of the premier curlers in Canada.”

Fitzgerald was known in Lakeshore Curling Club as the ultimate competitor. He could be found at the club at least six times a week either practising or playing. He also worked with new curlers to improve their skills. Quiet and reserved off the ice, you would never find him talking of his accomplishments.

Good luck, Michael.  We'll be looking forward to New Brunswick challenging at future Nationals.

Deadline fast approaching for 5th Annual Kinross International 8/8/2011

One of Scotland's most successful independently organised wheelchair spiels is the Kinross International, held this year between October 18-20th.

The Scottish national programme will be fielding two strong sides looking to impress the home fans and Canada, Russia, Norway and Switzerland have expressed interest in attending.

Application deadline is September 3. Contact Ena Stevenson for more information.

News from team Canada 8/8/2011

There is very little news from Team Canada other than "Team Canada has been meeting and practicing on a regular basis."

There had been hopes to organise an Albertan summer camp for individuals who caught the attention of national coaches during last season's tour. This did not materialise because of unspecified "challenges" but it is hoped that a camp (details have not yet been circulated) can take place at the end of September in Richmond BC.

I am told invitees will be those who displayed the most promise based on (the) various camps from last season or as a result of observed performances and success at the Canadian Championships.

Jim Armstrong update: Jim's son Greg has been moved to a federal prison in Mississippi. Jim tells me there "are some interesting scenario's developing" but his son's present situation prevents him from making good on his promise to tell his side of the story in public. It is a story that the CCA have apparently heard and accepted for Jim to remain on the programme.

More from the Cape Cod Summerspiel  8/8/2011

Quesnel resident Alison Duddy features prominently in a report by Percy Hebert of the Quesnel Cariboo Observer. She talks about her team's performance at last month's Cape Cod Summerspiel where her provincial team placed second in a field that included teams from Scotland Russia and USA.

The report, which includes game situations, strategy, tips and lots of credit where it was due, is the kind of reporting that we need to encourage if wheelchair users unfamiliar with the sport are to be enticed to try it.

Alison has featured several times here, never with a view to self-promotion, and sets an example that other curlers and coaches in general and Team Canada personnel in particular might consider emulating as part of a low cost, high benefit campaign to publicise the sport.

Invitation to compete at Lausanne International December 3-4 8/8/2011

An invitation to compete at the 5th Annual Lausanne International at the Lausanne Olympique CC can be found HERE. The field will be limited to 12 teams and the attached registration form should be returned by September 30.

Open call to try out for Team USA  8/8/2011

The US Curling Association has issued an open call for athletes interested in representing their country at the 2012 World Championships in South Korea.

The trial will be held in Wisconsin at the Madison CC from October 20 to 23rd. The top eight candidates, chosen on both on and off ice criteria, will be required to compete in the USA Open in Utica NY and the Cathy Kerr Bonspiel in Ottawa. Expenses will be covered for those events.

From that group, five athletes will be chosen for the mixed gender team that will compete at the Worlds.

With two retirements from the US national team already announced, there is an excellent opportunity for ambitious wheelchair users prepared to put in the practice to make the team.

Full details of the camp including registration and costs are available HERE.

$50K grants available from Canada's Enabling Accessibility Fund 8/6/2011

The Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) supports community-based projects across Canada that improve accessibility, remove barriers, and enable Canadians with disability to participate in and contribute to their communities. Grants up to $50,000 per project are available to improve the “built environment.”

If your curling club is looking to enhance its accessibility by:
• Constructing an interior or exterior ramp
• Installing wider doors or automated door openers
• Building an accessible washroom
• Installing an elevator or lift
• Enhancing interactive speech capability on a public-access computer

Visit HERE for more information on how to access funds but act quickly, the deadline for proposals is September 23, 2011.

BC residents can contact Penny Bartel for assistance in putting together a proposal.

6th Annual USA Open Utica NY November 11-13  8/6/2011

Marc DePerno, team leader for the USA national team, has issued invitations to compete at the 6th Annual USA Open International taking place at the Utica CC November 11-13th, 2011.

Full details, including special rates on accommodation and transportation, are available HERE. Registration deadline is October 10th.

The field will be limited to 10 teams. More info from Marc DePerno.

Russia beats Cormack's BC team to win Cape Cod Summerspiel  7/21/2011

Russia beat BC's Team Cormack 8-6 in the final of the 2nd Annual Cape Cod Summerspiel in Falmouth, MA topping a field that included the Scots "A" squad's first appearance under new Canadian coach Tony Zummack, as well as Team Quebec, and players in the USA national squad.

Vince Miele, BC's 2nd, said: "It was a close game [and] we're pretty proud that our team with our teammates spread out around the province having little time to practice together, and no coach, can hold our own against provincial teams like Quebec and national teams like Scotland and Russia.

"And what fun we're having!"

Russia, still relative newcomers to international wheelchair curling, continued the form that took them to their first semi-final appearance at the 2011 Worlds. With three seasons still to go before they host the 2014 Paralympics, they will be serious medal contenders in Sochi.

Miele reports the 3-4 game between Quebec and Scotland was won by Quebec 9-3 and the USA - USA/Canada game was won by USA by a score of 10-2.

"Our hosts and all the volunteers at this small club of about 250 have been fantastic, providing everything we needed, from transportation, to meals and even a bit of a tour. Overall, an experience we're glad we didn't miss and would be happy to come back to next year,' said Miele.

The Quesnel Cariboo Observer published a report prior to the 1 vs 2 game. It can be read HERE.

Worlds Qualifying Tournament deadline approaching 7/19/2011

August 15th is the registration deadline for wheelchair curling teams representing a WCF Member Association wishing to compete at the World Wheelchair Qualifying Competition in Lohja Finland between 5 and 12 November 2011.

The top two qualifiers will join the top eight finishers at the 2011 Worlds: Canada, China, Korea (host), Norway, Russia, Scotland, Sweden and USA, at the World Championships in Chuncheon City, South Korea, 18-25 February 2012.

Germany and the Czech Republic are the two teams who competed at the 2011 Worlds in Prague but will have to travel to Finland to attempt to rejoin the chase for 2014 Paralympics qualifying points.

Invitation to 5th Annual Danish Open, Taarnby September 9 to 11 7/12/2011

Per Christensen, the Danish national wheelchair curling coach, has issued an invitation to compete at the 5th Annual Open International taking place at the Taarnby CC.

Eight teams have already accepted, including the full 8 person Scottish squad, and teams from Finland, Norway, Germany, the Czech Republic and Denmark.

Full details, including special rates on accommodation are available HERE or you can contact Per directly by email.

Tony Zummack talks about developments in Scotland  7/8/2011

Great Britain coach Tony Zummack took advantage of six weeks of summer ice to hold intensive training sessions for British curlers interested in competing for an eventual place on the 2014 Sochi Paralympics squad.

"We had a series of all day Wednesday sessions in May and June where we had the opportunity to look at a lot of athletes, including some who came up from England," he told me today. "This year's emphasis will be on technical development; helping the 8 players selected for the training squad develop their mechanics, throw more accurately. I don't see why wheelchair curlers can't hit the broom as consistently as the best able-bodied curlers.

"We have divided the group into two squads: an A squad skipped by Aileen Neilson with Tom Killin, Gregor Ewan and Angie Malone; with Michael McCreadie skipping the B squad, Jim Gault, Ian Donaldson and Gill Keith who have less international experience. Each team will have different development goals with the aim of producing a very competitive team in time for the 2012 Worlds.

That's not to say that others will not emerge before Sochi in 2014, or that all of the present 8 will stay the course, and Zummack promises to keep an open mind on future prospects.

"What I believe," he said, "is that we are on the cusp of a significant advance in shot execution and overall standard of play. While it is true that wheelchair curling without sweeping can never be as accurate as high performance regular curling, efficiencies in delivery combined with increased understanding of what is and is not possible to throw accurately, and what shots are likely to bring the biggest likelihood of success, should raise stats into the 70s."

He may be right, and the adoption of the off-side brace long advocated here, and other delivery refinements will help. I would, however, be more persuaded if I had not heard similar claims from both Canadian and European coaches for at least the past four years.

Zummack is taking one team to Cape Cod (Jim Gault replacing Michael McKenzie from the Prague team). There will be a high performance camp from August 26 through September 4 and then several European spiels before the Scottish team is chosen for the 2012 Worlds.

Invitation to the 5th Annual Rolli Trophy cashspiel in Berne SUI  7/7/2011

This year's Rolli Trophy cashspiel will be held in Berne, Switzerland from Friday November 11 to November 13, 2011.

The field will be limited to 8 teams. Entry fees are 300 Swiss francs for a guaranteed six 6-end games with 7,000 francs of prize money to be won.

Closing date for entries is October 17. Read the flier (English version page 4) HERE or contact Nadia Roethlisberger for more information.

2nd Annual Cape Cod Summerspiel draws international field 6/22/2011

Teams from Russia, Scotland, Canada and the USA will be competing in the 2nd Annual Cape Cod Summerspiel July 17-20 in Falmouth, MA.

Russia is sending the team that just missed the podium when they finished 4th at the 2011 Worlds in Prague, though with a different coach, Alexandra Ryzhkova.

Tony Zummack, Great Britain's new Head Coach of Wheelchair Curling with his first competitive team selection, is bringing four of the five Prague silver medalists, Jim Gault replacing Michael McKenzie.

Canada will be represented by Team Lessard, Quebec provincial champions looking to rebound from a disappointing 2011 Nationals, and by British Columbia's Team Cormack.

USA national coach Steve Brown will be guiding both a new-look Team USA with Patrick McDonald at skip, and a mixed USA/Canada team featuring the return to action of Bob Prenoveau at skip.

Full details of the event, draws and teams can be found HERE.

N. Ontario's Chester Draper wins the Manitoba Marathon 6/20/2011

Chester Draper, who plays 2nd on Wayne Ficek's No. Ontario provincial championship team won the Manitoba men’s full wheelchair marathon with a time of 1:57:26 beating that benchmark 2 hour time that marks a great performance.

Congratulations to Chester, who is 71 and lives in Dryden, ON. And no, he didn't use a souped-up power wheelchair.

Video coverage from the 2011 Canadian Nationals in Edmonton   6/18/2011

AccessibleMedia were filming at the 2011 Canadian Nationals in Edmonton. Coverage included comments from Cathy Craig, Joe Rea and Bruno Yizek.

"Come and Try" Wheelchair Curling in Melbourne, Australia  6/18/2011

Wheelchair users in the vicinity of Melbourne, Australia are invited to a "come and try" session June 27 at 7pm and 8pm and onwards at the Icehouse.

Members of the Southern Cross Rollers, Australia's first wheelchair curling team, are competing at the Australian Championships this September. Read what they have to say about their sport and get more information about the event HERE.

Additions to the events calendar  6/18/2011

There have been some additions to the international events calendar page.

Invitations have been sent out for teams to compete in the Norwegian Open at the Halden Curling Center from October 14-16, 2011. Details can be downloaded from HERE.

Also the 5th Annual Richmond Center for Disability International Spiel will be held November 2-5, 2011 at the Richmond (BC) Curling Club. You can download details HERE.

USA searching for next year's team  6/5/2011

USA are searching for the combination of players who will bring them back into contention after a disappointing 2011 World Championship brought to an end a very promising run of competitive results that had suggested medal success was close.

With two members of last year's team already announcing their retirement there was plenty of incentive for aspiring curlers to learn about the sport and perhaps impress Steve Brown, the National Team Coach, during four days of on and off ice instruction this weekend at the Green Bay CC.

Reporter Beth Jones of Fox station WLUK-TV was on hand to speak to some of the participants.

US Trials in Green Bay WI June 2-5   5/26/2011

A National Wheelchair Curling Camp is being held at the Green Bay (WI) Curling Club from June 2-5 with the goal of increasing the athlete pool and improving medal prospects at future World Championships and Paralympic Winter Games.

The camp schedule is as follows: Thursday, June 2: Noon - 6 PM Friday, June 3: 9 AM – 5 PM Saturday, June 4: 9 AM – 8 PM Sunday, June 5: 9 AM – Noon

One of the athletes attending will be Tim Kelly, a resident of Rockford IL who has been travelling to Green Bay to learn from National Coach Steve Brown, and also play on an able-bodied league team. Tom was recently profiled in the Rockford Register Star. [read]

Michael McCreadie back in Scotland's plans for 2014 5/16/2011

When Michael McCreadie stepped down as British and Scottish skip after the team's disappointing run of performances up to and including the Vancouver Paralympics, he said he hoped to rejoin the program at a later date.

McCreadie continued to compete with some success on domestic teams skipped by partner Aileen Neilson, and the promise of significant changes to the national team's approach to the game under new National Coach Tony Zummack, prompted him to apply to the 2011-2012 Wheelchair Performance Program.

The eight athletes selected are Aileen Neilson, Tom Killin, Angie Malone and Gregor Ewan from the 2011 Worlds silver medal team, Michael McCreadie, and newcomers Jim Gault, Ian Donaldson and Gill Keith.

2011 World's silver medallist Michael McKenzie missed out but will have an opportunity, along with the other unsuccessful applicants, to be considered for the Scottish Wheelchair Curling Association's 'Spokes' Development Program.

The talent identification and development effort promises to be an on-going process, providing incentives not only to current members to develop their skills, but to those who may yet challenge for a place on the Sochi Paralympics team in 2014.

Debbie Earle nominated Nova Scotia Female Curler of the Year 5/16/2011

Debbie Earle, lead on Team Nova Scotia, was nominated for Female Athlete of the Year at the Annual Awards banquet of the Nova Scotia Curling Association.

Debbie was voted All Star lead at the 2011 TSX National Wheelchair Curling Championships in Edmonton where she helped her team to a bronze medal, her Province's first podium appearance.

Debbie, who like Team Canada 2nd Ina Forrest was recruited while shopping, has just completed her second year of curling and gives most of the credit to her team mates who worked with her to develop her skills and commitment to the game. She balances work, curling, and raising a teenage daughter.

CurlBC names Gary Cormack disabled athlete of the year 5/12/2011

Gary Cormack, curling out of the Marpole CC has won CurlBC's annual award for "Athlete With A Disability." He skipped Team BC to a 4th place finish at the 2011 National Championships in Edmonton, and will be recognised at the AGM on June 11th.

Team Canada to get their banner  5/10/2011

Team Canada will receive their World Championship banner during a presentation at the CurlBC AGM at the Richmond CC, Saturday June 11.

Canada's national team coach Joe Rea will be on hand to give brief remarks and answer questions at 11.45am.

Four of the five members of the team plus the coach live in BC.

A full schedule of the day's events, which will also be available online via webcast, can be found HERE.

Open call for June Wisconsin Team USA camp   4/23/2011

Team USA manager Marc DePerno has issued an open invitation to any American wheelchair user who has the interest and desire to explore wheelchair curling, to attend a summer training camp in Wisconsin June 2-5.

The camp will be held at the Green Bay Curling Club, and will be directed by Team USA coaching staff. Wheelchair users may attend for one or more days, with the program building each day on what has previously been covered.

With two members of the 2011 team retiring, there are opportunities for athletes with the desire to represent their country at a Paralympic sport, to discover what wheelchair curling is all about.

Registration deadline is May 23. You can view the information sheet HERE or email Marc DePerno or call him at 315-737-2459 for more information

Nationals more than just the curling - BC's Alison Duddy 4/22/2011

BC's lead Alison Duddy, while expressing disappointment at her team's 4th place finish, mentions an important fact: competing at a national championship is about more than just the curling. You can read the interview she gave the Quesnel Cariboo Observer HERE.

Armstrong's fake Viagra drama ends without restitution  4/14/2011

At a hearing before US Fedral Judge Ricardo Martinez in Seattle WA Tuesday, Jim Armstrong and his son Gregory were not ordered to pay the $44,000 restitution requested by the manufacturers of Viagra and Ciallis pills, fake versions of which formed the basis of the Armstrong's convictions last February.

Defense lawyers argued that restitution was not appropriate as the fake pills had been seized from Jim Armstrong before they could be smuggled into Canada and sold by Gregory in Vancouver nightclubs.

Jim has said in interviews that he has a full explanation for his actions, but has not yet felt able to present it, in part out of concern for the welfare of his son, who is in an American prison serving a 12 month sentence.

Upcoming events  4/13/2011

The competition calendar is becoming increasingly congested especially in October and November, and event organisers are beginning to make an effort to coordinate schedules to encourage travelling teams to attend more than one event.

Several events last year were over-subscribed which is a great tribute to the organising committees, but a warning that wheelchair curlers must start to make plans further in advance.

There is a list of competition dates on the calendar page which will be updated as information becomes available. Looking at last season is often a good indication of what may take place next season.

Today the Norwegian Open and the Kinross spiel were added to October dates.

If you know of an event that is not listed, please email me with the details.

Varsity curler turned wheelchair coach Thomas Matheson profiled 4/7/2011

Thomas Matheson, a varsity curler with the Laurentian Voyageurs, was asked by TC coach Wendy Morgan to work with Sudbury's rookie wheelchair curling team, an effort that earned them second place in the Northern Ontario provincials.

Thomas, in a report by the Laurentian University's Department of Athletics, talks about being given the opportunity to coach, the progress of his team and sharing that feeling of deflation at coming up short in the provincial final.

Neilson skips her Breahead rink to season finale Tunnock Trophy 4/7/2011

The 3rd Annual Tunnock Trophy sponsored by cookie maker Tunnock's of Uddingston, was hosted by the South Lanarkshire WCC at the Lanarkshire Ice Rink in Hamilton last week. A full complement of twelve teams including one from England meant that applications were turned down from teams from Germany and Denmark. Aileen Neilson's Braehead rink, last month's Scottish Champions, took the Trophy with Jim Sellar's local rink finishing second.

You can read a report of the event HERE and watch video of the inaugural (2009) event HERE

GB's Head Coach for Wheelchair Curling on his way April 16th  4/7/2011

Alberta's Tony Zummack has finally received all the paperwork necessary for him to take up residence in Scotland as Great Britains Head Coach - Wheelchair Curling.

He will be leaving on April 16th and staying in the Stirling area. His wife will join him in July and his daughter hopes to be accepted into Stirling University.

A lengthy delay in processing the paperwork for his change of residence meant that he was unable to take over the Scottish team in time for the 2011 World Championships in Prague. He was able to meet many of the players at the recent Scottish Championships, won by Aileen Neilson's rink, present skip of the National Team.

Curlers interested in being considered for the British national team training program have been asked to submit applications, and the next 8 member national squad, which presently includes the five who won silver in Prague, plus Rosemary Lenton, Jim Gault and Jim Sellars, will be selected from those applicants based in part on performances at the regular on-ice training sessions Zummack intends to hold at least once a week in Stirling and at other venues if available.

Zummack will be Team Scotland's coach for the Worlds, and Team Great Britain's coach for the Paralympics in Sochi in 2014. Though only Scots have made the British team, Zummack says he will ensure that all Britain's wheelchair curlers have access to an opportunity to demonstrate their ability.

"Giving as many wheelchair curlers as possible the opportunity to learn and improve will create long term growth in the entire program," he told me.

Aussies rolling over able-bodied opposition 4/4/2011

Jim Oastler reports that his Melbourne based Southern Cross Rollers were the first Australian wheelchair curling team to enter a state curling competition.

They competed in the Victorian Curling Association summer league, finishing 4th out of 12 teams; a great result over able-bodied opposition that they hope to build on as they approach their winter league play leading up to the 2011 Australian Nationals.

If the team continues its current progress they hope to be able to compete in the World Wheelchair Qualification round in 2012. The team relies on and thanks the Victorian Curling Association, Disabled Wintersports Australia, and Disabled Sport and Recreation for their on going support.

Northern Californians gain more ice time  4/2/2011

Skatetown in Roseville, just up the freeway from Sacramento California, is offering ice for curlers starting Monday April 4. There will be four weekly clinics in April followed by curling drop-in nights on Mondays from May through July, run in conjunction with Wine Country Curling of Vacaville.

This is the venue used for sled hockey so wheelchair access should be good. Read the story by Kayla Nix of the Roseville Press Tribune.

Cost: $20 per person
Registration: Online at www.skatetown.biz or in person.
Information: Susan Sweetser at (916) 783-8550, ext. 115.

Thank you -  

I would like to express my thanks to Dan Janidlo, Johanne Poulin and Patrick McDonald who have all very generously shown their appreciation for the work involved in publishing this website by making a recent donation.

More changes for wheelchair curling in the USA  4/2/2011

Jim Pierce has also announced retirement from Team USA after the disappointments at the 2011 World Championships in Prague. telling his teammates he is giving up the sport.

Jim Pierce 2011

Jim was a founding member of the USA wheelchair curling team, playing in 66 games including five Worlds and two Paralympics, and finishing with a 2008 Worlds bronze medal and a 31-35 record.

Patrick McDonald, who missed almost all of last season with a shoulder injury, aims to step up and take more responsibility next season, assuming he regains competitive fitness.

"The shoulder is coming along ahead of schedule. I'm feeling really happy about having a complete shoulder replacement. From what the doctor's told me after my MRI it was most likely broken in Vancouver at the Paralympics," he told me.
"I'm moving my family to Madison, WI. so I can curl full time and work with the coaching staff. I will also be helping find new athlete's to make the sport grow here in the States."

Perhaps he will be able to infleunce the wheelchair users curling out of Duluth MN who have so far stubbornly resisted approaches from Team USA coaches because they want the WCF rules of play rewritten to allow them to deliver while their chairs are moving forward.

Learn to coach wheelchair curlers the WCF way   4/2/2011

The World Curling Federation has included a Learn to Coach Wheelchair Curling course on July 2nd in Füssen, Germany as part of its summer camp series.

The course will be led by Sheila Swan, who was in charge of Team Scotland when they won their silver medal at the 2011 Worlds in Prague.

Cost of the 4 hour course is 30 euros and will include coverage of the sports background, rules, safety, communication, assessment, equipment, delivery techniques, buddy-system, access to and exit from ice, movement on ice, warm-up routines, discussion, a DVD and a on-ice practical session.

More information can be found on the WCF website.

Let's curl again, like we did last summer  4/2/2011

The 2nd Annual Cape Cod Summerspiel will take place July 17 - 20 in East Falmouth MA. Last year six teams entered, including Team USA, Team Quebec and a team from Germany. This year Russia and Scotland have already signed up.

You can find information and entry forms HERE and teams are asked to enter by May 1st to allow the club time to guage demand for accommodation and transport.

USA lead Jaqui Kapinowski announces retirement 3/31/2011

Team USA lead Jaqui Kapinowski has announced her retirement from wheelchair curling.

In an email sent to friends and supporters she said that though it was a very difficult decision, she had decided it was time for her to return the support of her husband over the past 20 years of a sports career covering wheelchair athletics and curling, by making a permanent move to their home in Florida.

"Please know how much I truly care for each of you, everyone has been so supportive over these years. Marc (Deperno), I owe you so much for getting me involved in this sport. It has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I want to end by thanking the USCA for their sponsorship & most of all the friends I made..... I'm truly sorry, I love you guys so much!"

Jaqui joined Team USA in 2007 and earned a bronze medal as lead at the 2008 World Championships. A performance drop-off at the 2011 Worlds was in part due to her difficulty in finding practice ice time. She maintains an interest in wheelchair marathons and rowing.

Her retirement opens the door for Wisconsin's Penny Greely, who was Team USA's 5th player at the 2011 Worlds.

Scot Aileen Neilson scoops two more awards  3/31/2011

Scottish skip Aileen Neilson scooped up two more awards at the East Kilbride Sports Personality Awards ceremony last week. “This is a proud moment for me and my family and it was very special to have my partner Michael McCreadie, my mum Daisy and my sister Libby Marshall all there to see me collect the awards," she told the East Kilbride News.

Aileen won in the adult female category, then was declared overall winner.

You can read a full report HERE

2011 National Championship All-Stars 3/28/2011

There were no official stats taken at this year's Nationals, so each team was balloted for their choice of the best players at each position.

The winners were:

Mike Fitzgerald - Nova Scotia skip
Dennis Thiessen - Manitoba 3rd
Trendal Hubley-Bolivar - Nova Scotia 2nd
Debbie Earle - Nova Scotia lead

The Sportsmanship Award went to Frank LaBounty - BC with an honourable mention to Joanne MacDonald - Newfoundland-Labrador.

Photos HERE

McArthur Island CC in Kamloops to host 2012 BC Provincials 3/24/2011

The McArthur Island Curling Centre in Kamloops has been selected to host the 2012 BC Provincials next February 2-5. It is a 6 sheet club within reasonable reach of the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan where most of the province's players live.

BC switched from a selection process to a Provincial Championship in 2009 in Vernon that attracted four teams and the 2010 event in Kimberley saw three teams.

Canadian Nationals mid-way miscellany 3/24/2011

An innovation introduced at this year's Canadian Nationals are the coloured tubes placed at each end of the ice to hold equipment, delivery sticks and skips' brooms, not in use. This is a great idea and should be adopted at future events.

The ice has held up well, is keener than many teams will have played on at their home clubs with draws running around 14 seconds hog to hog. There's about 3 feet of swing. Manitoba skip Chris Sobkowicz reported that there was some frost on the edge of the outer sheet when he defeated BC in Draw 5.

“You had to believe what you saw and go with it!” he told Lisa Shamchuk, who is writing reports for the CCA's website.

Ontario rookie Alec Denys had led the "cover the pin" $1,000 challenge with a draw that finished 35.8cm from the pin before the start of Draw 2. He was deposed by Frank LaBounty, whose rock before Draw 5 ended just 34.7cm away. But they both bow to Chris Sobkowicz's 3.3cm at the start of Draw 6.

The $1,000 prize has been donated by R. Vallee Home Rentals and will be split if here is a tie. $200 goes to the runner-up.

Despite the relative unfamiliarity with time clocks, there have been few problems. The most frequent complaints are caused by the throwers not moving away after their throw. Until they cede the delivery position to the other side, their clock will continue to run.

The rules state time will continue to run for the delivering team until:

-all stones have stopped
-the moving stones have crossed the back line
- the skip of the delivering team has relinquished the house to their opposing skip
-players from the delivering team have moved to the side.

Players have to get used to not admiring the path of their shots and travel down the side of the sheet, thereby not obstructing their opponent's view, for their clocks to stop. "We're trying to get them to behave as regular curlers do in competition," Head Official Linda Kirton told me.

The teams are playing under the "old" timeout rules, where clocks stop at a called time out, and restart when the coach has had 60 seconds to talk to the team. (Current rules do not stop the clock at coach 'interventions.')

This was a factor in the Draw 4 match between Alberta and BC, played with a lot of rocks in the house and needing an extra end to decide it. Umpires were at the ready to make quick decisions if necessary as both teams ran their clocks close, but were able to use time-outs to ease the pressure.

Ice Player Assistants (IPAs) have been volunteering from local High Schools (Bellerose High School, St Albert) and doing an excellent job that is greatly appreciated by the curlers, many of whom would not be throwing cleaned rocks without assistance. The students have also been volunteering as meal servers.

Cathy Craig has been juggling 3 hats - club manager, event manager and Host Team coach. Her team would be sitting top of the table had they not twice given up 4's in the 8th ends of games in which they had 7-3 leads, and lost in the extra. They are still on track to make good on her prediction that they would make the playoffs, an extremely impressive performance from a team who have not played against this opposition before.

It's probably no coincidence that local publicity brought out local government inspectors. The club's renovations, completed two years ago, have been inspected, and the fire marshal wanted in on the action to test fire alarms, but was persuaded to wait until the club did not have to test evacuate 50 plus wheelchairs.

In past events Day 4 is the test of stamina for the teams unused to playing twice a day for three consecutive days. With Draw 6 now under way, we'll see.

You'll find daily recaps of each Draw on our Blog and full statistical coverage in our Nationals section.

Aileen Neilson captures Scottish title 3/21/2011

Aileen Neilson completed a very successful season with a win over her national teammate Gregor Ewan in Sunday's final of the Scottish Wheelchair Curling Championship in Aberdeen. It was sweet revenge for Nielson, who lost 6-5 to Ewan in the British Open final last November.

The current Scottish national side was divided between the two finalists, with Aileen joined by Tom Killin, plus Michael McCreadie and Ian Donaldson. Gregor Ewan played with national teammate Mike McKenzie, plus Jackie Cayton and Jim Gault.

It was a cagey game, with three blanks before Ewan put the first point on the board just before the break. Whatever was in Team Nielson's water bottles, it worked as they returned to score 4 in the 5th then stole 3 more in the 6th on their way to a 7-3 win.

You can find semi-final and final line scores HERE.

The 8th Canadian Nationals ready to roll  3/21/2011

Edmonton's Jasper Curling Club is ready to showcase the 8th Canadian National Wheelchair Curling Championships. The ice is reported to be fast, about 13 1/2 seconds hog to hog for a t-line draw and with between 3 and four feet of curl.

The rings and lines are true, something that was brought to public attention when BC's Kelly Scott was caught out by an imperfect circle at this year's Scotties.

Games will be 68 minutes, metered using time clocks, with each team allowed two 60 second time-outs, the clock to stop until the coach reaches their team. In an extra end, each team would be allowed one time out.

All teams are mixed gender, rocks are thrown from stationary wheelchairs and placed within 18 inches either side of the centre line at delivery.

Hammer will be decided by a single throw to the button at the end of each team's pre-game practice. This year there's an extra incentive for the thrower, a $1,000 prize to cover the pin. Teams can choose who they want to throw that draw, but every team member must, over the course of the nine round robin games, throw at least once.

The club will be using five sheets so there will be no byes. Each team gets to rotate across each sheet during pre-championship practice with NL, MB, NO, SK and HOST taking first practice and AB, BC, QC, NL and ON taking second.

After the 2011 Worlds, Team Canada skip Jim Armstrong felt that some teams had progressed to the point that matching rocks made sense. I don't know whether any of the coaches in Edmonton have spent time doing that. You can read an excellent article on curling rocks and how they differ and why that matters HERE.

"We should make it to the playoffs" - Host Team coach Cathy Craig 3/19/2011

Cathy Craig is manager of the Jasper Place CC in Edmonton and the event manager for the Canadian Nationals that begin there on Monday. She is also coaching the Edmonton Host Team, skipped by Cliff Nuspl.

This is Craig's first year coaching a wheelchair team but she sounded confident of their prospects, telling the Edmonton Journal: "We should make it to the playoffs. They're solid. They just have trouble in big games."

The Host team open with games against Ontario and BC and finish against the Calgarian provincial champions.

"Whenever there's a national championship, no matter the sport or the level of play, a national championship is a national championship," Craig told the Edmonton Examiner. "You're representing your province, you're trying to win for the country."

The championship will feature the "Tire Patch", offering live entertainment in the club's lounge on Friday and Saturday night.

The Edmonton Journal reported that Jasper Place agreed to stage this year's Nationals after Brandon MB backed out. It is a huge undertaking, and a good sense of what is involved can be gleaned from this blog entry by Lisa Shamchuck who will be compiling scores and making entries on the CCA's website as well as tweeting on each day's events.

BC's Alison Duddy in the news 3/19/2011

Quesnel resident Alison Duddy tells the Quesnel Cariboo Observer that she's "looking for redemption" after winning a provincial title last year, but losing the national final to a BC Host Team.

This year she and teammate/coach Frank LaBounty join defending champions Gary Cormack and Vince Miele in a joint challenge for gold. “It’s kind of like if you can’t beat them, join them,” Duddytold reporter Percy Herbert.

Her team defeated Jim Armstrong in the BC Provincials to earn their ticket to Edmonton, though she gives full credit to LaBounty for his coaching skill, and to her sponsors for making it possible for her to travel to the Kimberley Provincials.

Read the full profile HERE

BC's Team Canada members get their own day - March 20, 2011 3/19/2011

BC's Deputy Premier Kevin Falcon has announced that Sunday March 20 be proclaimed “Ina Forrest, Jim Armstrong, Sonja Gaudet and Darryl Neighbour Day” to celebrate Canada’s Wheelchair curling team as part of a program to recognize British Columbia’s medal-winning athletes from the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

No mention of making omitted Calgarian teammate Bruno Yizek an honarary British Columbian for the purposes of the proclamation.

Team Ontario in the news  3/19/2011

Dale Clifford of the Peterborough Examiner interviewed Team Ontario members veteran Carl Bax and rookie Alec Denys, who has been persuaded to add wheelchair curling to his athletic interests alongside his Paralympic level skills in archery.

"Carl tried to get me interested in curling and eventually talked me into it," said Denys with a smile. "Curling isn't like other sports. It's more individual in archery while you are part of a team in curling. It's unique and I enjoy it. But like all sports, a big thing is the mental aspect and you have to stay focused. You can't allow any distractions."

A (non-Canadian) national coach told me recently that his recruitment would focus on athletes with established reputations in other sports. I suspect Denys represents the direction wheelchair curling at the high performance level is headed.

Coaches are looking for recruits who have demonstrated the ability to perform at an elite level, feeling that while technique in wheelchair curling is relatively easy to master, the mental toughness, desire, the willingness to sacrifice and dedicate yourself to a specific ahievement goal that marks the elite athlete, is less easy to find.

Read the full article HERE

Scottish Wheelchair Curling Championships this weekend  3/19/2011

Eleven teams are competing at the Scottish Wheelchair Curling Championships this weekend in Aberdeen, and new British National Team Coach Tony Zummack is in Scotland watching the action. He is on a scouting visit and also looking at accommodation for a more permanent move which he hopes will be in May.

The teams played their round robin games from two groups, with the top two teams in each group playing in Sunday's semi-final/final.

After round robin play, Aileen Neilson with World silver medallist teammate Tom Killin, along with Michael McCreadie and Ian Donaldson will face a team skipped by Allan Spence.

Aileen's Prague teammates Gregor Ewan and Michael MacKenzie, with Jim Gault and Jackie Cayton, will face Jim Sellar's team in the other semi-final.

You can see results HERE and also view a large selection of photos from the event on Bob Cowan's Skip Cottage blog.

$1,000 to cover the pin in draw to the button at Nationals 3/19/2011

At the Canadian Nationals which begin Monday in Edmonton, hammer for each round robin game will be decided by a draw to the button during the practice ice-time.

R. Vallee Home Rentals has donated $1,000 for the throw that ends closest to the button. If two or more throws cover the pin, the prize will be shared. The second place throw will win $200.

Canadian Nationals begin in Edmonton March 21  3/16/2011

The 8th Canadian National Wheelchair Curling Championships are due to begin at the Jasper Place CC in Edmonton Alberta on Monday March 21, running through Sunday March 27.

I have begun to receive emails asking whether the website and blog will be covering the event. As of today neither the CCA nor the organisers have contacted me about establishing a permanent record of the daily events as I have been doing since 2006.

National Championships involving 50 plus wheelchairs are expensive and a hassle to organise and I am sure that everyone involved is working hard to make the event itself a success. There is a Championship section on the CCA's website where you can download the draw schedule, and I am told they will also record the scores.

As for coverage here, I will do what I can with whatever information I can gather. You can help.

If you are on a participating team, please send me a team photo, preferably with your coach and in your provincial jackets, and give me the names and positions of the people in the photo. If you don't yet have a photo, at least send me the names and positions of the people on the team. If you can supply a sentence or two of biographical information, so much the better.

If you know someone who is competing, ask them if their team has sent me information.

If you are attending the event. email me any reports and impressions or anything you think may be of interest to a generally well-informed blog and website audience.

If you take photos of the event that you can share, upload them to dropulous.com and email me the link so I can access them. That is a better method than attaching them to an email. Please add names to photos.

The website has a fairly detailed archive of major wheelchair curling events going back to 2006, and with your help the Edmonton Championship can be added to it.

Any sport deserves a permanent record, something that has not always been considered a priority by those organizing it. It is not my record, it is your record. Until someone else steps up, I'll continue to do what I can, with your help.

Japan's National Championships cancelled  3/11/2011

Update - Saturday 11 am

I am now told Japan's National Wheelchair Curling Championships have been cancelled because of the devastation caused by this week's earthquake.

Original post: Japan's National Wheelchair Curling Championships had been scheduled for next weekend in Ninohe, Iwate - one of the areas most devastated by yesterday's earthquake.

Yayoi Mashimo, a friend who lives in Tokyo and had intended to travel north with a photographer to watch the championship, tells me that she is sure the event will have to be re-scheduled if not cancelled. She has been in contact with the Japanese Wheelchair Curling Association and they are trying to gather information. Apparently the damage is so severe in the north that it is hard to gauge what is happening.

Our best wishes go out to Yoji Nakajima, Takashi Hidai, Katsuo Ichikawa, Ayako Saitoh and coach Katsuji Uchibori who played in Vancouver a year ago, and Kazuyuki Mochiki, Aki Ogawa and Teruo Moriizumi who competed in the 2010 Qualifying Tournament in Finland last November. We hope they are safe and able to regroup in time for next season's Worlds Qulifying.

Canada's sledge hockey team began an international invitational tournament yesterday in Nagano, a central mountain area, but play was halted. It may resume on Sunday.

Sudbury's Team Daniel dress for success 3/7/2011

Sudbury skip Steve Daniel tells Laura Young of the Sudbury Star: "It's a belief of mine that in order to play well, you've got to feel like you're a professional ... some of the teams look at our uniforms and say, 'You guys look like you've been doing this for awhile, (like) professional curlers.' "

It seemed to work at the N. Ontario Provincials at the Fort William CC, as the team overcame a late arrival, fire alarms the night before, and two early defeats, to challenge champions Team Ficek in the final.

Daniel, a Beijing Paralympian, and his team all play for Sudbury Rolling Thunder, the local wheelchair basketball team. Sarah Lashbrook was the only female basketball player with the Rolling Thunder.

"We begged and pleaded with her to come out (and she) got us through Saturday. She was probably (my) tournament MVP," Daniel said.

The Sudbury CC has been very supportive, Daniel told Young. "They've really opened their arms to wheelchair curling. They make sure that every time we go there the club is accessible.

"We're very, very thankful for the support. We want to continue to build (wheelchair) curling. Just because we have a competitive team doesn't mean that's the end all and be all of curling. I'd like to see it grow (over the next few years) to a league so that we can have several teams that play for fun on weekend."

For Daniel, all the support, especially from Norm Gervais, owner of MEDIchair Sudbury and the team's major sponsor, meant they could compete. "We had to have all those elements in place in order to be successful. I think everyone is excited to see how we progress in the next few years."

You can read the complete article HERE.

Team Canada talks about Prague  3/5/2011

For Sonja Gaudet the 2011 World Championships in Prague were her sixth consecutive year on a world stage and her fourth gold medal.

"Obviously we couldn't be happier about the result," Canada's lead told me. "Everything was very well organised, and the Prague (Curling Hall Roztyly) curling rink is a very accessible and friendly place. The ice conditions and the rocks were great - as was the accomodation, food and transportation. So with all these details taken care of and once the jet lag was managed, we only needed to concentrate on our performance and that makes all the difference in the world."

Darryl Neighbour agreed with Sonja that the facility in Prague was excellent. "They put up a heated tent to accommodate all the wheelchairs at mealtimes," he said, "and though the temperatures dropped to below freezing outside, it didn't snow. The hotel was just a few minutes away and there was no messing about. We had our own van, five wheelchairs inside and it was hold onto each other and we're off."

Team 5th Bruno Yizek had more of a spectator's view of the facility and was also impressed.

"I spent the majority of the time watching the games," he said, "and the facility had great viewing from the upstairs lounge. Also each sheet had a big flat screen to see the houses. Both houses could be seen by a push of a button. At the end of the day's matches I had the opportunity to go on the ice and practice for 15 minutes. This gave me a feel for the ice and rock conditions, so I would not go into a game cold when called to play. The ice was super and (everything) was very well organised."

Darryl acknowledged that Canada's first game against China was a wake-up call. "We were lucky to steal that win, and I think it woke us all up."

Jim Armstrong agreed. "Our toughest game was China, for two reasons: first game with the rocks and ice, and secondly, we got down 3 early, and they can hit with big weight."

But the difference for Canada was the play of Sonja and front end teammate Ina Forrest, according to Armstrong. "They were just simply better than any other front end last week, and not by just a little bit In my opinion they both had a series that truly has reset the bar in our sport for front ends."

Both Jim and Darryl Neighbour mentioned how much easier it was to play their positions when the ends were being set up so well for them. "We took advantage of the teams whose front end players were not as strong," said Darryl, who though 62 is still looking to be defending his Paralympics title in Sochi, Russia in 2014.

"It is a big commitment," he told me, "and the travel can be tiring. But I am in the fortunate position of being able to dedicate the time, and I still love the game and love playing."

What was the surprise of the week? "The play of Scotland," said Armstrong. "Aileen (Nielson) looked considerably more comfortable skipping this year."

Neighbour agreed. "Scotland's my pick for strongest challenger next year," he said, wondering whether they would go the whole way and throw both takeouts and draws from the hogline." (My bet is they will, Darryl.)

Darryl also felt that China, Korea and Russia were teams to watch, especially as they gain the experience needed to call a competitive game. "Some teams hit every Canada rock they could see, regardless of the game situation or the scoreline," he said. "We have such an advantage with Jim's experience calling games."

Jim saw Prague as more of a re-build year for many teams. "Our big advantage was experience throughout our team, and particularly compared to some of the teams on "rebuild." Darryl had a great week as well (as Sonja and Ina). Where it showed to me, was that I was never left with a "circus shot" for a save. When the entire team is playing well, there is no need to gamble, and the game simplifies itself. Then the trick is to keep it simple."

(But that's also how I remember the play during the 2009 Worlds.)

"All the major players (Norway, Scotland, China, Korea, in particular) have a great future," Jim continued. "They have intensity, generally good technique, and are only lacking experience, which, of course, takes time.

"Generally, what I saw as a whole, was a very healthy sport with a future that continues to get brighter."

Ina Forrest made a point that had not been noted before: "I think it is a credit to all female curlers to note that three out of the four top teams, Canada, Scotland and Russia, had two females and two males on the ice in the Bronze and Gold medal games.

She added: "Having not seen the Russian team for several years it was great to see them do so well in Worlds. Given they are the hosts for 2014, I expect they will continue to improve and be a strong contender at Paralympics.

Sonja concluded: "It is always a great opportunity to re-connect with athletes and friends from all over the world that we have competed against in the past - and wonderful to see many new faces and entirely new teams."

And that is a statement in the true spirit of curling.

Scots skip Aileen Neilson wins Worlds Sportsmanship Award  3/5/2011

Aileen Neilson skip of the Scottish wheelchair curling team, has won the 2011 World Wheelchair Curling Championship sportsmanship award.

Neilson was nominated by her fellow competitors who were all invited to nominate a player at the event who, in their view, best exemplified the traditional values of skill, honesty, fair play, sportsmanship and friendship.

Scots publish draft criteria for high performance selection 3/3/2011

Dave Crosbee, British Curling's Performance Director and the person to whom Tony Zummack will report, has issued a draft of the athlete selection for next season's High Performance Training Program. This is NOT selection criteria for the Sochi Paralympics.

You can download the draft document from this link.

2011 World Championships wrap-up 3/2/2011

That fact that it was not unexpected should not diminish the achievement of Team Canada's successful defence of their World Championship in Prague. They are the first wheelchair team to go undefeated at a World level event, and though their first three wins were by single points and rested on the games' final stone breaking their way, they never looked in serious difficulty once they settled in. They also had the most steals (24) and gave up the fewest (7).

Read the rest of the wrap-up HERE

It's all about inclusion - video coverage at N. Ontario Provincials 3/2/2011

Thunder Bay's Nerwswatch TV programshowed a segment on the Northern Ontario Provincials, won by the Ficek rink. Watch the video HERE

It's all about inclusion, says Dave Kawahara, the driving force behind getting wheelchair established in Northern Ontario.

Rookie skip Steve Daniels, an eloquent new voice for the sport, explained: "In Northern Ontario it's very tough to get out in the winter for people with disabilities. So to be able to come out and partake in curling is great for the sport aspect but also for the social aspect and .. I think it's making a big impact in the community."

Canada's oldest wheelchair curler joins the Capitol WCC in Ottawa 3/2/2011

Ottawa's Capital Wheelchair Curling Club has welcomed Cliff Chadderton, CEO of War Amps, to its membership. Cliff, who will be 92 in May, was an enthusiastic and quick learner, soon able to throw normal rocks the full length of the ice with some consistency.

Chadderton lost his right leg below the knee in 1944 while in command of a company of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, battling for the Scheldt Estuary in Belgium and Holland during the Second World War. You can read his background HERE.

He has said he would like to do a documentary on wheelchair curling to motivate and encourage others to take up the sport. He certainly sets a great example.

Ontario provincial champion skip Cris Rees profiled  3/2/2011

Chris Rees, who led teammates Carl Bax, Alec Denys and Shauna Petrie to victory in the Ontario Provincials last month, told InsideToronto.com: "Home ice advantage was a significant advantage this year. I was able to sleep at home, hot showers, comfortable."

Chris talks among other things, about his previous record at the Nationals, including what he remembers as a narrow defeat by By BC's Jim Armstrong in 2008.

"I had a good chance three years ago, you know. I had the (winning) points in the house and it came down to last rock, and Jim Armstrong, who is the current skip of Team Canada, he made the shot and it won the game.

"It was heartbreaking because I did everything I could and I wasn't in charge of my own destiny at that point because he had last rock.

"He made the shot and he won the nationals. I won a silver."

You can read the full profile HERE.

Team Ideson from London ON to curl at the Brier 3/2/2011

Ilderton Curling Club's Team Ideson, the mostly rookie team who made the semi-final at the Ontario Provincials, will take to the ice during the 5th end break of the Brier 1 vs 2 game, March 11 at the John Labatt Centre in London Ontario.

Mark Ideson, with teammates Mike Munro, Tony Reynen and lead Jacqui Kinahan will demonstrate a variety of shots to what coach Ernie Comerford epects to be 8-10 thousand spectators.

"They'll be representing all of Canad's wheelchair curlers," said Comerford. "and I think the crowd will be impressed by their skill. It's great publicity for this wonderful sport in Ontario and across Canada.

The London wheelchair curling program has doubled its membership this year and expects even more participants after this appearance.

You can read a LONDONER article by Chris Montanini on the program, its coach and players HERE.

Ernie Comerford, Coach and League Coordinator can be reached at 519-203-0087.

Team Lessard repeat as Quebec champions  2/27/2011

Benoit Lessard brought his Magog CC team to the Victoria CC in Quebec City this weekend to compete in a best of 5 Provincial Championship series against a home side skipped by Jean-François Sylvestre. He added Sébastien Boisvert to last year's team in place of Denis Grenier, who is now alternate.

Lessard had beaten Sylvestre comfortably last year, and quickly established a 7-1 lead at the break in the first game. Sylvestre fought back, taking 2 in the 5th and then posting steals in each of the final 3 ends, but falling just a point short in the 7-6 final score.

In the second game, Lessard led 9-1 after 5 and finished more convicingly to win 10-3.

Lessard started Sunday's game 3 with a two with hammer, then gave up a 3, scored another two with hammer and the stole 4 on the wway to a third and decisive victory 9-6.

Line scores are available at a llink on this page.

Team Lessard will represent Quebec at the Nationals in Edmonton March 20-27.

Team Ficek three-peats as N. Ontario champions  2/27/2011

Wayne Ficek's Kenora/Sudbury squad won their third consecutive provincial title when they beat Sudbury newcomers Steve Daniel's newcomers 5-4 in the final of the Shoppers Home Health Care NOCA Wheelchair Provincial Championships at the Fort William CC.

The teams exchanged singles with hammer through 5 ends, but Ficek then stole in the 6th and 7th to go ahead 5-2. In the final end, sitting two, Daniel had a draw for a third point to force an extra but came up short. (Thank you Michael Alberg.)

Team Ficek will now represent Northern Ontario at the TMX Canadian Nationals in Edmonton March 20-27.

Line scores are HERE. An event poster, team rosters, schedule and information is available HERE

Defending champions versus the rookies for N. Ontario title  2/26/2011

Defending champions Team Ficek of Kenora/Dryden went undefeated during round robin play and by rule will have two opportunities to add a third consecutive Northern Ontario title when they face Sudbury rookies Team Daniel in the final of the Shoppers Home Health Care NOCA Wheelchair Provincial Championships at the Fort William CC on Sunday Feb 27.

Ficek posted their third round robin win, over Sonego 11-4, on the strength of consecutive 4s either side of the break. Steve Daniel's Sudbury team beat home side Levesque 10-9. They opened with a 4 but gave up 3 in the 8th and needed a single in the extra end to force a series of tie-breaks to decide who played Fiek in the final.

In the first tie-break game Daniel again went to an extra end against Sonego, this time stealing 2 to win 8-6. Daniel then played Levesque for the second time today, taking a 7-1 lead into the break. Levesque took two in the 5th end and stole 3 more to pull within one with an end to go, but Daniel claimed his place in the final with a single point in the 8th and an 8-6 win.

Game 1 of the final starts 10.30AM local time, and Ficek will clam the title if his team wins. If they lose, there will be a rematch at 2.30PM with the winner of that game going on to Edmonton Nationals in March.

Line scores are HERE. Despite detailed instructions I haven't been able to find the UStream video coverage from the club. Your luck may be better than mine. Check the Fort William CC website for details.

An event poster, team rosters, schedule and information is available HERE

Ficek takes early lead at No. Ontario Provincials 2/25/2011

Defending champions Team Ficek needed every part of the 4 he put on the board to draw level after 7 ends against home club favourite Carl Levesque in the opening draw of the Shoppers Home Health Care NOCA Wheelchair Provincial Championships at the Fort William CC.

Though ahead 5-1 at the 4th end break, Levesque ended on the losing side of the 8-7 final score.

Steve Daniel's rookie Sudbury squad must have been wondering what all the fuss was about as they stole their way to a 5-0 lead after their first 3 ends of serious competition. The bubble burst, however, when Fort William's Sonego rink bounced back with steals of their own in the second half to force an extra end, which they stole to win 8-7.

The second draw was a dose of reality for the rookies as Ficek's experienced squad put 11 unanswered points on the board before Daniel posted a consolation single in the 7th and shook hands after the 11-1 loss.

Levesque scored a narrow 8-7 win over clubmate Sonego in the afternoon draw. He started with a 3 but was down a point after 6 ends. Another 3 in the 7th gave him the victory.

Line scores are HERE and I'm told the club planned to webcast the games, though I wasn't able to find a working link. Did anyone else have better luck?

An event poster, team rosters, schedule and information is available HERE

Fort William CC hosts Northern Ontario Provincials Feb 25-27 2/24/2011

The Shoppers Home Health Care NOCA Wheelchair Provincial Championships begin Friday February 25th 1030AM at the Fort William CC in Thunder Bay.

Defending champion Team Ficek, out of Kenora and Dryden, are hoping for a third consecutive appearance at the Nationals in Edmonton in March. He admitted his team underperformed last year, going 3-6 after making it to a playoff tie-break game the year before. This year, after a couple of warm-up wins over Manitoba, he says his team is raring to go.

To win he will have to get past home club Team Levesque, coached by Dave Kawahara who was instrumental in bringing wheelchair curling to Northern Ontario. Carl Levesque skipped the first provincial team, which included Wayne Ficek and Mark Wherrett, now his competitors. Fort William CC is also fielding a team skipped by Gino Sonego.

Sudbury joins the oarty this year, sending a team of rookie curlers but experienced athletes skipped by Steve Daniel.

Tournament format is a round robin with the top two teams playing in the final, 10.30AM Sunday February 27.

The club has installed webcams - try the club website. You can also follow scores on playdowns.com

An event poster, team rosters, schedule and information is available HERE

South Korea to host 2012 Worlds, Qualifiers go to Finland again  2/22/2011

Chuncheon City, in South Korea will host the 2012 World Wheelchair Curling Championship. The event will be held in the Uiam Ice Rink, Chuncheon City, Gangwon Province between 18-25 February 2012.

The World Championship Qualifying tournament, open to all countries not in the top seven teams (excluding Korea) at this year's Worlds in Prague, will be held as last year, at the Kisakallio Institute in Lohja, Finland from 29th October to 5th November 2011.

Canada begin Worlds title defense against China 2/21/2011

Team Canada begin their defense of their 2009 Worlds title in Prague 9.30AM local time Tuesday February 22 against China, one of the two teams that a gained a spot through the Qualifying tournament in Finland last November.

With not much activity this season to guage how Canada might fare, I asked the CCA's Program Director, Gerry Peckham, for his assessment. That the team would do its best and hope for a place on the podium was a given.

Here's what he had to say:

This is a new quadrennial but 2014 is not that far away and this will be our first real opportunity to compare our current performance levels against the old and new line ups from other countries.

We'll be analyzing current and potential levels of play among the other countries; in particular those that have challenged for the podium in the past along with those we expect to challenge going forward. We're oredominately interested in execution percentages and score board management.

We'll also be establishing what the current performance standards are internationally as they relate to draw execution, take out execution, strategy, managing playing conditions and ice reading skills. Are there any new techniques or approaches being employed?

We're hopeful Team Canada can maintain their form and achieve new performance benchmarks individually and collectively. This will, however, be influenced by ice conditions.

This Championship will be a very challenging time for Jim considering his personal circumstances. Hopefully this will provide him with the opportunity to focus on the task at hand, which is also his passion. He will be well supported by team mates and coaches.

You can follow the Championship at our special Worlds section with the schedule, scores, tables and regular reports.

The schedule is available for download HERE. The sheets do have webcams, though we'll have to see whether they are operating. Line scores are promised HERE.

Minnesotans want to know why they can't roll and deliver  2/20/2011

Shawn Corbin and Scott Anderson took up wheelchair curling when they visited the Duluth CC on a Courage Center Duluth sponsored learn to curl night.

“There was no one here to teach us how to shoot from a wheelchair [so we] kind of developed a way to simulate their sliding release,” Shawn told Eric Gullickson, FOX 21 News.

Watch the video report HERE.

“We tried several different methods of delivery,” says Anderson, “We didn't realize there was one standard way to do it. And we came up with this method and thought this is really the best method or most practical way to do it.”

They feel the WCF rule mandating a stationary wheelchair needs to be changed but have been told the rule exists to make the sport as inclusive as possible.

Shawn is skeptical. "I don't know who exactly wrote the rules, who they were writing them for,” he said.

“If curling from a stand still position worked the best the able bodied curlers would do it too,” added able-bodied teammate Jeff Anderson. “It imitates actual curling much more than a stationary delivery and pushing a rock.”

Watching the video, both delivered sones with impressive weight and direction, but the front of their chairs moved considerably during release. They should find that a stationary delivery, once practiced, would produce far greater accuracy and weight control than propelling their chair and rock before pushing, unbraced, at the target.

Scotland's Aileen Neilson to be first female skip at World event  2/20/2011

Aileen Neilson, a 39 year old primary school teacher is set to become the first woman to skip her national side at a World Championship when she leads Scotland against Russia Tuesday afternoon in Prague.

“Last year, I was used to throwing the last stone for the team, but now I’m skip I’m having to make all the big decisions as well for the team, so there’s a bit of pressure that comes with the role," she told Paul Thomson of the East Kilbride News.

“But, hopefully, I can use all the skills and knowledge I’ve gained over the last year to our advantage.

“We want to be at the business end of the tournament so as long as we qualify for the semi-finals we won’t be too disheartened.

“But we want a place on the podium – that is our goal for this championship."

The team competed in an international spiel in Lanarkshire in January, losing to Canada in the final, and were in Perth for some training, game practice and team bonding last week.

While Sheila Swan will coach the team in the place of visa delayed new National Coach Tony Zummack, Aileen says: “The team feel good about our chances, so hopefully Tony likes what he sees and we can come back to Scotland with a medal round our necks.”

Thank you Team Germany  2/19/2011

I would like to express my thanks to Jochen Merkt and the members of Team Germany for their generous donation in support of the website and blog.

Their donation helps make both possible. If you would like to contribute to the running of the website and blog, you can do so by making a contribution of any amount through PayPal using the DONATE button on the front page of this website, or by writing to eric@wheelchaircurling.com for my mail address

Who will make the podium in Prague?  2/18/2011

Take our weekly poll on the blog

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to Prague we go  2/18/2011

Read the 2011 Worlds preview in our special section HERE.

In newspaper interview Armstrong denies he did anything wrong 2/17/2011

Team Canada skip Jim Armstrong was interviewed for almost three hours yesterday by The Province, and in today's paper reporter Ethan Baron writes: Armstrong, 59, said he did nothing wrong, but agreed to a guilty plea because authorities told him that if he didn't, his son wouldn't be able to get his plea agreement for a year and a day in jail.

The U.S. prosecutor's case was riddled with inaccuracies, Armstrong claimed in the interview, but was told Gregory would have faced a 10-year prison sentence unless he agreed to a package plea.

"They put a gun to my head by putting it to Greg's head," Baron reports.

On Tuesday, Armstrong said he opened the box because it was large, looked beat-up and had been wrapped with a lot of tape.

"If I knew what was in the box, why would I have opened it in plain view of everybody?" the retired dentist said.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Special Agent Jim Burkhardt pounced before Armstrong had a chance to call his son to ask about the contents of the box, Armstrong claimed.

"There's not a chance in the world that I'm taking this across the border," Armstrong said. "I know it's got to be illegal."

Asked for a response, U.S. Attorney's Office spokeswoman Emily Langlie told The Province Armstrong needs to live with the statements he made.

"That's what he told law enforcement. It's unfortunate that having entered a guilty plea that he is now interested in disputing the facts of the case," Langlie said, adding that Armstrong pleaded guilty "freely and voluntarily."

You can read the full interview HERE

I have been in contact with Jim who told me that his "intent would be to let the facts speak for themselves," and that The Province "didn't get it completely right."

UPDATE: Thursday 3PM - Since then a friend has reported claims by Jim of Prosecutorial misconduct, the fact that his son was under investigation prior to Jim's arrest, and mention of a polygraph test. (You can read them in the 6.53PM comment to this post.)

None of that goes directly to what is for me the key question: was Jim coerced into making false statements in his plea agreement admitting guilt for sommething he did not do, in order to have his son's sentence reduced from ten years to one year?

Jim had agreed to make a statement here, however the last email I received from him stated that he was on his way to the airport. "By the time we arrive in Prague, some desicions will be made regarding absolute, full disclosure, and any potential risk to Greg's wellbeing now."

I have asked Jim six pointed questions intended to cut through the inuendo and supposition. Though public interest is obviously high now, I think we should probably give Jim time to decide what is in his and his son's best interests before he makes a more definitive statement.

CCA response to Jim Armstrong sentencing 2/15/2011

After the details of the sentence that Team Canada skip Jim Armstrong received from US District Court Judge Ricardo Martinez became public yesterday, I offered Greg Stremlaw, the CEO of the Canadian Curling Association, Gerry Peckham, head of the national program, Joe Rea, coach of the national team, and Jim himself the opportunity to make a public comment.

None of those individuals owes me a comment personally. They do all realise, however, that what is said here will likely be read by everyone with an interest in wheelchair curling.

Here is the reply I received from Greg Stremlaw.

Eric,

The CCA is aware of the outcome of yesterday’s court proceedings with Jim Armstrong. We monitored this very closely and have been formally debriefed.

At this time, there was no new information which came forth.

As you have indicated, the sentencing judge actually reduced the recommended actions and fine accordingly.

Given there have been no new facts or information which came forth which were relevant to this situation, the CCA has remained consistent with its disciplinary actions which were already handed down, including the specific conditions, that came out of the comprehensive review by the designated review committee.

The Canadian Curling Association continues to have the right to review or revisit this issue should any further information come forth which was not learned as part of our review and investigation.

The athlete is continuing to train and compete as part of the National Team Program at this juncture.

Thanks Eric.

Team Canada skip sentenced in fake Viagra case 2/14/2011

Team Canada skip Jim Armstrong appeared before US District Judge Ricardo Martinez in Seattle's US District Court at 2PM this afternoon to be sentenced for selling and dispensing counterfeit Viagra and Cialis drugs with the intent to mislead or defraud.

Judge Martinez told Armstrong that as a retired dentist, “you are a trained medical professional... you knew better,” than to provide counterfeit drugs.

He sentenced Jim to a $30,000 fine and a year of supervised release that must include 75 hours of community service. This was $20,000 less than had been recommended to the judge in the signed package plea agreement that avoided a trial.

The fake pills were to have been distributed in Vancouver by his son Gregory, who also faced sentencing today. Gregory was sentenced to a year and a day in jail, a $5,000 fine and two years supervised release, and was taken into custody immediately.

The judge will determine on April 12th whether the men owe restitution to the drug companies whose products were counterfeited.

The Province published a report HERE.

The Toronto Sun reported on background to the case last Sunday.

Given that there were no surprises at today's hearing, it is not expected that Jim will be the subject of any CCA sanction beyond what Greg Stremlaw had previously announced: "disciplinary actions taken and specific conditions imposed; but that the athlete is still a part of the National Team program and will continue to train and compete as such at this time."

Jim departs with the rest of Team Canada on Thursday to defend their World Championship in Prague February 21 - March 1.

News from Phoenix Arizona   2/11/2011

Team Alberta lead Bridget Wilson has been visiting Phoenix and contacted the four sheet Coyote Curling Club, who play on the ice used by the Phoenix Coyotes NHL team.

She was looking for some practice ice. She found the true spirit of curling alive and well in the desert:

I had contacted the Coyotes Curling Club about possibly getting out on the ice to do some training for the up coming Nationals. Not only did they comp me the ice time, the staff and all the curlers welcomed me with open arms, all greeting me and introducing themselves.

They all came on the ice with me to practice and then proceeded to ask me to stay and play on one of their teams. Which I did and had an absolute ball...they were all so nice and very good curlers.

After we went to the bar in the facility and the food and drinks just kept on coming along with lots of laughs and new friends made. The have invited me back out on Feb 25 to curl again. They even blew up our Team Yizek provincial championship photo we had just had taken, asked me to sign it and posted it up in the curling club.

I would really like to thank ex-Calgarian Darryl Horsman and the Coyotes curling club for arranging this. He is hoping to start a wheelchair league here as well. Here's hoping and hats off to all the wonderful people here ...talk about INCLUSION! It's a wonderful club and is so wheelchair accessible it's unreal!

If you use a wheelchair and live near Phoenix, contact the club via their website.

CCA camp for Ontario in Grimsby Feb. 11-12  2/10/2011

The CCA is holding the final regional camp in its talent identification and high performance development series, this weekend at the Peach King Centre in Grimsby, during the Ontario Men's Championship.

All 16 of the available slots were taken at the two day $50 a head camp, run by national team coaching staff member Wendy Morgan with Sonja Gaudet and Darryl Neighbour.

Sonja and Darryl will be in Toronto on Saturday evening to accept an award at the 27^th Annual Great Valentine Fundraising Gala at the Royal York Hotel.

Minnesota Veterans learning to curl at St. Paul CC  2/10/2011

The Courage Center sponsored a group of US military veterans on a learn to curl visit to the St. Paul CC in Minesota.

CBS Channel 4 was on hand to watch. (video)

“Now I just need to work on being able to have some strength, and pushing it down there and trying to get to the house, I’m learning new terminology today,” said veteran Todd Kemery.

“This is something that I never thought I would do, but this looks like it’s a lot of fun. I would like to do this again,” said veteran Edward Graham.

News from Kenora, No. Ontario  2/10/2011

Wayne Ficek, skip of Team Kenora/Dryden, says his team is "chomping at the bit and ready to go... As under achievers last year (3-6) none of our team was happy with the results and would love the opportunity to compete in Edmonton."

Congratulations go to two team members, Mark Wherrett and Denise Miault who qualified for full carding under the OCA/NOCA Quest for Gold program.

Last Saturday they played Chris Sobkowicz's Manitoba team winning the first 7-6 when Chris wrecked on a guard looking at three in the four foot.

"The second game was a blow out 9 -1 win after six. While the first game's ice was good, we played on the same sheet after a 45 minute lunch and things had tightened up," Wayne said. "I think we caught them off guard with the ice and this is the first wins the team have had against Manitoba ever, so kudo's to Mark, Chester and Denise who are all playing better than ever.

"We're hoping we can get back to Nationals and truly believe three times = lucky."

Elisabeth Young-Walker of CurlBC's Adaptive Outreach Program 2/8/2011

The CCA's website has an article on the programme assistant for CurlBC's Adaptive Outreach initiative, Elisabeth Young-Walker, a 4-time Paralypiam swimmer and Assistant Chef de Mission for the London 2012 Paralympic Summer Games. She is currently developing an adaptive program to get children with disabilities involved in curling. While the goal is to promote the sport through fun games and not focus solely on wheelchair curling, many of the concepts can be adopted for on-ice play.

Elisabeth Walker-Young hopes to reach 50 to 70 children and youth this year. A retired Paralympian with a background in adaptive sport and sport administration, she strives to increase awareness and opportunities so that one day others may follow in her footsteps; whether by pursuing an active life or achieving success at the international level. For more details about the program or if you have a fun title for the program, please contact her directly at ewalkeryoung@curlbc.ca

The program is funded through CurlBC's share of 50/50 money raised during the Olympics and Paralympics.

You can read what she has to say HERE.

Team Sudbury funraising gala February 17  2/8/2011

The Sudbury CC is holding a fundraising gala for its wheelchair curling team on Thursday February 17 between 7 and 10PM.

Sudbury is fielding a team at the Northern Ontario Championships in Thunder Bay Feb. 25-27. Tim Phillips, for NortherLife.ca, reports "Skip Steve Daniel, along with mates Rick Prudhomme, Sarah Lashbrook, Dennis Duclos, coach Thomas Matheson and assistant coach/sponsor Norm Gervais from the Sudbury club, have been busy gearing up for the event.

The team has been practicing two and three times per week, sharpening their skills in hopes of capturing the prestigious event. The Sudbury club is holding a fundraising gala for the team Feb. 17, from 7 to 10 p.m.

Tickets are $5 and available at the club. To get involved in wheelchair curling, phone 705-673-5601."

Wheelchairs take the stage at SaskTel Tankard  2/7/2011

Players competing in the men's provincial championships for the SaskTel Tankard and a place at the Brier, took some time out to try wheelchair curling with members of Team Saskatchewan on Saturday.

"I hogged at least three. I hit the boards, like, three times and I threw the wrong turn three times," Chadd McKenzie told Kevin Mitchell of The StarPhoenix.

Mackenzie's team of able-bodied curlers lost 11-2 in six ends to the wheelchair squad. "That just shows . . . I've curled for 11 years, but going into this is completely different. It's a different game," he said.

Read the full report HERE.

National champ Cormack adds BC provincial title  2/6/2011

Gary Cormack had a second chance at a national title last year, when his second place at the 2010 BC Provincials allowed him to skip the Host Team to last season's national title.

This year, he retained Vince Miele at second, and added 3rd Frank LaBounty and lead Alison Duddy from last year's BC championship side, hoping to get to the Edmonton Nationals in March through the front door.

After two wins in round robin play at the 2011 BC Provincial Championships in Kimberley his team went straight through to this afternoon's final, though not against their expected opponent. Bob Mcdonald, playing with just Bill Lindstrom and Samantha Siu as 3rd Sonja Gaudet was unable to travel, upset the multi-medalled Armstrong team in the semi-final, and looked to continue an extraordinary run into the final.

They started well, with Cormack facing four with his last stone on the 1st end, and only able to limit the damage, giving up a single. But Cormack quickly regrouped, scoring 2 in the 2nd and then posting steals of 2 in the 3rd and 4th ends for a comfortable 6-1 lead at the break.

Mcdonald fought back with a single, and a steal of a point to pull within 3 after 6 ends, but Cormack's 2 in the 7th allowed him to run Mconald out of stones, and claim his first national title since 2006 when he was a member of Team Canada.

Cormack * 0 2 2 2 0 0 2 X - 8
Mcdonald  1 0 0 0 1 1 0 X - 3

You can read a full report by Matt Coxford of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman HERE.

The 2011 Nationals are scheduled for March 20-27 at the Jasper Place CC in Edmonton, Alberta.

Mcdonald upsets Armstrong in BC semi-final  2/6/2011

And that, as my wife says, is why they play the games.

When Bob Mcdonald faced Jim Armstrong on the first day of the BC Provincials, he was unable to get on the scoreboard in a 10-0 drubbing. Just after 9AM this morning, he stole the opening point of the game. Seven ends later he had stolen 3 more ends and made a game saving last rock takeout to win 6-5.

Kimberley had experienced rain on Saturday which had made the ice very slow, and particularly challenging for Mcdonald's lead, Samantha Siu. This morning the ice was much faster, and Samantha set up the ends to enable her team to win.

After taking 2 in the 3rd to go ahead 3-1, Mcdonald posted three successive singles before giving up 2 in the 7th.

In the 8th end, Armstrong's team had the rocks in the house to force an extra end, but with the last rock of the game, Bob Mcdonald threw a takeout that though it rolled out, was enough to limit the damage to a steal of just 2.

Armstrong * 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 2 - 5
Mcdonald    1 0 2 1 1 1 0 0 - 6

Mcdonald, who is playing without Team Canada's Sonja Gaudet, is back on the ice at 2pm where he will attempt to give Gary Cormack his first loss, and take the provincial title.

Edmonton's Mike McMullen profiled  2/5/2011

Mike McMullen. who will be playing 3rd for Cliff Nuspl's Host Team at the 2011 Nationals in Edmonton March 20-27, is profiled in the WestEdmontonLocal.

Injured in fall 26 years ago, McMullen took up sports about ten years after his injury, first playing rugby and then curling.

“It keeps you active, keeps you motivated, gets you out in the public,” McMullen said.

There's one topic that he and Calgary's Jack Smart agree: the insistence that teams be of mixed gender is hindering the devlopment of the sport. "“It’s not holding the sport back in any way due to their skill levels, just there’s not a lot of them out there,” he maintains.

You can read the full profile HERE.

Cathy Craig, the Host Team coach and manager of Jasper Place CC where the Nationals will take place, has agreed her team can live at home during the Championship.

“What people don’t understand about wheelchair athletes when they travel is it’s hard work. It’s a challenge getting in and out of bed and going to the bathroom and getting out of the tub because most hotel rooms aren’t well equipped,” said Craig.

“Our team has chosen to stay home. By the end of the week when everyone else is tired because all their daily tasks are just so difficult, we should still be rested,” said Craig. “I just think it’s a huge advantage for us.”

Do you agree?

BC Provincials - Day 2  2/5/2011

In the second Draw of the BC Provincials this morning, Bob Mcdonald faced Jim Armstrong without his most experienced player. Team Canada lead Sonja Gaudet, who was to play 3rd for Mcdonald, was unable to travel from Vernon because of road and weather conditions.

Playing with a three member team, they were overrun 10-0 by Team Armstrong, giving up steals in each of the 6 ends before handshakes.

Mcdonald did get on the scoreboard in his afternoon match against Cormack, taking one with hammer and then stealing a point. He held Cormack to one in the 3rd, but the lead was short-lived, as Cormack stole the next 9 points to win 10-2 in 7 ends.

Line scores are HERE

Tomorrow's 9AM semi-final is between Armstrong and Mcdonald; the winner playing Cormack at 2PM for the provincial title.

Cormack beats Armstrong in opening draw of BC Provincials  2/4/2011

Team Canada skip Jim Armstrong faced National Champion and ex-Team Canada teammate Gary Cormack in the first round of the three team BC Provincials at the Kimberley CC this afternoon.

Cormack stole single points in the first two ends, then gave up single point steals in ends 4 and 5 to fall behind 3-2 after 5. He then levelled the scores with a single in the 6th, stole one in the 7th and two more in the 8th.

The final commentary entry on Playdowns.com said: Armstrong's final rock is not hard enough to clear the house and Cormack ends the game with 2.

Armstrong is playing with his TC 3rd Darryl Neighbour, past TC skip Chris Daw and 3 time national champion Jacqui Roy.

Gary Cormack has Vince Miele and two of last year's BC champions, Frank LaBounty at 3rd and lead Alison Duddy.

Armstrong is back on the ice 10AM tomorrow morning when he plays Bob Mcdonald. Mcdonald, playing with Team Canada's Sonja Gaudet, Bill Lindstrom and Samantha Sui, plays Cormack at 3pm.

Results and line scores are available HERE

Toronto's Chris Rees regains title at Dominion Provincials 2/4/2011

Chris Rees, playing on home ice at the Toronto Cricket and Curling Cub, defeated previously unbeaten Ken Gregory 8-3 to reclaim the Ontario provincial title he last held in 2008.

Rees, with Carl Bax at 3rd, Alec Denys 2nd and lead Shauna Petrie, had given up an opening end 5 to Gregory in a 13-5 round robin defeat. The final began more quietly. The teams were tied at 3 after 5 ends, but Rees turned the tables on the Bradford team with a big 4 in the 6th, forcing Gregory to gamble, and allowing Rees to steal a final point in the 7th.

Gregory, playing with Collinda Joseph 3rd, Frank Cannarella 2nd and Jim Primavera at lead, were behind in only 3 of the 34 ends they played during the round robin.

The semi-final between Rees and Ilderton's Mark Ideson was played earlier this morning. Only Jacqui Kinahan on Ideson's rink had more than a year or so's experience but the team, with Mike Munro and Tony Reynen became London's first to reach a provincial playoff. They earned their place by defeating reigning champion Bruce Cameron's Ottawa team in round robin play.

Facing home-ice favourite Chris Rees in the semi-final, perhaps, like nervous mountaineers, they looked down. After holding Rees with hammer to one in the first, they gave up steals of 3 in the second and a further point in the third, and could not recover. Final score 8-3.

Full line scores are available HERE

BC Provincial Championships begin Friday February 4  2/3/2011

Three teams are scheduled to compete in the BC Provincial Championships in Kimberley starting tomorrow, February 4th at 4PM.

Defending National Champion Gary Cormack brings Vince Miele from last year's team and adds Frank LaBounty and Alison Duddy who played on the 2010 BC Championship team skipped by Gerry Austgarden.

Team Canada skip Jim Armstrong will be hoping to reclaim his Provincial title by teaming up with national team 3rd Darryl Neighbour, past Canada skip Chris Daw and lead Jackie Roy. Each of the men have won Paralympic curling gold medals and each have skipped a national championship team, while Jackie Roy won three national titles; in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Bob McDonald has Team Canada's Sonja Gaudet at third, with Bill Lindstrom and Samantha Sui.

Results will be available from this link.

Kimberley CC President Steve Tersmette is an enthusiastic supporter of wheelchair curling, and hopes the money invested in making the facilities accessible to attract a provincial championship will result in local wheelchair users trying out the sport.

Kimberley is close to the Alberta border while all but Sonja Gaudet will be travelling from the lower mainland, a distance factor that prohibited some of last year's competitors from registering this year. While CurlBC's policy of distributing championships across the Province has much to commend it, for a sport that is still attempting to become established as a recreation opportunity for wheelchair users, placing the championship such a long way from all current participants has meant a small field. Luckily, there is no snow in the immediate forecast.

Dominion Provincial Championships - Ontario Day 3  2/3/2011

In the final round robin draw of the Dominion Provincial Championships, Bradford's 2009 Champion Ken Gregory maintained his perfect record and headed straight to Friday's final, defeating current champion Ottawan Bruce Cameron 10-2. Cameron started well, stealing a point in the first and holding Gregory to one in the second; but a series of steals put Gregory 7-1 ahead, and a 3 in the seventh sealed the win.

Ilderton's Mark Ideson, who had beaten Cameron yesterday, started slowly against clubmate Dal Wrigley, giving up single point steals in the first two ends. The game quickly returned to form however when Ideson posted 4 in the 3rd and stole the rest of the way to an 11-2 win that puts him in the semi-final against Chris Rees.

Richard Fraser improved his record to 2-3 when he took Rees to an extra end, taking a single with hammer for a 9-8 victory.

In the morning Draw 4, held over from the previous day because of bad weather, Ken Gregory defeated Ilderton's Mark Ideson 8-5 on the strength of steals in the 4th, 5th and 6th ends. Chris Rees bounced back from his first loss yesterday to trounce Dal Wrigley 10-2, and Bruce Cameron beat RA Ottawa clubmate Richard Fraser 8-5.

Tomorrow's semi-final between Rees and Ideson is at 10AM, with the winner playing Gregory in the final at 2.30PM

Table after Round Robin

Ken Gregory 5-0
Mark Ideson 3-2
Chris Rees 3-2
Bruce Cameron 2-3
Richard Fraser 2-3
Dal Wrigley 0-5

Full line scores are available HERE

Dominion Provincial Championships - Ontario Day 2   2/2/2011

In Draw 3 at the Dominion Provincial Championships in Toronto, Ken Gregory was the big winner, taking out previously unbeaten Chris Rees to maintain his own perfect record. His Bradford team took 5 in the first end, only to give back 4 on a three in the second and a steal of one in the third. Gregory's 4 before the break settled the team who went on to win 13-5 in seven ends.

Defending champion Cameron came unstuck against Ilderton's Mark Ideson when down 4-3 in the 6th, he gave up successive steals to lose 6-4. In the third game of Draw 3, Ottawa's Fraser beat Ildeton's Wrigley 10-2, posting his first win.

A significant winter storm meant that only one draw was played, with Draw 4 put back to Thursday morning, and Draw 5 to be played Thursday afternoon.

Full line scores are available HERE

Dominion Provincial Championships - Ontario Day 1  2/1/2011

Victories went to the more experienced teams in the first Draw of the Dominion Provincial Championships at the Toronto Cricket and Curling Club.

Chris Rees, looking to regain his title after a couple of years, beat Mark Ideson's Ilderton 1 by 8-3 with three consecutive steals for 6 points in the middle of the game.

Bruce Cameron gave up a 3 ender in the first, but stole the last 8 points to win 12-4 against Dal Wrigley's Ilderton 2.

Ken Gregory got off to a perfect start, scoring 4 in the first end on the way to a 8-2 win over Ottawa's Richard Fraser.

In Draw 2 this afternoon, home ice favourite Chris Rees overcame a 6-4 deficit to post a 3 in the 8th for a 7-6 win over Ottawa's Bruce Cameron.

Ilderton's Mark Ideson gave up single point steals in each of the first three ends playing Ottawa's other rink skipped by Richard Fraser, before steadying to win 8-3 in 7 ends.

Bradford's Gregory defeated Dal Wrigley's Ilderton 2 side 15-0.

Table after 2 Draws

Gregory 2-0
Rees 2-0
Cameron 1-1
Ideson 1-1
Faser 0-2
Wrigley 0-2

Full line scores are available HERE

Six Ontario teams competing in Dominion Provincials Feb 1 - 4 1/31/2011

Six teams will be competing at the Toronto Cricket and Curling Club this week for the Dominion Provincial Wheelchair Curling Championship and the right to represent the southern part of the province at the Nationals in Edmonton, March 21-27.

Defending champion Bruce Cameron of Ottawa returns with Doug Morris, Jamie Eddy and Christine Lavallee. Fellow  RA Curling Club skip Richard Fraser has two females on his team;  Joanna Bos at 3rd and Clare Argo at lead, while Don Stinson plays 2nd.

Chris Rees will play on home ice with Carl Bax, Alex Denys and Shauna Petrie. Bradford is represented by Ken Gregory, with Collinda Joseph playing 3rd, Frank Cannarella and Jim Primavera (who was part of the very first Team Canada squad.)

Ilderton CC is bringing two teams to the championship this year. Mark Ideson skips Mike Munro, Tony Reynen and Jacqui Kinahan. The second team is skipped by Dal Wrigley, who moved from Chris Rees's team, Gilbert Blanchette, and two players born in Africa; Hocine Zenile, originally from Algeria and Peninah Mutindah, originally from Kenya.  Ilderton coach Ernie Comeford says all but Jacqui Kinahan are fairly new to the sport.

First Draw is 10AM tomorrow (Tuesday February 1) with five round robin draws being played through Thursday morning. The top team will go straight through to Friday's final to be joined by the winner of the 2 vs 3 semi-final game.

The timetable, schedule and team list can be downloaded HERE

Daily line scores from the Championship should be available from the Ontario Curling Association's website.

Team Yizek wins 5th straight Alberta Championship  1/30/2011

Calgary's Team Yizek, playing on home ice and looking for their fifth consecutive provincial title, went out to an early 7-0 lead over Edmonton's Cliff Nuspl in today's final of the Alberta Wheelchair Curling Championship at the Ogden Legion CC. After the break, Nuspl took a single in 5 and stole 1 in the 6th, but gave up 4 in the 7th. Yizek won 11-2.

Team Yizek, with Jack Smart, Anne Hibberd, Bridget Wilson and Martin Purvis, is a talented team that has been working together since Ernie Comerford started the program in Calgary in 2004.

Bruno Yizek is a Paralympic gold medallist who will be in Prague defending Canada's World title in Prague in three weeks. Both Anne and Bridget have also worked with the Team Canada squad, and their experiences have been integrated into the teams practices.

Now coached by Andy Jones, for the past two plus seasons they were guided by Tony Zummack, newly appointed British national coach. He told me the team prepares just as hard as Team Canada; the only diference is lack of access to the specialists and off-site resources that the national team enjoys.

Team Yizek's experience and the time and effort they put into preparing for championships, made them heavy favourites to repeat as provincial champions. In seven weeks they will know if they are good enough to go one better than in 2007 and 2009, and break BC's stranglehold on the national championship.

Calgary's Yizek and Edmonton's Nuspl in Alberta Provincial Final 1/29/2011

Five time defending champion Bruno Yizek's rink reached the finals of the Alberta Provincial Wheelchair Curling Championships at Calgary's Ogden Legion CC, defeating fellow Calgarian Dale Keith 14-6 with seven unanswered points in the second half of the game.

Cliff Nuspl beat David Graves 10-2 in the battle to choose which Edmonton team would reach the final and therefore gain a place either as champion or host at the Nationals March 20-27.

The Provincial final between Yizek (4-0) and Nuspl (3-1) starts at 10.30AM tomorrow (Sunday January 30)

News from Norway  1/29/2011

Norway have been practicing this weekend at the Halden Curling Centre in southern Norway close to the Swedish border.

"The ice is keen, with good curl, I like it!" Thoralf Hognestad, their coach, told me. "We're lookijng forward to playing in Prague, and are going for the Page playoffs."

In two weeks the team are playing in the Norwegian Cup alongside Thomas Ulsrud and their nation's other top able bodied curlers.

Team Bradford curl at CPAO funspiel  1/29/2011

Ken Gregory and his Bradford team curled in the 2nd annual Canadian Paraplegic Association Ontario Funspiel last Saturday as a practice session for their upcoming competition at the Provincials, being held in Toronto, February 1-4.

"We only get together at the Bonspiels," Gregory told Miriam King of the Bradford Times. "This is our big warm-up."

Ken Gregory's Team Bradford has Collinda Joseph 3rd, Frank Cannarella 2nd and Jim Primavera at lead.

Team Canada training in Kelowna this weekend  1/29/2011

Team Canada made an unannounced appearance at the Kelowna CC this morning and are on the ice now (noon) in what is the last opportunity for the team to get together before the Prague Worlds (Feb 21 - March 3). The BC Provincials are next weekend, and Jim Armstrong is due to be in Seattle the following Friday. National Team Coach Joe Rea is leading this weekend's session.

They have ice time booked for 8AM tomorrow (Sunday) for anyone local interested in seeing them.

Edmonton guaranteed a home side at 2011 Nationals  1/29/2011

Calgary and Edmonton each have two teams competing at the 2011 Alberta Provincial Wheelchair Curling Championships being held at Calgary's Ogden Legion Curling Club.

In the opening draw, heavily favoured Team Yizek played against their 2010 alternate Cliff's Nuspl's Edmonton rink. The teams were tied at 2 at the 4th end break, Nuspl pulled ahead 4-2 after 6, but could not hold on as Team Yizek put three more on the board to win 5-4.

Edmonton posted a win with Dave Graves defeating Calgary's Dale Keith 7-3.

In the second draw Yizek beat Graves 12-5 and Nuspl beat Keith 7-3, both games called after 7 ends.

In the last round robin draw the Calgary teams played each other - Yizek beating Keith 10-1 in 6 ends. They'll face each other again in the 1v4 semi-final. Nuspl beat Graves 7-3 and will face each other in the all Edmonton 2v3 semi-final.

Keith's loss to Yizek means the final will have a team from each community. With two teams to qualify for the Nationals, this guarantees there'll be an Edmonton team at the Nationals in Edmonton, March 20-27.

Cathy Craig is posting occasional scores via Twitter - account 1CathyC

Jim Armstrong sentencing delayed until February 11 1/27/2011

Jim Armstrong and his son Gregory were to appear in Judge Martinez US Federal Courtroom tomorrow, January 28, for sentencing related to their plea agreements signed last October.

The case has been continued and sentencing rescheduled because the US District Attorney's Office did not complete in time the paperwork that the Armstrongs require to be allowed into the United States.

Sentencing is now set for Friday Fenruary 11 at 1.30PM for Jim, and 2PM for Gregory.

News from Quebec - Nouvelles du Québec  1/27/2011

A very experienced wheelchair curling coach suggested to me recently that the up-and-coming team in Canada was Team Lessard from Quebec. They're young, proven athletes in other disciplines, who with coaching will be the team to beat in the years to come. They also won the Cathy Kerr Spiel last November.

They were among the ten Quebec wheelchair users attending the CCA's Talent Identification and Development Camp last weekend at the Boucherville Curling Club, receiving guidance from national team coach Wendy Morgan and Team Canada 2nd, Ina Forrest.

You can view 143 photos from the 'camp fauteuil roulant' gallery on the Quebec Curling Facebook page.

Quebec's Provincial Championship is scheduled for February 25-27 at the Victoria CC in Quebec City.

Un entraîneur très expérimenté de curling en fauteuil roulant m’a commenté récemment à l’effet que l’Équipe Lessard du Québec, est sans doute la plus prometteuse sur le circuit canadien. Il s’agit d’une formation jeune, mais en plus, tous les joueurs pratiquent une autre discipline sportive qui fait d’eux des athlètes accomplis à tous les niveaux. Avec un bon entraînement, il est à prévoir que l’Équipe Lessard sera la formation à vaincre dans les années à venir. Cette formation a d’ailleurs remporté le Cathy Kerr’s Bonspiel en november dernier.

C’est par l’entremise de Curling Canada, qu’une dizaine de joueurs en fauteuil roulant du Québec ont participé pour la première fois, à un camp de développement et d’identification de joueurs potentiels cette fin de semaine au Club de Curling de Boucherville. Tous ont pu profiter des judicieux conseils de l’entraîneuse nationale Wendy Morgan et de la seconde joueuse d’Équipe Canada Ina Forrest.

Visite Facebook - "Québec curling - camp fauteuil roulant" pour les photos.

Le championnat provincial du Québec est prévu pour les 25 au 27 février prochain au Club de Curling Victoria, Ville de Québec.

Calgary host Alberta Provincials Jan 28-30 1/26/2011

The Alberta Provincial Championship will be held at the Ogden Legion CC in Calgary from Friday January 28 with the final on Sunday January 30. As last year, four teams will compete; two from Calgary and two from Edmonton.

Team Canada alternate Bruno Yizek rejoins his Calgary teammates after Paralympic duty last year. Team Smart 2010 thus becomes Team Yizek 2011 with Bruno Yizek at skip, Jack Smart, Anne Hibberd, Bridget Wilson and Martin Purvis, the all-star 2nd at last year's Nationals in Kelowna.

Their coach for the past two-plus seasons has been Tony Zummack, now newly appointed Great Britain wheelchair curling coach. He tells me: "The coaching duties for Team Yizek are now in the capable hands of Andy Jones.

"I look forward to their continued successes knowing their goals and ambitions. If I am still in Calgary during the Provincials I will be keeping an eye on them as a fan and a friend.

"The decision was made to have a new coach with the team prior to the Provincials so that the transition moving forward would be as smooth as possible and give Andy time to know the players. I have spent the last month with the team and Andy providing as much insight to their development and team philosophies as possible. I am confident that all 5 players and Andy are prepared and looking forward to the upcoming competitions."

Brian Rivers coaches Team Keith, Calgary's other contenders. They have Dale Keith at Skip, Karl Meier 3rd, George Assenheimer 2nd, Wanda Pizzinato at lead with Curtis Junor the alternate.

Edmonton's Cathy Craig is bringing two teams to Calgary. Cliff Nuspl, who skipped an Edmonton team in 2008 and 2010 and was invited to join Team Smart as allternate in Kelowna last year, has Mike McMullan 3rd, Warren Fleury 2nd, and Shawna Walsh at lead.

The second Edmonton team is skipped by Dave Graves throwing 3rd stones, with Don Donaldson throwing 4th, Dwaine Shupac 2nd and lead Marie Laframboise. Doug MacEachern is the Edmonton alternate.

The format is a 3 draw round robin (first draw 11AM Friday) with 1 v. 4 and 2 v. 3 semi-finals 2.30PM Saturday, then a Sunday 10.30AM final. Because there will only be 9 provincial teams competing at the Nationals in Edmonton, Alberta will field a Host team. That means that both teams competing in the Alberta final will play at the Nationals.

New Brunswick and PEI not yet ready for prime time  1/26/2011

New Brunswick's first wheelchair curling event, a spiel this weekend at the Frederickton CC, has been cancelled because of insufficient entries. Laughie Rutt, 3rd on Nova Scotia's provincial champion Team Fitzgerald and a long time evangelist for curling in Atlantic Canada, said that though the cancellation was a disappointment, several curlers from New Brunswick and PEI were able to attend the recent Atlantic Development Camp at Crapaud CC.

"There are some promising players in both PEI and NB," he said, "and they will soon be on the scene at nationals."

The CCA had hoped to add a tenth Provincial team to the schedule for this year's Nationals in Edmonton (March 20 - 27) but with New Brunswick and PEI deciding they were not yet ready to compete, Alberta will field a Host Team to round out the numbers, as has been done several times in the past.

Last year BC's Host Team, skipped by Gary Cormack, won the National Championship in Kelowna.

Thank you  1/25/2011

I'd like to publicly thank the Calgary Wheelchair Curling Association for their very generous donation in support of this blog and wheelchaircurling.com.

Their show of support, along with the others I receive from time to time, allows me not only to recoup the expenses of runing the blog and website, but also makes it easier to justify the time that I devote to keeping up with what's happening in wheelchair curling, both in Canada and around the world.

Cameron wins Recreation Division of 50th Ottawa Valley spiel  1/23/2011

Team Cameron and Team Fraser of the Capital WCC competed in this weekend's 50th Ottawa Valley Mixed Spiel at the RA Cemtre in Ottawa. They were part of an eight team Recreation Division, both reaching the final rounds.

Bruce Cameron, with Doug Morris, Jamie Eddy and Katie Paialunga (filling in for Christine Lavallee, who was sailing in a Miami regatta) won the trophy, beating a team of able-bodied curlers 3-2 in the final.

Michael McCreadie playing for Scotland in England  1/22/2011

Fenton's Rink, located near Tunbridge Wells in Kent, south-east of London, is the only curling ice rink in England. This weekend it is the site of the Four Nations Competition (not a wheelchair event) hosted by the English Curling Association, between teams from Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland.

Michael McCreadie skipped and threw 3rd stones for Scotland in the Tom Ballantyne Trophy competition (highest aggregate score over five games against England in the year). He also skipped a Mixed Team against Wales. Photos from the event can be seen on Bob Cowan's blog. 

Norway's Tone Edvardsen first to use power chair at Worlds  1/21/2011

Tone Edvardsen, will be the first to take advantage of the change in the World Curling Federation's rules of competition, when she plays second for Team Norway at the 2011 World Championships in Prague using her power chair. Previously participation in World Championships had been limited to users of manual wheelchairs.

She is one of three changes to the Norwegian team made by coach Thoralf Hognestad, who returned to the team after their disappointing 3-6 finish at the Vancouver Paralympics. Tone, 36, is an occupational therapist and competing in her third season of wheelchair curling. Her major outside interest is photography, and you can see her photos at this link.

Sheila Swan to coach Scotland at 2011 Worlds in Prague   1/19/2011

Because of continuing delays in the paperwork allowing Alberta's Tony Zummack to relocate to Scotland and take up his position as National Coach, Dave Crosbee, British Curling's new Performance Director, has confirmed that Sheila Swan will be in charge of the Scotland team in at the 2011 World Championships in Prague.

Sheila played on Jackie Lockhart's World Champion team in 2002, and is currently the Royal Caledonian Club's Development Manager - Adults and Disabilities.

Tony is keen to take up his responsibilities and told me today: "I was very glad to see all eight athletes from the National Squad playing in the final three games in Lanarkshire.

"To see Scotland reach the final against Canada should give the squad a sense of confidence heading to Prague.

"While I wish I was there now I have full confidence in Sheila Swan as she knows the athlete's quite well as she was with them in Vancouver. Preparations are ongoing and I look forward to the day I am there to meet the entire team and staff."

Canada beats Scotland to win Lanarkshire International  1/19/2011

Canada posted two 4 enders to see off Scotland 2 in their morning draw, setting up a final with Scotland 1, who lost their unbeaten record, falling 6-5 in the morning to Hosts 1 after giving up a 4-ender.

In the final Scotland were behind 5-3 with hammer, but gave up a steal of 2 in the 7th (final) end and Canada won 7-3, finishing the tournament with a perfect 5-0 record.

The Czechs played Sweden in the battle of 2nd place teams, going out to a 4-1 lead and hanging on for a 4-3 victory. Scotland 2 beat Hosts 1 in the game between 3rd place teams.

Results of the two morning draws and the afternoon finals can be found HERE

A news report is available HERE and a video can beviewed HERE

Bob Cowan, who took the photos on this page, follows wheelchair curling in Scotland and attended some of the action on Tuesday. You can see more of his photos HERE. He also noted that in the game he watched. Darryl Neighbour skipped while Jim played front end.

Canada and Scotland 3 for 3 - Day 1 of Lanarkshire International 1/18/2011

Team Canada flew to Scotland on Sunday, and at 9AM on Tuesday were on the ice for the first of three draws on Day 1 of the Lanarkshire International at the Hamilton (SCO) Ice Rink.
 
Scottish TV had cameras there at the start of the event. You can see the video at this link.

Bruno Yizek was ill and unable to travel; his place taken by Manitoba's Chris Sobkowicz.

Any jet lag did not seem to affect their performance as they posted 3 wins. They fell behind early in the opener against Sweden, but a 3 in the 3rd put them ahead, and they handed Jalle Jungnell his first loss as a National Coach, 6-3 in 7 ends. Sweden recovered to win their next two games, 8-6 over Scotland 2, and 6-5 over Mainhatten.

In Canada's second game Jens Jager's Mainhatten Ice Rollers managed only a single point in a 7-1 score in 6 ends.

Canada finished a hectic day with a 7-4 win over Host Team 3 from the South Lanarkshire WCC.

Scotland, still without new coach Tony Zummack, also posted 3 wins: 13-4 over Hosts 2, 6-2 over Marcus Sieger's Germany, and 11-2 over the Czech Republic. No word about where the Scots are delivering their stones from.

Line scores of all the games are HERE
Tables after Day 1 are HERE

Team Canada 2011 set for Prague World Championships 1/17/2011

We have just received official confirmation that Team Canada for the 2011 World Championships in Prague, February 21 to March 3, will be:

Jim Armstrong (BC) - skip
Darryl Neighbour (BC) - 3rd
Ina Forrest (BC) - 2nd
Sonja Gaudet (BC) - lead
Bruno Yizek (AB) - alternate

Coach - Joe Rea
Team Leader - Wendy Morgan
Mental Trainer - Dr.Laura Farres

This is the same team that won gold in Vancouver last March. Hopefully a team photo will be available soon.

In response to a query about Team Canada's low profile this season, Program Director Gerry Peckham responded: "This has basically been a year off as it relates to the intensity and profile of Team Canada activities. Our focus has been on regionally based talent ID and development and our NTP athletes have been engaged in assisting Wendy and Joe with that undertaking along with a personal focus on their own skill development. They are willingly “putting back into the sport” and have done an excellent job on behalf of the program in the years to come….

"We will gear up again next year."

It is understandable that after the rigours and the success of last season, National Team Program (NTP) members were entitled to an easier year post-Vancouver, and some have been very active in various CCA sponsored regional initiatives this season.

On the other hand, with interest in wheelchair curling potentially at its highest after a Paralympic gold medal, more CCA or NTP information (and dare we suggest photos) on just what the national team has been doing since March would capitalise on that interest.

While this blog receives responses to specific questions, the best publicity is proactive. Perhaps it's time for someone at the CCA or the NTP to be responsible for, and committed to, gathering and sharing publicity information.

Ten team field for Lanarkshire International January 18-19  1/17/2011

Canada will play in their second and final preparatory competition before defending their World Championship in Prague February 21, when they compete in the Lanarkshire International at the Hamilton Ice Rink (SCO) tomorrow, January 18.

The event has been organised by the South Lanarkshire WCC who include three local teams in the ten team two pool field.

Club secretary David Morgan told The Glasgow Evening Times the club, which has 33 players and includes members of the Great Britain Paralympic development squad, is all geared up for the two-day event.

“We wanted to invite some good teams to play us. At first, we hoped for about four teams to confirm, but we have 10 and it will be a great event."

Recently appointed Great Britain coach Tony Zumack is still awaiting paperwork for his move from Alberta, so the Scots, who have two new members, Gregor Ewan and Michael Mackenzie, will be mentored by Sheila Swan.

Skip Aileen Neilson comments; “We are really looking forward to the International competition at Hamilton. It is an exciting start to a new cycle with a new team. It will be a good trial, and, for me it is a great opportunity to skip the team and develop and build team dynamics.”

Canada will play four round robin games games beginning against Sweden at 9AM local time Tuesday January 18. The first 3 teams play across the pools at 2.20PM Wednesday. Results will first be posted HERE.

Pool A
Canada
Lanarkshire 3
Mainhatten Ice Rollers - (Jens Jäger)
Scotland 2
Sweden

Pool B
Czech Republic
Germany (Marcus Sieger)
Lanarkshire 1
Lanarkshire 2
Scotland 1

Skip uses wheelchair in latest CCA advertisement 1/14/2011

The CCA's StartCurling Campaign includes a skip using a wheelchair in one of the ads in their "shots made on purpose" series. Watch the video HERE

Sudbury aiming to be new force in Northern Ontario  1/14/2011

Sudbury Curling Club will be joining Thunder Bay and Kenora in a challenge for the Northern Ontario Provincial Championship. Their team of skip Steve Daniel, vice Rick Prud'homme, second Sarah Lashbrook and lead Dennis Duclos practise up to six hours a week at the curling club, coached by Thomas Matheson.

Skip Daniel is a multi-sport athlete who competed for Canada at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing. His team, in their first year of curling, hope to join an evening league, but playing at the Thunder Bay Provincials February 25-27 will be their first time competing against wheelchair opposition.

"All our (Northern Ontario) teams are pretty much evenly balanced," he told the Sudbury Star. "We might even have a competitive advantage. All of us are coming from a sport background. We all play basketball together. The only thing we have to work on is the strategy of curling."

Program booster Norm Gervais, owner of MEDIchair Sudbury, hopes that the 2012 Provincials will be held in Sudbury.

"The Sudbury Curling Club is wheelchair accessible and very familiar with wheelchair curling - plus they know how to run and host top-notch curling events." The idea to host the 2012 Northern Ontario Championship has been put to club president Bill Sloan and will soon be brought to the club's board, said Gervais.

Read the full report HERE

Curling around London Ontario  1/14/2011

The Accessible Sports Council for the London Ontario area, reminds wheelchair users that the Ilderton CC is the base for local curling. The program is run by coach Ernie Comerford, who was instrumental in establishing the sport in Alberta before relocating to Ontario.

Sessions are held Sundays from 11AM to 1PM. More details HERE.

Atlantic Canada camp at Crapaud Community CC this weekend 1/12/2011

Curlers from PEI, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia will be attending a CCA sponsored development camp this weekend at Crapaud Community CC on Prince Edward Island. Attending will be members of the national coaching team Wendy Morgan and Dr. Laura Farres, Helen Radford, executive director of Curl Atlantic, as well as Team Canada lead Sonja Gaudet.

The Guardian (Charlottetown) reports that it will be the first inter-provincial competition for wheelchair curlers held on the Island. Activites run from 2.30pm Friday January 14, through lunchtime Sunday.

Marcus Sieger appointed Munich 2018 bid Ambassador 1/12/2011

Team Germany's skip, Marcus Sieger, has been appointed as an Ambassador for Munich's 2018 Winter Olympics/Paralympics bid. Munich, site of the 1972 Summer Games, is competing against Annecy, France and Pyeongchang, South Korea. The decision will be announced on July 6th, 2011.

"Shared happiness is doubled happiness" - Jalle Jungnell  1/11/2011

On the eve of their tie-break game at the Vancouver Paralympics, Sweden's Glenn Ikonen, who had been throwing 4th stones for struggling skip Jalle Jungnell, was suspended for failing a drug test.

The blood pressure medication that he had been taking for years across many tournaments, was through oversight or ignorance, in violation of the rules, and Glenn was not on the podium when Sweden ultimately placed 3rd.

"He didn't get a medal, so I cut mine in half, made molds of the halfs in tin, and glued them together," said Jalle.

"It just felt like the right thing to do. Glenn was so much a part of our medal team, it felt nice to give him a little piece of recognition.

"Don't misunderstand, I totally understand the decision to suspend him, and not give him a medal, but as a friend, and as friends, we all suffered with him.

"He was really happy when he got his half homemade medal, and shared happiness is doubled happiness."

Amen to that, Jalle.

Fredericton CC hosting New Brunswick's first wheelchair spiel 1/10/2011

Wheelchair curling is arriving in New Brunswick with the 106 year old Fredericton CC hosting its first wheelchaair curling spiel January 28-30. The club is located on the Exhibition Grounds at the Coliseum.

The field will be limited to 10 teams. Cost $40 per person. Contact Karen Malone 506-457-9802, or 506-459-3003. Full details on the flier HERE.

News from Sweden  1/10/2011

Jalle Jungnell, Sweden's long time skip, announced after Vancouver that he would be retiring from international competition. Fortunately for those who care about the sport at the World level, he has returned to his national side, this time as coach.

"Tomas Nordin (coach in Vancouver) would have been the ultimate choice for coach, we all feel, but he can not be away from work all the time that would be necessary," Jalle told me. "Tomas is still in the team, as an assistant coach during our training camps in Sweden."

Thomas Wilhelm, the husband of lead Anette (who also retired after Vancouver) is team manager.

The team is:

Glenn Ikonen, skip
Patrik Burman 3rd
Patrik Kallin 2nd
Kicki Uhlander lead
Gert Erlandsson alternate

"So, with three players from Paralympics, and me and Thomas as staff, it's pretty much the same faces, but at least myself in a different role," Jalle said.

"Kicki is not totally new, as she played for Sweden 2007 and 2008. Gert also played 2007 when there was a different team representing Sweden at the Worlds in Sweden.

"Where we stand ....? We don't know, and Scotland (Lanarkshire International) will be really interesting for us."

Jalle is one of the true gentlemen in our sport, happy to share his knowledge and insights, appreciating that at this stage of the sport's development, athletes must be ambassadors and evangelists even while competing.

He has this to say about funding.

"It was interesting to read about the huge funding Scotland and Canada, had and have. We Swedes are in a totally different league. We got aprox. $50.000 for preparations for Vancouver, and have a total budget for $25.000 this year.....and that includes the Prague Worlds.

"We are supposed to be a rich country, but we are definitely not spending the money on curling."

Despite this comparative lack of financial resources, Sweden have won two bronze medals at the Paralympics and a silver at the 2009 Worlds.

Penny Greely replaces injured Patrick McDonald on Team USA  1/9/2011

Penny Greely of Green Bay, Wisconsin, will replace California's Patrick McDonald on Team USA. Patrick announced he required shoulder surgery shortly after the USA selection camp last September, and would not be available for the 2011 Worlds in Prague.

Greely is a high performance athlete who won bronze at the 2004 Athens Paralympics at sitting volleyball, but attendance at the selection camp, which was in her home town, was her first exposure to competitive wheelchair curling.

Team leader Marc Deperno said: After a series of competitions and skill events, Penny Greely of Green Bay, Wisconsin has been selected as Patrick's replacement. Penny is a newcomer to the sport having only curled since September 2010 but has shown tremendous energy and commitment to her training regimen. We are excited to have Penny on board and are confident in her ability to assist Team USA with our goal of reaching the podium in Prague.

You can watch a WBAY TV feature on Penny at this link. As we reported last September (before Patrick's announcement) it was the degree of difficulty that drew her more to the game.

"I'm a really competitive person so this was right up my alley when I started playing."

Broken promises and hurt feelings in Manitoba  1/8/2011

It was no secret to anyone watching the 2010 Nationals in Kelowna last March that Chris Sobkowicz's Team Manitoba were an unhappy group.

So it came as no surprise to learn at the beginning of this season that long time teammates Chris Sobkowicz and Dennis Thiessen had decided to form their own teams and compete against each other for the right to represent Manitoba at the 2011 Nationals in Edmonton AB.

Thiessen's teammates, Effie Loubardias, Michael Alberg and Heather Mowat who travelled over 500kms for each team practice, raised funds to participate in spiels in Calgary and Ottawa, knowing and agreeing that this season would likely be a development year.

At the end of November, Dennis told them "I don't feel we as a team are ready for it yet," and that he would be playing with Chris Sobkowicz after all.

The lateness of his announcement meant there was no time for the remaining players to find a replacement, and Team Sobkowicz was declared Manitoba's provincial team by default.

Nothing wrong with wanting to win, but at what cost in broken promises? The hurt feelings that will be the legacy of preparations for the 2011 campaign are not likely to help development of the sport in Manitoba.

Calgary's Jack Smart chosen as CCA Male Athlete of the Week  1/7/2011

Jack Smart, 46, who skips out of the Ogden Legion CC in Calgary AB, is this week's CCA Male Athlete of the Week. He has represented Alberta in both wheelchair basketball and tennis in addition to winning four provincial curling titles.

If you could change any rule in curling, which one would it be, and why?
“I would eliminate the mixed-gender rule (for wheelchair teams); having to field a team with mixed gender can drastically hinder the development of regional grassroots programs that want to take the next competitive level. I do not understand why it is part of the game.”

Read the full profile HERE.

Chris Daw: "I sat out Paralympics for my wife and daughter"  1/4/2011

Curious about why Torino gold medal skip Chris Daw wasn't at the helm four years later in Vancouver? Tonight on Global TV News, Chris told reporter Mike McCardell that it wasn't becasue he didn't get along with the coach, or that he had a falling out with the program.

Daw: I didn't give any explanation why, because it was my, it was my personal need, you know, to be with my family at the time.

(McCardel: But there was no conspiracy. Why he wasn't at 2010; a matter of love, and the heart, and family.)

Daw: My wife was pregnant with our first daughter, and my wife said can I sit 2010 out for the Paralympics, and I said absolutely, anything for you, and for the birth of our daughter, and that's why we moved here and took the job.

McCardell: So that's why you weren't in the last Olympics?

Daw: And that's the absolute God's honest truth. That's why I wasn't in the last Paralympics. It's no conspiracy theory, anything like that. It's just my wife asked my sit one out and I sat one out for her and my daughter.

The news report ended with the studio anchor saying Chrs plans to be back for Sochi, 2014.

There is a video of his Global TV interview HERE

Timeline

December 10, 2007 - Chris daw asked that he not be considered for selection for the 2008 World Championships, and requested a "temporary leave of absence" from the National Training Program through the end of the season. He cited personal reasons as well as increasing demands on his time as Development Coordinator for the CCA's Discover Curling initiative.

"This is entirely his decision and I have nothing else to say," said assistant coach Wendy Morgan

December 18, 2007 - Vancouver Sun reports: "I really like this (2008 Worlds) team ... they're very coachable, very easy to get along with, they're sponges for information and they're really flexible," said coach Joe Rea of Prince George. "There isn't an ego on the team and from a coaching perspective, that's a huge thing for me."

Chris Daw wins gold at 2008 Ontario Paralympics throwing 4th stones for Ken Gregory's Team Bradford, but loses to Chris Rees in 2008 Ontario Provincials.

October 22, 2008 - Jim Armstrong declared eligible to compete in WCF events.

October 30, 2008 - Chris Daw breaks hip in ATV accident.

December 17, 2008 - Armstrong chosen to skip Team Canada at 2009 Worlds.

March 24, 2009 - Chris Daw skips Newfoundland & Labrador at Nationals

May 29, 2009 - Canada's Paralympic team has Armstrong at skip, with Neighbour, Forrest, and Gaudet. Bruno Yizek added at official announcement October 8, 2009. Wendy Morgan says: "This has been a three-year journey in a comprehensive selection process. It has been a difficult process at times, as it is not exclusively a skill-based decision but encompasses team dynamics, peer assessment, performance in competition and positional aptitude."

July 2009 - Chris Daw moves to BC as manager of the Vancouver CC.

February 23, 2010 - Chris and Morgan Daw's daughter born.

Frank Duffy's funeral - January 8th  1/3/2011

A family member has asked me to post the funeral arrangements for Frank Duffy.

Frank's funeral will take place this Saturday, January 8th, at 9.30am in the Falkland Parish church with interment at Falkland Cemetery at 10.45am. Thereafter to Falkland Village Hall for lunch and refreshments and a chance to all meet up and celebrate his life.