The World Curling Federation has changed the rules of
competition for WCF sponsored events, moving wheelchair curling
closer to the regular game. Gone is the patronising 6-end
limit, and gone too will be the incessant on -ice conferences
before every shot that destroyed its appeal as a spectator
sport.
Games will now be 8 ends (from 6) with each team allowed 68
minutes plus one 60 second time-out. The delivery zone is also
expanded by 6 inches either side of the centre line.
The new delivery zone, from a rock at delivery "touching the
centre line" to being "wholly within 18 inches either side of
the centre line" adds approximately 6 inches of width to each
side of the centre line. Its effect is to reduce the penalty, in
angle reduction, of releasing near the hogline rather than the
hack. Shots delivered between the hack and the near house must
still be touching centre line at delivery.
This change also moves wheelchair curling closer to the angles
available to regular curlers, who although expected to release
their stones "in reasonable proximity to the centre line," had a
wider range of angles available at delivery.
The CCA will adopt the WCF rule on delivery zone for the coming
season but as yet have not committed to lengthening games to 8
ends. Though the CCA has different player eligibility
criteria, they have otherwise typically followed the WCF's lead
in rule making so as not to disadvantage Team Canada when they
compete internationally.
If you have any comments on this post, add them to the
corresponding entry on the
Wheelchair Curling Blog.
CLICK HERE for a text file extract from the WCF's Rules Of
Curling, detailing rules specific to wheelchair curling. The
full rules are available
here. [Caution: this is a large
document that requires Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader to
access]Manitobans competing in
Bismarck, ND
7/10/2008
KXMB TV has a video report from
the Summer Bonspiel at the Capital Curling Club in Bismarck,
North Dakota. A team from Winnipeg skipped by Chris Sobkowicz is
competing and are interviewed in the report. [watch]
Team Manitoba challenges
Burtnyk, Stoughton and Peters
7/10/2008
The
Winnipeg Free Press reports that Manitoba's Big Three of
Kerry Burtnyk, Jeff Stoughton and Vic Peters will take part in a
"demonstration challenge game" against Chris Sobowicz's
Provincial Champions and 2008 Canadian bronze medallists.
The game will be played at 7pm on
August 21st during the Monsanto Sliding In Summer Spiel in
Warren, MB.
"Keep it simple," says
Coach Ernie Comerford
7/1/2008
I believe that many coaches and
players (even High Performance) make wheelchair curling FAR too
complicated. Heavens, when you really think about it, we are
still only trying to do THREE simple things in wheelchair
curling (and able-bodied curling for that matter).
[Find
out what they are and download his drills]
2008 season opens with
Olson Osoyoos 2 on 2 September 6-7
6/26/2008
The first wheelchair curling
event of Canada's 2008/2009 season is once again the Olson 2 on
2 Spiel over the weekend of September 6-7th, hosted by the
Osoyoos CC. This is the second year that Olson Curling Supply
has sponsored this exciting event.
Entries cost $50 per team and
include two lunches and Saturday dinner. Wheelchair users
interested in trying our sport are invited to a practice session
at 7 pm Friday evening, September 5th.
In the 2 on 2 format, each member
of the 2 person team throws 3 rocks and skips 3 rocks each end.
Members of Team Canada will be participating.
For more information contact
Darryl Neighbour or register online at
CurlBC
Vancouver Island's
Jensen continues publicity push
6/17/2008
Corinne Jensen, the Island's
indefatigable wheelchair curling rep, continues her campaign to
raise the sport's profile in an interview with the
Goldstream Gazette.
“We need to grow (wheelchair
curling) because there are tons of people out there who could do
it, they just need to know about it,” she says. [read
more]
Scots get on-ice training
time
6/17/2008
Bob Cowan reports that the Great
Britain wheelchair curling squad (all Scots) were at
Inverness Ice Centre the weekend before last for a training
session, both on and off the ice. [Link
to photo]
Team USA profiled
6/4/2008
Team USA's Bronze medal winning
performance is recounted in Sports 'N Spokes magazine,
here
(PDF). Alternate Bob Prenoveau is profiled in a video,
here.
Wheelchair curlers
compete in Italy
5/21/2008
“There may be no ice available in
Scotland at this time of the year,” said SLWCC Secretary David
Morgan, “but we found, via the Internet, this tournament was
taking place, and got ourselves an invitation." Read the
complete article
here.
The
Hamilton Advertiser reported on the trip
HERE.
Joseph wins NY
Achievers' Award
5/21/2008
Senator Joseph A. Griffo named
New Hartford’s James (Jimmy) Joseph recipient of the New York
Senate Achievers’ Award, which recognizes individuals who
overcome challenges and honors their accomplishments on behalf
of their community. CLICK
HERE to read the article.
Newfoundland & Labrador to
challenge at 2009 Nationals?
5/18/2008
Team Ontario coach
Bob Pippy
is leaving the Ontario wheelchair curling program to attempt to
put together a provincial team out of St. John's, Newfoundland.
The Atlantic
team that competed at the 2008 Nationals included two women
from St. John's, Lanie Woodfine and Joanne MacDonald, and Pippy
hopes to build a competitive squad around them.
Canada learns hard
lessons from 2008 Worlds
5/14/2008
Team Canada athletes and coaches
met in Edmonton last month to review the experience of the
2008 Worlds and to
plan for the upcoming season. While the team's 6 consecutive
victories during round robin play was enough to take them into
the 1-2 playoff game, their failure to medal was a wake-up call.
Program Director Gerry Peckham admitted that they had failed to
anticipate the rapid improvements in technique exhibited by the
medal teams, especially the Koreans.
"The Koreans have established new
benchmarks in accuracy, especially for up-weight shots, which
were important on the exceptionally swingy ice in Switzerland,"
he said. "We will be working with specialists in biometrics to
improve delivery mechanics. Also the rule change that will move
the placement of the stone at delivery from the centerline to
within 18 inches of the centreline (Rule to be published by the
WCF in June) will change the way the game is played and we must
prepare for that."
The coaches will work with the
five athletes who attended the Worlds, plus Jim Armstrong, who's
present role is mentor to the skip(s). Other members of
last year's National Talent Pool will attend training sessions
on an ad hoc basis, with everyone promised at least one more
look before the 2010 squad is finalised later next season.
Peckham also intends to arrange
game practice against regular curlers who can provide the level
of opposition expected at the next Worlds, and also promises to
tighten practice procedures so they better reflect the skills
necessary on the ice during international competition. "For
practice to be meaningful, there must be a consequence for poor
performance and poor decisions," he said.
Team Canada's next training
session will be in Edmonton in July.
Pittsburgh hosts a
give-it-a-go day
5/14/2008
Wheelchair curling has arrived in
Pittsburgh, Pa. with an afternoon of curling at the Robert
Morris University Islnd Sports Complex. From the looks of the
photos on the
Pittsburgh CC website, they attracted
some teens to try out our sport. They also "borrowed" our
banner!
Ottawa's Bruce Cameron
profiled
5/3/2008
The Ottawa Sun (April 14, 2008)
had a photo and profile of Bruce Cameron. Bruce curled before
his diagnosis with MS and now uses an electric wheelchair. He
curls out of the Capitol Curling Club and has won medals at
Provincial wheelchair curling events.
CLICK HERE
to see the article.
Scottish Paralympics
hopeful Jackie Clayton profiled
5/3/2008
The
Northern Scot has a profile of Jackie Clayton, a wheelchair
curler determined to break into the Great Britain Paralympics
squad. Her timing is not great with this week's announcement
from British Curling, but she certainly comes across as a highly
motivated and determined woman. [read
the profile]
Ottawa's Donny
Stinson honoured by Governor General
5/2/2008
Donny Stinson, founding member of
the Capital Wheelchair Curling Club, was presented with a CARING
CANADIAN AWARD by the Governor General of Canada during a
ceremony at Rideau Hall on the 30th of April 2008. (thanks
Catherine Gardner)
British Vancouver 2010
squad announced 5/1/2008
Angie Malone rejoins the six
person Paralympics squad that will prepare to represent Great
Britain at the 2010 Paralympics in Vancouver. She reunites with
Michael McCreadie and Tom Killin, teammates that won
silver in Torino. Also on the team are
Aileen Nielsen, Rosemary Lenton and Jim Sellar who played with
Killin and McCreadie at the 2008 Worlds.
[read full
press release]
British Curling [thanks
Bob] announced last July that there would be early selection
of a small squad who would undergo two years of intensive
preparation for the Vancouver games. The squad will be reduced
to five in May 2009.
Malone, a perennial at lead
during Scotland's glory years, was dropped from the Scottish
team that struggled in the 2008 Worlds, but then went on to skip
the team that won the Scottish Championships.
Scotland is notable for the
number of females in the top tier of wheelchair curlers. Both
teams in the
final of the 2008 Scottish Championships were skipped by
women.
Lower Sackville, NS to
host 2009 Canadian Nationals
4/21/2008
The CCA announced today that the
2009 Canadian Wheelchair championship will be held March 23-28
at the Lakeshore Curling Club in Lower Sackville, Nova
Scotia. Last month BC
successfully
defended its title in Winnipeg, Manitoba, defeating Ontario
8-6.
Canada and USA planning to
attend 2008 Norwegian Open
4/21/2008
The 2nd Annual Norwegian Open
will be held at the Halden Curling Centre from the 27-29
October, 2008. The venue is 120 km south of Oslo, close to the
Swedish border.
Canada will return to
defend the title they won
in an 8 team field last year, where they fielded the same team
that went on to represent Canada at the
2008 Worlds.
Team USA, coming off their podium
finish at the Worlds, is also planning to compete in this year's
10 team field.
Incoming Scots President
makes case for wheelchair curling
4/15/2008
Arthur Bell, incoming President
of the Scottish Wheelchair Curling Association, says that
wheelchair curling changed his life. In an interview by Craig
Goldthorp in the Carluke Gazette, he says:
"I found out two years ago that
there was wheelchair curling in Hamilton. I joined it and it has
been terrific ever since." [Read
full interview]
Team forming in
Lennoxville, Quebec
4/15/2008
The Sherbrooke Record reports that curler and wheelchair
sports coach Alfred Whittier has begun recruiting wheelchair
users to curl out of the Lennoxville CC in Quebec. His core
group, including Paralympians at water skiing and archery, who
at present are the only active wheelchair curlers in Quebec. For
more information call Al Whittier at 819-566-7315, or Benoit
Lessard at 819-837-2269 and visit
www.lennoxvillecurling.ca.
WCF considering rule book
changes
4/6/2008
Changes to the rules
governing World Curling Federation sanctioned wheelchair curling
events will be discussed during meetings at the Men's Worlds in
Grand Forks ND this week.
The rule that a stone must be
touching the centre line at delivery, is likely to be eased to
bring the wheelchair game more in line with the angles available
to players who use the hack. The counter-argument, as made to me
by Norway coach Thoralf Hognestad during the 2008 Worlds, is
that wheelchair users unhappy with the present rule should
simply move back to the hack to compensate.
The WCF intends its rules to
encourage participation by people with as wide a range as
possible of disabilities requiring wheelchairs for daily
mobility. While remaining sceptical about the utility of a
disability points classification system, there's a desire to
avoid wheelchair curling becoming the sole province of the
heavily muscled. This is why they will prefer to move the rock
off the centre line, rather than back from the hogline. It is
also why skips are unlikely to be allowed to use brushing in the
rings.
There are good arguments for
Canada to be flexible in implementing WCF rules in its domestic
program, especially as Team Canada exists independent of
national competition. The mixed gender team rule, for example,
while ensuring participation of women in countries with minimal
overall participation, is probably unnecessarily restrictive in
Canada where the potential for hundreds of teams certainly
exists. It would be a shame to see Canadian development
inhibited by an insistence that 25% of participants be female,
when eligible males far outnumber eligible females.
Any WCF rule changes will not be
implemented until after the 2010 Paralympics.
Bear Mountain Curling
Classic Pro vs Wheelchair challenge
4/2/2008
Corinne Jensen, the infatigueable
force organizing wheelchair curling on the Island, is arranging
a Pros against Wheelchairs challenge at the
$81,000 Bear Mountain Curling Classic. It will take place at
Juan De Fuca near Victoria, BC, on Saturday April 5th at
2.30pm. The Pros will have to play from wheelchairs, which
should even things up just a little.
On Sunday April 6th, between the
semi-final and final games, there will be a demonstration of
wheelchair curling.
BC repeat
as National Champs, beat Ontario 8-6
3/29/2008
BC
won their 2nd successive championship as they overcame an early
deficit to beat
Ontario 8-6 in the final of the 2008 TSX Canadian National
Championship.
BC began with the hammer and gave up an immediate steal of 2 on
a measurement when their last rock hit rolled too far. In the
second they gave up another steal when their last rock draw was
short, again on a measurement.
In the third, with Ontario ahead 3-0, a great draw by BC 2nd
Whitney Warren led to a succession of guards, and a couple of
accurate hits by BC skip Jim Armstrong that scored 4 for a 4-3
lead at the break.
Ontario skip Chris Rees faced big trouble with his final stone
in the 4th and was heavy with his draw, giving up a steal of 3.
He was gifted 3 straight back when a succession of missed hits
from BC, attempting to keep the rings clear, allowed Ontario to
pull within one, 7-6 after 5.
In the final end, Rees made a great last shot, picking out BC's
shot rock that was half buried, and rolling to the back 8’,
covered and shot rock. BC had to draw full 8’ for the win and
though Jim Armstrong's draw looked as though it might be heavy,
it stopped back 4 for the win and their second national
championship.
Line score here
Ontario beat Manitoba
9-8 in semi-final, face BC in final
3/28/2008
Ontario continued their run of
crooked numbered ends, both scoring and conceding, when they
faced Manitoba in the semi-final match between the round robin
second and third place finishers.
Ontario led by 5 after two, then
conceded 5, took 3 and gave 3 straight back before taking a
single with the hammer in the final end to earn their place in
tomorrow's Championship final against BC.
CLICK HERE
for line scores
BC tops table, faces
winner of Ontario vs Manitoba semi-final
3/28/2008
BC edged out Ontario and Manitoba
to take first place after round robin play, and go straight
through to Saturday's final of the 2008 TSX Canadian Nationals.
In BC's final round robin game
against Team Atlantic a draw for 2 in the 1st came up short but
a steal in the 2nd and then a blank put BC up 3-0 at the break.
Atlantic then took two to tie, and stole one in the 5th end to
lead 3-2.
In the 6th, BC second Whitney
Warren made a great draw to the 4 foot with his first stone and
BC spent the rest of the end putting on tight guards. Skip Jim
Armstrong made a great nose hit with his first shot leaving
Atlantic with very few options. They attempted a big weight
takeout with their final stone but it over-curled and left BC
lying 3 for a 5-3 win.
Ontario's 5-2
loss to Alberta meant that based on head to head results, BC
reached the top of the table for the first time, just when it
counted. Ontario, after leading all week, now play Manitoba in
the afternoon semi-final. Manitoba secured their semi-final
place by beating the Winnipeg host team 6-2.
Nova Scotia held on for a 6-5 win
over Northern Ontario to gain final table bragging rights. Team
Atlantic's one win cost Alberta a shot at a tie-break, but
that's why they play the games.
CLICK HERE
for line scores
Ontario suffer first
defeat, but only after an extra end
3/27/2008
Unbeaten Ontario faced winless
Team Atlantic in the morning draw of Day 3 at the 2008 TSX
Canadian Nationals, but it took a 5 spot after the break for
them to record their 5th win, 7-4. In Ontario's afternoon draw,
BC took 1 with the hammer, stole 4, and then gave 5 points
straight back. An exchange of 3's in the 5th and 6th led to an
extra end, where BC scored a single, giving Ontario their first
defeat 9-8. More importantly, BC pulled themselves into second
place.
Alberta, who had strung 3 wins
together after an opening draw loss to Manitoba, fell to BC in
the morning. BC
stole 2 in the 6th and won 7-3. Alberta had another
disappointment in the afternoon when they lost to previously
winless Team Atlantic 7-3. Alberta, at 3 and 3, will probably
have to beat 5 and 1 Ontario in the last draw tomorrow if they
are to keep their medal hopes alive.
Nova Scotia forgot not to look
down, and were hammered by Manitoba 12-1, and Northern Ontario
beat up on the Winnipeg host team 14-0 in 5 ends in the morning
draws. The Winnipeg host team defeated Nova Scotia 8-1 in the
afternoon, and Manitoba beat Northern Ontario 8-0.
In tomorrow's final draw, Ontario
get a bye to Saturday's final if they beat Alberta. BC and
Manitoba also hold their fate in their own hands. Alberta and
Northern Ontario must hope for losses by other teams to get a
tie-break game.
CLICK HERE
for line scores
Chris Daw relives his
Torino gold medal experience
3/27/2008
Long-time Team Canada skip Chris
Daw, currently on leave of absence from the national program,
relives his Torino Paralympic experience in an article for the
Vancouver 2010 website. [read]
Armstrong the focus of
Nationals local Press coverage
3/26/2008
"Champ is back in the hack - on
wheels" read a
Winnipeg Free Press article on the opening day's draws at
the 2008 TSX Canadian Nationals.
"I've only been playing in a
wheelchair all this season," Armstrong is quoted. "It is quite
different (from able-bodied curling)," he went on. "The angles
are different, and we do (it) from a chair with a stick from two
feet, what able-bodied curlers get to do from over 20 feet. So
it's definitely a challenge, but it has been like a new lease on
life to me."
Canadian Nationals - Day 2
3/26/2008
Ontario stormed to a "no defense"
win in the afternoon draw of the TSX Canadian Nationals. They
twice scored 4 and also stole 2 from compatriots Northern
Ontario, who managed to score 7 points of their own. The 10-7
win, added to their morning 6-1 defeat of Manitoba, pushed
Ontario's record to 4-0.
Northern Ontario, in their first
competition, battled back from a 4-0 deficit in their morning
draw against BC to steal a 6-4 win in an extra end.
It was BC who had the big miss in
the 5th when a hit for 4 turned into a steal of 1 for Northern
Ontario. Instead of being up 8-2 playing 6, Northern Ontario
were within 1, and stole again to force the extra.
With skip stones remaining, BC had a rock buried on the 4 foot.
Northern Ontario skip Carl Levesque tried a freeze, but came up
just short of shot rock. With his second he came in-off a rock
in the 12 foot to nudge BC's shot stone off the four foot, and
BC skip Jim Armstrong was unable to rescue his side with a draw
to the full four foot.
"We're playing a defensive game,"
said Northern Ontario coach Dave Kawahara, "asking the front end
to put rocks in the house, realising there are going to be
misses. We're really pleased to be at 2-2 with such a new team."
BC climbed back to a 2-2 record
in the afternoon, blanking Manitoba 8-0 without ever having the
hammer.
Nova Scotia stole 2 in the 6th to
beat Atlantic 7-6 in the morning draw. Atlantic started
promisingly, taking 1 with the hammer and then stealing 2. Nova
Scotia tied it up with 3 in the 3rd, but gave 3 straight back
before scoring two in the 5th and then stealing the win. Their
run of good results was halted by Alberta, who beat them 7-3 in
the afternoon, taking 4 in the 4th and bringing the match to an
early end with a steal of 2 in the 5th for a 7-3 win.
Alberta are now second in the table at 3-1. They got off to a
big early lead against Winnipeg in the morning draw, stealing 2
in each of the first three ends then holding on to win 7-3.
Host club side Winnipeg earned
their first point, beating Atlantic 7-2 in 5 ends.
CLICK HERE
for line scores
Canadian Nationals - Day
1
3/25/2008
Manitoba and Ontario posted two wins to top the table after the first day at
the 2008 TSX Canadian Nationals.
In the morning draw, Manitoba skip Dennis Thiessen, tied
at 3 and facing 1 with his last rock, drew to the four foot for
a single and a 4-3 win over Alberta. In the afternoon, Manitoba twice
posted a 3, and stole a 2 in a 8-3 win over Team Atlantic.
Ontario easily saw off rookies
Nova Scotia 8-1 in the morning, and followed with a tight 4-2
victory over the Winnipeg host team, single steals in the 3rd
and 6th providing the margin.
Nova Scotia bounced back with a
deserved win in Draw
2, beating B.C. 7-5 on a steal of 4 in the 4th. BC, led by 6
time Brier competitor Jim Armstrong, opened their championship defense with a morning 9-1 win over Winnipeg.
Against Nova Scotia they struggled with the draw weight and did
not pick up changing ice conditions quickly enough after 3rd end
break. BC had a chance to tie the game in the 6th end but missed
a difficult runback
Northern Ontario
outlasted fellow rookies Team Atlantic in the morning draw, scoring 3 in an extra end to win 8-5.
They then faced Alberta, still smarting from a tight morning
loss, who quickly amassed a 10-0 lead and shook hands after 4
ends.
CLICK HERE
for line scores
2008 TSX Canadian
Nationals begin March 25th in Winnipeg
3/24/2008
Nova Scotia,
Northern Ontario and a combined
Atlantic team
travel to Winnipeg for their first attempts at national honours.
They will join two-time defending champions
BC,
Alberta,
Ontario,
Manitoba and a
Winnipeg
host team in the expanded 8 team field.
The returning teams have mostly
familiar faces. It's
Alberta's Bruno Yizek’s third championship. He won a five team
Alberta playdown. Ontario's
Chris Rees makes his fourth appearance after beating Chris Daw
in a four team Ontario
playdown. Manitoba's Chris Sobkowicz earns his fourth Bison
jacket, this time exchanging positions with Dennis Thiessen and
playing 3rd.
There will be a lot of interest
in the performance of Jim
Armstrong, a 6-time Brier competitor who has been cleared by
Canadian assessors to compete in domestic competitions. He
replaces last year's winning skip Darryl Neighbour, who as a
Team Canada member was not eligible for this year's competition.
Jim recently won a 2 on 2
bonspiel with BC alternate Vince Miele, and skips a side
with the three members of Canada's National Talent pool.
Full coverage of the Championship
can be found
here.
Nova Scotian Laughie Rutt
profiled
3/24/2008
Laughie Rutt, who has been the
driving force behind establishing wheelchair curling in Nova
Scotia, is profiled by Greg Macvicar in today's Cape Breton
Post. [read
article]
Angie Malone skips a
nail-biting win at Scottish Championship
3/23/2008
Angie Malone, long time lead for
Great Britain and Scotland, but passed over for this year's
Worlds, is back on the podium as she skipped her Braehead CC
rink to a last rock victory over club mate Aileen Neilson.
Bob
Cowan reports: It was well worth braving the snow to be
at Curl Aberdeen this afternoon for one of the finest games of
wheelchair curling that I've seen! The opponents in the final
were the teams skipped by Angie Malone with Ian Donaldson, Gill
Keith and Jim Taylor, and Aileen Neilson with Michael McCreadie,
Bill Masterton and Gerald Pocock. All are members of the
Braehead Wheelchair CC.
Malone counted three in the fifth to be 5-3 up coming home. She
looked to have the game won, keeping the Neilson team to a
single. But Aileen played a delicate takeout, squeezing past the
guard to get the inside edge she wanted to wick into the four
foot, for the second of the two shots she needed to force the
extra end.
And when it came to the last stone of the game, Angie played a
hit through a port to take out the Nielson counter for the
Championship win.
CLICK HERE for results.
Wheelchair curlers throw
1st rock at 2008 Women's Worlds
3/21/2008
Sonja Gaudet and Ina Forrest,
members of Team Canada 2008, shared the honour of throwing out
the ceremonial first rock at the 2--8 Women's World
Championships in Vernon BC today. [pictures]
Linda Moore held the broom, while Lindsay Sparkes and Elaine Dag-Jackson
swept the stone onto the button.
Scottish Wheelchair
Curling Championships in Aberdeen
3/21/2008
The SWC Championship began today
and are being staged for the first time in Aberdeen (thanks Bob
Cowan). Ten teams are competing in two pools with the final on
Sunday March 23rd.
CLICK HERE for results.
Armstrong and Miele win
Juan de Fuca 2 on 2
3/20/2008
Jim Armstrong and Vince Miele won
the A event at the 2nd Annual 2 on 2 tournament at the Juan de
Fuca Centre on Vancouver Island. Team Canada members Darryl
Neighbour and Gary Cormack won the B event.
For event details and photos, you
can download this 1 meg. Word file (large file)
Jim Armstrong on-ice coach
or player in 2010 Paralympics?
3/16/2008
The prospect of ex-Brier player
Jim Armstrong joining Team Canada as either an on-ice coach or
player was again floated in a
Times-Colonist interview during this weekend's Juan de Fuca
2 on 2 bonspiel.
"I'm not in a wheelchair 24/7 as
I can get around the house with a cane, but I know the time will
come when that will be my only option,'' he said. "[W]hat I
bring to the table is experience and curling knowledge." [read
the full interview]
Jim will be skipping BC as they
defend their national championship title next week in Winnipeg.
Vancouver Island curler
Corinne Jensen profiled
3/15/2008
"I was an athlete, and I was
good. I lost it all," Corinne Jensen told Sharie Epp, in a Times
Colonist interview. "(wheelchair curling has) given me back a
sport that I lost.
Read the full feature.
Corinne is the organizer of this
weekend's 2 on 2 bonspiel at the Juan de Fuca complex near
Victoria.
Team Manitoba get to
practice on Brier ice
3/14/2008
During the break before the 1-2
game, the Manitoba wheelchair curling team had the chance to
throw some rocks on Championship ice and demonstrate their
skills in front of a Brier audience. It would be nice to think
that one day the National Wheelchair Championship will become
popular enough to command arena ice. Just remember those 14
second hog to hog times for a t-line draw when next you play at
your club. [Thanks
Jet Boots]
For a photo
click here.
Wheelchair curling in
Saskatchewan at Regina's Callie CC
3/112008
After a couple of false starts
wheelchair curling is now happening Monday's in Regina.
Wheelchair user Ray Hedstrom is quoted by Murray McCormick of
the Leader-Post as being inspired by the Mint's 25 cent coin
promotion to help organise a program. [Read
the full article.]
This season's program at the Callie is finishing next Monday,
but to find out more about wheelchair curling in Saskatchewan,
contact
Amber Holland at the Saskatchewan Curling Association.
Give-It-A-Go at Juan de
Fuca (Victoria BC) March 15 3/7/2008
In conjunction with the 2nd
Annual 2008 Juan de Fuca Wheelchair Curling Classic, you can go
out on the ice and have instruction by some of the best curlers
and coaches in Canada! Take this opportunity to meet members of
the 2006 Torino Canadian Paralympic Gold Medal Team, the
National Team and our own Provincial Team.
Dress warmly and all the other equipment is provided. For more
information. please contact
Corinne or phone (250) 478-4400.
2nd Annual Juan de Fuca
2 0n 2 Bonspiel March 15-16 3/7/2008
This second year event will
feature 8 teams competing over 5 draws using a modified stick
curling format. Each team member throws 3 stones, and games will
be 6 ends.
Saturday draws are at 9.30am and
1 and 4 pm. Sunday draws are 10am with a championship game
played for $300 in prize money played at 1 pm.
Scots skip breaks silence
on dismal 2008 World's performance 3/7/2008
Two-time World Champion and
current Scottish skip Michael McCreadie finally broke a month's
silence on the performance of his favoured Scots at the 2008
World Championships. In a
press
interview he said:
"We’ve been on top for a while
but it just wasn’t to be this time around and now we are down
the pecking order.
“But we will learn from this experience and we will be all the
more determined to do well next time around.
“The good thing is we have qualified for Vancouver 2010 and
that’s what we will all be focussing on.”
[read
full interview]
Calgary's Team Yizek
3-peat as Alberta champions 3/2/2008
Calgary's Bruno Yizek, with
fellow National Talent Pool member Bridget Wilson at lead,
and Ann Hibberd (2nd) and Jack Smart (3rd) cruised to a third
successive win at the Alberta Provincials.
Five teams, three from host
Edmonton and two from Calgary, competed in the double knock-out
competition. Team Nuspl, with Dwaine Shupac (3rd) Don Donaldson
(2nd) and Shawna Walsh (lead) had recovered to post 2 wins after
an opening loss to Yizek. In the final they gave up 3 in the
1st, and a decisive 5 in the 3rd to lose 8-2 in just 4 ends.
Don Donaldson commutes two hours
each way from Whitecourt to Edmonton for a two hour weekly
practice - dedication indeed.
Rees beats Daw to win
Ontario playdown 3/2/2008
Chris Rees skipped his Leaside CC
(Toronto) team to a 7-1 victory over Chris Daw's Bradford CC
team, earning his third consecutive provincial title at the
Dominion of Canada Wheelchair Championship final at the North
Grenville CC in Kemptville ON. With lots of rocks in play, the
Rees back-end out-executed their opponents with a mixture of
draws, tap-backs and hit-and-rolls.
The Bradford team, with National
Talent Pool member Ken Gregory at 3rd, Collinda Joseph at 2nd
and Katie Paialunga at lead, had gone 3-0 in round robin play, and
beat Richard Fraser's Ottawa team (0-3) in the semi-final.
Rees, with Carl Bax (3rd) Frank
Cannarella (2nd) and Lisa Blanchard (lead) had a 1-2 round robin
record, but beat Bruce Cameron's (2-1) Ottawa team in the semi.
Rees' team, coached by Bob Pippy, will now compete in
Winnipeg, March 25-29.
Rockin' The House
Bonspiel, Collingwood ON March 8th
2/29/2008
From the press
release: "Promoting inclusiveness is one goal of this event
where both the able bodied and curlers with disabilities can
compete together. Included in our exciting line up of curlers
is Ken Gregory, skip of the
2005 Ontario Wheelchair Champions and part of the
2010 Paralympics national talent pool." For more
information visit
breakingdownbarriers.org
Canadian Nationals draw
schedule
2/27/2008
The draw schedule for the 2008
Nationals, to be held in Winnipeg, Manitoba March 25-29th, is
available on our
2008
Nationals page.
As usual we will be carrying full
information on each draw.
Team USA make front page
of USA Curling Newsletter
2/27/2008
Click Here for a link to an online copy of the newsletter
Free clinic March 8th at
Bowling Green, Ohio
2/25/2008
The University of Bowling Green
in Ohio is offering a free wheelchair curling clinic coached by
former Team USA Paralympics skip Wes Smith.
Contact Marc DePerno for more information.
The outreach challenge
2/24/2008
Here's a
link to a blog post from a female who was being introduced
to wheelchair curling - a sport completely unfamiliar to her.
It points out a few of the
challenges those of us involved in outreach face - perhaps more
evident outside of Canada, where the sport is not part of winter
culture.
It's also a reminder to coaches
to start in the rings and work out, because if newcomers don't
understand the scoring, and it is not intuitive, it will be hard
to compete against sports where the format is understood.
World Championships
detailed stats book
2/24/2008
Detailed statistics for all the
games played at the recent World Championships are now available
from the
CurlIT.com website. It is in Adobe pdf format and requires
the free Adobe Reader or equivalent pdf file reader.
6th Annual Pat 'O' Reid
Memorial Bonspiel results
2/18/2008
12 teams, including 2 wheelchair
teams and 6 mixed competed in the event, held at the Toronto
Cricket, Skating and Curling Club February 9th. Norm Kemp
from Bradford CC won, with Jim Primavera, Dave Mayes and Bonnie
Mayes. Second were Brian Divell from Weston Golf and CC with
Shauna Petrie, Pat Thorpe and Cheryl-Anne Hewitt. [Click
Here for team photos]
Daw skips to victory at
Ontario Paralympics
2/18/2008
Ex-team Canada skip Chris Daw is
back, skipping and throwing last rocks in Bradford's Team
Gregory 4 end 12-0 victory over Ottawa's Team Cameron at the
Ontario Paralympics in Collingwood, Ontario. Chris Rees' Toronto
team took bronze when their last rock was promoted to shot by
Ottawa's Team Fraser.
Five teams in Alberta
playdowns
2/15/2008
Three Edmonton and two Calgary
teams will compete the weekend of Feb 29-March 2nd at Edmonton's
Sackville Sports Centre in a playdown for the right to represent
Alberta at the 2008 Nationals.
Scots coach reports on the
Worlds
2/15/2008
Tom Pendreigh reports that the
Scots returned from Switzerland "battle-hardened." Their
Vancouver 2010 place was assured by the points gained from their
7th place finish, courtesy of a draw-to-the-button tie-break. [read
the full report]
Profile of Jacqui
Kapinowski - lead on Team USA
2/14/2008
The Ashbury Park Press online has
a profile by Chris Lundy of Jaqui Kapinowski, lead on the bronze
medal winning Team USA. She attributes part of the team's
success to its attitude. "We have a special bond," she said. [read
profile]
Ontario playdowns in
Ottawa Feb 28 - March 3
2/14/2008
Four teams will compete for the
right to represent Ontario at the 2008 Nationals. Chris Rees
(Toronto), Ken Gregory (Bradford), and Bruce Cameron and Richard
Fraser (Ottawa) will skip teams at the North Grenville CC near
Ottawa.
The format is a 3 game round
robin followed by a playoff round. Chris Daw will play vice for
Ken Gregory.
Northern Ontario will also field
a team for the first time at this year's event in Winnipeg.
Jim Armstrong to lead
Team BC after selection camp
2/13/2008
CurlBC coaches chose Jim
Armstrong to lead TeamBC's defence of their title at the 2008
Nationals in Winnipeg in March.
The Richmond selection camp had
18 attendees, including 3 women. The team includes Whitney
Warren and Frank LaBounty from Prince George and Jackie Roy and
Vince Miele (alternate) from the lower mainland. The team will
again be coached by Melissa Soligo.
Six-time Brier competitor
Armstrong is eligible to play in Canada, although not presently
under WCF eligibility rules for world play.
CurlBC forced to abandon
BC Winter Games
2/13/2008
CurlBC was unable to exhort
sufficient wheelchair curlers to form teams to compete at the
2008 BC Winter Games. Their original plan of zone playoffs for
the right to be one of the 4 teams invited to compete, faltered
when there were not enough players to form even a couple of
teams.
Failure to participate in team
based events may be a direct consequence of CurlBC's refusal to
allow team formation and provincial playdowns to decide who goes
to the Nationals. TeamBC is coach selected.
Team USA homecoming
makes evening newscast
2/11/2008
WTVH Channel 5 News has video and
interviews with team USA members on their return from the
Worlds.
CLICK HERE for a link to the video.
Another
Ursel makes the Nationals as Team Manitoba decided
2/11/2008
On the day that brother Bob
claimed his Winnipeg Brier slot competing for BC, Arlene Ursel
will wear a bison jacket at the Wheelchair Nationals.
Team Thiessen, with Mike Albeg,
national talent pool member Chris Sobkowicz and Ursel
defeated Team Dudek in the best of three Manitoba final 8-3 and
8-4 held this weekend at the West Kildonan Curling Club. The
Dudek rink will also play at the nationals as the Host team.
Atlantic teams named for
Nationals
2/11/2008
Nicole Durand and Linda Scott of
Dartmouth will share lead for Team Nova Scotia at the 2008
National Championships in Winnipeg this March. They're joined by
John Rogers of Vaughan at 2nd, Laughlin Rutt of Lower Sackville
at 3rd with Mike Fitzgerald of Enfield, an experienced curler to
using a wheelchair, skipping. The team plays regularly at the
Lakeshore Curling Club in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia.
Team Atlantic has Trendal Bolivar-Hubley of Halifax at skip,
Larry Henley of Upper Musquodoboit at 3rd, Keith Williams of
Dartmouth at 2nd with Joanne MacDonald and Lanie Woodfine of St.
John’s, Newfoundland sharing lead.
“The east coast will be well represented by two competitive
teams who have worked very hard this season to develop their
skills” said Helen Radford, Manager of High Performance
Development for the Nova Scotia Curling Association, who shares
coaching duties with the two squads with experienced coaches
Glen McClare and Doug Peck.
“While we have
a couple of rookies on each squad we have experience at skip and
other positions that will pair up well with the opposition we
face,” Radford went on to say. “Our only shortfall is the lack
of national playing experience but both teams are sure to take
other teams by surprise with their skill level”.
In 2009, the Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championships will be
held in Nova Scotia at the Lakeshore Curling Club in Nova
Scotia. Wheelchair curling in Nova Scotia was started as part of
the Peer Program of Canadian Paraplegic Association (Nova
Scotia), who still supports the development of the sport.
Extender stick pioneer
Rusty Drew dead
2/6/2008
Thomas (Rusty) Drew, inventor of
the Extender Stick and a patron of wheelchair died at his
home in Belleville, Ontario on February 4, 2008 after a lengthy
illness. Rusty is survived by his wife Roberta and daughter
Laurie. Funeral arrangements are not known at this time. Rusty
was a great friend to wheelchair curlers around the world and
will be greatly missed.
CCA's Stremlaw says
sport should be "more inclusionary"
2/1/2008
In an interview with Al Cameron
of the Calgary Herald, CCA CEO Greg Stremlaw laments comments
that the present WCF rules unnecessarily exclude amputees who
choose prosthetics rather than wheelchairs for their daily
mobility.
"It's not cut and dry. But do I
feel it needs discussion and dialogue to see how we can make it
more inclusionary? Yes, I do." [read
the full interview]
Worlds begin in Sursee
Switzerland February 2nd.
2/1/2008
Visit
our 2008 World Championships page.
The first of nine round robin
draws at the 2008 World Wheelchair Curling Championships begins
on Saturday, with defending champions Norway opening against
qualifiers Sweden. Canada plays Italy and Scotland plays hosts
Switzerland. The round robin schedule for the 2008 Worlds
February 2-9 is here. See our
preview.
This year's format has a
significant change. There will be a
Page playoff, which means that the two teams finishing with
the best record in round robin play will be able to afford one
playoff loss and still have a chance for a gold medal.
There's still time to enter our
"Final Four" competition. List in order the teams you think will
finish in the final 4 and email it
HERE
There will be full coverage each
day here, and you can also watch
stone by stone diagrams of every draw at
wwcc.curlit.com/
The International Paralympics
Federation's
ParalympicSport.TV will broadcast championship highlights,
probably from the semi-final and final.
CLICK HERE to read the WCF news release.
CLICK HERE for the IPC news release.
Coach Thoralf Hognestad
talks about Team Norway 2/1/2008
Norway coach Thoralf Hognestad
spoke to us about his approach to coaching and his team's
prospects at the 2008 Worlds. Here's what he had to say.
"I first watched wheelchair
curling at the Torino Paralympics. I thought Norway was very
unlucky to lose to Canada in the semi-final. Afterwards I was
asked whether I would like to work with the team, and I became
the coach. I have a full time job as a bus driver, but my
employer is very understanding, as is my wife looking after my
young family when I am away.
"There are only 10 or 12
competitive wheelchair curlers in Norway, and it was quite easy
picking the team. Obviously none had much experience curling,
but I looked for athletes with a proven record in competitive
sports. All my team are experienced competitors, even if they
have not been curling very long.
"We went to the Worlds in 2007
and won, and we had a string of bonspiel successes after that
until the Norwegian Open, where we fielded two teams and
experimented with different line-ups.
"I tell the team keep it
simple! Our lineup is set and if everyone stays healthy,
will play every game. The previous coach rotated the 5 players.
My thinking is you go with your best 4. You don't see Randy
Ferby play his 5th in an important competition.
"Will we win? We'll be happy with
a medal. Nothing less. We hope to repeat last year's result.
Interview with Team
Switzerland coach Nadia Röthlisberger
1/30/2008
Team Switzerland Coach Nadia
Röthlisberger took some time out from preparing the home team
squad at the 2008 Worlds to answer a few questions. Here, edited
for this page, is what she had to say:
"The championship will be played
at a hockey rink converted (to four sheets) for this event. Our
team practices at the curling club in Berne, and we will not
have have any more time on the Sursee ice than any other team.
It will be the same for everyone.
"We are bringing a five person
squad to Sursee, three men and two women. We will play the three
men in the first game, and decide after each game what the team
will be for the next game, depending on their health and how
well they play.
"It is our goal to win the gold
medal, but there are ten teams and they are all able to win the
championship. It is usually not easy being the host country
because everyone around the team puts pressure on them. This can
be a problem and is something that as coach I have to pay
attention to."
Switzerland placed 2nd behind
Norway at the 2007 Worlds in Sweden. They open the 2008 campaign
against Scotland on Saturday February 2nd.
All-stars at Thornhill CC
(Ont) Charity Bonspiel Feb 2nd
1/30/2008
The 17th Dominion of Canada
Spinal Tap Charity Bonspiel features 1998 Olympic silver
medalist George Karrys, 2006 Paralympic wheelchair curling gold
medalist Chris Daw, two-timer Brier and world champion Ed
Werenich, Rogers SportsNet’s Rob Faulds and Leigh Armstrong and
Chrissy Cadorin, who were featured in the 2007 Women of Curling
calendar.
The event raises funds for the Shoot for a Cure curling
campaign, funding spinal cord injury research, and promoting
wheelchair curling.
Team Canada fly off to
Worlds
1/29/2008
With an all-BC team and coach, at
least the travel logistics to the 2008 Worlds seem simple. The
team fly out from Vancouver this afternoon hoping, despite a
Torino gold medal in 2006, to improve on a disappointing record
under coach Joe Rea at the Worlds. They finished 4th in 2007 and
6th in 2005.
Team leader Wendy Morgan, asked
whether she had any comment beyond looking forward to playing in
Switzerland and playing well, said the team were "looking
forward to playing to our potential and a positive experience."
Pressed to describe the team's potential she said "Playing to
our potential should put us in a position to be in the playoff
round."
Ex-skip Chris Daw, now leading
the CCA's grassroots initiative, answered: "If Canada plays to
its potential, it is possible that Canada could reach the
podium!"
National program director Gerry
Peckham was somewhat more upbeat when asked whether he expects
Canada to win: "yes....that is a distinct possibility but this
team is still very much in a building stage. New player....new
responsibilities and a tremendous expectation from themselves.
They do have the potential to be a force on the international
scene...but it is curling and anything can happen in a 6 end
game...go Canada!!"
Now that's a sentiment Canadians
can get behind.
Team USA "ready to take
home a medal"
1/29/2008
The
Utica
Observer-Dispatch reports on their local curlers leaving for
the 2008 World Championships in Sursee, Switzerland.
“We have a strong team of
athletes and everyone is excited about this year’s competition,”
team leader Marc DePerno said. “We’re ready to bring home a
medal.”
Team Scotland leave for
Switzerland
1/29/2008
Team Scotland fly to Switzerland
today hoping to improve on their 2007 performance, when they
beat Canada for bronze. Tom Killin rejoins the team this year
after missing last year's tournament because of illness. Michael
McCreadie will be looking for his first gold medal at skip after
so many successful years playing 3rd on Frank Duffy led sides.
Scotland's first draw is against
the home side Swiss on Saturday February 2nd, and their 9th and
final round robin draw is against Canada.
CLICK
HERE for a team photo courtesy of Tom Pendreigh via
Bob Cowan
Cape Cod CC now
open for wheelchair curling
1/25/2008
After four years and $470,000,
Falmouth MA now has the Dave and Anne Dewees Room, the first
wheelchair accessible curling iceon Cape Cod. Ex-Team USA
skip Wes Smith was on hand to lead a give-it-a-go workshop to
open Cape Cod CC extension.
"What Saturday’s events were
truly about, though, was equal opportunity for anyone,
regardless of their physical abilities, to be able to succeed in
sports such as curling.
"[Wheelchair Curling] is still in its infancy stages," said Tony
Colacchio, the club’s former president. "What really matters is
giving those who want to excel in sports a chance. You give me a
few new wheelchair curlers, and in four to five years they can
go on to the Nationals, or even more. "[read
the full report from barnstablepatriot.com]
WKTV Channel 2 profiles
Team USA
1/25/2008
The Utica NBC affiliate has a
video profile of the Team USA members, who hope their experience
will this year put them onto the podium. Whether they make it or
not, the Americans have a lot to teach those running Team Canada
about publicity and media awareness - so vital in promoting a
new sport.
Curlers included in USA
Paralympics promotional video
1/23/2008
Team USA curlers Augusto Perez
and Jimmy Joseph make a brief appearance towards the end of a
USA Paralympics promotional video. Lick on the "Amazing Awaits"
link at the top of
this webpage.
Team Canada's Cormack
relives Torino golden moment
1/23/2008
In an article by Monique Tamminga
in the Langley Times, Team Canada's Gary Cormack relives the
last rock of the Torino Paralympics and the thrill of winning. [read
article]
2008 Worlds update
1/22/2008
The 2008 World Wheelchair Curling
Championships begin in Sursee Switzerland on Saturday February
2nd. Coverage of the tournament will be provided by
CurlIT,
who write the program used by many coaches to diagram games rock
by rock.
There may also be Internet
television coverage from the
International Paralympic Committee (IPC) website. Details
have yet to be finalised. The IPC has
archived matches from Torino for those readers unfamiliar
with how the sport is played.
Time zone differences will make
for some sleepless nights for those of us on Pacific Time. While
the opening draw is at 9am (Pacific) on Saturday Feb 2nd,
subsequent draws are at 1am and 6.30am (Pacific). The full
schedule is available here (pdf).
Team Canada leaves for
Switzerland on Tuesday January 29th and are staying at the
Guido A. Zäch Institute in Nottwil. They are expected to
follow the approach used successfully in the Norway Open, with
Gerry Austgarden skipping, Darryl Neighbour throwing last rocks,
and the front end of Sonja Gaudet, Ina Forrest and Gary Cormack
rotating.
Competition Update: The 'Big 4'
teams, Norway, Scotland, Canada and Switzerland, are favoured in
the "Pick The Final Four" competition entries but there is also
some support for USA, and Korea is emerging as a dark horse
candidate. So far no one has chosen Canada to win gold - perhaps
because we modest Canadians were brought up to think it would be
boasting to choose yourself.
Send in your entry, listing in order the teams that you
think will finish 1 through 4. A prize will be awarded the entry
closest to the final standings.
Clinic at Utica CC on
January 20th
1/16/2008
A free wheelchair curling clinic
will be held at the Utica CC in Whitesboro, NY next Sunday
January 20th between 2 and 5pm. Call 315-797-3114 ext 459
BC selection camp
application deadline Jan 18
1/15/2008
Applications to attend the camp
from which the team to represent BC at the National
Championships in Winnipeg in March will be selected, must be
submitted by January 18th.
CLICK HERE
to download an application form. Criteria for selection have not
been published.
The camp will be held in Richmond
BC February 2-3 and be led by Melissa Soligo. BC are the current
National Champions. Last year's team was invited to join the
National Talent Pool to compete for a Team Canada spot, though
it is unlikely that this year's champions will be offered a
similar opportunity.
Russia beats Scotland in
final pre-Worlds warm-up
1/14/2008
Bob
Cowan reports that Russia beat Scotland in an eight team
field competing for the 2nd Annual Identa Wheelchair Cup this
past weekend in Schwenningen, Germany. Scotland, playing without
Tom Killin, struggled early on unusually heavy ice, but came
back from a 4-0 semi-final deficit against Switzerland before
losing in the final. Sweden beat Switzerland for 3rd place.
CLICK HERE for a collection of 307 photos from the event.
Update:
Russia, stole 5 in the 3rd end of their 8-4 semi-final win over
Sweden. They then faced Scotland, who stole 3 in the last end of
their 6-4 defeat of Switzerland I in the other semi-final.
Russia took 1st place on a steal of 2 in the second end, beating
Scotland 7-4. Sweden beat Switzerland I by a score of 6-3 to
take 3rd place. [Click
here for line scores of post round-robin matches - xls
format]
CurlBC provides cash
incentive for BC Winter Games curlers
1/11/2008
Faced with a refusal by
wheelchair curlers to again sleep on cots in a gym, CurlBC has
agreed to a $3000 accommodation subsidy if sufficient players
and coaches agree to attend the BC Winter Games in Kimberley-Cranbrook
February 21st-24th.
The Games, designed primarily for
teens and young adults, waived age restrictions to allow
wheelchair curling. Curl BC has promoted the event as an
opportunity for team formation and competition, in lieu of the
chance to compete as teams for a Provincial championship. Brave
talk of district playdowns for the right to attend the Games has
however given way to a desperate search for bodies to form the
minimum four teams (each require a Level 2 coach).
Anyone interested in competing
should contact the
CurlBC office.
Clinic at Cape Cod CC in
Falmouth MA on January 19th
1/8/2008
Wes Smith, skip of Team USA at
the 2006 Torino Paralympics, will be leading a free
wheelchair curling clinic taking place at the Cape Cod Curling
Club in Falmouth, MA, on January 19th. Contact
Tony Colacchio for more information.
Cameron
still stirring the eligibility pot
1/4/2008
Calgary Herald columnist Al
Cameron, reflecting unofficial CCA opinion, is once again
stirring the pot on player eligibility. While ostensibly
talking about amputees (these are the so far phantom foreign
amputee cheaters
using wheelchairs to negatively impact Canada's chance of
winning medals) his agenda is to press Jim Armstrong's claim to
a place on Team Canada. In
this blog
entry he recounts an interview with WCF president Les
Harrison.
Watch Harrison calmly and clearly
state the eligibility rules and their rational in this
YouTube interview.
Profile of Marc DePerno -
team leader for Team USA
1/4/2008
"Marc DePerno ’00, adjunct
lecturer of health studies, has been named co-chair of the
United States Curling Association Adaptive Curling Committee.
DePerno will be responsible for developing wheelchair curling
programs throughout the country, working to improve and educate
existing programs, and developing a long-term plan to ensure the
success of the program on a national scale." [read
Ami Olson's full profile]