Tuesday, February 3, 2004

On Curling
Strong field to curl at Scott: High-profile teams quit games

Adam Daifallah
National Post

The organizers of this year's Scott Tournament of Hearts, which will take place Feb. 21-29 in Red Deer, Alta., are happy campers right now.

As results trickled in over the weekend from all of the provincial women's championships, it became clear that this would be one of the strongest fields in recent memory, making it a joy to watch for fans at Red Deer's Enmax Centrium as well as those watching on TV.

But the weekend results weren't without controversy. In Manitoba, where veteran Lois Fowler beat Joelle Duguid, a questionable decision by some high-profile teams has sparked discussion about unsportsmanlike conduct in the event and the format of provincial championships.

Four teams playing their final round-robin game on Saturday morning -- all of whom were already mathematically eliminated from the playoffs -- decided to quit early and shake hands after playing the mandatory five ends of play.

Connie Laliberte and Shauna Streich quit their Saturday morning game, tied after five ends. Laliberte conceded the game, and the linescore reads as though Laliberte gave up a point in the sixth end for a 4-3 loss.

The same scenario occurred in another game Saturday afternoon, where Cathy Overton-Clapham's rink shook hands with Chris Scalena
after five, with a 5-1 win for Scalena.

"The game meant nothing to us, it meant nothing to them," Overton-Clapham told the Winnipeg Sun.

But the incident has upset some observers who accuse the teams of demonstrating poor sportsmanship, of offending the spirit of the game and of letting down the fans who paid to watch them curl.

The curlers involved claim they did nothing wrong. They say they paid their own way to the event (apparently no reimbursement from the Manitoba Curling Association is provided), were already out of the hunt, and mutually agreed to quit early.

One member of the Laliberte rink, third Janet Harvey, has stated publicly that they quit to send a message to the Manitoba Curling Association that they aren't happy about the format change to round robin -- especially the lack of consultation done with the curlers ahead of the decision.

Previously, the format for the Manitoba women's provincial was a double-knockout system. Once a team lost two games, they were eliminated and went home.

That way teams that were out of contention could pack their bags, save money on accommodations and missed work time, and not have to
continue playing badly.

"For teams out of the running there is zero motivation to play the game," said defending Canadian champion Colleen Jones, who will be competing for an astonishing sixth Scott title in Red Deer.

"In a round robin, when you're out of it there wouldn't be a lot of desire to go knock yourself out for a win. I'm sure its not the first or last time teams would shake early in order to get back home to their families."

The Manitoba controversy aside, this year's Scott features at least a half dozen teams with a good shot at winning.

With only the Yukon/N.W.T entry yet to be decided, every skip heading to Red Deer has at least some previous Scott experience.

Last year's runner-up, Newfoundland's Cathy Cunningham, is back, as is Sherry Anderson from Saskatchewan, who defeated Jan Betker,
formerly vice for the late Sandra Schmirler, Sunday in the Saskatchewan ladies' final.

P.E.I.'s Suzanne Gaudet, the sweetheart of last year's event after going 10-1 in the round robin, is back. Gaudet's old team broke up midway through this season, but she has obviously had no trouble getting back on track.

Sherry Middaugh, the Ontario champion for the third time in four years, will be making her fifth Scott appearance; Shannon Kleibrink, the first woman skip to win a Canadian mixed championship, will represent Alberta; and Georgina Wheatcroft, the second of Kelly Law's old rink, is the B.C. skip.

And of course, the first lady of curling, Colleen Jones, will be looking to win an unprecedented third straight title, and her fourth in five years.

The Scott will be Jones's to lose -- especially after her triumphant win at the Canada Cup in early January -- but, this year more than any other, she is really going to have to work for it.

PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONS:

DECIDED ON THE WEEKEND

Ontario

Sherry Middaugh defeated Elaine Uhryn 5-4 in an extra end.

Sherry Middaugh (Coldwater & District CC) (skip), Kirsten Wall (third), Andrea Lawes (second), Sheri Cordina (lead).

Manitoba

Lois Fowler scored a 6-4 win over Joelle Duguid.

Lois Fowler (Brandon, Wheat City CC) (skip), Gerri Cooke (third), Maureen Bonar (second), Lana Hunter (lead).

Alberta

Shannon Kleibrink defeated Deb Santos 6-5.

Shannon Kleibrink (Calgary Winter Club) (skip), Amy Nixon (third), Glenys Bakker (second), Stephanie Marchand (lead).

Nova Scotia

Heather Smith-Dacey defeated Kay Zinck 6-5.

Heather Smith-Dacey (Halifax, Mayflower CC) (skip), Meredith Doyle (third), Laine Peters (secnd), Beth Iskiw (lead), Nancy MacDonald(fifth).

Newfoundland & Labrador

Cathy Cunningham defeated Heather Strong 10-8.

Cathy Cunningham (St. John's CC) (skip), Peg Goss (third), Kathy Kerr (second), Heather Martin (lead), Maria Thomas (fifth).

Saskatchewan

Sherry Anderson defeated Jan Betker 8-5.

Sherry Anderson (Delisle CC) (skip), Kim Hodson (third), Sandra Mulroney (second), Donna Gignac (lead).

DECIDED EARLIER

Team Canada

Colleen Jones (Halifax, Mayflower CC) (skip), Kim Kelly (third), Mary-Anne Arsenault (second), Nancy Delahunt (lead).

British Columbia

Georgina Wheatcroft (New Westminster, Royal City CC) (skip), Diane McLean (third), Shellan Reed (second), Diane Dezura (lead), Julie Skinner (fifth).

New Brunswick

Heidi Hanlon (Saint John-Thistle St. Andrews CC) (skip), Stacey Lacey (third), Jennifer Gogan (second), Judy Blanchard (lead), Sherry Stewart (fifth).

Prince Edward Island

Suzanne Gaudet (Charlottetown CC) (skip), Susan McInnis (third), Janice MacCallum (second), Tricia Affleck (MacGregor) (lead), Nancy Cameron (fifth)

Quebec

Marie-France Larouche (Quebec City, Etchemin & Victoria CC) (skip), Karo Gagnon (third), Annie Lemay (second), Veronique Gregoire
(lead).

TO BE DETERMINED

Yukon/North West Territories

To be determined this week at the Yellowknife Curling Club.