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Senior teams qualify for curling provincials in Vernon

Jan 21, 2020 | 7:30 PM

Senior teams from across B.C. have earned the opportunity to compete at the 2020 B.C. Senior Curling Championships in Vernon next month.

The event, featuring the top eight 50+ men’s teams and top seven 50+ women’s teams in B.C., will be held at the Vernon Curling Club from Feb. 18-23.

Playdowns at Tunnel Town Curling Club (Tsawwassen), McArthur Island Curling Club (Kamloops) and Powell River Curling Club determined six of the berths of each gender.

In Senior Women’s Lower Mainland play, Team Leanne Andrews from Golden Ears Winter Club and Royal City Curling Club were the first to qualify. Marnie Jepsen’s Royal City, Howe Sound and Comox Valley foursome were the next to qualify. They were joined by Royal City/Parksville foursome skipped by Donna Mychaluk and Lisa Deputan’s Chilliwack, Golden Ears Winter Club and Langley rink.

Team Penny Shantz from Parksville/Nanaimo and Comox Valley took the island berth at the event in Powell River, while Marilou Richter’s Penticton/Kelowna foursome took the Thompson-Okanagan berth.

In Senior Men’s Lower Mainland play, Team Macdonald from Marpole and Kelowna was the first to qualify. Team Craig Lepine from Langley/Royal City/Penticton and Cloverdale was the other Lower Mainland team to earn a berth.

The Senior Men’s Okanagan playdown had three qualifiers: Team Longworth from Vernon and Winfield, Team Slattery from Kelowna and Royal City and Team Wright from Kelowna and Comox Valley.

Wes Craig’s Nanaimo/Kerry Park team took the Vancouver Island berth.

The remaining open senior playdown will go ahead at Peace Arch Curling Club on Jan. 31 to decide the final men’s team to travel to Vernon. The women’s open event, where the final women’s berth was available, will not be held due to lack of entries. The women’s championship will therefore be a 7-team event.

The winning Senior Women’s team from playdowns at Castlegar Curling Club, which was held over the weekend of Jan. 10-12, was Team Nichol from Castlegar, Trail and Nelson. The winning men’s team was Team Buchy from Kimberley, Castlegar and Sparwood.

Full team rosters:

MEN

Team Craig, Nanaimo, Kerry Park

Skip: Wes Craig

Third: Steve Waatainen

Second: Keith Clarke

Lead: Craig Burton

Team Longworth, Vernon, Winfield

Skip: Mark Longworth

Third: Dean Mackney

Second: Greg Hamilton

Lead: Ron McDougall

Team Slattery, Kelowna, Royal City

Skip: Mike Slattery

Third: Pete VanLeeuwen

Second: Barry McCabe

Lead: Rob Collins

Team Wright, Kelowna Comox Valley

Skip: Steve Wright

Third: Ron Schmidt

Second: Normand Cote

Lead: Shaun Everset

Team Macdonald, Kelowna/Marpole

Skip: Richard Brower

Third: Deryk Brower

Second: Ian Baart

Lead: Larry Macdonald

Team Lepine, Langley, Royal City, Penticton, Cloverdale

Skip: Craig Lepine

Third: Dale Reibin

Second: Craig McLeod

Lead: Mike Pelech

Fifth: Lyle Sieg

Team Buchy, Kimberley, Castlegar, Sparwood

Skip: Tom Buchy

Third: Deane Horning

Second: Dave Toffolo

Lead: Darren Will

WOMEN

Team Nichol, Castlegar, Trail, Nelson

Skip: Heather Nichol

Third: Jana Bidwell

Second: Marnie Matthews

Lead: Joyce Maloff

Team Andrews, GEWC, Royal City

Skip: Leanne Andrews

Third: Jenn Routliffe

Second: Pam Cuthbert

Lead: Suzanne Malfair

Team Jepsen, Royal City, Howe Sound, Comox Valley

Skip: Marnie Jepsen

Third: Dianne Gauthier

Second: Christine Mathews

Lead: Lesley Hruby

Fifth: Susan Allen

Coach: Neil Houston

Team Mychaluk, Royal City/Parksville

Skip: Donna Mychaluk

Third: Victoria Murphy

Second: Shirley Wong

Lead: Janet Suter

Team Deputan, Chilliwack/GEWC/Langley

Skip: Lisa Deputan

Third: Donna Maitland

Second: Crystal Murray

Lead: Sheila Ford

Team Richter, Penticton/Kelowna

Skip: Marilou Richter

Third: Dawn Everest

Second: Cindy Curtain

Lead: Deirdre Riley

Team Shantz, Parksville/Nanaimo/Comox Valley

Skip: Penny Shantz

Third: Colleen Robson

Second: Debbie Erdos

Lead: Teri Palynchuk