A couple rinks with a distinctive Kootenay flavour jumped out to terrific starts at the BC Senior Curling championship in Richmond.
The Kootenay zone’s Myron Nichol rink went 2-1 in the opening three draws, while Kelowna’s Bob Ursel foursome with lead Don Freschi of Trail and Nelson’s Fred Thompson as second, is the only undefeated team, at 3-0, to start the tournament.
With Trail’s Richard Faunt throwing lead for Nichol, and Kootenay Savings Super League curlers Garry Beaudry and Bill van Yzerloo curling second and third rocks respectively, the Kootenay team beat Delta’s Al Roemer rink in dramatic fashion in the team’s first game on Tuesday. Tied 3-3 after six, the Roemer rink stole two in the seventh end to take a 5-3 lead, but incredibly Nichol managed to score three in the final end to claim a 6-5 victory.
Nichol then faced Ursel in the Tuesday evening match up, and the Kelowna skip scored three in the first end on his way to a 7-2 win. However, the Kootenay foursome bounced back in Wednesday’s third draw, scoring two in an extra end against the 2013 Senior Mens champion, Langley’s Craig Lepine team, for an 8-6 triumph.
Ursel is a three-time BC Mens champion, and added Freschi and Thompson to the mix in his attempt at a first Seniors title. Ursel opened with a stunning 8-3 victory over two-time defending Seniors champion Wes Craig rink, before beating Nichol, and then outlasting the Doug Marshall team from Chilliwack, 4-3.
In the Senior Womens tournament, the Marnie Matthews team from Trail/Nelson is 1-2 over the first three draws. In the first match, Matthews lost handily to Team Shantz, the 2014 champion, but turned it around with a 6-3 victory over the Lynne Noble rink. However, in the third draw on Wednesday, Matthews lost to the undefeated Marilou Richter team from Penticton 10-4. Matthews team includes Trail’s Rose Beauchamp as third, and Nelson’s Carol Bennett as second and Cathy McLeod, lead.
Matthews played the Lisa Deputan rink in the afternoon match Wednesday but the score was unavailable at press time. On Thursday, Matthews will play the Jackie Clement rink from Summerland at 2 p.m. and Terrace’s Lisa Bulleid team at 7 p.m.
Nichol’s Kootenay zone team played the Stu Harris rink Wednesday afternoon but scores were unavailable. Nichol opens against Marshall today at 2 p.m. and plays the Craig rink at 7 p.m.
The final games of the Page playoffs go on Saturday, with the final scheduled for Sunday at 11 a.m. depending on results.
The winners for both the Mens and Womens advance to the Canadian Senior Curling Championship in Digby, Nova Scotia, Mar. 28-Apr. 2.
