Rebecca Connop Price
The 2020 BC Championships in Cranbrook next week could become a showdown of youth versus experience.
That’s because teams with some of the youngest players at this level of competition have performed exceptionally well this year on the World Curling Tour circuit.
The 2020 Scotties BC Women’s Curling Championship, presented by Best Western, and the 2020 BC Men’s Curling Championship, presented by Nufloors – Penticton, will go ahead at Cranbrook’s Western Financial Place from Jan. 28 to Feb. 2. A full event pass is $90 – with individual draw tickets available from $10.
Both Team Tardi (Langley/Victoria) and Team Brown (Kamloops) were the province’s Canadian Team Ranking System top performers in 2019-20, which means they earned more points than any other BC team in competition throughout the season. The majority of the players from those teams are also under the age of 25.
However, they will be up against some of the most seasoned competitors in the sport — competitors that are used to winning a BC final. Defending champion Jim Cotter will be looking for his ninth trip to the Brier and will be returning with his team of Steve Laycock and Rick Sawatsky, adding Andrew Nerpin to replace Tyrel Griffith. On the women’s side, Team Wark will be returning with their lineup of skip Sarah Wark, third Kristen Pilote, second Carley Sandwith and lead Jen Rusnell. Wark is a BC champion at the junior level (2005), in Mixed competition in 2009 and 2014 and in the women’s game last season.
Team Brown, featuring skip Corryn Brown, third Erin Pincott, second Dezaray Hawes and lead Ashley Klymchuk, have put on some stellar performances this year, notably winning the China Open in December. They also have a Canadian gold medal at the junior level under their belt, but have yet to break through at the Scotties, winning a silver medal last year.
Sarah Wark said she liked seeing the younger teams on the roster and enjoyed playing against them. “It is super exciting to see so many younger ladies coming up through juniors and sticking with it, it’s definitely made BC’s field stronger.”
She added: “It definitely helps push the older generation to go with the way of the times in terms of fitness and new techniques and mentalities. I think we can learn equal amounts from them as they can from us really.”
Corryn Brown said her team was keen to keep the momentum that they have had this season going. “It’s been a really great season we have had a lot of success so we just want to keep that going. We are really looking forward to going to provincials and we know Cranbrook will put on a good event.”
Team Tardi, with skip Tyler Tardi, third Sterling Middleton, second Jordan Tardi and lead Alex Horvath, are no strangers to pressure, having been to more than one junior world championship. (Tyler and Sterling were at three world championships, winning gold at two of them, Jordan went twice and won gold before aging out and Alex joined the team last year for their gold medal win in 2019).
Playing alongside Team Tardi and Team Cotter in the men’s competition will be BC Curling Tour winners Team Wenzek (Royal City) and Team Geall (Abbotsford/Royal City). The other teams in the mix include Team Dangerfield (Victoria), Team Montgomery (Victoria), Team Jackson (Victoria), Team Medford (Cranbrook), Team Wood (Penticton/Kelowna), Team Salviulo (Castlegar), Team Richard (Kelowna), Team Longworth (Vernon), Team Olsen (Kamloops), Team Joanisse (Golden Ears/Royal City), Team Dennis (Royal City/Salmon Arm) and Team Thompson (Vancouver).
In women’s play Team Daniels from Delta Thistle is another team featuring youth players (Skip Sarah Daniels and lead Sarah Loken are under 21). Meanwhile Team Gushulak from Royal City, Kelowna and Vancouver curling clubs features players with many BC Scotties appearances under their collective belts.
The four other women’s teams to have already qualified for the 2020 Scotties BC Women’s Curling Championship, presented by Best Western, were Team Thompson (Kelowna) and Team Richards (Kelowna/Victoria) . Team Pewarchuk from Victoria and Team Slattery from Vernon/Kelowna qualified at the first open playdown in Abbotsford in December.
Ticket and event information for both the men’s and women’s championships is available at www.curlbc.ca/cranbrook-2020/.
For all remaining qualification events and for scores during the round robin (women) and triple knockout rounds (men) of the championships visit playdowns.curlbc.ca. The semi-finals and finals of the women’s and men’s events will be broadcast on CHEK and streamed at cbc.ca/sports/. The broadcast schedule is posted at www.curlbc.ca/live-streaming-broadcast-schedule/.
TEAM ROSTERS:
Men’s teams:
Defending Champions:
Team Cotter, Vernon and Kelowna Curling Clubs
Skip: Jim Cotter
Third: Steve Laycock
Second: Andrew Nerpin
Lead: Rick Sawatsky
CTRS Winner:
Team Tardi, Langley and Victoria Curling Clubs
Skip: Tyler Tardi
Third: Sterling Middleton
Second: Jordan Tardi
Lead: Alex Horvath
Coach: Paul Tardi
Tour Winner:
Team Wenzek, Royal City Curling Club
Skip: Daniel Wenzek
Third: Cameron de Jong
Second: Cody Tanaka
Lead: Nicholas Umbach
Tour Winner:
Team Geall, Abbotsford and Royal City Curling Clubs
Skip: Sean Geall
Third: Jared Kolomaya
Second: Sebastien Robillard
Lead: Nicholas Meister
Regional Qualifiers:
Team Dangerfield, Victoria Curling Club
Skip: Neil Dangerfield
Third: Denis Sutton
Second: Darren Boden
Lead: Glen Allen
Team Montgomery, Victoria Curling Club
Skip: Jason Montgomery
Third: Chris Baier
Second: Miles Craig
Lead: Will Duggan
Team Jackson, Victoria Curling Club
Skip: Glen Jackson
Third: Andrew Komlodi
Second: Jason Clarke
Lead: Joel Cave
Team Medford, Cranbrook Curling Centre
Skip: Chris Medford
Third: Steve Tersmette
Second: Mitch Young
Lead: Jeff Langin
Team Salviulo, Castlegar Curling Club
Skip: Nando Salviulo
Third: Jamie Ingram
Second: Cody Bartlett
Lead: Kevin Maffioli
Team Richard, Kelowna Curling Club
Skip: Jeff Richard
Third: Tyler Klymchuck
Second: Corey Chester
Lead: Rhys Gamache
Team Longworth, Vernon Curling Club
Skip: Mark Longworth
Third: Michael Longworth
Second: Rob Nobert
Lead: Cam Weir
Team Olsen, Kamloops Curling Club
Skip: Brad Thompson
Third: Grant Olsen (skip)
Second: Trevor Miyahara
Lead: Brent Yamada
Team Joanisse, Royal City/GEWC
Skip: Dean Joanisse
Third: Andrew Bilesky
Second: Steve Kopf
Lead: Aaron Watson
Fifth: Steve Petryk
Team Dennis, Royal City/Salmon Arm
Skip: Rob Dennis
Third: Doug Kilborn
Second: Brad Blackwell
Lead: Rick Miller
Coach: Greg McAulay
Team Thompson, Vancouver Curling Club
Skip: Aaron Thompson
Third: Jack Holmes
Second: Derek Smith
Lead: Scott Robertson
Team Wood, Vernon/Penticton curling clubs
Skip: Brad Wood
Third: Matt Tolley
Second: Nathan Small
Lead: John Slattery
Women’s teams
Defending champions:
Team Wark, Abbotsford Curling Club
Skip: Sarah Wark
Third: Kristen Pilote
Second: Carley Sandwith
Lead: Jen Rusnell
CTRS winner
Team Brown, Kamloops Curling Club
Skip: Corryn Brown
Third: Erin Pincott
Second: Dezaray Hawes
Lead: Ashley Klymchuk
Coach: Allison MacInnes
Tour Winner:
Team Thompson, Kamloops Curling Club
Skip: Karla Thompson
Third: Jodie Brennan
Second: Amanda Guido
Lead: Lanette Nordick
Coach: Darryl Horne
Tour Winner:
Team Richards, Kelowna and Victoria curling clubs
Skip: Brette Richards
Third: Blaine de Jager
Second: Steph Jackson-Baier
Lead: Rachelle Kallechy
Fifth: Patti Knezevic
Coach: David Harper
Team Pewarchuk, Victoria Curling Club
Skip: Dailene Pewarchuk
Third: Taylor Reese-Hansen
Second: Ashley Sanderson
Lead: Sydney Brilz
Coach: Todd Troyer
Team Slattery, Vernon/Kelowna curling clubs
Fourth: Alyssa Kyllo
Third: Sheila Cowan
Second: Shaina McGiverin
Lead/Skip: Kim Slattery
Team Daniels, Delta Thistle Curling Club
Skip: Sarah Daniels
Third: Kayla MacMillan
Second: Holly Horvat
Lead: Sarah Loken
Coach: Katie Witt
Team Gushulak, Royal City, Kelowna and Vancouver curling clubs
Skip: Diane Gushulak
Third: Grace MacInnes
Second: Megan McGillivray
Lead: Sandra Comadina
Coach: Neil Houston
Ticket and event information for both the men’s and women’s championships is available at www.curlbc.ca/cranbrook-2020/.
