Morning Star Staff
Vernon’s Sydney Hofer is having a blast at the Canada Winter Games in Prince George. And the first-year Okanagan College accounting student has a good chance of gaining a medal.
Hofer, who turned 18 last week, is playing lead for Sarah Daniels (of Delta) and Team B.C. in women’s curling. Third Dezaray Hawes of Port Moody and second Cierra Fisher of Kamloops round out the foursome.
B.C. was 5-1 after stopping Saskatchewan 8-6 Thursday morning. The crossover playoffs start this morning. B.C. bowed 7-5 to undefeated Ontario and smothered P.E.I 9-3 in Wednesday games.
Daniels and crew ambushed the Yukon 10-2 Tuesday after grounding Nova Scotia 8-1 and blitzing Nunavut 10-3 Monday.
Hofer loves the uniqueness of the Games, which is held every four years.
“The things here at the Games are unbelievable,” said Hofer, who started curling in 2004. “From the energy of the athletes and spectators, to the community that you are a part of. As a member of the Team B.C. curling team, not only am I welcomed in as a curler in the curling community, but on a larger scale of the whole Team BC community.
“Everyone is so welcoming and friendly, I’ve never felt so at home when so far from home. Prince George has been exceptional and has gone above and beyond in every aspect possible. They have hundreds of volunteers who will constantly greet the athletes with a huge smile and a ‘good luck.’ We are so fortunate to be the home team as the whole province’s energy has come alive.”
She has been able to attend a few different sporting venues and cheer on B.C.
“Being a spectator at another sport has been one of my personal highlights of the week so far. Even when not playing, you can feel the support of the whole province and cheer for your fellow Team B.C. teammates. The energy of Prince George has been breathtaking.”
B.C., with Tyler Tardi of Cloverdale at skip, won the men’s curling bronze last week, marking the first time the B.C. men won a medal since 1999 when Brad Kuhn’s (Vernon product) team took home the silver, then went on to win the World Junior crown in 2000.
Third Sterling Middleton of Fort St. John second Nicholas Umbach of Coquitlam and lead Timothy Henderson of Victoria supported Tardi.
The women’s gold medal game will also be broadcast (tape-delayed) at 7.30 p.m. Saturday on TSN2.
Quebec leads the medal standings with 116, followed by Ontario with 83 and B.C. with 65.
