CancerCare to benefit from Wednesday Team China Game in Morris
CancerCare to benefit from Wednesday Team China Game in Morris
March 17, 2009
Team China will be honoured by the Town of Morris and the R.M of Morris at the mid-game break of an exhibition game to be played at the Morris Curling Club 7:30pm, Wednesday evening, March 18th as an awareness and fund-raiser for CancerCare Manitoba Foundation.
The game will be played in two halves.
Team China’s opposition will be provided by Norm Magnusson’s Senior Men’s Team, which for the past two seasons has committed itself to a Cancer Research Awareness effort including cresting on the team’s noticeable yellow jackets. 2002 World Junior Champion team members David Hamblin and Ross Derksen and their 2009 mixed zone winning team, Kendra Green and Calleen Neufeld, will take over the game in progress after the mid-game break.
No admission will be charged. A silver collection will be taken with all proceeds going to CancerCare Manitoba Foundation. The Morris Curling Club will also make a significant contribution to CancerCare Manitoba Foundation.
For information Media may contact Resby Coutts (204) 799-2250
Draw Announced for DEKALB SuperSpiel Continued
Draw Announced for DEKALB SuperSpiel
March 17, 2009
Preparing for the World Championship in Moncton, the Chinese National Men’s team will test itself against a powerful field in Manitoba’s newest International curling event, this weekend’s DEKALB SuperSpiel in Morris.
Wang Fengchun and his team will play their first game on the bonspiel’s opening draw, Thursday, March 19 at 8pm at the Morris Curling Club. Their opposition will be provided by a young team skipped by 2002 World Junior Champion team member Kevin Hamblin.
Chris Schille’s Alberta team, bolstered by the addition of Saskatchewan’s Pat Simons for the weekend, will be in Morris in quest of CTRS (Canadian Team Ranking System) points. Schille’s opening game opposition will be provided by Norm Magnusson’s Senior Men’s team. The Magnusson entry is a ‘tip of the hat’ to the Morris Curling Club’s Big M SuperSpiel, a bonspiel circuit highlight from the late 1970’s. Magnusson and Bonspiel Chair Lorne Hamblin teamed up to win the bonspiel which the DEKALB SuperSpiel is named for.
With the exception of the teams competing in the weekend’s Canada Cup, the elite of Manitoba curling will be competing in Morris. On the Men’s side Randy Dutiaume, Vic Peters, Reid Carruthers, Dave Boehmer, David Hamblin, Randy Neufeld, David Bohn, and Jason Gunnlaugson will bring existing or re-jigged teams to the event. The field has been augmented by an elite group of Junior and recently graduated Junior Men’s teams under an innovative program in which the bonspiel and its sponsors are sharing the entry fee. This group includes 2009 Junior Champion Sam Good, finalist Mike Johnson, and #3 Jim Coleman. Kyle Peters’ 2008 Junior men’s champions are re-united for the bonspiel.
On the Women’s side, the top-seeded teams include Eve Belisle from Quebec, Heather Rankin and Crystal Webster from Alberta and Manitoba provincial champion Barb Spencer. Chelsea Carey, who won the Manitoba Curling Tour Championship in Morris in January, heads the list of Manitoba Women’s teams which includes Janet Harvey, Kristy Jenion, Karen Porritt, Derna Hintz and Cheryl Reed. Local teams skipped by Chris Hamblin and Audrey McCrady round out the field.
In addition to the Team China-K.Hamblin game on the Thursday evening, the opening draw will include Randy Neufeld vs Randy Dutiaume, Reid Carruthers vs Mike Johnson, Sam Good vs Vic Peters, Janet Harvey vs Derna Hintz, and Chelsea Carey vs Cheryl Reed.
Draw times are Thursday 8pm; Friday 6pm and 9 pm; Saturday five draws beginning at 9am; Sunday 4 draws beginning at 10am; semifinals Monday Noon and Finals Monday 4pm.
A weekend admission pass is $30,00 and a day pass is $15.00. There will be a $5 evening admission.
For information Media may contact Resby Coutts (204) 799-2250
Morris Curling Club to Ice New Rocks for DEKALB SuperSpiel continued
Morris Curling Club to Ice New Rocks for DEKALB SuperSpiel
January 30, 2009
The Morris Curling Club Executive Committee has confirmed a decision to replace the club’s aging,
mismatched rocks with a new matched set of 96 rocks in time for the DEKALB SuperSpiel March 19-23, 2009.
“Following our December Manitoba Curling Tour Bonspiel, we had Hans Wuthrich inspect our rocks with the idea that he would be able to help us re-condition them for the MCT Championship,” says Morris Curling Club President Brian Recksiedler. “He advised us to make an investment in new rocks rather than try to make do with our existing rocks.”
A Morris Curling Club decision to replace the rocks was made at a recent executive meeting and a community fund-raising program was undertaken immediately.
“It will take an investment of nearly $40,000 but we think it is a good investment for our curling club and our community to make in the future of the sport in Morris. We have one of the best curling facilities in Manitoba and it is time for us to put a set of rocks on the ice that will match our facility in quality,” Recksiedler says.
The entire $40,000 has not yet been committed. However, Recksiedler says the community response has been strong. Over half of the 48 required pairs of rocks have been ‘purchased’ by local business owners, by curling club members, and by past curling club members or by individuals who wish to make the contribution as a memorial to past curling club members.
One pair of rocks has been purchased for the Morris Curling Club in the name of the Sewell Curling Club, the long-defunct home of former Canadian champion Harvey Mazinke and his brothers Walter and Art who made the name Mazinke one to be reckoned with in the curling clubs of the Red River valley and beyond. While the Sewell curling club has not operated for over four decades, it still exists in the heart of the surrounding community.
A much-appreciated $5,000 contribution to the Morris Curling Club rock fund has also been received from the Manitoba Curling Association’s Development Fund.
“This is an exciting next step toward ensuring the future of curling in our community and toward ensuring the best possible conditions for the competitors in the DEKALB SuperSpiel in March,” says bonspiel chairman Lorne Hamblin. “With Greg Ewasko working with our own Ice Technician Allan Gitzel, and with new rocks on their ice, the bonspiel’s competitors are guaranteed a great competitive experience.”
Former Morris residents are invited to contact Rocks Committee Chairman Bill Howie (204-746-2629) if they would like information about the fund-raising project.
Ewasko to Head Morris Ice Crew...continued
January 22, 2009
Greg Ewasko, one of Manitoba`s elite group of CCA Certified Ice Technicians, has agreed to join the Morris Curling Club Ice Staff for the DEKALB SuperSpiel in Morris, March 19-23, 2009.
``We are excited to have an Ice Technician of Greg Ewasko`s experience available to ensure that we have the best possible ice for the DEKALB SuperSpiel,`` says Bonspiel Chairman Lorne Hamblin on behalf of the Morris Curling Club.
Ewasko`s recent experience includes making ice for Grand Slam events as well as Manitoba Curling Association Championship events. In 2009, he will be the Chief Ice Technician for the Manitoba Safeway Men`s Championship in Selkirk. In addition to the arena events which he has worked, Ewasko is the Head Ice Technician for Winnipeg`s Heather Curling Club.
``Greg understands the unique challenges of making top quality ice in a curling club situation and he appreciates the needs of the curlers when it comes to competing for major dollars,`` Hamblin says.
Ewasko will work with Morris Ice Technician Allan Gitzel. Hamblin says he believes the team of Ewasko and Gitzel will provide championship calibre ice for the event which will attract 24 elite men`s teams and 16 top women`s team from across Manitoba and Canada.
``Allan Gitzel knows the building and has given the Morris Curling Club excellent ice since he became our Head Ice Technician a few years ago. Greg Ewasko knows the curlers and he understands the challenges of making championship calibre ice, `` Hamblin says. ``Together, we`re certain they can provide exceptional ice conditions for our competitors.``
Hamblin says he is also optimistic about the possibility of putting a complete new set of curling rocks on the Morris ice in time for the DEKALB SuperSpiel. Initial response to a community fund-raising initiative has been very positive.
``I can`t state absolutely yet that we will have those new rocks for the bonspiel but I can say that we are going to do everything possible to provide the curlers and curling fans in Morris with the best possible experience. That means doing our best to give these two great ice technicians new rocks to work with as well, `` Hamblin says.
The bonspiel chairman says an announcement on the rocks will be made by the time of the Manitoba Safeway Championship in mid-February.