The Yorkton Curling Club (YCC) hosted its annual seniors' curling bonspiel last week, wrapping up with the four event finals Saturday afternoon.
Well known local curler Karen Thies, who along with husband Ray co-ordinated the bonspiel, says this year 24 teams were entered, 12 from Yorkton and 12 from the surrounding area. Previously the event attracted 32 rinks. Last year 26 were entered, Thies notes. This year the bonspiel was held a week later than previously which may have had some effect on participation. "We were quite happy with 24 rinks. All the rinks are down in all the clubs around. We're down five, so it was really good, I think, to get 12, Thies states.
The level of competition was excellent Thies suggests. Kolybaba has curled at the provincial senior men's level. The Krasowski rink was also very competitive, she adds.
Yorkton teams were drawn out of a local pool. Participants names for each team were drawn from a hat, Thies notes, while out of town rinks entered their own teams. It worked out quite well as there was a Yorkton team in every event final, she points out.
The ice was very good, as usual. It's running 14 and is curling about five feet on a draw, Thies says.
Thies thanks Curtis Loucks, the Painted Hand Casino and Sask Lotto for their support of the Seniors Bonspiel.
The A event winners, the Krasowski rink included alternate skip Ron Mehling, third Kelly Fiege, second Ron Popowich (spare), lead Karen Mehling. Missing from photo, skip John Krasowski.
Skip Ron Mehling attributes his team's win to consistency, "We faltered a little but pulled it out in the end," he says. He says it was an excellent bonspiel in which every game was tough. The 9-3 final score came as a result of a four ender which Mehling suggests set the pace for the game. "It was just a matter of keeping their rocks out of the rings," he closes.
The Wilmer Kolybaba rink claimed the B event title. The team included skip Wilmer Kolybaba, third Joe Tomolak, second Alfred Bergman, lead Donna Bergman. Skip Wilmer Kolybaba says it was the second year in the Yorkton Seniors' bonspiel for his team and he and his team enjoyed the experience.
"We won the first event last year and this year lost it in a barn burner and came through and enjoyed it very well."
The C event winners were the Andrusiak foursome of skip Nick Andrusiak, third Grant Preston, second Matt Novak, lead Sylvia Gaye. Skip Nick Andrusiak says the weekend went well for his team with the exception of losing one member to an injury. "All the other teams were very good to curl against to make it a very nice event," he comments.
D event winners were the Greg Herman foursome from Melville of skip Greg Herman, third Jerry Safronik, second Al Torgerson, lead Naomi Herman. Greg Herman says the team had a good weekend. "It was a fun time. The whole event went very well," he closes.
