Anyone who is not familiar with what Tyler Tardi is capable of on the curling ice need only look to the video of his resounding triple-takeout in the second end of the this year鈥檚 sa国际传媒 junior men鈥檚 championship last month.
Playing against Kyle Habkirk鈥檚 Victoria Curling Centre rink in the final, down 1-0 and facing three opposing stones, Tardi didn鈥檛 have much left with his last stone of the second end.
At least that鈥檚 what most people thought as his avenues to draw into the four-foot were shut down, much like the Trans sa国际传媒 Highway during rush hour.
What he and third Sterling Middleton did see was a tiny port that he promptly blasted through for an incredible triple-kill of Habkirk鈥檚 stones. When the smoke had cleared, Tardi accounted for a score of four, which quickly turned the game in his favour and led him to the win.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 Tyler Tardi, right there,鈥� Habkirk鈥檚 third Duncan Silversides said recently, lamenting what could have been.
Indeed, that is what the Langley/Royal City Curling Club skip and his team of Middleton, second Jordan Tardi and lead Nicholas Meister are capable of. It鈥檚 also a reason why Team sa国际传媒 will be considered one of the favourites here at the Canadian Junior Curling Championships which begin today at 1:30 p.m. at Archie Browning Sports Centre and the Esquimalt Curling Club.
Corryn Brown鈥檚 sa国际传媒 women鈥檚 team 鈥� which includes Marika Van Osch of Nanaimo at third with Dezaray Hawes at second and Samantha Fisher at lead 鈥� is also in the same boat, a medal and championship contender.
With it comes pressure, but also a cheering section as host province.
鈥淎t the sa国际传媒 Games we were Team sa国际传媒 as well, so we know how it is and the pressure that comes with it,鈥� said Tardi. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also a motivational aspect for us 鈥� the team people will be cheering for. We鈥檙e more so excited than feeling pressured.鈥�
The foursome will also have a special cheering section on Tuesday with students from Craigflower school on hand. The Tardi team visited with students Friday morning as his former principal, Michelle MacFarlane, is now at the View Royal school.
Team sa国际传媒 answered questions from the students and cheers were practiced for Tuesday鈥檚 draw.
鈥淚t was different, we never really have gone to a school to talk to young kids before. It was cool and heartwarming to see that young kids were excited to see us. We don鈥檛 think we are that famous, but for the students, maybe we were,鈥� Tardi said with a chuckle.
The chuckling will disappear once play commences and after finishing third at nationals last season, the rink is more than ready to go.
鈥淟ast year was more so a competition of who could beat [Matt] Dunstone,鈥� Tardi said of the eventual champion from Manitoba. 鈥淭his year, it鈥檚 more of do what we did well last year and hopefully it works out even better for us.鈥�
He鈥檒l have to wait a day, however, as his first game was slated to be against the Yukon, which did not field a team for this championship. That means sa国际传媒 gets a bye today before facing Nunavut at 9 a.m. and Nova Scotia at 7 p.m. on Sunday.
鈥淚t鈥檚 hurry up and wait now, so we鈥檙e excited to go,鈥� he said of his confident team. 鈥淲e are confident, for the most part, but everyone has their quirks, though. We鈥檙e as ready as we can be and we鈥檙e itching to get going.鈥�
It鈥檚 a similar story for Brown, who along with her lead, Fisher, already has a Canadian junior championship under her belt from 2013. Van Osch and Hawes were also on the sa国际传媒 team that finished second last year, so the strength of the four is amazing, having also won a women鈥檚 event in China earlier this year.
They, too, are dying to get going as they face Northern Ontario鈥檚 Krysta Burns at 1:30 p.m. today on the Esquimalt Curling Club side.
鈥淲e had a really good provincials, we went undefeated there so we鈥檙e confident coming into this,鈥� said Brown. 鈥淭here is an element of coming into your first event not having expectations which can be an advantage as well, but there鈥檚 that advantage to having that experience.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to have the support of your family coming over and the fact that there isn鈥檛 a time change or journey to adjust to. I still think it will be who brings their A game this week. There are no advantageous factors, it will be who is playing better.鈥�
EXTRA ENDS: Brown鈥檚 father, Ken, played in two Briers as second on Barry McPhee鈥檚 1996 and 1997 teams. Fisher鈥檚 father, Brian, played lead on Jim Cotter鈥檚 1990 sa国际传媒 junior men鈥檚 championship rink. 鈥� Brown鈥檚 coach is none other than Allison MacInnes, a two-time sa国际传媒 junior and women鈥檚 champion. In fact, in 1998, while playing second for Sue Garvey, the team lost the Scotties Page 3-4 game to defending champion Sandra Schmirler, whose daughter Sara England is here as a third on Team Saskatchewan. Schmirler passed away two years later from cancer.
