It seems counter intuitive that the Island 鈥� where the wet stuff doesn鈥檛 usually freeze 鈥� should be so good in winter sports. But that notion was blown out of the rain by the strong representation of Mount Washington freestyle skiers at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.
It continues to be challenged by the ongoing representation of Island curlers on sheets across the province, country and world. They are like a rash over the sa国际传媒 men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 championships taking place this week at Western Financial Place in Cranbrook.
鈥淭his is not a surprise.The Island has always been highly competitive in curling,鈥� said Elaine Dagg-Jackson of Victoria, who has coached sa国际传媒 in six Winter Olympics.
鈥淲e have always had a good grooming and training environment with a lot of experienced coaches in Victoria. That鈥檚 been the key. It is where people do the right things and know they are doing the right things because the results are there. It seems to go in cycles, though. When Island teams do well, other Island rinks say: 鈥業 play them every week,鈥� so I can also do well.鈥� 鈥�
Alex Horvath of Victoria, lead on the 2019 world junior champion Tyler Tardi rink from Langley, has graduated to the senior ranks at the sa国际传媒 men鈥檚 championship this week in Cranbrook. The Tardi rink goes in having earned more points this season than any sa国际传媒 rink.
鈥淚 think we鈥檙e all just super excited,鈥� said Tardi in a statement.
鈥淚t should be a fun week and we are hoping for the best.鈥�
Tardi and Horvath will be up against three Victoria rinks that have qualified for provincials 鈥� Team Dangerfield, Team Montgomery and Team Jackson. The trio of rinks all curl out of the Victoria Curling Centre. Neil Dangerfield鈥檚 rink includes third Denis Sutton, second Darren Boden and lead Glen Allen. Glen Jackson鈥檚 rink is comprised of third Andrew Komlodi, second Jason Clarke, lead Joel Cave. Jason Montgomery鈥檚 foursome is third Chris Baier, second Miles Craig and lead Will Duggan.
Two-time sa国际传媒-finalist Montgomery has made the deepest recent runs among the Island contingent.
Everybody is looking to knock off its pedestal the dynastic Jim Cotter rink from Kelowna and Vernon, which has represented sa国际传媒 in eight Brier national championships.
Cotter and Montgomery were set to tangle in the A Side semifinals on Wednesday, with Dean Joannise鈥檚 Royal City rink taking on Kelowna鈥檚 Jeffrey Richard in the other A semi.
The favourite on the women鈥檚 side at provincials in Cranbrook is the defending champion Abbotsford/Victoria rink skipped by former sa国际传媒 junior champion Sarah Wark, with Carley Sandwith of Victoria the second. They will be challenged by the Dailene Pewarchuk rink of Victoria which includes Taylor Reese-Hansen at third, Ashley Sanderson at second and Sydney Brilz at lead. The Richards rink is comprised of curlers from Victoria and Kelowna, including second Steph Jackson-Baier.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Wark was atop the round-robin standings at 3-0, with Corryn Brown of Kamloops and Sarah Daniels of Delta Thistle both at 2-1.
The sa国际传媒 championships run through Sunday to the women鈥檚 final at 9 a.m. and men鈥檚 final at 1 p.m. CHEK will broadcast the event, beginning Saturday with the men鈥檚 1-2 Page playoff at 1 p.m. and women鈥檚 semifinal at 6 p.m.
The men鈥檚 winner will represent sa国际传媒 at the 2020 Brier from Feb. 29 to March 8 at Leon鈥檚 Centre in Kingston, Ont. The Brier champion will represent sa国际传媒 in the world championship at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow, Scotland, from March 28 to April 5. The 2020 worlds will be the first points-qualifying event for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
The sa国际传媒 women鈥檚 winner will advance to the 2020 Scotties Tournament of Hearts national championship Feb. 15-23 at Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw, Sask. The Canadian champion will advance to play in the 2020 women鈥檚 world championship March 14-22 at CN Centre in Prince George.
