Thursday, November 18, 2010

Canadian Mixed Doubles Championship?

As I type this entry of the Last Rock Blog I am in Morris, Manitoba for the Canadian Mixed Curling Championships. Resby Coutts was nice enough to bring me along for the Thursday of this event. Morris has done a fantastic job as a small community to put on such a great event as this one. They are laying the foundation for other small communities to host national championships such as the seniors, juniors and mixed. I am sure the CCA (Canadian Curling Association) will consider Morris in the future if they decide to submit another proposal for another national championship someday.

That brings me to the CCA which has to create a national championship for doubles curling. Canada's representative for the World Doubles Championship is selected from the winning team of the Canadian Mixed Curling Championship. One member of each gender on the winning team will go onto the World Championships later this curling season in St. Paul, MN. I must admit that it is a little strange for two members to be left out of going to the world championships but that is the way it is. Last night on Rock Talk, Resby and I had a chance to speak with Danny Lamoureux of the CCA on how teams decide who will go to the World Championship. Here are the three options:

  1. The team decides
  2. There is a two team playoff between the 4 members
  3. The team decides to have someone on behalf of the CCA
Every team at the Canadian Mixed Curling Championship must choose between these three options prior to the event. This is up to the team and I have nothing against what they choose. It did surprise me that one team chose option three. I would never want to be in this situation to be "chosen" to go to a curling championship. At some curling associations around the world each player is hand picked to represent their country. In Canada we have the benefit in depth of skilled curlers. This leads to competition to decide the best teams who earn the opportunity to play at provincial, national and world championships.

I may be splitting hairs on such a small issue where 2 people will be chosen but this is the only Canadian representatives who could be "chosen" to go to the world championships. The CCA has a chance to create a Canadian Mixed  Doubles championships. The world championships are held together with the world seniors championship. What is stopping the CCA from doing the same thing? Nothing that comes to mind. I am sure the provincial curling associations could hold open provincial championships to send winners to a national mixed doubles championship.

Thanks for taking sometime to read my little rant. You can me on Rock Talk with Resby Coutts every Wednesday night at 7pm on Sports Radio 1290. Till next time, have a good one!

Jordan Bauldic

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Sean Grassie Interview

Sean Grassie Interview for thecurler.com and the Last Rock Blog

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Manitoba Dominance

Well it has been a few weeks since I have had a chance to post on the blog for various reasons. It is a quiet Sunday afternoon and Manitoba might be back on the map for curling. This past weekend Manitoba had 4 representatives in Windsor for the Grey Power World Cup of Curling. Three of the 4 Manitoba teams made the playoffs and all happened to make the semi-finals. Joining Jeff Stoughton, Rob Fowler and Mike McEwen in the semi-finals was the 4-time defending champion Glenn Howard. McEwen defeated Fowler 7-2 in the semi-final and then for a second straight bonspiel defeated Stoughton in the final of the grand slam event.

I strongly feel that this is a transitional year of curling where we could finally see the passing of the torch in many provinces. In Manitoba there is a definite top 4 teams in Jeff Stoughton, Mike McEwen, Kevin Park and Rob Fowler. There is no real surprise in the teams at the top but all of the lineups feature some type of youth movement. Reid Carruthers has stepped in at second to play alongside Stoughton. Carruthers had the chance to throw third rocks in the grand slam final as Jon Mead was unable to play in the semi or final. McEwen's rink includes BJ Neufeld, Matt Wozniak and Denni Neufeld. On Fowler's team the front end includes Derek Samagalski & Richard Daneault. Finally Taren Gesell and Brendan Taylor played front end on Fowlers rink. I have had the great opportunity to play with or against everyone just listed in either juniors Mens.  All four rinks are talented top to bottom and could be a force to be reckoned at the Brier later this curling season. It has been a long time since Manitoba's Brier win in '99. I have a feeling that Manitoba might extend its lead over Alberta this year for Brier wins.

Just a reminder for everyone that Rock Talk is on this Wednesday at 7pm CST. Join Resby Coutts, Mitch Terapasky and myself on Sports Radio 1290 where I'm sure we will have some discussion on this past weekend's events. Till next time have a good one.

Jordan Bauldic