OCA reverse playdown exclusion ruling

The Ontario Curling Association, at their Annual General Meeting June 30th, reversed a controversial decision limiting the number of wheelchair teams eligible to compete in a provincial championship to half of other curling categories. The new policy will be to allow up to eight teams to compete before reducing entries via zone playdowns. The OCA also changed the Championship format: "The Dominion Wheelchair Provincial Championship will now accommodate up to eight (8) teams with the top three teams qualifying for the playoffs after round robin play."

Last season Ottawa wheelchair curlers, who had developed their program so that they had two competitive teams, were forced into a zone playoff as only four teams, one from each Ontario zone rather than the usual two, were permitted into the provincial championship.

London ON coach Ernie Comerford, who along with Ottawa skip Bruce Cameron had raised objections to last season's arrangements said: " As a major promoter of the game in Ontario and elsewhere, I am pleased that additional teams in Ontario will have the opportunity to participate and gain valuable experience."