Shake-up at Team Manitoba

It will come as no surprise to anyone who watched Manitoba play last March in Kelowna, BC, that the team has split up after three successive national championship bronze medals. They did not look happy on or off the ice.

This season Chris Sobkowicz and third Dennis Thiessen will each skip a team and compete against each other in the Manitoba playdown.

Chris will play with 2010 teammates George Horning and Terry Lindell and has been practicing at Winnipeg's Assiniboine CC with several players who may make the team.

Dennis Thiessen will reconnect with Michael Alberg, a teammate on the 2008 and 2009 Manitoba team, along with Effie Loubardias and a newcomer to wheelchair curling, Heather Mowat. They will play out of the East St. Paul CC in Winnipeg and compete at the 6th Annual Cathy Kerr Memorial the third week in November.

Effie Loubardias, Dennis Thiessen, Michael Alberg and Heather Mowat.

It is encouraging that there are enough participants in Manitoba that teams can reform. Expectations are that three teams will compete in the 2011 provincials. No word as to whether long-time provincial lead Arlene Ursel will play this year.