Calgary host Alberta Provincials Jan 28-30

The Alberta Provincial Championship will be held at the Ogden Legion CC in Calgary from Friday January 28 with the final on Sunday January 30. As last year, four teams will compete; two from Calgary and two from Edmonton.

Team Canada alternate Bruno Yizek rejoins his Calgary teammates after Paralympic duty last year. Team Smart 2010 thus becomes Team Yizek 2011 with Bruno Yizek at skip, Jack Smart, Anne Hibberd, Bridget Wilson and Martin Purvis, the all-star 2nd at last year's Nationals in Kelowna.

Team Yizek in a team meeting
Jack Smart, Bruno Yizek, Martin Purvis, Bridget Wilson, Anne Hibberd

Their coach for the past two-plus seasons has been Tony Zummack, now newly appointed Great Britain wheelchair curling coach. He tells me: "The coaching duties for Team Yizek are now in the capable hands of Andy Jones. 

"I look forward to their continued successes knowing their goals and ambitions. If I am still in Calgary during the Provincials I will be keeping an eye on them as a fan and a friend.

"The decision was made to have a new coach with the team prior to the Provincials so that the transition moving forward would be as smooth as possible and give Andy time to know the players. I have spent the last month with the team and Andy providing as much insight to their development and team philosophies as possible. I am confident that all 5 players and Andy are prepared and looking forward to the upcoming competitions."

Brian Rivers coaches Team Keith, Calgary's other contenders. They have Dale Keith at Skip, Karl Meier 3rd, George Assenheimer 2nd, Wanda Pizzinato  at lead with Curtis Junor the alternate.

Edmonton's Cathy Craig is bringing two teams to Calgary. Cliff Nuspl, who skipped an Edmonton team in 2008 and 2010 and was invited to join Team Smart as allternate in Kelowna last year, has Mike McMullan 3rd, Warren Fleury 2nd, and Shawna Walsh at lead.

The second Edmonton team is skipped by Dave Graves throwing 3rd stones, with Don Donaldson throwing 4th, Dwaine Shupac 2nd and lead Marie Laframboise. Doug MacEachern is the Edmonton alternate.

The format is a 3 draw round robin (first draw 11AM Friday) with 1 v. 4 and 2 v. 3 semi-finals 2.30PM Saturday, then a Sunday 10.30AM final. Because there will only be 9 provincial teams competing at the Nationals in Edmonton, Alberta will field a Host team. That means that both teams competing in the Alberta final will play at the Nationals.