Team Canada finalist for IPC 2010 Paralympics Best Team Award

Team Canada is one of five finalists for the International Paralympic Committee's "Best Team" Award. Jim Armstrong, Darryl Neighbour, Ina Forrest, Sonja Gaudet and Bruno Yizek defended Canada's Paralympic title with a 7-2 round robin record before beating Sweden, and then Korea in the final.

Also being considered are the US and Japanese Sledge Hockey teams and the Russian Men's and Women's Cross Country Skiing Relay Teams.

The winner will be announced in December. The IPC news release is HERE.

A look back at the Paralympics

Team Canada 2010
Jim Armstrong Darryl Neighbour, Ina Forrest, Sonja Gaudet, Bruno Yizek

Canada won their gold medal, Korea reawakened to the form that saw them runners-up at the 2008 Worlds, Sweden persevered past a miserable start and a tie-break day suspension of their last rock thrower, and USA did not quite go-all-the-way. The Richmond press hailed the Darryl and Jim show, while the Okanagan press celebrated Ina and Sonja and we all see what we want to see.

All but one lead shot over 60% with half closer to 70%. Ina Forest was the only 2nd over 60% and the Italian 3rd Egidio Marchese sat far alone at 66%. The best skips shot in the mid 50s. For all the celebration of the many excellent shots made, and while there was probably an improvement over Torino, it remains stubbornly difficult to break out of the 50% range as a back end player.

There are shot by shot analyses available on the Vanoc website, so I am not going to report on specific games. Here's some general thoughts on what it might all mean going forward

Canada were everyone's pick to win gold though they quivered a little at the end. Korea stole to within one from an 8-1 deficit and Armstrong faced as consequential a last rock shot as Great Britain's Frank Duffy did four year's ago in Torino. He didn't miss, and the Canadian coaches will feel vindicated in their decision to parachute him into the team.

I hope Jim sees his future as advancing the sport outside of the cocoon of national team player.  I'd like to see him get his coaching credentials and become a full-time wheelchair curling ambassador/national coach with a mandate to kick start provincial programs, most of which have stalled at a minimal number of participants. This win gives the CCA another window of opportunity to capitalise on a gold medal, an opening missed after Torino.

Despite a small athlete pool, and reportedly training on ice frozen in a disused swimming pool, Korea arrived in Vancouver having added draw weight to their legendary hitting. They also brought a new delivery style to the ice. Most wheelchair curlers begin with their shoulders square and end with their throwing shoulder forward, Korea reversed that, crossing their non-throwing arm to the throwing side before delivery, unfolding to end with shoulders square after throwing.

I suspect we are at the early stages of delivery motion analysis. Canada had a top secret delivery optimisation program that has Ina Forrest curling her body and then exploding out of her chair. It looks ugly, but Forrest was the All-Star second.

Sonja Gaudet has learned to use the off-side brace that I've been advocating for several years now, an adaptation of which Team Alberta coach Tony Zummack has added to each of his team's chairs. It increases stability when throwing up-weight. "This will be standard equipment on all chairs in a year or two," Zummack claims.

I watched Sweden play Korea in Draw 2 and they looked frustrated and dispirited. They went on to lose another before switching skip Jalle Jungnell with Glen Ikonen. They then won five of six to make it to a tie-break, including wins over USA and Canada. Then Ikonen was suspended for using a banned blood pressure medication that he had been using openly for years.

Patrik Kallin stepped into 2nd and Jalle moved back to last rocks, and Sweden beat Italy, lost to Canada and won bronze over USA despite their skip averaging just 45% shooting, 8th best on the week. Something went right for them, and it may have been the influence of their new coach, Tomas Nordin.

USA fell just short again but played with a much more cohesive spirit than last year. Skip Perez is maturing. He's ready to admit errors, a vital first step to fixing them, and will only get better as he learns more about calling the game.

I'll admit to being completely wrong about Italy. Not only did they beat Canada to earn a tie-breaker, but had an All-Star at 3rd, and were the only team to shoot over 60%,

I had Great Britain and Norway as two of the teams with the greatest potential for improvement over the past year, although with the caveat for GB that they had, as their coach suggested, mastered the drop-back delivery position.

Great Britain are full time curlers with an experienced international coach. Yet after another 3-6 performance no one has mentioned that perhaps throwing further adds unnecessary difficulty. Coach Pendreigh took the time to explain to me before Vancouver how his approach, though treated with scepticism by everyone else, was the right one.

Mid tournament, Michael McCreadie, who had carried his country’s flag at  the opening ceremonies, was having to defend Aileen Neilson, his 4th rock thrower's performance after she failed to break 40% in three of her first four games. It seemed obvious before and equally obvious now that throwing further makes accuracy more difficult, but with so much time, money and probably reputation tied up in Pendreigh's experiment it may take, if not exile to England, then a change in personnel before a mistake is admitted.

Norway imported coach Christensen from Denmark but though they played Canada tough and beat Korea, two losses on the final day including a give-up loss to a weak Swiss side, ended their tie-break chances. Though their team was not announced until the last minute, it was unchanged. Changes may be in order for them to recapture the form that won back to back Worlds just two years ago.

I placed Germany in the also-rans and take no satisfaction at seeing them one of five teams finishing at 3-6. Everything went their way last year, and a bump back to earth may be what is needed for them to move forward. Switzerland and Japan will meet at the end of the year at the 2011 Worlds qualifying Tournament, and must finish in the top two have a chance to win points towards the next Paralympic Games in Russia 2014.

There were decent crowds at the games, and some coverage on ParalympicSport.tv, where you'll find some games in the archive. The CCA, despite publishing a press release promising daily "Insider" insights into Team Canada, offered no coverage other than a link to the Vanoc website. 

There were plenty of statistics if you knew how to extricate them, and the occasional general interest news report, but no interviews, no press releases, no narratives, no context - another opportunity missed to publicise the sport at minimal expense.

A final thought: knowing and liking the Team Canada members I welcome their success. They worked hard and deserve it. I just wish I felt better about the process Canada used to put the team together. If Jim Armstrong's selection did not break the letter of the law it sailed uncomfortably close to the edge of the spirit of the law. For some, and for Own The Podium who waved the large chequebook, it was all about winning, and putting Jim at skip was perceived as the only way that Canada could guarantee a win.

I disagree.

Swedish 4th rock thrower thrown out of Paralympics

Glenn Ikonen at 2009 Worlds - photo Yadranka

Glenn Ikonen, who began the Paralympics throwing third stones for Sweden before changing places with his skip Jalle Jungnell after Sweden's 0-3 start, has been banned for two years for failing a drug test. Though the ban is subject to appeal, he has been withdrawn for the remainder of the competition.

As reported in the Vancouver Sun, the news came just hours before the Swedish team was due to take on Italy in a tie-break to decide who faces Canada in Saturday's semi-final.

Alternate Patrik Kallin threw second, with Jungnell returning to 4th stones. Despite the off-ice drama, Sweden beat Italy 6-5, stealing 2 in the final end. With Sweden sitting shot on the 4 foot and second shot back 12, Italy's skip Tabanell chose a takeout for the win rather than a draw to the 12 for a tie, and crashed on a front stone.

“Of course we were totally shocked and sorry for Glenn who played so well for us in the round robin,” said Jungnell “He felt he had done everything right about the medication. But Patrik [who shot 75 per cent] came in and did a good job for us. He plays for us in our normal club games back home. We knew he was a good player.”

Canada vs Sweden and USA vs Korea take place 10am Saturday, with the medal games beginning at 3.30pm

Lyndon Little has an interesting review of the day's events and a look forward to tomorrow HERE.

For tables and schedule see our Paralympics page.

Canada back on top with 15-1 win over Switzerland

Canada (5-1) weren't affected by less than 50% shooting from their skip as the rest of the team shot better than 70% in the 15-1 dismantling of Switzerland (2-3). A 5 just before the break started the rout and a 6 in the 6th ended it early.

Norway (3-3) beat Japan (1-4) 11-3 and Germany (3-2) stole a single in the 8th to edge Italy (2-3) 7-6.

In the evening draw USA (4-2) blew a chance to at least tie their game against Sweden in the eighth. Sitting one with skip stones to come, they chose to chase the Swedish 2nd shot stone that was on the edge of the 12, rather than coming anywhere full 12 to sit two. The stone flashed and Sweden hit shot stone to run USA out of rocks.

"It was a strategy mistake. The right call was the draw. I know that now and hopefully won't make that mistake again," USA skip Perez said. And despite the error, the win wasn't guaranteed at that point.

Sweden (3-3) have won three in a row; beating Norway, Canada and USA to work themselves very much back into contention. Promoting Glenn Ikonen to 4th stones appears to have worked, as skip Jalle Jungnell continues to struggle, but no longer with last rocks.

Great Britain (2-4) avoided a 5th defeat, beating Germany (3-3) 9-2 and can still say they have a chance at a playoff spot. Korea (4-2) pulled level with USA and one game behind leaders Canada (5-1) beating Italy (2-4) 9-3, and Japan (2-4) edged Switzerland (2-4) 6-5 in an extra end.

With three matches to play in the round robin, every team still has a chance of making the playoffs.

USA tied at top of table as Canada crash to Sweden

It too an extra end after USA surrendered 3 in the 8th against Great Britain (1-4), but USA (4-1) pulled out an 8-7 win to tie Canada at the top of te table at the end of Day 3 at the Paralympic Games.

Canada (4-1) surrendered their unbeaten record in an 8-4 loss to Sweden. Read match report HERE. Norway stopped Korea's momentum, winning 9-6 and Germany lost to Switzerland 9-3.

Michael McCreadie said after the team's 4th loss (to USA) "It can be a cruel game at times. Although we are losing the team dynamics remain strong. Aileen is an excellent last rock thrower. There's such a small margin between winning and losing, but we are still thinking playoffs if we can win the rest of the way. The ice was very swingy today, but we just have to adapt to the conditions."

 Michael McCreadie

Read article on McCreadie by Lyndon Little HERE

Heavy ice was also on Swedish skip Jalle Jungnell;s mind,though he pulled off wins over two favoured sides today (Norway and Canada). "We tried to play our normal game, "he said, "but we've been struggling with the ice. It's so heavy."

That was a sentiment echoed by Norwegian skip Rune Lorentsen. “It’s tricky ice. I don’t know the feel of the rocks. We do the same things as other teams but our rocks don’t behave the same. It makes us a little unsure. [Against Sweden] we always play crappy matches. No good play and we were very nervous.”

Table leaders Canada and USA each play a single game tomorrow; Canada against Switzerland in the morning and USA against Sweden in the evening.

Canada cruise, Norway give another big end, Sweden finally win - Draw 5 Paralympics

Canada (4-0) cruised to a 13-2 win over Japan (1-3), a 5 in the 7th bringing the game to an early finish.

Sweden (1-3) finally found a way to win, beating Norway (1-3) with 4 in the 6th of a game otherwise limited to singles. This is Norway's second loss of a game they looked like winning before giving up a big end.

USA (3-1) kept the momentum going, beating Italy (2-2) 8-2 while Great Britain (1-3) suffered another loss, this time to Korea (3-1) on very low shooting by their back end. Korea took the game's first 7 points.

Table and line scores HERE

Student reporter tells Team Canada stories

Lisa Odland, a Students Live reporter, has posted the back stories of the Team Canada members on her West Coast Kid blog, including a short video interview with Sonja Gaudet. Read and watch it HERE.

Canada not distracted by Norway's pants

[photo - Gavin Day]

Norway have traditionally had Canada's number and were my pick to be the team no one will want to meet in the playoffs. Against Canada, who they beat in round robin play lasy year, they took singles in the first three ends and were ahead 5-4 with hammer in the eighth.

Jim Armstrong threw a perfect guard with his first stone and then came around with his last stone to sit two. Norwegian skip Rune Lorentsen crashed on the guard to give Canada a 6-4 win. Match report HERE

Lindon Little's report in the Vancouver Sun suggests that Canada needed every bit of Jim's ice-reading experience to counter difficult ice conditions; heavy with huge late swing. Norway protested the result of a measurement, a protest that was denied after video review.

USA played Germany, the team that robbed them of a medal at last year's Worlds. Germany stole the  first 4 points, but USA playyed patiently and scored singles in the last three ends to take the game 6-5.  Match report HERE

USA skip said: "I have nothing but praise for our team. In the second end we made some mistakes and missed an easy draw. But I said to the guys that we have to believe we can still make it, even though we were four points down. If we get steals of one or two, we'll be fine."

A disappointed Jens Jager bemoaned his last shot: "On my last takeout I was too slow. It was a good match and we had control. I was just too slow on the last one."

Korea beat Japan 7-5 and Italy brutalised Switzerland 13-4 in six ends.

Switzerland didn't fare any better in the evening against Great Britain who finally posted a win, staying close through the break before stealing a key four points in the fifth end and winning 10-2.

Italy posted their second win of the day, 9-1 over a hapless Swedish side struggling to find their first win and the form that won silver against the same teams a year ago.

Canada play Japan at 12.30 and Sweden at 6pm tomorrow.

For full results and line scores visit our Vancouver Paralympic page.

Paralympics Day 1 review - Canada show they mean business

 Team Canada's Ina Forrest and Sonja Gaudet

photo - Martin Rose

By the end of the first day of competition, many of the questions that had invited speculation in the build-up to the Vancouver Paralympic Games seemed settled.

Jim Armstrong was not only fit to play, but his team avoided the shaky start that nearly cost them at last year's Worlds. They hammered Great Britain 9-2 in the opening draw, and then ran ahead of USA in the evening 8-2 at the break before closing out a 10-5 win to post a 2-0 record.

Great Britain had something to prove; that their delivery position experiment could pay dividends a year after a disastrous Worlds, and that the combination of Michael McCreadie skipping from 3rd while Aileen Neilson threw last rocks, could produce wins.

Their decisive loss to Canada and the narrower last end loss to Norway will not help their confidence, though it will have come at a good time for Norway who in Draw 1 threw away a 6-4 lead over Germany by giving up 6 in the 7th end of a 10-6 loss.

Sweden came in with a new coach, Tomas Nordin, and it was to be seen whether he could add the missing ingredient that might convert last year's silver medal into gold. They suffered a 7-6 loss to Switzerland in the early draw, then played Korea tight through 5 ends before falling apart, and suffering a total meltdown in the final end. Down 2, they threw 5 complete misses and left looking dejected, losing 8-4. It will take all Nordin's experience to rebuild  the smiles from the team who last year at least looked as though they were enjoying themselves.

USA, despite giving up two 3-enders stole a comfortable 9-6 win over Korea in the opening draw, and while it is never pleasant to give up a 4, and 4 more to consecutive steals playing Canada, who they beat in round robin play last year, they will probably feel their day was worthwhile, and their biggest hurdle behind them.

Germany played just one game and must feel, with their winning 6-spot, that their luck has carried over from their last shot at the 2009 Worlds. And in the battle of the unknowns, Japan, with 75 year old Takashi Hidai at second, beat Italy 9-6.

Full line scores and tables can be found HERE.

Canada play Norway in Draw 3 their only game on Day 2.

Paralympic Draw 1 results

Canada beats Great Britain 9-2 in opening draw. USA beats Korea 9-6. Germany beats Norway 10-6. Switzerland beats Sweden 7-6

Great Britain took 1 in the first according to this CTV photo

Line scores have been posted to the wheelchaircurling.com website HERE

Report from CTV

The Canadian wheelchair curling team opened their campaign to win back-to-back gold medals by taking a 9-2 victory in seven ends over Great Britain in a rematch Saturday of the gold medal final from four years ago.

Comment from Jim Armstrong: “It certainly didn’t reflect well on Great Britain. They are better than the score showed. We got on the ice quick and it was curling a lot more than we were used to. They [were forced] to come to us and it was tough for them.”

and one from Michael McCreadie: “It was a good start for us with a steal [in the first end]. But then we were too aggressive in the second and third ends. We tried to claw back but you just have to learn from these types of games. If we’re going to have that kind of game, why not have it early?”

Draw 2 begins at 6pm local time. Canada play USA, Norway vs Great Britain, Sweden vs Korea and Italy vs Japan

Paralympic Games - Draw 1 preview

It would be foolish to say that as goes Draw 1 so goes the tournament, but that may be true for Great Britain. They open against Canada with not only a Torino Final memory to erase, but with a chance to push aside all the skepticism and doubt expressed by those outside their program, myself included, that their radical approach to delivery position can bring success.

A year ago Great Britain appeared in disarray. Their coach put that down to expected and manageable effects of learning a new approach to throwng their stones.

This year Great Britain welcome back Angie Malone at lead, and with Aileen Neilson now settled at fourth stones, skip Michael McCreadie is free to concentrate on calling the game.

Canada will show how well they handle the pressure of the home crowd's expectation that they'll win them all. We'll see whether Jim Armstrong's series of physical misfortunes has affected his play.

A win for Great Britain will mean that not only can Canada be beaten, but also that their experiment is working. Canada can afford a loss, though I don't expect them to lose. Scotland need a win, or at minimum a very tight game, to settle their nerves and build their confidence.

Other games in the opening draw: Korea-USA, Sweden-Switzerland and Germany-Norway.

New to wheelchair curling? Watch this video

BBC Sport has a series of videos introducing wheelchair curling and also the members of the wheelchair curling team.

Michael McCreadie, skip of Team Great Britain, was the only curler to be given the honour of carrying his nation's flag at the Opening Ceremonies of the Vancouver Paralympics.

In the video below he gives a full explanation of how wheelchair curling is played, ending with encouragement for people to come out and try the sport. There's lots of people who will help, he says, concluding:"Give me a call and I'll turn up also."

One interesting note from the video: they edited in the last rock thrown by Frank Duffy from the Torino Games, where Great Britain had an open hit to win gold. It starts at 2.00 into the video.

Other videos including video profiles of Team GB curlers, can be found HERE.

Who'll make the podium at the Paralympic Games?

I gave my predictions in my Paralympic preview post. Now it's your turn.

Places 1 through 4 in the comments below - and remember, there's no credit of your post is anonymous.

Your choices, in alphabetical order: Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Korea, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, USA.

Takashi Hidai, at 75 this year's oldest Paralympian

Takashi Hidai

[Information from the Tokyo Five blog]

Takashi Hidai plays 2nd for Japan  and at 75 years old is not only the oldest person to ever join the Japanese Paralympics Team, but will be the oldest competitor at the Vancouver Games.

When he was 31 years old, he was working in Tokyo as an electrician on a construction site when a crane fell on him, paralyzing him from the waist down.

He credits the love of his wife and daughter (who was three years old at the time) with helping maintain his positive attitude after his tragedy.

He is an accomplished archer, traveling to England in 2005 to compete in the World Archery Championship.

“Being 70 years old (at the time), I was really surprised to make it to the World Championships!” he said.

About five years ago, an acquaintance who participated in a local Wheelchair Curling workshop suggested Mr. Hidai try curling. He doubted that he would be able to maneuver his wheelchair on ice at the age of seventy, let alone compete against people forty or fifty years younger than him, but now excels at it.

Takashi Hidai lost his daughter, whom he said constantly encouraged him with a smile, nineteen years ago from cancer. She was only 28 years old and had just became a mother.

He wishes she was still here to encourage him when he plays at the 2010 Paralympics in Canada next month.

*****************************

Speaking of encouragement, here's the support flag that the Asahikawa Cute para-curling team sent to Vancouver. {from Kannane.net via the Para Sports in Japan blog]

"If I don’t have headache, I didn’t think hard enough" - Perez

Goose Perez, braced by Jimmy Joseph and watched by lead Jacqui Kapinowski

Team USA's Augusto 'Goose' Perez says he loves skipping. “It makes me think. If I don’t come off the ice with a headache, I didn’t think hard enough,” he told Grant Granger of the Abbotsford News. Read the article HERE.

The USA team trained at the Abbotsford CC at the invitation of Linda Kirton, who will be taking the oath on behalf of the officials at the Paralympic Opening Ceremony tomorrow evening.

Goose took (friendly) exception to my suggestion in the Paralympic preview that he loves the hero shot.


"if we end up wih a tough shot either because of misses or errors in game calling on my part, then i am ready to take responsibility. I have always avoided the hero shot which may win you games but not championships. The fact is that in the past by our own mistakes, probably mostly in errors of mine in calling the game, we have found ourselves in a spot to throw not the shot we wish but the one we had to. One thing is right, if it needs to be thrown i don't shy away if that's the only choice we see. Remember most heroes end up dead!"

Aileen Neilson's Paralympic Diary

Photo - Bob Cowan

Team Great Britain's Aileen Neilson, who throws 4th stones for skip Michael McCreadie, will be writing a diary for the East Kilbride News.

"It was quite a surreal moment, but this was when I knew I had arrived at the Paralympic Games.

Picking up my accreditation card for the Games was an amazing feeling and when I saw my name on that card with the Paralympic emblem on it, I knew I was ready to enjoy and savour every moment of my time in Vancouver."

Read the rest of the first instalment HERE. Great Britain play Canada in the opening draw this Saturday (March 13) and I know I'll be looking for that entry.

Paralympic preview and predictions

Play begins at the 2010 Paralympic Games on Saturday when host team Canada takes on the nine nations with the best record over the past three World Championships. Japan, mostly on the basis of a 5th place in 2007, replace China, late-comers to international play, in the one change from the ten teams who competed at the 2009 Worlds in the same venue.

Canada skip Jim Armstrong's injury plagued season has kept the rumour mill grinding but there was never a real prospect that he wouldn't play. Lead Sonja Gaudet is the one returning 2006 gold medalist. Ina Forrest at 2nd and Darryl Neighbour at 3rd, makes alternate Bruno Yizek the one change from the team that after a sometimes shaky round robin, powered through the play-offs to win Canada's first ever World Championship last February.

Armstrong makes frequent reference to the absence of ego in the side, but it would have to be a very large ego to challenge the huge disparity in experience between the skip and his team. While four decades of curling brings obvious advantages in ice-reading and game management, it's Jim's throwing that excites coach Joe Rea.

"Who better, with all his experience, to throw the final stone?" he told me as the team wrapped up it's preparations.

"The thing we have been able to do this year," he said, "is work with the same group over two trips to Europe and several weekend camps. That's allowed us to try out different game plans, not all successful," he admitted.

"We've tried different things this season and have settled on a game plan we think works for us. We may alter it slightly depending on ice conditions, but essentially we'll be coming into the house early, keeping the front clean, and throwing 9 second takeouts.

"When we got into trouble last year it was through missing hits, and with extra weight you remove the ice as a factor."

No secret there, though last year opposing skips found it almost impossible to resist calling for low percentage (by wheelchair curling standards) hits on Canadian rocks to the side and to the back of the rings.

Then there's the University of Alberta's top secret Own The Podium financed performance evaluation and enhancement program. Everyone's sworn to double-secret probation against speaking about it.

"We were able to adjust a lot of things that were bio-mechanically incorrect," claims Phys. Ed. lecturer Pierre Baudin.

If Canada have a weakness it might be the team's over-reliance on Armstrong's leadership. Last year when Jim struggled, so did the team and especially Darryl at 3rd. The coaches deny that's an issue, but it's how it looked to me last year, and we have yet to see how well Jim can throw under pressure after his latest injuries.

The official team goal is on the podium, but to quote Jim: "I've never taken satisfaction from a contest that ended on a defeat."

Canada are heavy favourites, especially if their opposition, as last year, have not worked on a game plan to counter their strengths. But then, games can come down to one or two shots, and in a sport where excellence is still to be counted in the 60 percentile, there's lots of room for error - and upset.

Prospects - shock if not in play-offs, surprise if they don't take gold.

Great Britain, in contrast to Canada, made just one change from the Torino team who saw their gold medal flash away. Aileen Nielsen throws last rocks, replacing Frank Duffy, who retired. Michael McCreadie skips from 3rd, and Angie Malone and Tom Killin return at lead and second.

Two years ago the team began an experiment that moved their delivery point back from the hogline. Coach Pendreigh describes it as a "skill acquisition project" and professes surprise at the skepticism it has provoked.

"While we deliver softer weights from the back to allow us to use split times and gain the use of all the ice, we still have the ability to move to the front (for takeouts). This (gives) the team a larger range of shots ... The performance dip which was expected and managed may well have cost us (Worlds medals) but we all believed our long term goal of achieving  a top 4 spot at the Games was a worthwhile sacrifice.

"The team are much more comfortable with their new found talents and their understanding of the game and each other. Should we play anything close to our potential then all the work and effort will have been made all the more worthwhile.

"We relish the opportunity to play to Canada in the first game. I suspect there will be a degree of expectation on their shoulders and a passionate crowd with similar expectations……..I think it is therefore a good time to play Canada, but we have to play all the teams at least once!"

The GB team (all Scots) curl full-time. Aileen joins a group who have played and won at international level for many years, though Michael McCreadie, for all his playing experience, is one of the tournament's newer skips.

From the outside it appears Pendreigh took an unnecessary gamble changing delivery points. A subsequent rule change means everyone's stones can now be placed up to 6 inches off  centre at delivery, and the further the rock has to travel, the more opportunity it has to go off-line.

Prospects - On the podium if the experiment works. Exile to England for the coach if it doesn't.

Norway brought in a Dane, Per Christensen, to coach a team lacking in self-confidence after a disappointing 6th place in the 2009 Worlds, not helped by lack of local ice, since solved.

"They have the mental toughness, the willpower, to overcome these problems and they do not give up before the last stone. That is their strength," Christensen said after announcing an unchanged squad.

"The team has been on a constant curve, which should peak at the Paralympics. They have played  better and better during the season, winning January in Perth.

"Though it was difficult for the team in the beginning, our practices and adopting new tactics mean now I have a strong team and we are coming to Vancouver to play for Gold. No less, They were World Champions in 2007 and 2008.  It will of course not be easy, All the participating teams can win, with Canada as favourites. Our first goal is to get to the play-offs. After that anything can happen.

"Will we play Canada differently than other teams? I say we play our own game ... we will set up our play according to which team we are meeting. I have to find their weak sides and then play to them."
 
Norway is a team with proven athletes from other disciplines. They have an excellent record against Canada, winning a game potentially critical to both teams in the last round robin draw of the 2009 Worlds.

Christensen is confident Canada can be beaten. Norway have never posted impressive stats, but if their new coach adds improved execution to a plan that doesn't allow Canada to dictate the play, their knack of pulling out wins makes them serious contenders.

Prospects - play-offs, as the team you won't want to meet.

Sweden also have a new coach, multi-World Champion Tomas Nordin. He teams with a very experienced skip, Jalle Jungnell, who won bronze in Torino and silver with this squad last March. Nordin may bring some sophistication to a side that got sucked into attempting low percentage back 12 hits in their 2009 final loss to Canada.

Nordin has been away from the game for several years and was unfamiliar with wheelchair curling when he took the job. Jim Armstrong has remarked how steep he found the learning curve transitioning from the able-bodied game. The question for Sweden is has the coach had time to absorb the differences  and raise Sweden's game enough to win it all?

Prospects - play-offs if their maturity at skip is complimented by strategic and tactical improvements learned from one of curling's great players.

USA lean on their emotional skip, Augusto 'Goose' Perez, whose self-belief walks a fine line short of arrogance. He lives for the opportunity to make what Russ Howard describes as the "hero shot."

Team dynamics and communication have been a focus of preparation, Team Leader Marc DePerno said: "The extensive amount of time spent together has further reinforced team harmony.

"They devoted significantly more time and energy to their training regimen this season.  The team has participated in dozens of games against elite level able-bodied and wheelchair athletes which has resulted in marked improvement in their strategy and shot making abilities."

If USA play as a unit and position their early stones, they have a last rock thrower ready to rise to the big occasion.

Prospects - with a good start USA could - go - all - the - way, but should be happy to break 500 and possibly make the play-offs.

Germany came to the 2009 Worlds through the Qualifying Competition, posted
the best round robin record (7-2) and won bronze, albeit on a spectacular fluke re-direction of the games last stone.

They have an ebullient skip, Jens Jäger, a wonderful attitude and great fans who sing the team song. They also have a rare quadriplegic, Marcus Sieger, at third. What's needed for the next step?

"Good question," says coach Helmar Erlewein "The most important point is to maintain concentration from the round robin to the semi-finals. This was our big problem in 2009. We were not able to come back into the game as we wanted. But we are working on that.

"I don’t think that we will play Canada differently than other teams. We have a master plan which we can vary if required. Final decisions will be made from game to game."

Prospects - Performance this year has been spotty. They'll do well to finish above 500.

Korea scared everybody at the 2008 Worlds when they introduced a super-hitting style and smashed their way into the final. No one could match their hit weight. At last year's Worlds, neither could Korea, at least not accurately. The better teams adjusted to Korea's hitting game, and their coach seemed despondent that his team, who he had only met at the Championship, seemed unwilling to listen to his suggestions.

Korea played in the Richmond BC Cashspiel last November, finishing second to Canada. Success in Vancouver will likely depend on whether they have been able to add a draw game to their deadly hitting.

Prospects - with the element of surprise gone and teams no longer afraid of their hitting, no better than mid-table.

Italy arrived just before the start of last year's Worlds, began 4-1, beating Canada, then crashed to 4-5 as lack of fitness and experience took its toll. They have the skill to win as they proved by beating Germany in the 2010 Identa Cup but have comparatively little international experience or funding.

Prospects - they will do well to equal last March's record.

Japan has an average age of 51. Takashi Hidai (2nd)  is 75, Japan's oldest Paralympian and the Games' oldest athlete. They made a short visit to BC in November, winning their one exhibition game against Canada 8-3. They failed to qualify for last year's Worlds, earning their Paralympic spot on the strength of a 5th place in 2007.

They are all members of the Shinsyu Chair Curling Club that won the last five Japan Wheelchair Curling Championships. with skip Nakajima participating in each one.

Over 100 members of the Japanese media attended the send-off ceremonies for Japan's Paralympic team, but while media interest is high, it's doubtful they'll out-perform the 2007 team.

Prospects - an unknown quantity but unlikely to prosper against much more experienced opposition.

Switzerland completely rebuilt their team around skip Manfred Bollinger after going 3-6 on home ice at the 2008 Worlds. In 2009 they did worse, and will have to re-qualify in 2011. Bollinger is an excellent shot-maker, though he damaged his hand late in the year and withdrew from the team's last spiel.

Prospects - unable to do worse than last year.


Summary - Canada won the 2009 Worlds because they made their shots, coaxed their opponents into low percentage hits and always had a viable shot with skip stones.

I expect Canada, Sweden, Great Britain (aka Scotland) and Norway to have made the biggest improvements over last year, with GB having the largest potential for improvement.

Germany and USA over-performed last year and may struggle to repeat. Korea need to do more than hit. Japan replaces China from the 2009 Worlds line-up and with Italy and Switzerland will have to re-qualify for Worlds play. None of the three have shown they could challenge this year.

Prediction: Canada, Norway, GB, Sweden, USA, Germany, Korea, Italy, Switzerland, Japan.

You can add your (more accurate, I'm sure) predictions to the comments, but you get no credit if you post anonymously.

Coverage of Paralympic wheelchair curling

Last year at the 2009 Worlds, Cate and I live-blogged and reported every Canadian match. We were able to do that because the CCA helped with our expenses.

We had hoped to do something similar at the Paralympics, but despite approaching every possible source of funding, we were not able to cover accommodation and on-site costs. A couple of offers of accommodation did not materialise, so although we have media accreditation, it doesn't look as though we will be attending Canada's defence of their Paralympic gold medal.

The television consortium that covered the Olympics will be producing 25 hours of English language Paralympic programming, almost all devoted to sledge hockey and an evening highlight show.

As far as I know, the only live media coverage of wheelchair curling will be on Paralympic Sport TV

The schedule is on a pdf document at this link.

While it is personally disappointing not to be able to continue the work we bagan at last year's Worlds and take advantage of the relationships we established with athletes and coaches from all the teams, we can't force perceptions of value where they don't exist.

The website and blog have been around just long enough for the service they provide to be taken for granted.  We have several thousand readers every week, and no income.

So it goes.

Ina Forrest and Sonja Gaudet talk about the Paralympics

Ina Forrest and Soja Gaudet

Team Canada 2nd Ina Forrest tells The Vernon Morning Star these Games will mean so much more because her family will be there to watch her. She relished having that experience last year at worlds.

“It was fabulous to have your family attend and see what it is you do. It makes it that much more exciting for yourself.”

Lead Sonja Gaudet says “The experience I had in Torino is a benefit for me. Until I went there I didn’t know how I was going to react in those (big game) situations.

“I’m pretty good at that anyway, blocking out distraction and using distraction in a positive light. To me that’s all good.”

Read what else they had to say HERE

GB's McCreadie hints at retirement (again)

Four years ago, just after Great Britain saw the gold medal they had been favourites to win, flash away with their last rock. skip Frank Duffy and 3rd Michael McCreadie announced their retirement from competitive wheelchair curling.

Frank did quit, but Michael, who'll be 64 on March 16th, soon re-stoked the competitive fires. Next week extends a Paralympic career that began in the pool 38 years ago in ago in Heidelberg, Germany, and continued with bowls, wheelchair basketball and now curling.

"It's good to know that talent is still there from way back then," he told The Press Association's Matt McGeehan.

"(Vancouver gold) would be one of the greatest achievements of my career and maybe a good time to say bye-bye."

Read the interview HERE.