Armstrong and son indicted by US grand jury

UPDATE: May 10. A hearing, scheduled for May 6, was postponed. No word on when, or if, it will be rescheduled. The public record of the case shows no information beyond what was known as Jim was released on a $20,000 surety bond at the end of April. If the matter is being investigated by a grand jury, the proceedings are not made public by the prosecution until the grand jury's deliberations are complete.

UPDATE: May 2.  The U.S. Attorney's office issued a press release Friday. It can be read HERE.

More reporting by Bob Mackin of 24Hours HERE

CTV News website is reporting that Team Canada skip Jim Armstrong and his 28 year old son Gregory have been indicted by a grand jury in Seattle. They are accused of trafficking in counterfeit goods and selling and dispensing counterfeit drugs with the intent to mislead or defraud.

The charges carry a maximum 10-year prison sentence and $2-million fine. The two men have been released from custody on bonds, and are scheduled to appear in court again on May 6 for arraignment.

The complaint filed in USA vs. James Peter Armstrong

The Vancouver.24hrs.ca website has a (pdf file) link to the formal complaint filed in US District Court, Case #MJ10-171 USA vs. James Peter Armstrong.

Armstrong skips lunch with Canada’s P.M.

The Globe and Mail reported that Jim Armstrong decided not to travel with his team mates to Ottawa where they were scheduled to have lunch with Prime Minister Steven Harper prior to a special presentation to medalists from the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Coach Joe Rea told the Globe and Mail, “I thought it was a joke to begin with,” he said, adding that he received an e-mail from Mr. Armstrong when he arrived at work Wednesday saying everything was going to be okay and that he was going to be cleared.

“It's a very unfortunate situation right now, but I think he's going to sort through it.”

Team Canada skip arrested for trafficking in counterfeit goods

[Photo - Bob Cowan]

Team Canada skip Jim Armstrong was arrested at a mail box service in Blaine Washington attempting to pick up a package containing 2,800 erectile dysfunction pills. He was charged with trafficking in counterfeit goods and accused of helping to distribute Chinese-made pills labeled as Viagra and Cialis, according to a report at seattlepi.com picked up by The Curling News.

"Speaking with investigators, Armstrong allegedly admitted to bringing multiple shipments of the drugs into Canada. He is alleged to have claimed he provided the drugs to another man, who in turn sold them at clubs in the Vancouver area.

Jailed following his arrest, Armstrong was released after posting bond on $20,000 bail. He is expected to return to U.S. District Court on April 30 for a preliminary hearing."

Were the charges to result in a conviction, it may affect Armstrong's future ability to travel to the USA.

Paralympic silver medalists inspire an Olympian's $$$ donation

Kim Yu-na

(photo - Ahn Young-joon)

Saying that she has cried for joy twice this year--when she won the gold medal at the Vancouver Olympics and when the Korean wheelchair curling team won the silver medal at the Vancouver Winter Paralympics - Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yu-na plans to donate her fee for appearing in a radio campaign for the rights of the disabled to the Korea Foundation for Persons with Disabilities.

Thank you

I'd like to thank those who have made a donation to support the wheelchair curling website and blog. Because of you, most of the expenses of putting them online this year have been covered.

If you have been thinking about making a contribution in any amount, it's not too late. You can donate by credit card by clicking on the link at the top right hand corner of the blog, or you can email me at eric@wheelchaircurling.com for my address if you'd prefer to send a cheque.

Knowing that my efforts are appreciated makes a difference not only to what I can do, but also to how motivated I feel to do it.

Thanks.

Eric

Cape Cod MA hosting summer spiel July 22-25

A couple of years ago the Cape Cod CC undertook an extensive renovation of its 40 year old building, specifically to offer the opportunity for wheelchair users to participate in the club's activities.

This summer the club is hosting an international spiel and Team USA and Team Germany have already committed to attend, as well as several domestic American and Canadian teams.

Entry deadline has been extended and will now close May 9th. Contact Marc DePerno 315-737-2459 if you have any questions.

The club is situated in Falmouth, MA, 70 miles south of Boston. CLICK HERE for event details

Proposed rule changes for wheelchair curling need further study

Prior to the World Curling Federation's meeting in Cortina April 7th, a lengthy document was circulated detailing proposed changes to the eligibility rules for wheelchair curling. The document attempted to describe in highly tyechnical language exactly what degree of disability would be necessary for an athlete to become eligible to compete in WCF sanctioned events such as the World Championships and the Paralympic Games.

The document attempted to draw a line somewhere between full-time wheelchair user and able-bodied, that included everyone with a significant disability affecting their lower limbs or gait such that a wheelchair would be necessary for them to curl.

The regulations would have to be sufficiently specific and clear to allow eligibility of athletes to be determined by a classifier, but also in the event of a dispute, provide objective criteria for an appeal panel to judge a classification decision.

At present there is no appeal protocol: the original classifier's opinion is final.

Under the new proposal, curlers would be given a designation of qualified, or not qualified, or qualified subject to future review. Decisions to accept or reject an athlete could be appealed to a panel of two classifiers not involved in the original decision.

It has, however, proven more complicated than expected to draw up clear and acceptable eligibility criteria, and the language in the original proposal was not accepted at the meeting and will be reviewed. The delay may mean that the new WCF rule book, due in June, will again not contain a procedure for appeal of an eligibility assessment.

This issue should be seen in the context of Michael McCreadie's concerns that wheelchair curling is fast becoming a sport played by amputees and low level paraplegics to the exclusion of more significantly disabled wheelchair users, and against the guiding principles of Paralympic sport.

Is it better for the future of wheelchair curling that the widest possible pool of potential participants be eligible to compete, or should it be. at least at the international level, a sport inclusive of a range of disabilities requiring wheelchair use? Is the decision different for countries with few facilities than for Canada with many?

Wheelchair curling administrators are already discovering that the definition of wheelchair user is complicated and subjective; and that's just the beginning.

News from British Columbia

The Cranbrook Daily Townsman reports that Kimberley will host the 2011 BC Wheelchair Curling Championship from Feb. 3-6, 2011

"It's a natural fit," said club president Gord Jenkins, "given the types of improvements the club has made since its building was condemned a few years ago.

“When we did the renovations, we said, ‘Let's make this a barrier-free facility.'”
 [read more]

The 2010 championship banner will hang in the Richmond CC as four of the five team members play there. The 2011 Worlds are scheduled for Prague February 21 - March 3, so it is possible that Sonja Gaudet, Ina Forrest and Jackie Roy will be available in 2011, potentially doubling the number of teams that may compete.

National silver medalist Alison Duddy was profiled in the Quesnel Cariboo Observer.

Alison Duddy with teammates Whitney Warren and Frank LaBounty

"For my first time out to the nationals, I’m happy,” Duddy said.“But at the same time there is a little bit of bittersweet.”

The sweet side of getting the silver medal Duddy said, was the one − two finish for the B.C. teams, and they did it on home ice in front of family and friends.

“[But] we had our chances in the gold medal game, unfortunately we just couldn’t pull it out.”

Duddy also acknowledged the play of opposing skip Cormack, particularly in the gold-medal game, as one of the highlights of the tournament.

“In one end we were sitting six and he had to make a perfect shot and he did to count one,” Duddy explained, adding Cormack did the very same thing in a subsequent end with her team sitting with five counters in the rings. [read more]

CurlBC is inviting applications for its High Performance program which is open to all players and coaches in BC. Details can be found HERE.

Finally, with Team Canada and the national championship final virtually all-BC affair, to what do you attribute BC's success, and what must happen outside of BC to broaden the spread of competitive honours?

Is it simply success breeding success? The presence of Jim Armstrong? What do you think?

News from the Scottish Wheelchair Curling Association

The Royal Caledonian Curling Club, the national governing body for curling in Britain, has posted news from the AGM of the Scottish Wheelchair Curling Association.

After detailing changes in committee membership, the post continued:

There were interesting points made on various topics which will be followed up by the Committee.

The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the Chair, and was followed by afternoon tea kindly hosted by South Lanarkshire Wheelchair Curling Club.

Alas, no mention of what was in the sandwiches.

Marc DePerno, USA team leader, wins Spirit Award

Marc DePerno, team leader for the 2010 Paralympic wheelchair curling team, has received an O.C. Tanner Inspiration Award after being nominated by James Joseph.

The O.C. Tanner Inspiration Award honors those frequently left behind the scenes. Those who ignited the spark. Encouraged the dream. Awakened the quest for glory. It honors those who will never receive a medal of their own. But instead made it possible for someone else.

Here's Jimmy's nomination letter:

They say a person's true character is best demonstrated when they sacrifice their time and resources to help those in need.

On October 15, 1987, I was working for Waste Management emptying a trash bin into my dump truck when I was struck from behind. A truck pinned me in between both vehicles.  The extensive trauma resulted in the amputation of both my legs, but my life was spared.  I was 25 years old and suddenly had no direction in life.  I spent the next 16 years working random jobs and partying with my friends. I lived a life that truly had no meaning.

In 2003, I learned of the Sitrin Success through Adaptive Recreation and Sports program in my neighborhood and contacted the program director.  I spent 15 minutes talking with Marc DePerno on the phone that day, learning about the opportunity to engage in sports such as wheelchair basketball, racing and curling.  I couldn't believe that this stranger wanted to help me. He encouraged me to come to his office immediately.  Little did I know, my life was about to change.

Initially, Marc taught me how to play wheelchair basketball and secured a grant for me to receive my own sport wheelchair.  He then assisted me with training for a local wheelchair road race and even managed to find a way to get me my own custom-fit racing wheelchair.  He introduced me to kayaking and canoeing as well.  But my most life changing experience came when he introduced me to wheelchair curling.  From the moment I threw my first stone in December of 2004, I fell in love with the sport.  Since that time, I have won six U.S. National Championships, represented the United States at four World Championships and two Paralympic Winter Games, and won a bronze medal at the 2008 World Championships.  Throughout the entire process, Marc has been by my side serving as my mentor, my guide and my friend.  The countless hours he has spent away from his family to develop the STARS program and assist me, and dozens of others with disabilities, speaks volumes to his character.

These past seven years have been the most productive of my life, not just based on my athletic accomplishments, but rather the things I've done off the field of play.  Marc taught me that I could use my disability as a platform to educate others.  He and I have traveled to numerous schools and community events promoting disability awareness.  We routinely interview on our local radio and television networks.  We speak with individuals who are recovering from traumatic injuries at rehabilitation centers and hospitals so they can realize the opportunities that lie before them.  Additionally, I was nominated by Senator Joseph Griffo for the New York State Senate Achiever's Award as well as inducted into the central New York Optimus Hall of Fame for my commitment to serving as a role model in my community.  These things were unfathomable to me earlier in my life when meaning and purpose was lost.

My life has changed 180 degrees, thanks to Marc's intervention.  Based on my new found direction in life, my wife and I decided to have a child and welcomed our angel, Janaya Rose into this world three years ago.  She comes to my basketball and curling games and has become our team cheerleader.  I know my life would not be as fulfilling if I was not involved with Marc.

Marc's message is one of ability, not disability.  Experiencing physical trauma isn't the end of being "you", rather a new chapter in your life. With his guidance and inspiration, my life story has become a best seller.

Big win for wheelchair curlers at WCF meeting

The World Curling Federation's semi-annual meetings have been held in Cortina this week, during the Men's World Championships. There were several important issues discussed that directly affect wheelchair users, and one indirect decision that may be just as influential in the long term.

First, the current ban on power wheelchairs has been lifted. As has been discussed on this blog, the ban served no equitable purpose. Power wheelchairs proffered no advantage to the athlete and imposed no burden on the ice. Removing the ban, in the absence of evidence that it served an explicable purpose, was overdue.

I do not have any details beyond the announcement, but I do know that the CCA was fully supportive of a lifting of the ban. I also know that the British team had been asked their opinion, and also supported allowing the use of power chairs in WCF competition.

While this decision is unlikely to mark an immediate influx of power chair users, it will have an impact on decisions made by national coaches. In my pre-Paralympic discussion with Team Canada coach Joe Rea he mentioned that the ban at WCF events influenced his decision about whether to work with power chair users at the national level.

Some time ago Great Britain skip Michael McCreadie circulated a discussion paper suggesting that rules changes needed to be made to ensure that a wider range of level of disability is represented in national teams. The power chair decision may indicate that his arguments are being heard.

The most dramatic news from Cortina was that sitting President Canadian Les Harrison has been deposed by his vice-President Kate Caithness of Scotland. While Les Harrison was cordial when I spoke to him last year, he referred all discussion of wheelchair curling to Kate Caithness.

There was also a detailed revision of eligibility rules for wheelchair curling presented at the meeting, but no news has surfaced yet.

Photos from the 2010 Canadian National Championships

Scott Thompson took photos at the Championship and has posted them HERE.

Here's a small selection.

BC Host - 2010 Canadian National Champions

Team BC - 2010 Canadian National Silver Medalists

Team Manitoba - 2010 Canadian National Bronze Medalists

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.

Looking back on the 2010 Canadian National Wheelchair Curling Championship

Ten teams of wheelchair curlers present significant logistical challenges to any venue hosting a Canadian National Wheelchair Curling Championship. Every organising committee works long and hard, fielding friendly and enthusiastic volunteers. This year's co-chairs Gerry Austgarden and Deanna Tuokko had the advantages of proximity of the host hotel to the curling club, the space for 50 plus wheelchairs to manoeuvre inside the club, a schedule that avoided a three draw day, and almost perfect weather.

Experience showed in the results. The top three teams all had ex-Team Canada members throwing fourth stones, and it was probably no co-incidence that the BC teams, Manitoba and Alberta, the teams that reached the play-offs, have the longest record of participation in the Championship, with mostly players experienced in week long competition.

Gary Cormack, skip of the BC Host team had seemed very relaxed during the week, saying he was "quietly confident" he could beat Team BC. "We beat them in the Provincial round robin," he reminded me. It was good to see Vince Miele win his jacket on his on-ice performance, rather than physical proximity to the winning team. He's been around since the earliest days and his perseverance won a just reward.

Gerry Austgarden will feel disappointed to have fallen just short, especially with the upstairs gallery full of family and friends. He had his chances to win but too often had trouble finding draw weight. BC lead Alison Duddy played well at lead after just a year curling. She was coached by Frank Labounty who drove from Prince George to Quesnel throughout the season to assist their wheelchair curlers.

Manitoba's Chris Sobkowicz probably felt, as I did, that this would be his breakthrough year. Last year's Manitoba team appeared to be having no fun, and there was clear tension between team and coach by the end of the week. This year they changed coaches, but were just as dour and unsmiling, a fact that was remarked upon by several teams. Chris even refused to shake the hands with a member of one team that beat them.

It's possible to want to win too much. You lose perspective. Every mistake hurts and there's a slight around every corner. An experienced coach can perhaps help, but only if the team sees it as a problem. Most teams would be delighted with another bronze, but not, I suspect Manitoba. They barely raised a smile all week before claiming three of the four places on the All-Star team. Why then didn't they win the important matches? If it wasn't poor execution, then perhaps they need to look at their game calling.

Alberta lost their page play-off on a last rock hit that rolled an inch too far, just as skip Jack Smart's last rock in the 2009 final. This year Alberta were without third Bruno Yizek. Though Anne Hibberd stepped up, and Martin Purvis won All-Star at second (he was probably the most improved player over last year) it was clear that Jack missed Bruno's presence on the ice.

There was a noticeable gap in ability between the top three teams and the six teams with losing records. For Ontario it was their first nine-draw tournament, and if they can get past what will be tough opposition next year, they will benefit from this year's experience. Moving skip Bruce Cameron to third for the harder throwing Doug Morris seemed a sensible idea though the whole team's statistics suffered as the week wore on.

Nova Scotia proved they can play by being the only team to beat BC Host. They also beat Alberta and lost narrowly to BC and Manitoba. But they also lost to bottom of the table Newfoundland and Quebec.

No one could accuse Saskatchewan of not enjoying themselves, but like Northern Ontario they brought the same players but failed to improve on last year. Quebec had a horrible start that dented skip Ben Lessard's confidence, but they finished by winning their last two games, which made it all the more disappointing that the three male team members chose to leave a day early and did not attend the banquet.

Newfoundland and Labrador brought the same team, only without Chris Daw at skip, with probably predictable results. With three women on the team it should be possible to grow their provincial program, given that the stumbling block for most teams is difficulty attracting female curlers.

Looking forward to next year I hope the CCA reconsider their decision not to support broadcasting the games. Though they had an "official" website, it contained no information outside of scores and statistics and photographs. (Their coverage of the Paralympics was limited to a photograph and a press release announcing coverage that never materialised.)

I know that the CCA's Danny Lamoureux understands the value of publicity, but if wheelchair curlers, their families and supporters want to know what is going on at their national championship, they need to ask the CCA to fund coverage, whoever does it, as they did last year in Halifax. You can reach Danny Lamoureux at danny@curling.ca.

2010 Canadian Nationals - Awards and Trophies

At the Saturday evening banquet for the participants at the 2010 Canadian National Championship in Kelowna, the food was great, the speeches mercifully short, the comedy entertainment bombed but the awards and trophies were well deserved and graciously received.

Awards were presented by CCA representative Jack Bowman, with photos by Dave O'Byrne.

2010 All-Stars
Arlene Ursel (MB lead) Martin Purvis (AB 2nd)
Dennis Thiessen (MB 3rd) and Chris Sobkowicz (MB 4th)

2010 Sportsmanship Award
Chester Draper (N. Ontario)

2010 John McCrae Trophy
Retrieved from N. Ontario by Ontario skip Bruce Cameron

Tournament Co-Chairs Deanna Tuokko and Gerry Austgarden

The BC Host team crowned National Champions

The BC Host team won the all BC final of the 2010 Canadian National Wheelchair Curling Championships at the Kelowna CC this afternoon.

Gary Cormack (skip), Rich Green (3rd), Vince Miele (2nd) and alternating leads Corinne Jensen and Samantha Sui had the best record in the round robin, with their only loss to Nova Scotia. They also beat BC in the 1 vs 2 game in a testament to the depth of talent among wheelchair curlers in BC.

In the battle of Torino gold medalist 4th rock throwers, Gary Cormack's 63% shooting out-shone BC's Gerry Austgarden, and picked up a team that was outscored at every other position. He also saved them from disaster and a possible early exit in the second when his last rock came through a narrow port for shot with BC were lying 6.

You can read our notes as the play happened, on our blog.

Full results are available on our Nationals page.


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

We are at the Kelowna Curling Club for Gold Medal Game in the Wheelchair Nationals. We'll be updating this post as the stones are played, so keep refreshing your browser for updates.

BC HOST will have hammer against BC. Both teams have Torino gold medalists throwing 4th stones. In the round robin, BC HOST beat BC 7-1.
Team lineups today:

Team BC

(Photo: Dave O’Byrne for CCA)

Lead – Alison Duddy has been curling for one year.  Her home club is the Quesnel Curling Club.

Skip and 2nd stones– Whitney Warren represented BC in the 2004 – 2009 Nationals, earning 3 Gold and 2 Silver medals.  He is a NCCP coach, and the only person to have played in all seven Canadian Wheelchair Curling National Championships.

Third – Frank LaBounty is a Silver medalist in the 2004, 2007, 2008, and 2009 Nationals.  With Warren, he curls out of the Prince George Golf and Curling Club.

4th stones – Gerry Austgarden  throws 4th stones for the team.  He has medaled in the 2004, 2005, and 2006 Nationals representing BC.  He has represented Canada at the World Wheelchair Curling Championships in 2007 and 2008, and won Gold at the 2006 Paralympics in Torino.  He curls out of the Kelowna Curling Club.

The team is coached by Al Moore.

Team BC HOST

(Photo: Dave O’Byrne for CCA)

Skip – Gary Cormack curled Third in the 2003 and 2004 Nationals, winning a Silver in 2004.  In 2006, he played Second for BC at the Nationals, where they won Gold, and went to the Paralympics in Torino for Team Canada, where he won Gold.  He played in the World Wheelchair Championships in 2007 and 2008, finishing fourth both times.  He curls out of the Cloverdale Curling Club.

Third – Rich Green curls out of the Marpole Curling Club in Vancouver.

Second – Vince Miele represented BC at the 2008 Nationals, where they won Gold.  He curls out of the Marpole Curling Club.

Leads – Corrine Jensen curls out of the Juan De Fuca Curling Club in Victoria.
Samantha Siu won Gold at the 2006 Winter Games.  She curls out of the Richmond Curling Club.

The team is coached by Len Stewart.

The teams were piped in, and the game will get underway in just a few minutes.
BC Host will start with the hammer.

BC got into the house early, sitting three before Vince Miele doubled out two with his second stone.
Frank's attempted draw hits his front stone, pushing it in for shot. 
Rich Green flashed on his first rock. 
Frank flashed on his second.
BC sitting 2, Gerry guarding.  good weight but it didn't curl enough to fully bury shot stone.
Cormack tries to hit and stick on the shot stone in the back, but hits and rolls out.
Austgarden draws into the top 12 behind cover.
Cormack got out a little wide on his attempt to remove an opposition stone in the wings.  He hits on the outside of it.  There's a measure...BC steals one.

Score: BC 1 – HOST 0 after one.

END 2
Corrine Jensen throws top four behind her centre line guard. 
Whitney Warren follows her down, tapping the HOST stone out and sitting shot top 8.
Vince Miele crashes on a front stone, blocking up the centre.  HOST needs the centre open.
BC asks for one in the top of the rings, but it comes to the back 8.  BC is lying 2 for now.
Gary asks Vince to peel the centre line guard, and he does.
Frank Labounty freezes to his own stone top 8, and BC is sitting 3.
Green tries to freeze to the shot stone in the back 8, but his rock is through the house.  BC still lies 3.
Labounty throws a stone just into the top 12, guarding shot stone, and BC now lies 4.
Rich Green attempted a draw, and rubbed off a front stone.  He slides into the 8ft to sit shot.
Gerry comes in off a BC stone in front of the house and rolls to the top of the button for shot.  It’s buried.  BC is sitting 3.
There are five red stones in the house, and one yellow HOST stone exposed, sitting third shot.  Looks like Cormack is trying to hit some of the red BC rocks out front to cut them down.
With a two-handed throw, Gary hit a red stone into the house, removing his own yellow.  BC now sit five.
Gerry puts his second rock in the top 12.  BC sits 6.  There are two red stones either side of center line, top 12.  If Cormack hits one of those on the inside, he should bounce forward to cut down the end to maybe two.
But what do we know?  He came through the narrow port to hit and stick on shot stone for one.  That ties it up.
Score: BC 1 – HOST 1 after two ends.

END 3
Jensen puts up a tight centre line guard.  BC puts up a long corner.
Jensen’s come around is short.
Duddy is also short, but tight to the rings.  Nobody’s in the house.
Whitney tried to tap up his own, but comes up short.  Six stones in front of the house and none in.
HOST makes contact on the tap attempt but they tap it out the back.  BC tries a tap – tap, and jam on a stone at the back of the house.  BC are sitting shot, biting the back 12.
BC put another stone into the rings and are now sitting two.  Their draw attempt is successful and they now have three of their red stones in the rings, to sit 3.
HOST attempts a draw and redirects off a BC stone in front, jams on a BC stone.  They are shot, full 8, covered.
Frank doubles out two HOST front stones to open up the front.
Cormack tries to clear off second shot stone from the top 12 and roll behind cover.  He just pushed it over and rolled out.  That opens up the front even more.
Gerry tries to clear and does.  Shot stone is on the tee line, full 8 and now exposed.
Cormack wants to draw top 8 to protect his shot stone.  He’s biting the 8, but we can’t tell if that is second shot or not.  He needed to split the rings, but that is on the same side as shot.  There is a double there for four.
Gerry’s hit jams on the stone behind it.  There’s going to be a measure.  He takes one.
Score: BC 2 – HOST 1 after three.

END 4
Duddy’s first stone is out the back.  Jensen puts up a centre line guard.   Duddy’s second attempt is short of the house.  Jensen’s come-around attempt is right on the button, and buried.  HOST is lying one.
Whitney Warren tries to follow Jensen down, but he crashes on the centre line guard.
Cormack asks Vince Miele to come through the port and he does, sharing the button with Jensen’s stone.
Whitney removes them both and sticks to count 1 for BC.
Vince comes through the port again to remove the BC stone, and rolls away.  The house is empty.
Frank tries to come into the house and crashes on the guard.  The whole front of the house is now blocked up.  Cormack has to deal with a red BC stone front of the house to take away a chance for them to tap up.  Rich Green slides right through the port without making contact, and out the back.
Frank makes the tap, into the top 12.  Cormack asks for a hit.  Green hits the stone thin and removes it but also rolls out.  The house is empty again.
Gerry’s draw comes through the port to sit for shot top 8 just off centre line.
Cormack uses a two-handed delivery for his takeout attempt, crashes on the guard and rolls out.  BC still counts one.
Gerry tries to come in but slides out the back.
Gary’s hit attempt is wide and out the back.  BC steals 1.
Score: BC 3 – HOST 1 heading to the break.

END 5
Duddy comes in, putting it right on the button.
Cormack asks Jensen for a hit. It doesn’t curl at all and just slips by, stopping back 8 for second shot.
Duddy freezes to her rock.  BC lies 2.
Jensen is asked to come down to it, but she is short, just in front of the house.
Whitney’s guard is not over the hogline, and they remove it.
Vince clears the front.
Whitney adds another stone to the pile in the 4 foot.  BC lies three, frozen to each other.
Vince hits, removing one, separating the other two, and stopping in the top 8.  It looks like BC is still lying 2.
Frank Labounty makes a fine shot, clipping the yellow HOST stone, removing it and staying in for BC to lie 3.
Green removes one, pushes another to the back 12 for third shot, and HOST is now second shot in the back 8.
Frank picks that second shot out and sticks.  BC lies three again.
Rich Green’s takeout attempt is a bit wide, pushes a HOST stone under cover, and sails out the back.
Gerry guards.  BC still counting three.
Gary removes one and rolls to bite the 4ft for second shot.
Gerry tries to remove that second shot, skinnies off the inside and rolls out.  No change in the house.
Cormack has an outturn draw into the 4ft to count two.  And it stops just short of perfect.  He takes one.
Score: BC 3 – HOST 2

END 6
Jensen puts up a long corner.  Duddy comes  in to the edge of the 4ft.  Jensen makes the hit to sit shot and nudge the BC stone to the back 8.  Duddy taps it back.
Vince picks a HOST stone out and rolls out.
Whitney puts his on the top 12,and it looks like the double is there.
Vince was a little wide on his takeout attempt and sails out the back.
BC calls time out.
Whitney throws a centre line guard.
Rich Green hits it, and pushes it into the house.  Another goes out the back, but the situation in the house remains unchanged.  BC lies three.
Frank puts up another guard.
Rich Green was light on his attempt to come through the port.  He crashed on the front guard and sits in front of the house.  BC still lies 3.
Frank draws in to the top 8.  BC sits 4.
Gary Cormack doubles out the two red stones to lie shot.  Great shot!
Gerry tries to come through the port and hit shot stone.  He crashes on the front stone and rolls out.  Shot stone is now exposed, however.
Gary’s guard attempt overcurled and shot stone is still exposed in the top 4.
Gerry tries to come through the port, but he’s short.
HOST steals one to tie it up at 3 after six ends.

END 7
Jensen puts up a centre line guard.  Duddy’s come-around gets to the top 12 but it looks like it’s exposed.  Jensen’s takeout attempt is wide and sails through.  Duddy tries to come around, ticks the centre line guard and ends up in front of the house.
Vince crashes off one guard, crashes off the other and sits in front of the BC stone in the 12 foot.  BC is shot.
Whitney tries to come in and is about 6 feet short of the house.  Vince tries to tap his yellow onto yellow onto red to remove the red BC stone but he flashes.
Whitney will try to draw in.  He is heavy, and out the back.
Rich is asked to tap yellow – yellow – red.  He makes it and sits in the 12ft for shot.
Frank goes after the shot stone on the 12 ft, but it overcurled and he hit it on the outside, pushing shot stone back 12 behind the centre line guard.  HOST lies one.
Rich Green draws to the top 12 to lie two.
Frank removes the centre line guard.  HOST lies 2, both in the open now.
Gary puts up a long guard to guard second shot.
Gerry will try to come through the port and pick out shot stone, top 12.  He ticked it and ticked second shot, rolling the edge of the back 12.  HOST sits 2.  They call time out.
Gary draws through the port to the top 8, partially behind the long guard.
Gerry tries to draw in but comes up twelve feet light.  HOST takes three.
Score: HOST 6 – BC 3 after seven ends.

Here we go to the 8th end:
Jensen puts up a long centre line guard.
Duddy’s come-around is top 8.
Cormack asks Jensen for a hit; she’s through the house.
Duddy’s come-around attempt crashes on the stone out front.  BC still lies one.
Vince’s attempt to peel the guard flashes.  Whitney comes into the top 8.  BC lies 2.  Vince tries to hit and roll.  He removes the red but rolls out himself.  BC is lying one.
Whitney’s attempt to come in is heavy and slips out the back.
Cormack wants Green to peel the guard.  He does, and rolls away.
Frank draws to the top 12,  BC lies two, both in the open.
Green removes one and rolls away.  BC lies one.
BC calls time out.

BC are sitting shot stone biting the 8ft, two feet off centre line.  They have three red stones left, and they have to score three to tie.  So they will draw around their shot stone.
Frank is light, stopping in front of the house.  It’s also in front of shot stone in the top 8/top 12.
Gary removes that red stone in front of the house.  BC lies one.
Gerry is light, stopping in front of the house.
Cormack puts up a front stone, just a foot, not even, off centre.
Gerry has a fancy split to tie the game and force an extra, coming in off the short stone Gary just left for him.
He hit his front stone and punched it through the house.  That leaves BC lying just one, and BC HOST win 6-4.

2010 Wheelchair Curling Canadian Nationals - Semi Final

In the moring semifinal, MB stole one in the first end. BC blanked the second end and took three in the third. MB came back with two in the fourth and stole two in the fifth to go ahead 5-3.

BC took one in the sixth.

In the seventh end there was a long exchange of hits. BC were sitting shot in the back 12 and had a chance to draw into the rings to sit two, but were light. MB hit the shot stone and rolled out for the blank to have hammer coming home, one up.

In th eighth, MB were lying two in the back four with skip stones to come. Austgarden was short on his attempt to draw to that pocket. His second shot appeared to be a tap up which missed, but it might also have been a perfect draw to the side of the four foot to sit shot. Either way, BC ended up lying one, edge of the 4ft. MB attempted to pick the stone out and missed. That sent the game to an extra.

In the 9th end, all four lead stones ended up in front of the house and it looked like the first person in would win. MB got a stone into the top 12 and guarded it when they could have chosen to open the front of the house for skip stones. BC's Frank Labounty threw a wide comearound to sit shot. MB may have regretted not clearing the front earlier.

Gerry Austgarden, with his final stone, crossed the hotline by maybe an inch, attmpting to guard the path to shot stone. MB were faced with a difficult angle raise or a pick through the narrow port to save the game. After a time out, they lined up for the raise, then changed their mind and decided on the pick, but just nicked the hogline guard.

BC stole in eight, stole in nine, and won 6-5. It's an all BC final. BC are guaranteed to continue their run as the only Provincial team to have won a National Championship.

Updates from Nationals and Paralympics

Just back from the Nationals banquet, where Chester Draper of Northern Ontario won the Sportsmanship Trophy, and Arlene Ursel, Dennis Thiessen and Chris Sobkowicz of Manitoba and Martin Purvis of Alberta won places on the All-Star Team. Photographs to follow.

The Nationals and the Paralympics results pages are up-to-date. News and commentary will be added later.

Congratulations to Team Canada who held off a late rally by Korea to win the gold medal at the Paralympics. Final score 8-7.

The Nationals semi-final will begin 9.30 Sunday with the final at 2pm.

2010 Wheelchair Curling Canadian Nationals - Page Playoffs

We're at the Curling Club, getting set up for the Page Playoffs.  It will be BC vs BC HOST on sheet C (AKA Sheet 7) and MB vs AB on Sheet E (AKA Sheet 9).

Both games start at 2PM Pacific.  We'll try to check in at the end of every end, and more often if possible.

BC HOST has yellow rocks and the hammer.  MB has red rocks and the hammer.

Key shots: BC - BC HOST
An exchange of hits on shot stone back of the button included an excellent takeout by Frank Labounty, past a centre line guard.  Gerry Austgarden threw a centre line guard that Gary Cormack attempted to runback.  He made contact with the guard, but missed removing shot stone by less than an inch.

Austgarden threw a second guard and Cormack was unable to reach shot stone.  BC steals one.

Key Shots: MB - AB
AB sat two in the 4ft after MB's lead stones went through the house.  A double takeout by MB's second, George Horning, cleared the AB stones.

AB's Jack Smart threw his second stone top 4, covering his own shot stone back 4.  MB's skip Chris Sobkowicz attempted double takeout jammed on the back stone.  AB steals one.

Second end Key Shots:
In the battle of BC's, BC sitting one full 8ft behind a corner guard.  Gerry Austgarden flashed on his takeout attempt.  Gary Cormack drew down to shot stone to sit second shot.  Gerry, with his last stone hit and stayed to sit shot.  Cormack flashed on his takeout attempt, which would take two.  Instead he gave up a steal of one.

BC 2 - HOST 0

In the other game MB's second George Horning was largely responsible for the empty house, making two lovely takeouts.  AB threw short of the rings.  MB split the AB rock in and rolled into the open giving AB a chance for a hit to sit two.  However a last rock flash by the AB skip gave MB a chance to blank the end.  The hit stayed in the rings, and MB takes one.  Score tied at 1 after two ends.

Key shots - End 3
A perfect hit and stick takeout early on from Vince Miele for BC HOST.  Gary Cormack, switching hands from right to left, missed an open draw into the rings for a 4th point.  HOST take three to lead 3-2.

In the MB - AB game, MB's skip promotes and AB stone and rolls to the wings for second shot.  An exchange of stones left AB a hit on the MB stone on the edge of the 12ft to count three.  Smart's takeout attempt misses by at least a foot.  AB counts one and the score is AB 2 - MB 1 at the end of three.

Key shots end 4:
In the BC vs BC Host, all the play was in the back 12.  Exchange of stones, and then Cormack flashed with his last stone to allow Austgarden a draw to the paint for his second point.

BC 4 - BC HOST 3 as they head to the break.

All the play in the other game was in the 4ft.  MB put three red stones in early, and AB spent the rest of the end moving them out.

Eventually, MB sat two, with four AB stones around the shot stones.  They put up a long guard, and Smart drew around it. He tapped the MB shot stone back and bit the button, but it looked like it was second shot.  MB ticked the guard over, opening the port a little wider.  AB called time out.  The put up a guard.  MB crashes on the guard.  They're going to measure for shot.

It's red.  MB takes one.  That ties the score at 2 as they head for the break.

BC - BC Host have been back for a few minutes.  This time, the play is all in front of the house except for one HOST stone in the back 12.  They put up a guard, effectively sealing off the right side.  Gerry's draw down the left side is short.  Cormack tries to tap a yellow onto red onto yellow, but flashes.  Gerry tries to tap red onto red into the 8ft, but taps his own through.  Cormack tries again.  He taps back, almost too much weight, to the back 12.  HOST takes 2 and the score is HOST 5 - BC 4 after five ends.

AB and MB are still playing the 5th end.

In the battle of the BC's 6th end, BC get another chance to put their final stone anywhere in the house for a second point, and do.  They go ahead 6-5.

AB and MB finish a complicated 5th end with a steal of 1 for MB.  They lead 3-2 after five.

Playing the 6th, Jack Smart, facing four, doubled two MB rocks out.  MB hit to sit three, Smart's last rock hit and rolled.  There's a measurement --- it's yellow.  AB picks up the point to tie it at 3 after six ends.

BC and BC HOST key shots in the 7th:
This end featured a time out by either side.  HOST lies three.  Austgarden's last stone is on the guard.

If Cormack can remove it, he could take four.  He was just a little strong and rolls out.  BC HOST takes 3 and the score is HOST 8 - BC 6.

In the 7th, Jack Smart's first rock is a draw to the side of the 4ft, allowing MB to hit and roll to the button for shot.  AB is heavy, MB's last stone it light. MB takes one and lead 4-3 after 7. AB has the hammer coming home.

In the 8th end of the BC - HOST game, BC sat back 12 for most of the game while hits were exchanged in the front of the house.  When BC missed, HOST had an opportunity to take out the shot stone.  They missed and BC had a chance to sit two, but came up light.

BC HOST did not miss with their final stone, sitting one.  BC attempted to split their stone in front of the house for a tie,but were wide.  BC HOST steals one to win, 9-6.

HOST goes through to tomorrow's final, and BC will play the winner of AB - MB, which is in the 8th now.

In the last end of the MB - AB all the play is in the back of the house.  MB sits shot, but AB have a chance to double to sit 4.

They are a little heavy, pushing back a stone to have MB lie 1 with AB stones on either side.

AB is second shot in a crowded house.  Anne Hibbard ticks off the long centre line guard, but there's a port there now.

Chris puts up a guard.  Jack tries to come by it, and promotes a red stone.  MB lies 2, and there are rocks all over everywhere.  MB calls time out.

MB comes into the back 4.  Jack has to outdraw him to score 1 and send it to an extra.

His line is great, he hits the shot stone and rolls two inches too far.  Just a little too much weight.

MB steals 1, the final score is 5-3.  BC will play MB in the semifinal at 9:30 tomorrow morning.  The winner there will play BC HOST in tomorrow afternoon's final.