There will be a definite Kootenay presence at the BC Senior Curling Championship in Trail next month.
Two Kootenay teams from both the Men’s and Women’s side will qualify this weekend in Creston for the senior provincials slated to be held at the Trail Curling Club from Feb. 19-24.
The Men’s and Women’s Kootenay Playdown begins Saturday and winds up on Sunday at the Creston Curling Club, while the Okanagan Playdown, Island Playdown, and Lower Mainland Playdown also are set for this weekend with the top teams qualifying for the provincials.
A total of 16 teams, eight men’s and eight women’s, will compete in the BC Senior Curling Championships.
At the Kootenay Playdown, the Men’s side will see eight teams compete for the two spots with six of those teams having a number of Trail curlers competing, including:
Fruitvale’s John Harper rink with Steve Greenwood as third, Derrick Simister second, and lead Kevin Thomas.
The Bill King foursome with Russ Beauchamp as third, Dave Stadler second, and Al Bressanutti lead.
Kootenay Savings Super League curlers Bill van Yzerloo skip, third Brian Lemoel, second Richard Faunt, and lead Alex Coutts.
Trail’s Ken Fines skip, Larry Kotyk third, second Murray Walsh, and lead Marlin Fredricks.
The Kootenay Men’s provincial representative Deane Horning skip, third Don Bedard, second Kevin Nesbitt, and lead Nando Salviulo.
Super League mainstay Myron Nichol also heads a Castlegar/Nelson team with Garry Beaudry third, Jamie Ingram second, and Rob Babiarz as lead.
Meanwhile, Trail curler Rob Ferguson has joined forces with a Kimberley team skipped by Tom Buchy, a four-time mixed provincial champion, and will play third. The Rick Czar rink from Creston completes the line up.
On the Women’s side, four teams will play off for two qualifying positions including a Beaver Valley team skipped by Janice Tebulte, third Rose Beauchamp, second Myrna Reichmuth, and lead Linda Geiger looking to advance.
Castlegar’s Heather Nichol will skip Marnie Matthews third, Lee Bedard second, and Joyce Maloff lead, and rounding out the field are a Creston foursome led by skip Laurie Heald, and the Cranbrook team skipped by Joy Romeo.
The Kootenay Playdown slides into action at the Creston Curling Club on Saturday with the first draw at 9 a.m.
sports@trailtimes.ca
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