AJAX -- Pickering's Richard Hart was only too happy to move back to his vice position, allowing skip Glenn Howard to return to his former position in time to capture the BDO Curling Classic in Oakville last weekend.

Howard returned for the Oakville Curling Club event after undergone hernia surgery on Sept. 19. He was originally scheduled to rejoin his Ontario champion team for the Masters of Curling in Waterloo from Nov. 12 to 16. He got back in the hack, however, two bonspiels earlier than expected.

With Pickering resident Richard Hart back at vice, and the front end of Brent Laing, and Craig Savill, the team won the BDO Curling Classic and collected $15,000 for their success in this 32-team triple-knockout competition.

Next, the Howard team heads to Portage, Man. from Oct. 24 to 27 for the 2008 Meyers Norris Penny Prairie Classic. The team has won it the past two years, so they hope to keep this streak alive.

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Annandale Club curling is on again. Only practice time for Tuesday ladies' league, and the Tuesday and Wednesday Men's Competitive League this week. When the Mixed League takes to the ice Thursday, however, the games will count.

On Wednesday, Oct. 15, there is an adult clinic scheduled with no signups. For the Oct. 25 clinic approximately 25 curlers are signed up, and Joan O'Leary will serve as the convener.

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A Club Coach Course that replaced the Level 1 Technical Course is slated for Annandale on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 18 and 19. Topics include role of the coach, organizational management, safety, warm-ups and cool-downs, curling delivery, strategy, brushing, ethical coaching, practices, clinics, skill analysis, and special interest groups. At last count, 14 prospective club coaches are signed up to take the course.

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Annandale's first bonspiels are for the junior sets. The Little Rock Bonspiel is on Saturday, Nov 2. The following weekend, a bantam/junior bonspiel goes on Saturday, Nov. 8. Drop by and see some of the youth curling.