Dec 10, 2008 - 10:56 AM

By Jim Easson

AJAX -- An Annandale curler helped an Uxbridge rink earn its way to the men's regionals after the TSC Stores Tankard Zone 6 playdowns at the Ajax curling club last weekend, Dec. 5 to 7.

The zone event featured 16 men's teams in a double-knockout draw for one of two spots at the Regionals slated for Toronto's St. George's Curling Club on Jan. 3 and 4.

The winning teams were Rob Lobel of Whitby and Greg Timbers of Uxbridge. Annandale member Warren Leslie was on the Timbers' team with Barry Acton and Kent Cochrane.

Annandale had two entries at the zone playdown. Skip Blair Metrakos and his rink finished with a 3-2 record. With Metrakos were Chris Van Huyse, Andrew Klein and Scott March.

Another Annandale entry, skipped by Wes Johnson with Patrick Janssen, Tyler Anderson and Spencer Yule, lost the 'B'-side final.

Two other Annandale members competed at the zone event. Alex Bianchi and Mike Trudeau played on an Oshawa foursome skipped by Brian Suddard with John Brotherhood. The Suddard rink, however, didn't place.

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Annandale also hosted the Zone 6 Scotties Tournament of Hearts playdown on the weekend. Four teams entered, but none were from Annandale. Christine Pierce of Unionville won the 'A' draw and Janet McGhee of Uxbridge came out of the 'B' side. They advance to the Regionals in Tweed from Jan. 9 to 11.

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Sandra Thain and her Annandale women's team of Barb Luffman, Joan O'Leary and Janet Alexander advanced from the zone level to the OCA senior women's regionals in Lakefield on Dec. 13 and 14.

Ajax resident Bob Turcotte, curling out of the Scarboro Golf and Curling Club, will be there, too, as his team won the senior men's zone 7 playdowns in Thornhill on Dec. 3.

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For the first time this curling season, the Glenn Howard rink, which contains Pickering's Richard Hart at vice, finished out of the money at The National event in Quebec City from Dec. 3 to 7.

The National was the second leg of the men's 2008-09 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series.

Howard's Ontario rival Wayne Middaugh, of the St. George's club of Toronto, captured the top spot.

The next scheduled competition for Team Howard is the TSC Stores Tankard Zone 10 in Penetanguishene on Dec. 20 and 21. Eight teams are entered in the double-knockout playdown that will send two teams to the regionals in Elmira on Jan. 3 and 4.