Mar 19, 2009 - 12:37 PM

By Jim Eason

Last week, Annandale held the 44th Annual St. Pat's Mixed Bonspiel.

The overall winning team with first pick of the prize table was a home rink of Craig Jewer, Bonnie Klepadlo, Dale Neely and Lee Anne Jewer. Second place went to Blair Metrakos, Marilynne Gordon, Andy Gordon and Courtney Gordon also of Annandale. Of the 26 teams competing, entries came from Winchester, North Granville and Port Perry. The convener, Arlene Joly, said there was positive feedback that the event ran smoothly, and complimented George Nicolaou for his great meals.

An Annandale Curling Club team won the A side of the Regional Junior Mixed Playdown in Fenelon Falls on March 8. Josh Hall teamed up with Spencer Anderson, James McPherson, Yvonne Lalonde and coach Donna Hall. They advance to Marmora and Area Curling Club from March 25-28 compete in the provincial finals. There is no Canadian title for this event.

The Ontario men's champion team skipped by Glenn Howard, with Pickering resident Richard Hart at vice, and Brent Laing and Craig Savill competed in their fourth Tim Hortons Brier in a row. The previous three Canadian championships saw Team Howard win their way to the final game, but the team was victorious only in 2007 and went on to be crowned World Champions. This trip, they ended a successful round robin with a 9-2 record, but ended with an unprecedented three losses in a row. They were upset in the last round-robin game, then the Page Playoff 1 vs. 2, and then the semifinal. They still come away with cresting revenue and results funds.

At the Calgary Brier, all the players had a chance to win the Ford Hot Shots competition with the final on March 7. The Ontario lead, Craig Savill, was the victor and won a two-year lease on a new Ford with a value over $20,000.

Richard Hart said that the team enjoyed the crowds showing up to view the competition. The total attendance was the third ranked coming in at 246,126. Saskatoon was second in 2000 but Edmonton still brags that 281,985 attended there at the 2005 Brier. The winning team of the 2009 Tim Hortons Brier, Kevin Martin of Alberta, will represent Canada at the Ford World Men's Curling Championship in Moncton, NB, April 4-12.