by Jim Anderson
News Contributor
As the playdown season approaches, competitive curlers are gearing up for the Scotties, the Brier and the Canadian Seniors, the latter of which is to be held here in Abbotsford, March 17-25, 2012.
The quality of the curling will be exemplary at this national championship, and if you don’t think the 50-plus crowd can still throw with the best, consider that Canadian men’s champion Jeff Stoughten is 48, and Glen Howard is 50 this year.
There is still time to volunteer at this event, and hosts, drivers, greeters, etc., will receive event uniforms and passes, free or at a greatly reduced rate. Call the Abbotsford Curling Centre at 604-855-9244.
Speaking of senior curling prowess, the team of Al Heath, Bob Arksey, Paul Goyer and Scott Baratelli achieved that rarest of curling events, an eight-ender, at the Abbotsford Curling Centre on Jan. 5.
It’s not easy to score an eight-ender. It requires proficiency, as well as cooperation from your opponents and the curling gods. This was Heath’s second. Some people are just greedy. Of course, he has been curling for a long, long, long time.
Also, the Curl for Care mini-spiel will be held Jan. 29 to raise funds for the Dave Lede Campus of Care. This is a great event for a great cause. For more information, contact curlforcare@yahoo.ca or Barb Arthur at 604-615-1622.
The Women’s Open spiel is scheduled for Feb. 10-12, so get your entries in. The ice will be great and the refreshments will be cold.
Good curling.