For as much as curlers with Sudbury ties have been bonspiel busy for weeks now at outposts across the country, the scene for those who tackle the burgeoning of a new season in local venues of the sport have their focus aimed in a completely different direction.
Walking into the NCUCC (Northern Credit Union Community Centre facility late this week, I was greeted by the flooring still lined for pickleball, though clearly glistening thanks to an early morning flood administered by the guru of ice-making that is Tom Leonard.
With the plant turned on effective September 23rd, the sealing of the floor commencing three days later and Opening Night curling targeted for October 18th, Leonard is dealing with a weekend forecast that sees folks in these parts set to enjoy the mid-twenties late into the “harvest month”.
“The heat is not so much of an issue; most refrigeration plants are sized to be able to remove any form of heat,” explained Leonard. “It’s the relative humidity, the moisture that comes with the heat that is the issue.”
The recent stretch of warm, rainy weather did him no favours.
“Refrigeration units without dehumidification (which is the case at NCUCC) can’t handle that,” said Leonard, the man who will serve as head icemaker for the 2025 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Thunder Bay next February. “It takes much longer for a plant to convert that moisture into dry and then get the heat from that removed.”
All of which makes a post-Thanksgiving Day launch date for 2024-2025 all the more sensible.
“Due to the weather and the length of time we have to get ready, we’re not really in a rush,” added Leonard.
And for as much as the graduate of Lasalle Secondary School who still curls recreationally benefits from a lifetime of experience in his field, the education process simply never stops.
“I still learn every day,” said Leonard. “Temperature fluctuations, the amount of water to put down at one time – there’s always something.”
Of course, the excitement of a new season helps keep him young, with the former Curl Sudbury venue set to host the Northern Credit Union Mixed Doubles Open from October 25th to the 27th, with an entry from Japan included in the field of 16 teams.
Not to mention the very special Scotties that could emerge if things fall into place.
“I think it feel different (from his previous Scotties as icemaker) is certain teams qualify, meaning: Team McCarville (with Kendra Lilly), the Danielle Inglis rink (with former Curl Sudbury members Kira Brunton and Calissa Daly) – and obviously with Tracy (Fleury) playing with (Rachel) Homan (Team Canada).”
“The potential is very high for Sudbury, and in particular this club, to have curling content in this field, which would be a neat experience,” said Leonard.
The newly formed Team Toner junior rink – skip Mia Toner, vice Dayna Wall, second Justine Toner, lead Samantha Digiglio – returned from Cornwall and the Shorty Jenkins Junior Classic having fallen short of qualifying for the playoff round in their first bonspiel of the year.
The team is back in action with a pair of events scheduled for October as they travel to Toronto (Stu Sells Junior Tankard – October 4th to 6th) and to Stroud (Stroud Sleeman Cash Spiel – October 17th to 20th).
That same weekend, the John Epping rink that features Jake Horgan (at third) and Tanner Horgan (at second), as well as lead Ian McMillan strung together six straight victories to claim the KW Fall Classic and a prize purse of $4000.
Team Epping beat Daniel Hocevar (Toronto) 6-4, Alex Champ (Toronto) 8-3 and Kohsuke Hirata (Japan) 7-4 to earn one of two “A” bracket playoff spots up for grabs. From there, the recently merged foursome would outscore American Scott Dunnam (Philadelphia) 6-1 in quarter-final action, getting the better of Mark Kean (Oakville) 9-4 in the semis.
Fittingly, the teams that would meet in the final – Epping and Riku Yanagisawa (Japan) both entered the showdown undefeated, with Epping building up a 3-0 lead after six ends, surrendering that advantage over the course of the next two ends but racking up a 4-3 win in an extra end.
Some success to build on as well for the Emma Artichuk women’s quartet that is Sudbury-loaded with the trio of Megan Smith (vice-skip), Jamie Smith (second) and Lauren Rajala (lead). Team Artichuk posted a 3-1 record in pool play, qualifying for the playoffs before being eliminated in an 8-4 loss at the hands of Korean Eunjung Kim, who lost in the final to Breanna Rozon.
The local ladies had beaten Team Kim 7-4 in their opening encounter, followed up with an 8-6 win over Jenny Madden (Ottawa) before splitting their final two games with Jo-Ann Rizzo (lost 7-3) and Hailey Armstrong (won 7-5).
Sliding in at second with the Shelley Hardy Sarnia rink, Lockerby Composite graduate Abby Deschene and her teammates made it through to the final four before coming up short against Breanna Rozon (8-5).
And finally, Rachel Homan, Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew and Sarah Wilkes continue to roll, safely through two rounds of the PointsBet Invitational in Calgary thanks to an 11-2 win over Gabby Wood of Edmonton and an 8-4 doubling of Corryn Brown of Kamloops.
Next up is a semi-final battle with Kaitlyn Lawes (Winnipeg), a rink which features Selena Njegovan and Kristin MacCuish, both of who played with Team Fleury out of Manitoba for a few years before the Sudbury skip connected with Team Homan.
And on the off-chance that some generous person is looking for a Christmas gift suggestion for the NCUCC: a club volunteer mentioned that while the facility has looked into acquiring a duplicate championship banner of the World title that Tracy Fleury and company claimed last spring (to go along with her game-worn jersey on display), the cost of $2500 to acquire same from the World Curling Federation is somewhat prohibitive for the not-for-profit entity.
... just saying
