CHILLIWACK, British Columbia, April 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Known as the “land of the living skies”, Saskatchewan can now be called “land of the Everest Senior Curling Champions.” For the first time since 2012, both the men’s and women’s senior curling teams from the same province have won the coveted 2019 Everest Canadian Senior Curling Championships. Skips Bruce Korte and Sherry Anderson led their teams through seven days of tough competition playing against top senior curlers coast to coast. This is the third consecutive championship win for Anderson.
“After a week of tough competition from teams from across the country, it was great to see both teams from Saskatchewan, and both from Saskatoon’s Nutana Curling Club, win the championships and have Anderson bring home the title for an incredible third time in a row,” says Mark Duffey, President and CEO of Everest Funeral Concierge, the long-time title sponsor of the national senior curling championships. “The fact is, there are tens of thousands of Canadians over 55 curling at world class levels. We’re very pleased and proud to be a part of celebrating and showcasing their sport.”
Bruce Korte, along with his team of third Darrell McKee, second Kory Kohuch and lead Rory Golanowski, took an early 3-0 lead against the reigning Canadian champs skipped by Bryan Cochrane from Russell, Ont. (third Ian MacAuley, second Morgan Currie and lead Ken Sullivan). In the third, Ontario scored one and stole another in the fourth to give themselves a glimmer of hope. Korte rebounded with a three in the fifth ultimately leading to an 8-4 win over the defending champs.
“This is so incredible, we know how hard curling is and how hard you have to work at it,” said Korte after the game. “We feel that after all those years that we didn’t do better at the Brier, then coming here and winning it, we’re just so happy to be Team Canada and we will be so proud wearing (the Maple Leaf).”
In the women’s final, Sherry Anderson battled to an 11-7 extra-end win over Ontario’s Sherry Middaugh in a game that saw the momentum shift back and forth throughout. After blanking the first two ends, Middaugh and her team of Karri-Lee Grant, second Christine Loube, lead Jane Hooper-Perroud and alternate Colleen Madonia of the Thornhill Club scored four in the third to take a comfortable lead, but Anderson and her team of third Patty Hersikorn, second Brenda Goertzen and lead Anita Silvernagle bounced back with a score of three in the fourth. In the eighth, Middaugh needed to hit and stick to score two for the win. Instead, her shooter rolled off, forcing the extra end. Anderson’s final open hit for four put the game away and earned her a third straight national championship.
“Exhausted,” said Anderson right after the game. “That was THE most exhausting game I’ve ever played in. It went from highs and lows. I feel bad for Sherry and her team, but my girls battled back, they made a lot of great shots, and it was exciting I’m sure for the fans.”
Korte and Anderson will represent Canada in the 2020 World Seniors, at a site and date to be announced by the World Curling Federation.
The World Seniors officially began in 2002. Canada has won a leading ten men’s and twelve women’s titles. Since 2005, the winners of the Canadian Seniors have represented Canada in the following year’s World Seniors. Thus, last year’s winners — Ontario’s Bryan Cochrane and Saskatchewan’s Sherry Anderson — will wear the Maple Leaf in the 2019 World Seniors, April 20-27 in Stavanger, Norway.
For more information, please contact:
Genevieve Raveau
genevieve@republicstory.com
(416) 537-4444 x 1005
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/05c42212-6957-4cd0-87b0-4f356c990d5a