The 2020 BC Championships in Cranbrook next week could become a showdown of youth versus experience.

 

That’s because teams with some of the youngest players at this level of competition have performed exceptionally well this year on the World Curling Tour circuit.

 

Both Team Tardi (Langley/Victoria) and Team Brown (Kamloops) were the province’s Canadian Team Ranking System top performers in 2019-20, which means they earned more points than any other BC team in competition throughout the season. The majority of the players from those teams are also under the age of 25.

 

However, they will be up against some of the most seasoned competitors in the sport – competitors that are used to winning a BC final. Defending champion Jim Cotter will be looking for his ninth trip to the Brier and will be returning with his Kelowna/Vernon team of Steve Laycock and Rick Sawatsky, adding Andrew Nerpin to replace Tyrel Griffith. On the women’s side, Team Wark (Abbotsford/Victoria) will be returning with their lineup of skip Sarah Wark, third Kristen Pilote, second Carley Sandwith and lead Jen Rusnell. Wark is a BC champion at the junior level (2005), in Mixed competition in 2009 and 2014 and in the women’s game last season.

 

Team Brown, featuring skip Corryn Brown, third Erin Pincott, second Dezaray Hawes and lead Ashley Klymchuk, have put on some stellar performances this year, notably winning the China Open in December.  They also have a Canadian gold medal at the junior level under their belt, but have yet to break through at the Scotties, winning a silver medal last year.

 

Sarah Wark said she liked seeing the younger teams on the roster and enjoyed playing against them. “It is super exciting to see so many younger ladies coming up through juniors and sticking with it, it’s definitely made BC’s field stronger.”

 

She added: “It definitely helps push the older generation to go with the way of the times in terms of fitness and new techniques and mentalities. I think we can learn equal amounts from them as they can from us really.”

 

Corryn Brown said her team was keen to keep the momentum that they have had this season going. “It’s been a really great season we have had a lot of success so we just want to keep that going. We are really looking forward to going to provincials and we know Cranbrook will put on a good event.”

 

Team Tardi, with skip Tyler Tardi, third Sterling Middleton, second Jordan Tardi and lead Alex Horvath, are no strangers to pressure, having been to more than one junior world championship. (Tyler and Sterling were at three world championships, winning gold at two of them, Jordan went twice and won gold before aging out and Alex joined the team last year for their gold medal win in 2019).

 

Playing alongside Team Tardi and Team Cotter in the men’s competition will be BC Curling Tour winners Team Wenzek (Royal City) and Team Geall (Abbotsford/Royal City). The other teams in the mix include Team Dangerfield (Victoria), Team Montgomery (Victoria), Team Jackson (Victoria), Team Medford (Cranbrook), Team Wood (Penticton/Kelowna), Team Salviulo (Castlegar), Team Richard (Kelowna), Team Longworth (Vernon), Team Olsen (Kamloops), Team Joanisse (Golden Ears/Royal City), Team Dennis (Royal City/Salmon Arm) and Team Thompson (Vancouver).

 

In women’s play Team Daniels from Delta Thistle is another team featuring youth players (Skip Sarah Daniels and lead Sarah Loken are under 21). Meanwhile Team Gushulak from Royal City, Kelowna and Vancouver curling clubs features players with many BC Scotties appearances under their collective belts.

 

The four other women’s teams to have qualified for the 2020 Scotties BC Women’s Curling Championship, presented by Best Western, were Team Thompson (Kelowna) and Team Richards (Kelowna/Victoria) . Team Pewarchuk from Victoria and Team Slattery from Vernon/Kelowna qualified at the first open playdown in Abbotsford in December.

 

 

 

TEAM ROSTERS:

 

Men’s teams:

Defending Champions:

Team Cotter, Vernon and Kelowna Curling Clubs

Skip: Jim Cotter
Third: Steve Laycock
Second: Andrew Nerpin
Lead: Rick Sawatsky

CTRS Winner:

Team Tardi, Langley and Victoria Curling Clubs

Skip: Tyler Tardi
Third: Sterling Middleton
Second: Jordan Tardi
Lead: Alex Horvath
Coach: Paul Tardi

Tour Winner:

Team Wenzek, Royal City Curling Club

Skip: Daniel Wenzek
Third: Cameron de Jong
Second: Cody Tanaka
Lead: Nicholas Umbach

Tour Winner:

Team Geall, Abbotsford and Royal City Curling Clubs

Skip: Sean Geall
Third: Jared Kolomaya
Second: Sebastien Robillard
Lead: Nicholas Meister

Regional Qualifiers:

Team Dangerfield, Victoria Curling Club

Skip: Neil Dangerfield
Third: Denis Sutton
Second: Darren Boden
Lead: Glen Allen

Team Montgomery, Victoria Curling Club

Skip: Jason Montgomery
Third: Chris Baier
Second: Miles Craig
Lead: Will Duggan

Team Jackson, Victoria Curling Club

Skip: Glen Jackson
Third: Andrew Komlodi
Second: Jason Clarke
Lead: Joel Cave

Team Medford, Cranbrook Curling Centre

Skip: Chris Medford
Third: Steve Tersmette
Second: Mitch Young
Lead: Jeff Langin

Team Salviulo, Castlegar Curling Club

Skip: Nando Salviulo
Third: Jamie Ingram
Second: Cody Bartlett
Lead: Kevin Maffioli

Team Richard, Kelowna Curling Club

Skip: Jeff Richard
Third: Tyler Klymchuck
Second: Corey Chester
Lead: Rhys Gamache

Team Longworth, Vernon Curling Club

Skip: Mark Longworth
Third: Michael Longworth
Second: Rob Nobert
Lead: Cam Weir

Team Olsen, Kamloops Curling Club

Skip: Brad Thompson
Third: Grant Olsen (skip)
Second: Trevor Miyahara
Lead: Brent Yamada

Team Joanisse, Royal City/GEWC

Skip: Dean Joanisse
Third: Andrew Bilesky
Second: Steve Kopf
Lead: Aaron Watson
Fifth: Steve Petryk

Team Dennis, Royal City/Salmon Arm

Skip: Rob Dennis
Third: Doug Kilborn
Second: Brad Blackwell
Lead: Rick Miller
Coach: Greg McAulay

Team Thompson, Vancouver Curling Club

Skip: Aaron Thompson
Third: Jack Holmes
Second: Derek Smith
Lead: Scott Robertson

Team Wood, Vernon/Penticton curling clubs

Skip: Brad Wood
Third: Matt Tolley
Second: Nathan Small
Lead: John Slattery

Women’s teams

Defending champions:

Team Wark, Abbotsford/Victoria curling clubs

Skip: Sarah Wark
Third: Kristen Pilote
Second: Carley Sandwith
Lead: Jen Rusnell

CTRS winner

Team Brown, Kamloops Curling Club

Skip: Corryn Brown
Third: Erin Pincott
Second: Dezaray Hawes
Lead: Ashley Klymchuk
Coach: Allison MacInnes

Tour Winner:

Team Thompson, Kamloops Curling Club

Skip: Karla Thompson
Third: Jodie Brennan
Second: Amanda Guido
Lead: Lanette Nordick
Coach: Darryl Horne

Tour Winner:

Team Richards, Kelowna and Victoria curling clubs

Skip: Brette Richards
Third: Blaine de Jager
Second: Steph Jackson-Baier
Lead: Rachelle Kallechy
Fifth: Patti Knezevic
Coach: David Harper

Team Pewarchuk, Victoria Curling Club

Skip: Dailene Pewarchuk
Third: Taylor Reese-Hansen
Second: Ashley Sanderson
Lead: Sydney Brilz
Coach: Todd Troyer

Team Slattery, Vernon/Kelowna curling clubs

Fourth: Alyssa Kyllo
Third: Sheila Cowan
Second: Shaina McGiverin
Lead/Skip: Kim Slattery

Team Daniels, Delta Thistle Curling Club

Skip: Sarah Daniels
Third: Kayla MacMillan
Second: Holly Horvat
Lead: Sarah Loken
Coach: Katie Witt

Team Gushulak, Royal City, Kelowna and Vancouver curling clubs

Skip: Diane Gushulak
Third: Grace MacInnes
Second: Megan McGillivray
Lead: Sandra Comadina
Coach: Neil Houston