Canadian National Championships 2005/2006
Richmond,  BC

London Free Press on Nationals final - February 21, 2006

Chris Daw's hit and roll to the button for four on a half-covered British Columbia stone in the fifth end lifted the Londoner's Team Canada rink to a 7-4 victory over Jim Shannon of the host Richmond Winter Club in Saturday's final of the Canadian wheelchair curling championship. [read more]

Team Canada shows they know how to win - February 18, 2006

The tournament's two most experienced teams met in the final; a repeat of last year's match up, only this year seven of the eight players on the ice were from BC.

BC's game plan going in was to make Team Canada draw rather than hit, the opposite of their successful tactics in the morning semi-final when they beat Ontario. They started strong, taking advantage of early Team Canada missed hits, and stole two when Team Canada's Chris Daw missed a draw. They almost stole two more in the second with two stones biting the twelve foot, but Daw's final stone crept in to out count them by inches.

Team Canada regrouped in the third end, stealing two, and a pressure draw by Daw in the fourth facing four held BC to just one.

A close game was blown open in the fifth when BC's attempt to split the house after a time out was heavy, allowing Team Canada to hit their way to victory. Jim Shannon's final stone, a hit and roll, didn't quite reach cover, and Daw threw a perfect takeout to score four. The teams shook hands, with BC lying one in the sixth.

Final score: Team Canada 7 - BC 4

BC continues their run to the Championship - February 18, 2006

BC scored their fifth successive victory after an 0-3 start outplaying Ontario from the opening end of the morning championship semi-final. They stole one in the first and continued to steal their way to a 7-0 victory.

BC's plan was to put early rocks in the house. That was Ontario's plan as well, but BC executed better on the day. Ontario were always chasing and never had control of the four foot. Ontario skip Chris Rees, who had played so well in the round robin, was faced with raised double takeouts to rescue ends, shots that needed more weight than he was able to throw.

Shannon's BC team advances to the final against Team Canada.

Semi-final set for Saturday - February 17, 2006

Team Canada's slow start to the tournament was a distant memory as they crushed Ontario 7 - 1 in their Page playoff game, with steals in 4 of the first 5 ends. End 3 was blanked. Team Canada were ruthlessly efficient in not allowing the Ontario skip an easy shot in the first two ends, by which time the game was out of reach. This was the Team Canada the spectators had expected to see, and the players even managed a few smiles while on the ice, an event rare enough to be worth noting.

Team BC-A, facing early elimination after an 0 - 3 start, posted a 4th consecutive win, beating Alberta 6 - 1 in the other Page playoff game. The score flattered them as Alberta were a rub on a guard away from scoring 5 in the 3rd but all credit to Melissa Soligo's squad for not giving up after Draw 3.

Ontario will face BC-A in tomorrow morning's semi-final, with the winner to face Team Canada in the afternoon final.

Shannon's BC-A advances to Page Playoff against Alberta - February 17, 2006

In the first end of the morning Tiebreaker, play was in the four foot with BC-A skip Jim Shannon drawing through a centre line port to score one on a measurement.

In the second end, BC-B second Frank LaBounty cleared the front with a raised double takeout, but his skip Ron Bordeleau missed an open draw for two with his final stone and scored one.

In the third, Bordeleau sat three with skip stones to come, but his guard over curled allowing Shannon to rescue the end with a quiet weight hit and stay on the button.

A draw to the top four foot by BC-A third Darryl Neighbour in the fourth froze out two opposition stones. BC-B third Vaselenak's first stone was wide and Shannon added to the pressure by drawing down to the four foot. An attempted double takeout by Bordeleau on his last rock almost saved the day, but Shannon took one on a measurement.

In the decisive fifth end, Shannon stole three when his well-protected rocks in the back of the eight foot survived Bordeleau's attempts to raise his own stones into the house.

A Lou Gibson double takeout and a Darryl Neighbour peel ran Bordeleau out of rocks early in the sixth end. Shannon faces Alberta in the 3-4 Page Playoff game.

Ontario perfect as Round Robin concludes - February 16, 2006

Ontario beat slumping Team BC-B 7-2 to end Round Robin play with a perfect 5-0 record.  In tomorrow's 1 vs 2 Page Playoff they will face Team Canada who edged out Alberta 6-3 in a game that came down to the final rock.  Alberta were lying two when skip Bruno Yitzek's final stone slid back 8 rather than top 12 to allow Team Canada's Chris Daw an open draw with plenty of backing for the win.

Team BC-A defeated Manitoba 9-2 and will play their BC counterparts in a tie-breaker to determine who will face Alberta in the Page 3 vs 4 game tomorrow.

Standings tighten on Day 3 of Canadian Nationals - February 16, 2006

Ontario continued their winning ways in Draw 4, beating newcomers Alberta 9-3. Their 4-0 record guarantees them first place in tomorrow's Page Playoff.

Team Canada bounced back to defeat Manitoba stealing two in the fifth end to clinch a 7-2 win.

BC's Jim Shannon recorded his first win, beating fellow BC's Ron Bordeleau 10-4.

Highlights of the second day at the Canadian Nationals

Draw 2

Alberta scored their first win in national competition with a come-from-behind victory over Team BC.  Despite giving up 5 in the first, Alberta battled back, scoring 4 in the 2nd and 2 in the final end for a 7-6 win

 “We failed to execute,” explained BC skip Ron Bordeleau. Alberta, however, demonstrated how well prepared they are by refusing to give in to a large deficit, despite being in their first year of competitive play.

In the other matches, Team Canada bounced back crushing Team BC Host 13-2 in five ends.  Ontario went 2 – 0, stealing in 5^th and 6^th to edge out Manitoba 6-5.

Draw 3

Chris Rees doubled up his more muscular fellow Ontarian Team Canada skip Chris Daw, to go 3-0 and top of the standings. National coach Joe Rea stated the roles on the team had not yet been finally decided; eloquent testimony to where his team stands 3 weeks before the Paralympics in Torino.

In other matches, Alberta again proved their resilience, overcoming a 5-1 deficit to defeat the BC Host team 6-5.  Team BC bounced back from their morning loss to Alberta with a decisive 6-2 win over Manitoba.

Report from the opening day of the Canadian Nationals - Feb 14, 2006

It is the quietest curling I have ever seen except for the Deaf Nationals.  No sweeping, therefore no screaming. [read more]

Team Canada upset in National Championship opener - Feb 14, 2006

Team BC skip Ron Bordeleau's angle raise takeout for 3 in the 3rd was the crucial shot in an upset 6 - 4 win over Team Canada in the opening draw. In a 6 end game that lasted over 2 1/2 hours, veteran skip Chris Daw  was light on a draw, then missed a hit with his final stone facing 2, and Bordeleau did not have to throw his last rock.

In other matches, the BC Hosts, down 4 -3 and facing 2, conceded to Ontario before last skip's stones. Ontario were the only team in the opening draw to steal; a single in the 3rd and 2 in the 4th.

Manitoba scored 3 in the final end to beat newcomers Alberta 5-4, though the highlight of the match was a double takeout for 1 by Alberta skip Bruno Yizek in the 3rd.

Scroll down for scores and standings.