A world championship is being contested at the Kelowna Curling Club this week, but there害羞草研究所檚 a logo on the wall at the away end that is a vivid reminder of Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 biggest-ever curling event, half a century ago.
The 1968 Macdonald Brier was contested at Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 Memorial Arena 害羞草研究所� just a 15-minute walk due south from the curling club 害羞草研究所� and while the star of the show was Alberta害羞草研究所檚 Ron Northcott, who claimed his first of back-to-back Brier titles with a 10-1 record, two other players from that Canadian championship are here this week with more than a passing interest in what害羞草研究所檚 transpiring at the 2018 Winn Rentals World Mixed Curling Championship, according to a Team Canada news release.
READ MORE: Team Canada opens World Mixed Championship with victory
Jim Waite 害羞草研究所� who played second for Don Gilbert害羞草研究所檚 Ontario team in 1968 害羞草研究所� is coaching the Canadian team this week in Kelowna, a team that improved to 4-1 on Tuesday morning with a 10-1 paddling of New Zealand害羞草研究所檚 Dave Watt (0-4).
And Jim Anderson, the father of Canadian skip Mike Anderson, played second in 1968 for the New Brunswick foursome skipped by Jim Ayer.
It really is a great experience,害羞草研究所� said Waite, a longtime coach of various Canadian national teams. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 not sure the rest of the team was aware that this is such an important place for Jim害羞草研究所檚 and my past But when I came in and saw that logo, the memories came back right away.害羞草研究所�
Waite害羞草研究所檚 Ontario team, in fact, was the only one that bested Northcott, who finished atop the field with a 9-1 record, the release said.
害羞草研究所淲e were tied coming home and there were a lot of rocks out front,害羞草研究所� recalled Waite. 害羞草研究所淗e (Northcott) had to play two raise takeouts to get our rock out and he missed them both by just a hair.害羞草研究所�
Ontario and Anderson害羞草研究所檚 New Brunswick team would finish with identical 6-4 records. Interestingly, Anderson害羞草研究所檚 vivid memory of that Brier also was a game against Alberta.
害羞草研究所淚f I remember correctly, we had to play Alberta on the Tuesday night, and that was the first night they had to turn on the lights for colour TV,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淏ut the time we got to the 11th and 12th ends, the ice was almost unplayable. I believe in the last end, only one rock made it to the house.害羞草研究所�
Waite has been back to Kelowna since, but Anderson, who now lives in Markham, Ont., is making his first trip to the Okanagan since he was slinging the corn broom for New Brunswick at Memorial Arena.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 perfect,害羞草研究所� said Anderson. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e known Jim for a long time, and being here with Mike and this team, is great fun.害羞草研究所�
Both Waite and Anderson had plenty of fun watching on Tuesday morning as Canada 害羞草研究所� Mike Anderson is backed up by vice-skip Danielle Inglis, second Sean Harrison and lead Lauren Harrison 害羞草研究所� played its best game of the week to close within one victory of locking up a playoff berth.
Canada opened with three in the first end, and then proceeded to steal one in the second, three more in the third and one in the fourth.
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New Zealand got one back in the fifth, but the Canadian team, representing the Thornhill, Ont., Curling Club, but the game away with two in the sixth end.
害羞草研究所淭hat felt a lot like the nationals last year in Swan River (Man.),害羞草研究所� said Anderson. 害羞草研究所淭he ice was one game further along and we had a better feel for it. If that害羞草研究所檚 not as good as we can play, it害羞草研究所檚 pretty damn close.害羞草研究所�
Canada closes out its round-robin schedule with 8 a.m. PT games Wednesday against Hungary害羞草研究所檚 Zoltan Palancsa (2-2) and Thursday against Slovakia害羞草研究所檚 Daniela Matulova (4-0), the release said.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e not taking anything for granted yet, but we like the position we害羞草研究所檙e in,害羞草研究所� said Anderson. 害羞草研究所淣ow it害羞草研究所檚 about trying to figure out how to get our game to where it needs to be for Friday and Saturday.害羞草研究所�
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