Tankard organizers kick their efforts into high gear, more teams qualify 

By Jim Barber
Napanee Guide
January 14, 2010

With nine of 11 teams set, and a great deal of the heavy lifting done, organizers of the 2010 Tankard are heading into the final weeks of preparation for the event, which takes place at the Strathcona Paper Centre in Napanee, Feb. 1 to 7.

Stephen Paul, the chairperson of the organizing committee said he and his crew are "now putting the finishing touches on the event."

"From our standpoint, it's exciting that we now know a majority of the teams, and we are starting to deal with the teams and work with them to ensure they have as good an experience as possible here in Napanee," he said.

"Ultimately there's a lot of little things that need to be done. But things are going well, and ticket sales are going well, and we're excited about Feb. 1. "

This past weekend, four more teams qualified for the Tankard: Team Bryan Cochrane (Rideau Curling Club), the 2003 Provincial Champion, who is making his 13th appearance at the Provincial Championship; Team Chris Ciasnocha of the Trenton Curling Club, who was the 2001 Junior Finalist; Team Kirk Ziola (Highland Country Club), who represented Saskatchewan at the 1983 Brier, and Team Jason Young of the Brantford Golf and Country Club. Young is a former World Junior Champion.

They join teams skipped by Glenn Howard, Rob Lobel, Peter Corner, Joe Frans and Mark Bice already in the lineup.

Two more teams will come out of Challenge Rounds taking place this weekend at the Alliston Curling Club and the RCMP Curling Club in Ottawa.

"We have some top curlers and there are some curlers who have quite the resume, with numerous world championships on that resume. And I think this is certainly a great opportunity to see some of these curlers that we've all watched on TV for numerous years as curling fans, up close and personal," said Paul, an avid curler himself.

"And this event is not only about seeing them curl, but you're actually going to have the opportunity to see and meet these players in our Ice Hut lounge. They're going to be there after the games, and it's a real experience that people are going to see more than just what's happening on the ice."

Paul said what makes top Canadian curlers so popular is that they are not pampered elite athletes like you see in many other sports, but simply regular folks who have worked hard to excel at their chosen sport.

"It's certainly something they do in addition to family and jobs and everything else in their lives, and it's a real juggling job for all these curlers, and you are seeing highly skilled people who are very dedicated to the sport. And they have a good time doing it as well, they enjoy themselves," he said.

One of the bigger jobs still to be done is the actual physical transformation of the main ice pad at the Strathcona Paper Centre from a hockey rink to four sheets of top notch curling ice.

"We've had quite a few meetings with regards to that, and our ice making team, which is coming in from the Ontario Curling Association, has been here numerous times and done all the dimensions and worked with the folks at the Strathcona Paper Centre, and I think we're just about ready for that as well," said Paul, adding that the construction will begin on the morning of Thursday, Jan. 28.

"Darren Sinclair is the head ice maker. Basically, he has a group that works in conjunction with our own volunteer group, as well as the staff of the Strathcona Paper Centre, so it's really those three groups that will work on it."

Paul also said the Tankard has been getting good media coverage from across the province.

"We've had stories in the Ottawa Sun, the Toronto Sun, and as teams are now qualifying, we're getting coverage in those local publications, which is a big help for selling tickets," he said.

And speaking of tickets, Tankard packages are now on sale. Full week packages are available for $100, or $120 for End Zone coverage. Weekend packages are also on sale, for $50 general admission, or $55 for End Zone seating.

To order tickets, call 613-354-4423, or visit www.2010tankard.com. You can also enter the Napanee Guide's contest on Page 13 this week.