At this point it’s not certain what will be tougher to get through, the snow on the way to the Abbotsford Curling Club for the 2017 belairdirect B.C. Men’s Curling Championship or wrestling that very title away from Jim Cotter.
Cotter — who throws last stones with the rink under skip John Morris and with second Tyrel Griffiths and lead Rck Sawatsky — is in search of his fourth straight provincial title and sixth crown in the last seven years.
Morris returns to the team after Ryan Kuhn pulled out this season.
“After Ryan stepped back, I took some time to reflect on the next two years and the Olympic process,” Cotter said earlier this year after the announcement of the change. “There were several great options out there, but John was the natural fit with our previous history together.
“We are thrilled and feel very fortunate that someone of John’s calibre was available. John was obviously a huge asset to our team a few years back and we are all excited to join forces again,” Cotter also stated at the time.
It was in 2014 that the four had teamed up to win the province and also placed second to Kevin Koe’s Alberta team at the Tim Hortons Brier. They are back together with a little Victoria flavour as well as Jody Epp is listed as coach and fifth man.
The rink is the favourite among the 12-team field that begins play today and includes three Island rinks in teams skipped by Wes Craig, Glen Jackson and Ken McArdle.
McArdle is guiding Neil Dangerfield’s regular Victoria Curling Centre team with Denis Sutton at third, Darren Boden at second and Glen Allen at lead. Dangerfield, who has been injured for most of the year, remains as the fifth man.
McArdle hails from the Royal City club where he is the icemaker. He also recently assisted Mike Merklinger with the ice at the Canadian Junior Curling Championships in Esquimalt.
“We’re ready and you know the ice is going to be good,” chuckled McArdle, referring to Merklinger, who also made the ice in Abbotsford this week.
Craig is joined by son Miles Craig at third, Cameron de Jong at second and Dave McGarry at lead. Andrew Komlodi is third on Jackson’s rink with Corey Chester at second and Joel Cave at lead.
Also among the field is recent Canadian junior men’s champion Tyler Tardi of Langley/Royal City; former Island curler Dean Joanisse of the Golden Ears club; Mike Moss of Richmond; Mark Longworth of Vernon; Jeff Guignard of Vancouver; Sean Geall of Kelowna; Andrew Bilesky of Royal City; and Tom Buchy of Kimberley.
Play opens at 9 a.m. with McArdle facing Craig in a clash of two Island teams and Jackson playing Longworth. Four teams will qualify for the Page Playoff system, which begins Saturday, with the final on Sunday.
The four playoff games will be televised on Shaw TV (Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m., semifinal Sunday at 11 a.m. and the final at 4 p.m.) and the champion will represent B.C. at the 2017 Tim Hortons Brier, March 4-12 in St John’s, N.L.
B.C. has not won the Brier since Greg McAulay achieved the feat in 2000.
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