top5s online

Time for another Grand Slam curling event - on tv of course. The Canadian Open  ( also here ) will run from Dec 12-16 in Kelowna, BC. Teams include: Cotter, de Cruz, Epping, Fowler, Gushue, Higgs, Howard, Jacobs, Kean, Koe, Laycock, Lyburn, Martin, McEwen, Menard, Pierce, Rumfeldt, and Stoughton. Broadcast Schedule is here - looks like it's all on Sportsnet (no CBC this time?)! There's 2 games on Thursday - Saturday and the final goes Sunday. Big story all ready is that Martin wont be there because he's having hernia surgery. Should that excuse his performance at the Canada Cup? Yes. But...no comment. Also, I can't find an event specific website (and I even used all my fancy librarian skills). The Masters had a website, but there appears to be no "grand slam" website like their used to be. Fortunately Sportsnet  (slick looking site!) and the World Curling Tour will have all the info you need. And I can't find a title sponsor, but other sponsors are here...

I think I should post a bit of an epilogue to my last post - I ended it quite dramatically with me stuck in Regina with no hopes of making it to Edmonton. Ok. I'll admit it. I panicked. First of all, I've been struggling with a cold and was exhausted and had just gone through a "race to the airport in case the highway gets closed". Secondly, I hate airports and airplanes and flying and the whole process makes me a bit anxious. So when I got to the Regina airport to find out a) the Time Horton's was closed/under construction and I couldn't get dinner and b) my flight was massively delayed to Calgary and I was going to miss my connection to Edmonton and c) the realization I've never missed a connection ever (and I used to fly a lot when I live in Europe)...yeah. I freaked out on twitter a bit. Oops. All was not lost though - I ran into a media guy on my way to yell at a airline agent! Never underestimate the calming effect of a familiar face! After a chat ab...

Last day. Women's Final. The benefit of only having one game on the ice is that I can watch the whole thing, and then the media scrum gets going. The Women's Final was an exciting game! And the media scrum was the busiest I've filmed. Then it was edit, tag, post, tag, post, photos title, tag, post. Women's Final in action - Lawton vs Team Jones.   Lawton win! Bring on the chaos! Bye bye rocks! See you down the road! Lunch! Repeat! The Men's Final was also awesome to watch! It was a close game, right down to the last shot. Couldn't ask for much more. Men's Final - Howard vs Stoughon. Moose Jaw actually set a Canada Cup attendance record! Last shot for Howard... Stoughton wins! There was a bit of a panic during the media scrum - there was some freezing rain and the highway was possibly going to be closed, and of course a lot of us had to get to Regina to fly out or whatever. I ended up filming the media scrum then was rushed out of there on the last airport r...

So, I left off yesterday praying for no tiebreakers, but indeed there was one men's game on early this morning. Key words with the "early" and "morning". I arrived at the fifth end and spent a lovely last half of the game chatting to my media bench partners. I always learn so much from the experienced people who work these events - it always is super interesting hearing their stories and commentary! I'm pretty lucky they let me hang out up on the bench. Koe/McEwen tiebreaker.   Russ Howard chatting to the Saskatchewan Wheelchair Curling Team (2012 National Champions!) - they will be doing a demo during the women's semi 5th end break. Women's Semi Final. Fifth end break: interviews, ice cleaning and the wheelchair curling demo.  Men's Semi Final. One more day! Bitter sweet, it's been fun but I'm exhausted!