Update: January 31, 2002

ROCK TALK

(By Chris Beauvais) As the City of Summerside and Prince Edward Island return to the norm of daily life after the completion of the recent 2002 Karcher Canadian Junior Curling Championships, I would like to briefly reflect on the outcome of the event.
With Summerside hosting this national prestigious curling event, new attendance and ticket sales records were set that will be hard to compare to in years to come.  The daily crowds that attended both Cahill Stadium and the Silver Fox Curling & Yacht Club were staggering to say the least and showed that interest in junior curling and development is highly regarded.  Thank you to all that attended and once again proving nationally and internationally, that Summerside is one of the best locations to stage events of this nature.

Volunteers

Since July 2001, I have had the privilege of being associated with what I believe is the best volunteer base of any community/area that I have been part of.  These Championships were most successful in part to the volunteers contributing endless hours preparing and during the event.  With approximately 310 volunteers associated with the 2002 Karchers, I want to thank you all for your assistance and enthusiasm that is second to none.  Visitors from across the country were constantly submitting feedback in regards to the hospitality that they received from all involved.  GREAT JOB!!!

The Championships

The 2002 Karchers showcased the best junior curlers from across Canada and now the Manitoba Junior Men's rink of David Hamblin and the PEI Junior Women's rink of Suzanne Gaudet will now represent Canada at the World Junior Curling Championships March 23-31 in Kelowna, British Columbia.
Congratulations to Mark Waugh, Jeremy Cameron, Daniel Richard, Steven van Ouwerkerk and coach, Darrel Kirev, on their performance over the duration of the Championships in representing PEI.  Your desire to bring a national Junior Men's crown to PEI was well noted and hopefully we will see you back next year representing PEI at the 2003 Karchers in Ottawa, ON.
I would like to add a message that was received from Marcel Labrosse of Karcher Canada: "After talking with Bruce MacMillan of Karcher Canada, I know that your show in PEI is outstanding!!  The greatest Karcher Juniors ever!!  Congratulations to all the Volunteers, the participants are all Champions and I know everyone is having a great time in PEI.  I wish I was there."

Volunteer Appreciation Night

The Volunteer Appreciation Night will be held on Sunday, February 10 at 7:00 pm at the Silver Fox Curling & Yacht Club.  All volunteers are reminded to please bring their volunteer ID with them.
If further information is required, please contact the Karcher Office located at the Silver Fox Curling & Yacht Club:
Telephone:  436-ROCK (7625)
Fax:            436-0196
Email:  karcherjuniors2002@pei.aibn.com

Update: January 27, 2002

Hamblin Claims Junior Men's Crown

(Jan 27) SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. (CP) - Manitoba's Dave Hamblin registered steals in three straight ends to defeat Quebec's Martin Crete 5-4 and claim the Canadian junior men's curling title Sunday.
The Hamblin rink earned Manitoba its sixth Canadian junior crown and first since 1995. And the Winnipeg squad claimed the national title in its last year of junior eligibility.
"It was our last shot at it," Dave Hamblin told CBC afterwards. "We just wanted to come out and play a solid game and we did.  It's incredible."

 

Update: January 26, 2002

PEI Wins Women's Championship

Suzanne Gaudet skipped her PEI rink to a 6-4 championship win over Jennifer Guzzwell's Newfoundland rink in the KARCHER Junior Women's final at Cahill Stadium in Summerside Saturday afternoon.  In a close, hard fought game, the PEI rink came through with the win, narrowly edging out the Newfoundland rink when Gaudet forced Guzzwell to attempt a hit and stick with her last rock in the 10^th end.  Guzzwell ticked the lone shot stone, missed the shot and ran through the house, allowing PEI to steal a point ending the game up two.  Both teams are to be commended for superb sportsmanship and a thrilling game, played before a capacity crowd in Summerside.  Gaudet will now attempt to defend her world title at the world junior curling championships in Kelowna, B.C., March 23-31.

 

Update:  January 7, 2002

Organizers Grab a Breather

Members of the organizing committee for the 2002 KARCHER Canadian junior  junior men's and women's curling championships in Summerside take a break from months of hard work during a recent press conference.  Seated, from left, are: Noel Gaudet, vice-chairman; Sharon Walker, chairperson; and Carl Delaney, curling club liaison.  Standing, from left, are: Peggy Miles, director of hosting; Chris Beauvais, office manager; and Carson Ricketts, director of volunteers.  The championships will be held Jan. 19-27 at the Silver fox Curling and Yacht Club and Cahill Stadium.  Suzanne Gaudet of Summerside is the defending national and world women's champion.

 

Update:  January 4, 2002

Organizers Continue Countdown to Canadian Junior Curling Event
Championships will be held this month in Summerside, home of the defending national, world champion, Suzanne Gaudet.	The coupling of the Gaudet rink as world champions and their hometown hosting the nationals is a first in junior curling history. "This is the first time in Canadian history that the Canadian defending champion is trying to retain the title in her host club," Walker said.  "And Mark is also the reigning Island champ and he did a very respectable job last year in St. Catherines and we're expecting lots of great things from him this year." About 280 volunteers are involved in various aspects of the national championships with a core group of about 30 who have been working non-stop for the last six months preparing for the event, Walker said. The championships begin with both Island teams on the ice at the same time in the opening 9 a.m. draw at Cahill Stadium.  They will be side by side and each will be taking on their Newfoundland counterparts. This draw will be followed at Cahill Stadium with the official opening ceremonies at 12:30 p.m. Director of marketing, Elmer Williams, said Islanders have been responding really well to the event. "Based on the three previous host cities, we budgeted some $15,000 for advance sale of tickets." said Williams.  As of (Thursday), we're very close to $13,000 sold.  It's great.  The sky's the limit.  We just don't know what's going to happen, what the sales will be.  But it's going to be a success."
SUMMERSIDE - The countdown is on to the 2002 KARCHER Canadian Junior Curling Championships set for Summerside, Jan 19-27. Twenty-six teams made up of the best junior curlers the country has to offer will be vying all week to represent Canada at the next world championships in Kelowna, BC, March 23-31. The reigning world champions, the Suzanne Gaudet rink from the host Summerside Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club, will be back seeking to repeat as national and world junior champions. The men will be represented by another Silver fox rink, the Mark Waugh foursome. Host committee chairperson, Sharon Walker, said the city is hosting two national championships simultaneously requires organizers to use two venues - the Silver Fox Club and Cahill Stadium - to accommodate the number of teams in the events. "It's a double championship," she said. "And I think that's the one thing people really don't have a grasp of yet.  It's really two championships.  We're declaring two teams to go to the worlds."

 

Update:  January 4, 2002

Presents Sweater to Mayor

Sharon Walker, host chair for the 2002  KARCHER Juniors (Canadian junior men's and women's curling championships), recently presented Mayor Basil Stewart with one of the official tournament sweaters as part of the city's Diamond Level sponsorship.  The national event will be held at Cahill Stadium and the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club in Summerside January 19 to 27.  Event passes are on sale at the KARCHER Office at 110 Water Street, Summerside.  For more information, call the KARCHER Office at 436-ROCK (7625).

 

 

Update:  December 29, 2001

Accepts Souvenir Hat

 

Greg Deighan (left), Minister of tourism who is representing the Province of Prince Edward Island as a Diamond Sponsor for the KARCHER Juniors (Canadian junior men's and women's curling championships), accepts a souvenir hat from Sandy Rundle, media chairman for the event.  The hats, along with pins, license plates and event tickets can be purchased from the KARCHER Office, located at the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club in Summerside.  The KARCHER Juniors championships are scheduled for Summerside January 19-27, 2002.

 

 

Update:  December 14, 2001

CURLING COMING TO CAHILL

SHARON WALKER, chair of the 2002 KARCHER Canadian Junior Curling Championships, is pictured here along with Coun. Kenny Simmons, the City of Summerside's chairman of recreation and public relations, observing one of two sponsorship boards in the main lobby of the Summerside Recreation Centre.
The national event will be held at both the Silver Fox Curling Club and Cahill Stadium Jan. 19-27.
National sponsors, as well as those local organizations who have supported the event, are displayed for public viewing on the board.  The other sponsorship board can be seen at the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club.

 

Update:  Friday , October 26, 2001

Volunteer Information & Registration Night

 On Friday, October 26, 2001 a Volunteer Information & Registration Night was organized and hosted by the Silver Fox Curling & Yacht Club located in Summerside. The purpose of this event was to give individuals in the community, locally and provincially, the opportunity to become involved in the 2002 Karcher Canadian Junior Curling Championships. 

 The volunteer evening, with Carson Ricketts ( Volunteer Director ) acting as host, was very well attended with over 100 persons in attendance.  Members of the Host Committee were introduced and gave brief descriptions of areas within the Championships where volunteers were required and how they could assist with the overall success of this prestigious curling event.

 Numerous new volunteers signed up that evening to assist with the hosting of the 2002 Karcher Juniors.  During and after the presentations by the Host Committee, draws for door prizes such as jackets, hats and license plates were completed.  At the completion of the presentations by the Host Committee, food and refreshments were provided to those in attendance.

  Due to the success of this event,  the number of volunteers required for the Championships has come closer to reality.  Many thanks to all involved and another event of this nature may be held once again in the near future.