GRAND CLUB INSIDE 2 Obituaries 3 Message from the President 4 Increased Stipends 4 GNCC Arena Championship The Official Newsletter of the GNCC November 2015 | Vol. 26, No. 2 News 5 GNCC Wins Ross Tarlton 5 GNCC Senior Women’s Bob Pelletier Receives an Award of a Lifetime 6 GNCC Club Updates by George Shirk 8 New Club Starter Kit 8 GNCC Stone Rental Program 9 NBC 10 Broom Controversy Heats Up 12 Rare 8-Ender in Philadelphia

Free Curling Software submitted by Howard Griffin

Over the past several years, the Potomac Curling Club has developed custom The GNCC has awarded Potomac Curling Bob is an avid curler and supporter of the written software to help manage our Club member Robert Pelletier the Lifetime game. He was recently awarded the Collie volunteer opportunities, house Membership Award. Bob is a deserving Campbell Memorial Award at the Ross Tarlton. crowds, and other smaller event recipient. In addition to being a past The award recognizes “gentlemen” for their reservations. In 2012 the Chesapeake President of the GNCC, he served from 1999 longtime service to the sport. Curling Club asked if I knew of a timer to to 2007, and he was also the President of the He also curled in the U.S. Men’s Nationals help keep friendly games and bonspiels Potomac Curling Club for 12 years, through in Duluth in 1994, representing the GNCC, moving forward in a timely manner. I 2003. During those years, he lived by the and has been on numerous other winning didn’t know of one so a simple game phrase: “If we build it, they will come.” curling teams over his long curling career. timer application was developed to keep He toiled, begged, borrowed, and pleaded His most coveted and prized win, however, is friendly games and bonspiels moving with vendors, lenders, and contractors—to his Gold Medal at the Rotary World Curling along. A “virtual” strategy board suitable build the Potomac Curling Club—the first Championships in Edinburgh, Scotland, in for video projections for larger crowds was “stand alone” dedicated curling club to be March 2002. also developed. built (from scratch) in the east since the early Bob, the GNCC sincerely thanks you for your All of the software developed by the PCC 1960s. Following his lead, and utilizing his tireless dedication and service to our sport is available to any club or organization, techniques for success, several other new and for being a lifelong ambassador for absolutely free of charge. Point your curling facilities have since been built in the “the roaring game.” favorite web browser to howardgriffin. eastern U.S. org, try the applications out online, and Another example of his tireless effort and then download any that you wish to use. dedication to curling—he sought out and won the bid for Potomac to host the 2012 Rotary World Curling Championships, and he took the reins as chairman of the Rotary Worlds Championships Committee. The event was hugely successful. Obituaries

Dave Dewees by Russ Lemcke, Bob Ottaviano with material from CapeCodTimes.com

Dr. David Dewees, of Falmouth MA, passed away on March 11 at the age of 88. Dave founded the Cape Cod Curling Club with his wife Anne in 1969, bringing the then little-known sport to Cape Cod. He pursued establishing curling for many years, learning, playing and teaching with a passion. The Cape Cod Curling Club is now a thriving recreational addition to Falmouth and greater Cape Cod, with approximately 300 members, who were his “curling family.” The popular “Summer Bonspiel” started the same year the club was founded, and it has since grown to one of the largest off-season bonspiels in the world. As president of Cape Cod for the first 10 years, he convinced a donor to build a dedicated facility and kept a small group of curlers together through difficult economic times. He served as GNCC president from 1988 to 1999, during which time he visited every area club on at least one occasion. With his guidance, the club brought female membership to the administration of the GNCC. In 1984, he was a member of the Massachussetts State Championship team that went on to compete in the Nationals. Through Dave’s record of dedication to the sport, he was chosen to be in the Scot’s tour in 1992, and in 2002 he was awarded the Collie Campbell award by the trustees of the Ross Tarleton Canadian/US competition. Cape Cod members are determined to carry on his vision for the sport he loved so much.

Paul Mort, Jr. adapted from CapeNews.net

Paul R. Mort Jr., a resident of East Falmouth since 1998 who became an ambassador for the sport of curling, died at home July 9 after a long illness. He was 86. In the early 1970s, Paul and his wife Isabelle took up the sport of curling in Ardsley, New York. After Paul retired in 1998, they moved to East Falmouth, mainly for the town’s vibrant curling community. He became a strong advocate for the sport, holding officer roles in the GNCC and accompanying the US Men’s Senior Tour to Scotland in 2002. “He was an enthusiastic supporter of the sport,” said his daughter, Elizabeth Mort Calcagni. “He shared his enthusiasm with anybody who would listen.” Isabelle echoed that sentiment, saying, “He enjoyed talking about curling to everybody.” In 2004, he was a member of the curling team from Cape Cod that won the “Dr. Jim” medal at the 24th annual Northeast Seniors Curling Bonspiel held in Ardsley-on-Hudson, New York.

Please consider making a tax deductible charitable donation in memory of members who are no longer with us, or consider naming the Grand National Curling Club of America as a beneficiary under your will or as a beneficiary to your life insurance or retirement accounts. Bequests provide the GNCC with a fiscal foundation that ensures the continued strength of our extraordinary programs and services. Message from the President Grand National Curling Club submitted by Chris Banino Officers and Directors

Curling is now a year- prestigious GNCC events. This will allow President Chris Banino round sport. Although everyone to enjoy the gracious Southern 1st Vice President Dan Boerger many dedicated ice hospitality that the region is famous for. facilities are just starting 2nd Vice President Charlie Brown These events are hosted at different sites Secretary Pauline Davies up their leagues, many every year, and we want all of our member Treasurer Gwen Krailo-Lyons arena clubs are finishing clubs to participate in hosting these events. up theirs. Curling Club of Virginia, skipped Immediate Past President by Travis Hamilton, had a successful run at The dues and insurance costs for the GNCC Sally MacKenzie the GNCC Arena Championships, and many will remain the same as they were last At-Large Directors Marj Moore, other fun bonspiels were run during the year; however, the GNCC will no longer be George Shirk, Maryann Vermeulen, summer. Now, as the weather turns cooler, collecting the dues for USA Curling. We were the only region in the United States dedicated ice facilities begin to start up GNCC News collecting dues for the national governing is published by the their physical plants, and begin to put down Grand National Curling Club of circles, lines, and hacks. These dedicated ice body, and it was becoming too cumbersome America, Inc. The newsletter is staff put in long hours in order to prepare for for our volunteers to reconcile the way USA the long road ahead as a new season begins. Curling required with their new database. distributed free to members of the More importantly, this will allow each club Grand National Curling Club. The As your president for the next two years, I to actively communicate directly with the annual subscription rate for non- look forward to working with all clubs to national governing body, as we have heard members is $10.00 (US). Advertising continue to grow the sport of curling in the clubs wanted more direct access to USA rates are available upon request. eastern United States. GNCC Junior, Senior, Curling and their programs. and Mixed Doubles teams have all won national championships and have gone to The GNCC is also active in mentoring new All correspondence should be sent to: worlds in the last three years. Some of this clubs; once the club is formed, we can help GNCC Curling News success can be attributed to great coaching guide the club in best practices, such as in 46 Ledgewood Drive from our volunteers over the years. Another board administration and marketing. The Norwalk, CT 06850 successful junior summer camp was held GNCC also has a modest financial program for making the transition from arena ice over the summer, and we look for continued Editor & Art Director Jacki Temple, success from that program. to dedicated ice. The GNCC board has dedicated more financial resources to make [email protected] I am excited that the GNCC Mixed this program viable to these clubs. Championships will be held for the first Contributors Carol Arakelian, I look forward to the next two years and look time in Charlotte, NC. Their new dedicated Chris Banino, Vickie Brown, Rich ice facility is ideal for holding large curling with eager anticipation for further growth and development of curling, and continued Collins, Peter Ellis, Howard Griffin, events in the future. As more clubs put in Gwen Krailo-Lyons, Russ Lemcke, dedicated ice facilities, we hope that these successful bonspielling results in the eastern Bob Ottaviano, Dave Ryan, Tracy new clubs will look to host more of the United States for all of our members. Shickel, George Shirk, Carl Thomas, Maryann Vermeulen

Proud Partners of the GNCC Championship Host Site Stipends Increased submitted by Maryann Vermeulen

The GNCC is home to an exceptional pool of To further recognize the sacrifices made by competitive curlers who work hard to qualify our playdown host sites, the GNCC Board for national events, requiring our teams to of Directors recently approved a 100% play down in regional championships. The increase in our stipends for these events. GNCC could not send its talented curlers Effective immediately, a stipend of $400 to compete at national events without per day will be paid to the host club, for the ongoing and generous support of our each full or partial calendar day a host dedicated ice facilities hosting playdowns. club must dedicate resources and ice time These events are not money-makers, yet to accommodate hosting a GNCC event they require rink time, ice maintenance, leading to nationals. While not intending organization, and staffing. I would like to to fully reimburse for donated ice time express sincere thanks and appreciation to and other resources, we hope this token the 2015-2016 championship event host of appreciation will help to offset any sites: Ardsley for the Men’s & Women’s real losses incurred in support of GNCC Clubs, Broomstones for the Men’s & competitive curling. Women’s Juniors, and the brand new addition of Charlotte for the Mixed.

6th Annual GNCC Arena Club Championship by Rich Collins

From July 31 to August 2, 2015 the Jay Flanders, fell short by one point in their Curling Club of Virginia hosted the 6th comeback attempt against a strong Virginia Annual GNCC Arena Club Championship team comprised of Travis Hamilton, Mary Bonspiel at the Prince William Ice Center Millage, Brent Cooke and Sam Sparks, in Woodbridge, Virginia. Sixteen teams who won the 2015 GNCC Arena Curling curled representing a total of ten clubs Championship. In the Broadhurst (2nd) from New all the way to Georgia, event final, Mike Spensieri’s Long Island 2 including first time participants from team beat Bill Marshall’s Palmetto 2 rink in Brooklyn Lakeside and Jersey Pinelands. a very close game. Rich Collins’s Virginia/ Participants also traveled from Atlanta (GA), Triangle team came back from being down Long Island (NY), Ocean State (RI), Palmetto by five to tie the game after seven ends (SC), Pittsburgh (PA), Woodstock (VT), and and forced Long Island 1’s Yushi Yang Virginia. This championship allows arena to draw to the four foot to win the Carolina curlers to compete against their peers who (3rd) event. In the Lake Placid (4th) event are keen on curling but face the challenges final Dave Rosler’s Ocean State rink defeated of Zamboni lines, uneven ice, and limited ice a Pittsburgh team, skipped by Daphne time. During this Championship all teams Roberts. struggled against very slow ice on Friday Thanks go to all of the Virginia volunteers, night due to high humidity resulting from a the Prince William Ice Center staff, and leveling flood earlier in the day. The ice was all the participants for making this year’s back to normal on Saturday morning. GNCC Arena Club Championship a fun and In the First Event final the defending successful event! champions from Woodstock, skipped by GNCC Senior Women’s Championship by Carol Arakelian

The 6th Annual GNCC Senior Women’s Championship “Reunion” was hosted by Broomstones Curling Club in Wayland, MA. Twenty-two teams from fifteen different clubs began the three-day event on November 13, 2015, making it the largest number of teams participating in the history of this event. The weekend brought together longtime friends and many newcomers to the senior bonspiel. The Philadelphia team, skipped by Rosemary Morgan, won the first event over Shelley Dropkin’s Broomstones team. The Nutmeg team, skipped by Jennifer Stannard, won the second event over Marilyn Goldstein’s Albany team. A composite team of Broomstones, Ardsley, and Cape Cod, skipped by Jamie Hutchinson, won the third event over Dorothy Szymaszek’s Schenectady team. The Albany team, skipped by Martha Naber, won the fourth event over Mary Colacchio’s Cape Cod team.

GNCC Wins 48th Ross Tarlton by Howard Griffin

Over the first weekend in November, 16 teams from the GNCC traveled to Niagara Falls, Ontario, to compete in the 48th annual Ross Tarlton bonspiel against 16 other teams from the Ontario Curling Association. The host site alternates between the GNCC and Ontario each year. The ice at the Niagara Falls Curling Club was awesome, with three to four feet of curl and draw weight around 4.1 seconds (26 seconds plus from hog to tee). Yes, quite a few GNCC rocks sailed through the house in the early ends. The event winner is determined on total points scored, and at the closing banquet, the final score was announced. The Ontario gents accumulated 420 points from 64 games, just 14 shy of the GNCC’s 434. It was quite a close match, indeed. Next year’s competition will be held in , co-hosted by Broomstones and TCC.

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GNCC Club Updates

Albany Curling Club submitted by Dave Ryan

The Albany Curling Club hosted its 48th annual Governor’s Bowl in January of 2012. After we finished a game against Ross Wallace’s team from Valleyfield, Quebec, we started talking about some of the great shots and the missed opportunities. Then, the conversation turned to the ice itself. Ross commented, “Your ice is slow and doesn’t curl, you play the bump up a stone game which we don’t do well.” We then learned that Ross was in charge of the ice at the Valleyfield Curling Club, which hosts some of the major curling events in Canada. He’s proud of how keen and fast their ice is, telling us their ice was 3.2 seconds or faster, from tee to hogline. We discussed a couple of problems and the different approaches we have tried to address these conditions. Ross then asked a couple of questions that changed everything. “Where do you record what you have tried and what the results were from the tweak or change?” We stared at each other and explained that our ice technician does the work and relays the results to us. Ross smiled and asked, “What if your guy gets hit by a bus?” We gave him a tour of our mechanical room, which lead to more discussion about various pebbling techniques. Having decades membership and leadership experience, I thought I had a good handle on how and what we did at the club. It quickly became clear that there is a lot more to the ice than I had ever thought about or knew. Ross gave us a crash course in ice maintenance. During the remainder of the year, we stayed in touch with him and continued to pick his brain. He worked with our board and the Canadian Curling Stone Company to have our stones shipped to Canada for sharpening and to have Hone inserts added. During the summer of 2012, our first project was to clean the ice surface and to better seal the the sides and back wall of the club. In the fall, we flooded our sheets and began testing our new “reconditioned” rocks, which curled four to five feet and behaved livelier in the house. Ross’s recommendations about various pebbling techniques, pebble heads, and the scraper and the motion used to scrape the ice all had a positive effect on the ice. In 2013, we had the best ice conditions seen at Albany in many years. That year at the Governor’s Bowl, Valleyfield got to play on their kind of ice, no more bumps and hide. compliments kept coming in even from Valleyfield. We were seeing 3.5 to 3.6 seconds and it was some of the best curling ever at our club. Valleyfield took to the new ice conditions like a ducks to water, so much so that they went on to become the winners of the A event. In 2014, we continued to improve the “product” as we call it. There are many people to thank for where we are today but the biggest thank you goes to Ross Wallace for his dedication to the sport and his willingness to share his knowledge with a bunch of rookies like us. He does like to remind us that we were willing to listen to his suggestions. So remember, the next time you’re sitting around after a game having a beer you never know where it might lead. In our case, beer did lead to great ice at the Albany Curling Club. Again, thank you to Ross Wallace and all of those curlers who gave up their time and knowledge to improve our “product.” We are forever grateful. Norfolk Curling Club by Vickie Brown and Gwen Krailo-Lyons

Opening Night at the Norfolk Curling Club on October 18, 2014, was a joyous affair for many reasons. It commemorated the one-year mark since we opened the doors to our new facility, after the Norfolk Curling Club had to be totally rebuilt due to an arson, which burned the club to the ground in December 2011. President Ted Stone thanked the many people who helped make Norfolk’s new facility possible. Plaques acknowledging the major donors were introduced, and a special thank-you gift to Building Committee chairman, Russell Russ, was presented. The highpoint of the evening came when USCA Director, Gwen Krailo-Lyons, presented the USCA Volunteer of the Year award to our former president, Mary Fanette. Mary’s unwavering passion and leadership to the club throughout the rebuilding process, as well as her ongoing dedication to introducing new members to the sport of curling, made her the perfect candidate for this prestigious award. All of us at Norfolk CC are so grateful for her support and so proud of her accomplishments. Gwen Krailo-Lyons stated the club “was a remarkable transformation from the destruction I observed sitting in the parking lot that cold December night before the board meeting to the magnificent facility I walked into tonight.” She added that it takes an entire community to support the enormous task of rebuilding after such a traumatic blow. “Mary was the sparkplug driving the rebuild engine. Norfolk should take great pride in their gorgeous new facility and Mary Fanette’s non-stop energy.” Mary is the third recipient of the USCA Volunteer of the Year Award.

Missing a Perk? submitted by Peter Ellis

Being able to list your events in the GNCC information changes, the responsible club calendar is one of the perks of GNCC needs only to change it on their end. membership. But most of you miss out on So how do you take advantage of this half of the value. perk? You will need a little help from your If you look at the calendar, you will see that webmaster. Provide him or her a copy of the some of the club names are in blue. If you information, in the format you want people click on the name, it opens a new window to see. They will load that onto the website and leads you to a message: “Please Click and give you a URL (link) to that page. When Here For More Information,” or “Please Click you provide us the basic info about your Here For Registration.” The message can vary. event, please also provide us with the link, When the message is clicked, you are sent to and we will do the rest. the club’s web site and directed to a specific Questions or comments please contact Pete page. In most cases, it is the flyer and entry Ellis: [email protected] form for an event. This makes it easier for everyone trying to get into the event as well as information for the club. If any of the Rocking a New Club Kit by Russ Lemcke

Thanks to the GNCC rock lease program, many established clubs have been able to lease rocks as they begin to grow. This is a program that other regions could establish for the benefit of their members. However, those wanting to start an arena club from scratch need a lot of equipment to hold open houses and learn to curl programs, which entice new members to join. Most established clubs are happy to provide instructors, but it is a bit much to request that they loan their rocks and other equipment, particularly in the middle of a season. For that reason, I have developed a “kit” of equipment for those wanting to hold open houses and get a club started. The kit is available at no cost. All a club must do is send a representative to Cape Cod, pick up the kit and transport it back. Several clubs and individuals have donated much of the kit, which includes everything needed to hold open houses: temporary hacks, stabilizers, sliders, plastic to set the rocks on as they cool, and even construction cones as sheet and hog line markers and a scribe used to form the houses. The 32 rocks are enough for four sheets with one rock for each new curling hopeful. The entire kit fits in a pickup truck. Currently, the kit is in use at the new Pine Tree Club in Portland, Maine, where Derek Campbell and his wife are holding a series of oversubscribed open houses. Nearby clubs are providing the needed instructors. It would be very surprising if we don’t have a growing club in Portland this fall. It’s worth noting that a few of the rocks are in less-that-superb shape. If anyone has a good stone available, please email me at [email protected]. Also, if the world were perfect, this kit would be housed in an 8’ trailer in someone’s yard north or west of Boston. This would make it so much easier to pick up.

GNCC Stone Rental Program gets a facelift submitted by Carl Thomas

The GNCC stone rental program has been a highly valuable asset to new clubs trying to get a foothold in curling. Set up to help clubs get off the ground and build up their members, the GNCC stone program has been essential to growing curling in the eastern seaboard. The GNCC currently has 19 sets of stones and can support 6 clubs establishing themselves in new cities within the GNCC. As an ongoing maintenance and update project, this year we purchased new handles for the rental stones. The GNCC has had a handle donation program in place for several years and have sold many handles, but there are still more available. These handles are a huge improvement over the gooseneck handles most of our sets previously had. Please show your support for new clubs in the GNCC buy putting your personal message on the rental stones. Curling Night in America Returns! adapted from TeamUSA.org

The USCA has once again scheduled the NBC Curling Night in America for January 2016, but this time full games will be broadcast with professional commentators. This year’s competition, which will be filmed in December in Eveleth, Minn., will feature team and mixed doubles action. The and rinks will compete for the U.S. against international rinks. USA’s reigning mixed doubles champions and Korey Dropkin will represent the U.S. All broadcasts will be aired on NBC’s Sports Network (NBCSN). This is a great opportunity for all clubs to use these broadcasts for their own publicity.

JANUARY 8JANUARY 15 JANUARY 29 FEBRUARY 5FEBRUARY 12 FEBRUARY 19 FEBRUARY 26

10pm to 10pm to 10pm to 8pm to 10pm to 8pm to 10pm to midnight, ET midnight, ET midnight, ET 10pm, ET midnight, ET 10 pm, ET midnight, ET

10pm to 10pm to midnight, ET midnight, ET

The Memorial Trust Fund by Gwen Krailo-Lyons, GNCC Treasurer

Periodically, I write an article for the Since 2000, loans in varying amounts newsletter regarding some aspect of the have been granted to Ardsley, Belfast, GNCC treasury. This one is on the Memorial Chesapeake, Norfolk, Petersham, Plainfield, Trust Fund. Schenectady, and Utica. There are currently The Memorial Trust Fund was established in three loans outstanding and are being 2000 with a gift of $50,000 from an repaid on schedule. One application has anonymous donor in honor of a loved one. been recently approved and is awaiting final The donor desired to establish a fund to help signatures on the paperwork. Recognizing maintain the curling equipment, physical that many of our clubs are older and plants, and structures of the member clubs beginning to experience equipment failures of the GNCC. With the approval of the donor, the GNCC Board transferred $7,500 from our a set of guidelines for the trust and a board surplus to the Memorial Trust at the Annual of trustees was established to oversee the Meeting in May 2015. fund. Loans can only be given for the repair, The GNCC is the only governing body of maintenance, or replacement of existing curling in the United States that provides equipment and facilities. Loans may this type of assistance for its member clubs. not be given for expansion or creation of For additional information or to request a new facilities. Loans are for five or fewer loan application please contact Clark Neill, years at a 3% interest rate, currently. All Chairman, at [email protected]. member clubs, in good standing with the GNCC, are eligible to apply for a loan from the trust. Broom Controversy Heats Up by Billy Witz, excerpted from the New York Times, Nov. 19, 2015

Perhaps unsurprising for a sport that has see the top players hanging out. But it’s sort something in common with a household of taken that away this year, that’s for sure.” chore, the issue involves fabric—specifically, , a bronze medalist for the something called directional fabric. The United States at the 2006 Turin Games, use of this material in broom pads is the learned the game using cornhusk brooms latest escalation in an arms race among while growing up in northern . manufacturers seeking to help the world’s The new brooms, with carbon fiber shafts, best curlers guide their 42-pound stones allow curlers to sweep paths for stones, along a sheet of also known as rocks, ice as if they were in such ways that controlled by “it almost looks joysticks. like they’re on At the center of the remote control,” conflict are two said Fenson, who Canadian companies: has a sponsorship the well-established agreement with BalancePlus and BalancePlus. “In the the upstart Hardline past, players that Curling, whose have the best feel for IcePad broom had photo by Chris Bolin for The New York Times the game, work the begun to garner hardest, are in the attention last year from some of the world’s best shape and understand the game the best curlers. But when BalancePlus last best—those are the ones who were usually month unveiled prototypes of its new the most successful.” broom, which surpassed the advances made As a result of the new brooms, curling has by the IcePad, there was an outcry that joined the that have had to the new brooms had made redirecting the grapple with technological advances in stone too easy, thus diminishing the value equipment that threatened the character of a skilled thrower and the strength and of the sport. Golf clubs, rackets, and athleticism of the sweepers. swimsuit fabrics have all required legislation Many, but not all, of the sport’s top by the sport’s governing bodies. competitors signed an agreement last “Some teams are accusing other teams of month to shun the newest brooms. But with cheating, but there’s no cheating because few regulations on the books and Olympic there’s no rules,” said the Canadian Brad qualifying tournaments underway this Gushue, a gold medalist at the 2006 month, the (WCF) Olympics. “The problem is the associations stepped in Wednesday [Nov. 18] and issued have been one step behind. They need to new rules. Nolan Thiessen, who is sponsored step up and say, ‘Here are the rules.’” by BalancePlus, enlisted 22 other top teams to sign a pledge not to use brooms with Gushue noticed last year that teams using the directional fabric. Now, at least 40 have an IcePad had significantly more control signed on. over the rock than his team did, so after his sponsorship deal expired with Goldline, “There’s definitely some anger over it,” Dean another major manufacturer, he signed with Gemmell, a former United States champion Hardline. and the author of “Brush Like a Badass: A Curler’s Guide to Great Sweeping,” said of Charley Thomas is another proponent of the the controversy. “In curling, we’re generally IcePad, but unlike Gushue he does not have known for being pretty friendly with most of a sponsorship deal with Hardline — or with your opponents. Even at the big events, you anyone else. Thomas is far enough down the sport’s totem pole that he has to cover independent parties, and also a more open, virtually all of his expenses. But he has been collaborative decision on how the sport will a target of dirty looks and a few unkind words proceed — something not so easy given for refusing to turn the fabric inside out on the sticky relationship with manufacturers. his IcePad this season, which has been the (BalancePlus is a sponsor of the WCF, Curling best of a steadily progressing career. Canada, and the United States Curling Thomas said that unless Curling Canada, Association.) the country’s governing body, issued an “It’s such a touchy subject with a lot of edict along the lines of the WCF’s, he would curlers,” said Val Sweeting, a top competitor continue to use the IcePad. Thomas said he sponsored by BalancePlus. “Obviously was in favor of standards, but he accused the there has to be scientific testing and a sport’s elite teams of not giving everyone a more thorough look at everything, but a voice. temporary solution was warranted and “We didn’t sign, and we weren’t asked,” needed. This whole issue has created a lot of Thomas said. “It seems like a real self- tension. The WCF had to do something.” serving thing that’s happening from the Gushue said he would like to see a panel top teams, like that’s all that matters. I feel of about 18 people who represent a wide like I’m speaking out on behalf of those that constituency in the sport address new don’t have a voice. A lot of teams feel the standards, but he knows that will not be same way, but they aren’t able to express it.” possible to do until the current season, The WCF declined to make an executive which runs until April, is complete. available for an interview, but its secretary “It’s an interesting argument in curling, general, Colin Grahamslaw, said in a is there too much control?” Gushue said. statement, “A variety of sweeping devices “What is the line to be drawn? Is it before the has been shown to have an impact IcePad? The other side is the business. You beyond the typical performance principles want business to be more competitive, and understood in curling.” clearly IcePad has made a superior product. He added: “It is a very complex area and Just because that’s the case, it shouldn’t be one which will take some time to fully banned.” Then he steered the matter back to understand.” the main point, he said. “How much control is too much control?” Whether the current stance by the federation will endure is uncertain. What For more information about the ruling, please many in curling want is more testing from visit www.worldcurling.org/brush-head- technology-2015-16

The official Equipment Supplier of the GNCC Third Eight-Ender in 57 Years by Tracy Shickel

The Philadelphia Curling Club launched the 2014/2015 curling season with an 8-ender at the annual “Put in the Plug” bonspiel. During the third end of the semifinals on October 18, Dave Pohlman (skip), Robin Flavelle (vice), Andy Dunnam (second), and Ginger Pohlman (lead) loaded up the house with their red stones. This is the third recorded 8-ender in the 57-year history of the Philadelphia Curling Club!