The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport Minister Eric Robinson hosted a reception at the Legislative Building to congratulate Manitoba curlers earlier last week. ÒOur province is extremely proud of all the curling teams who represented Manitoba and Canada on the world stage,Ó said Robinson.ÊÒThe success of our teams at the national and international levels affirms the strength of curling in Manitoba and indicates just how good you have to be to represent this province in one of our most acclaimed sports.Ó Participants included the provincial teams for mixed, junior menÕs, menÕs and womenÕs senior, and master categories, as well as the Kerry Burtnyk rink, which represented Manitoba at the 2008 Tim Hortons Brier, the world junior womenÕs bronze medallists led by Kaitlyn Lawes and the world womenÕs curling champion Jennifer Jones rink. Manitoba has a long curling history, which includes the Manitoba Curling AssociationÕs menÕs bonspiel, which has been operating for 120 years and is still the biggest annual bonspiel in the world, drawing over 400 teams. Robinson noted that ManitobaÕs status as a leader in the world of curling was further enhanced by hosting the 2008 Tim Hortons Brier in Winnipeg in March.Ê Manitoba will host the first world deaf curling championships in April 2009. In February, the minister proclaimed Learn to Curl Month in celebration of ManitobaÕs curling heritage.Ê More than 7,000 students and educators learned about curling and over 2,600 students participated in Learn to Curl clinics. Last Sunday at the Curling Hall of Fame awards, the 2008 Canadian and world womenÕs champion Jones rink received provincial gold medallions and the 2008 Canadian junior womenÕs bronze-winning Lawes rink received provincial silver medallions for their achievements. The minister made special mention of the individual and personal success of each of the nine provincial teams including: Safeway Championship, MenÕs Dan Kammerlock Richard Daneault Garth Smith Rob Meakin Masters Team Carly Robinson Joyce Thompson Pat Gould Velma Rodgers Scotties, WomenÕs Jennifer Jones Cathy Overton-Clapham Jill Officer Dawn Askin Jennifer Clark-Rouire Janet Arnott Mixed Sean Grassie Allison Nimik Ross Derksen Kendra Green Jack Grassie Masters, MenÕs Doug Armour Ken Davis Gil Van Daele Ken Sabad Senior WomenÕs Jean Garbolinsky Heather Lewis Cheryl Orr Diane Sadler ÊSenior MenÕs Vic Peters Doug Harrison Chris Neufeld Doug Holmes ÊJunior MenÕs Kyle Peters Ian Fordyce Nigel Milnes Stuart Shiells Lance Wadelius ÊJunior WomenÕs Kaitlyn Lawes Jenna Loder Liz Peters Sarah Wazney Alex Mowat
