Shown at top are the A event winners in the annual ladies bonspiel held at the Osoyoos International Curling Club this past weekend. From left are Cindy Grigg, Christine Jurgenson, Sharon Burton and Carol Youngberg.
LYONEL DOHERTY Photo
You could say that this past weekend’s ladies curling bonspiel in Osoyoos was a win-win situation for everyone.
That’s because Osoyoos-based teams won all three events plus the runners-up positions at the Osoyoos International Curling Club’s annual Ladies Bonspiel for 2015.
A total of 16 teams, including three out-of-towners, competed in the long-running bonspiel that’s been held for more than 40 years.
Co-organizer Betty Steinbart thanked the curlers who compete in the Thursday ladies league in Osoyoos for coming together and making the bonspiel such a success.
“Everybody has to work together and it’s never anyone’s fault for losing (when you’re playing a team game),” Steinbart said.
She pointed out it was nice to see a lot of younger ladies and local mothers competing.
Steinbart was the skip of her team that won the C event. Her teammates were lead Verla Anderson, second Joanne Bensted and third Wendy Barlow.
Co-organizer Shannon Miller said this year’s bonspiel saw fewer teams than previous years, but it was great to see so many local competitors out to compete and have some fun.
Miller acknowledged chef Chris Parker and the men’s league for preparing dinner.
She raved about the homemade apple sauce, as did the other ladies.
Winning the A event was Cindy Grigg’s team, which included lead Carol Youngberg, second Sharon Burton and former world champion Christine Jurgenson.
A ringer? Relax. She was just there to have fun like everyone else.
Jurgenson has been curling for nearly 50 years. She won the 1986 Scott Tournament of Hearts with her sister Marilyn Bodogh, and won two senior world championships in 2009 and 2011.
Not many curlers can say they beat Canadian champion Sandra Schmirler, but Jurgenson did.
Now, she curls for fun and fitness, and loves participating in small bonspiels like Osoyoos.
Grigg said it was nice to see so many local rinks in the finals and noted the bonspiel was a real social event.
The event attracted another world champion curler, Renee Simons (Dawn Lemke’s daughter), who won the 2006 Scott Tournament of Hearts and the 2007 world championships. She played lead for Kelly Scott from 2002 to 2009.
Gayle Svendsen, skip of the winning team in the B event, said it’s all about teamwork.
She was joined by lead Joanne Muirhead, second Gisele Cleave and third Jolly Gill.
Gill said they never curled as a team before.
“We just played for fun.”
The annual Elks Junior Bonspiel will take place at the Osoyoos International Curling Club on Saturday, Feb. 28.
Any junior curlers interested should contact the curling club at 250-495-7733 or bonspiel organizer Kelsi Bissonnette at 250-535-0510.
LYONEL DOHERTY
Special to the Times
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- The team of (from left) Betty Steinbart, Wendy Barlow, Joanne Bensted and Verla Anderson won the C event at the annual ladies bonspiel held at the Osoyoos International Curling Club this past weekend.
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- LYONEL DOHERTY
