February Newsletter

Juniors at BC Winter Games in Quesnel

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Left to right: Arianna Wu, Chloe Yuen, Yalda Tabesh and Sharlotte Wong, with coach Brian Fitzgibbon

We are wishing good luck and good curling to these Zone 5 team members as they compete at the BC Winter Games Lhtako Quesnel 2024, Feb. 23-25. This team of curlers from the Marpole CC and Vancouver CC junior program has been training every Saturday at Marpole with coach Brian Fitzgibbon.

Marpole ladies qualify for BC masters event

Left to right: skip Laura Rampton, third Janice Robinson, second Cindy Waller, lead Karen Morley

A Marpole CC team, skipped by Laura Rampton, has qualified for the BC Masters Combined Championship (PCMCA/BCIMCA) in Vernon Mar. 23-28. They qualified at the Pacific Coast Masters Curling Association 60+ women's zone competition, a four-team double knock out at the Howe Sound Curling Club, Feb. 16-17.

The Rampton team was down to two players on Wednesday morning, as lead Elaine Wass was suffering from a back problem and third Pam Chow tested positive for Covid. Karen Morley, new to the day ladies, and Cindy Waller changed weekend plans to fill the void.

The revamped team won its first game against the Marilyn Burris team from Royal City CC in an extra end. It was the ultimate come-from-behind win in the second game against Nancy Stagg from Royal City. After a couple of tough ends, the Rampton team scored five in the eighth end to tie, and stole the win in the extra end. Pam Chow will rejoin the team as fifth for the provincial championship.

Cafe back in business

After serving up soup and sandwiches at our two recent bonspiels, the Marpole CC cafe is now open on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday with a limited menu. Check the board in the cafe for menu items being offered.

Chelsea serves up another soup and sandwich order.

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The Thursday Day Ladies now can have lunch at the club.

Club Championships coming up

2023 24 ClubChampionship 2

Club closure on Feb. 15 should help maintain good ice

The Marpole CC was closed to curling on Thursday, Feb. 15 so that our ice technicians could flood the ice and do some maintenance scraping. The goal is to continue on with the improved playing conditions we've seen this year. Head ice technician Norm Scott feels the deterioration in ice conditions that took place towards the end of last season won't happen again this season.

2024 Marpole Ladies' Bonspiel rocked January

Diner food, poodle skirts and pink satin jackets were on the agenda for the annual Marpole Ladies' Bonspiel under rockin' 1950s theme. There were 28 teams competing over four days, including teams from Seattle and Squamish.

The bonspiel committee would like to thank general manager Patrick Prade and all the club staff members for the great ice, the food and all of their support throughout the weekend and during our planning. Special thanks to Connie Bailey and all the Marpole volunteers for their commitment and to Laura Rampton forbeing the backbone of the bonspiel and communicating with the teams.

Thanks to Dale Cameron for putting our draw on the website, the Marpole teams for the breakfast goodies, businesses and club members for their generous donations of raffle prizes and to Joe Meyler for the fantastic music.

We hope to see all 28 teams back again next year. Same time! Same place!

Additional results and details are here.

A Event

A Event sponsored by Waller Construction Limited
Winner: Poodle Skirts / Seattle Granite CC
Lisa Rauliuk, Lori Markham, Jiyoung Lee, Mijung Wick
2nd - Pink Ladies, Seattle Granite CC

B Event

B Event sponsored by Van Sports and Physiotherapy
Winner: The Rolling Rocks / Royal City Curling Club
Gabriela Farias, Isis Regadas, Melissa Sampaio, Ana Teodoro, Barbara Zbeetnoff
2nd – Mick, RCCC & VCC

C Event

C Event sponsored by Taku Resort and Marina
Winner: Rockin’ Around the House / Royal City Curling Club
Dianne Gauthier, Estafana Quintero, Amy Edwards, Emma Baker
2nd – They Who Must Not Be Named, VCC

For the first time in many years, we offered a lunch service

at our diner counter. Great fit with this year's bonspiel theme.

TESAC Funspiel returns in a big way in February

It was a busy Saturday, Feb. 3 as 24 teams curled almost non-stop in the annual TESAC Funspiel.

A big thank you to our fabulous ice crew, Bree and Jeremy, and bar staff Marilyn and Spencer, who ended up working the afternoon/night shift on his own. We appreciated that people helped clear tables, since he was very busy at the bar!

A round of applause for our caterer, Chris and his staff, for the yummy salmon dinner and for stocking the cafe with tasty soup, sandwiches and chilli. There were no leftovers! Thank you Sam for keeping the pro shop busy by collecting food money and selling inventory.

We would like to thank Patrick for donating homemade bread for the best team name and VCC for the handmade Scotties table that was signed by Team Grandy. A big shout out to our longtime reverse draw prize supporter, Locus Cafe (4121 Main St., Vancouver), who serve delicious food & drinks in a cozy, quiet space.

Last of all, thanks to all TESAC curlers as well as other leagues and clubs that make this such a fun event every year.

A Box winners

Left to right; Warren Threlfall, Beckie Gibbons, Mike Gomm, Linette Chatsky

Only Sweepers in the Building swept into first by only a few points to win the coveted Carl Anderson trophy.

A Box second

Are You Sheeting Me, left to right: Pablo Navarro, Merit Thorson, Emily McMillan, Paul Keelan

Congratultions to our other box winners:

B Box: Joe & the Girls (Joe Krapiec, Kris Grant, Sonya Stedman, Kathy Kerr)

C Box: Newbs (Bree Kiter, Jeremy Howe, Kaisen Choi, Tamara Choi, Stacy Ramkissoon)

D Box: The Curling Stones (Patrick Walls, Brandon Leeper, Audrey Varner, Dale Rondeau)

Countdown to the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver and Whistler

Prince Harry smiles after delivering a stone from a wheelchair, while Michael Bublé looks on. Photo: Invictus Games Foundation

The Vancouver Curling Club hosted a one-year countdown event on Friday, Feb. 16 with special guests: Invictus Games patron Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and Canadian singer Michael Bublé of Burnaby. They met with Invictus Games training camp competitors during a wheelchair curling demonsration.

New CurlFit sessions available with new format

CurlFit is back with 16 new classes for 2024 at the Vancouver Curling Club. The classes are 45-minute fitness-style classes, and you can drop-in to the classes that fit your schedule. Just buy a class-pack and come to the classes that work for you.

In these CurlFit classes, you will build strength, improve your core, steady your stability, calibrate your cardio and improve your game. You will learn to enhance your strength, stability, and overall athleticism on (and off) the ice through strength- and endurance-focused training including the use of resistance bands and other tools.

Classes are Sunday mornings at 8:30 a.m. and Tuesday evenings at 5:30 p.m. This season, we are selling class packs which you can use on a drop-in basis. Details here: https://vancurl.com/index.php/about-the-club/curlfit-101