Morning Star Staff
A North Okanagan duo continues to stick it to the competition.
Vernon’s John Campbell and Tim Smith of Armstrong won their third Canadian Stick Curling Championship, taking the national title by beating out 39 other teams at the Vernon Curling Club.
“It’s really great,” said Smith of championship No. 3, won on the duo’s home ice. Smith and Campbell play in the Friday morning competitive senior men’s curling league, and also at the Armstrong Curling Club in the seniors stick league.
“We’ve always had a good bunch of people behind us and our club has always been supportive of us. It’s helped us keep on going.”
Campbell and Smith were a perfect 7-0 at the Canadian finals. They also won national championships in 2011 in Maple Ridge and 2014 in St. Albert, Alta.
All three medals stayed in the Okanagan-Shuswap as Salmon Arm teams won silver and bronze. Ernie Paetsch and Arnie Haller finished second while the current B.C. champs of Gord Duplisse and Frank Egli took bronze.
The consolation round winners was the Vernon duo of Al Wejr and Jack Prokopetz, representing the Vernon Curling Club, to complete a B.C. sweep.
“The event was an overwhelming success,” said spokesperson and competitor Phil Culbert.
“There were 40 teams from across Canada who not only enjoyed our great facilities at the Vernon Curling Club but many also took advantage of exploring and discovering our beautiful surroundings and all it has to offer.”
There were 18 teams from B.C., 10 from Manitoba, nine from Alberta and three from P.E.I. that competed in the three-day event.
The 2017 national championships will be held at the Bluenose Curling Club in New Glasgow, N.S., March 23-26.