New Zealand Curling

An Auckland Curling Club team has won the Victoria Curling Association's 2011 Open Bonspiel title.

The 8-team tournament was held at Melbourne's Medibank Icehouse on 26-28 September in conjunction with the Australian Junior, Senior and Mixed Doubles Championships.

Al Langille, Kenny Thomson, Dean Fotti and Ian Ford started their tournament with a less than convincing draw in their first game against a local Victorian side. They clicked in the second match though, recording an 11-2 win over the other visiting side, this one from Queensland.

Their last pool game determined the top qualifier from the group, and the Aucklanders faced a side who had all played internationally and included two of the current Australian Men's side. Team Langille showed consistent form throughout to score multiples against singles, and when the teams shook hands they had an 11-4 victory.

Another Victorian side faced them in the final and again Auckland were successful in stifling their opponents' scoring options, although the 10-3 final scoreline belied the efforts of the runner-up local team.

L-R: Kenny Thomson, Ian Ford, Al Langille (holding VCA Open Carrbridge Cask trophy) and VCA President Steve Hewitt. Photo: Bill Whitehead

Al Langille thanked their hosts for a fabulous tournament. "It was a privilege for us to be a part of an event of this calibre played in Australia for the first time", he said. "All games were played in a competitive spirit but at the same time a lot of fun. Thanks again for your great hospitality. This was a good opportunity for us to play against different teams in a new venue, and we'd commend it to other New Zealand curlers."

His sentiments and thanks to the efforts of icemakers and tournament organizers were echoed by other competitors.

Angus Young, who skipped the winning side in his last season in the Junior Men's had always thought he'd never get to play a national tournament in Australia. In past years all of their championships had been held in Naseby.

Gerald Chick added his compliments to the icemakers and organizers, saying it was the best ice he had ever curled on in Australia. He also acknowledged the support of the Victorian Government, as it was only a funding grant from the State of Victoria that had made it financially viable.