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Saturday, February 16, 2013

14 for 14: Meghan Lino, wheelchair curling


From Jan. 2013 to Feb. 2014, the 14 months leading up to the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, "14 for 14" will profile 14 athletes who hope to make the U.S. team for the Games. Visit USParalympics.org on the 14th of each month for the latest "14 for 14".
My name is Meghan Lino and I am a hopeful for the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in wheelchair curling. I've been curling for four years, ever since I attended a friend’s charity event for the Cape Cod Curling Club (Paralympic Sport Club Cape Cod) in 2009.
I am currently in Sochi for the World Wheelchair Curling Championships, which start Saturday, as the alternate for Team USA and hope to return to Russia in March 2014 for my first Games. Here are 14 things you need to know as I strive toward Sochi:

1. I use to think my coach Tony Colacchio was crazy.

He told me and my four Cape Cod Curling Club teammates, after we had met previous members of the U.S. wheelchair curling team, that we would be them one day. I looked at him like he was crazy. I never dreamed I'd make it this far, but now I am the No. 2 female in the country. I am excited to be a part of Team USA.

2. My biggest fear is being alone.
The scariest thought to me would be not having my family around. I have one sister and we make up six cousins on both sides of my family. We all get together for holidays since everyone is local. It makes for long-lasting time spent together and I would hate for them to not be around.

3. I have a really bad habit.

Ever since I was little, I have been biting my fingernails. I picked it up from my mom, even though she tried to make me quit with terrible tasting nail polish. I wish I didn't do it, but I do. It is my worst habit.

4. I'm inked.

I have two tattoos. The first tattoo I got was in memory of my grandmother. I got the second after a wheelchair curling competition a little over a year ago. My sister found a picture of a line drawing of a wheelchair curler and I knew that’s exactly what I wanted. I love curling and I love tattoos. I plan on getting two more after the Games, if I make the team, to represent U.S. Paralympics and the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.

5. Good beats pump me up.

Before games, I like to listen to hip hop and rap songs that really have good beats. I can't listen to anything slow before a game, but most of the time the music I listen to depends on my mood.


6. In human years, my dog is old.

Dylan is my 15 year-old mutt. He is Chihuahua, Pomeranian, beagle, lab and Golden Retriever. He's just a little bit of everything. He is small but I love him so much. I love to spend time with him around the house. Whenever I can't sleep, he stay up with me.

7. I love the Food Network.

Anything on the Food Network, I will watch, especially love Chopped and Restaurant Impossible. Food Network is my favorite. As far as movies go, I love The Wrestler and 12 Rounds with John Cena.

8. WWE Monday Night Raw is my favorite.

I am really into WWE wrestling, and I watch it every Monday. My favorite wrestler is The Undertaker. I've always liked him. My second favorite has to be John Cena. I have three autographed photos of his and two wrist bands from him personally. My nurse at the hospital actually went to high school with him, so that was really cool to meet him.

9. I'd rather spend time with my grandparents than a celebrity.

If I could spend a day with anyone dead or alive, I would spend it with my grandparents. I really miss my grandma since she died a few years ago. I had never met my dad’s dad, so I think it would be really cool to hang out with him and see what he was like.

10. I want a muscle car.

I don't really like girly things; I’m more of a tomboy. I really like old, classic muscle cars. My dad has a classic ’67 car and I think they are just built so much better than they are now. I also go to old car shows during the summer, so if I were to have my dream car, it’d be one of them.

11. I'm not afraid of a challenge.

Before a match, I don't really do anything different than I would before practice, but I do like to concentrate on my strategy for the game right then and there. I block everything else out. I try to do everything to the best of my ability. When I’m faced with a challenge I am more apt to go all in than step aside.

12. Fishing is one of my favorite hobbies.
In Cape Cod, being on the water so often, we do a lot of fishing. I can't wait until it's warm again so my cousins and I can get back out there and enjoy the sun. It’s just relaxing and a fun time with family.
13. There’s nothing like fresh, Cape Cod seafood.

I love any type of seafood but there is no fresher fish than Cape Cod's. When we fish, it is usually catch and release, but there are occasions where we keep our catches and eat them. There are so many types of delicious fish, not to mention shell fish, to eat in Cape Cod.

14. The curling ice is a great social scene.

The best thing about curling is the camaraderie of being on a team. I absolutely love meeting new people. Curling lets me be myself and be outgoing. I also get to travel, which I had never done before curling.

Wheelchair curling gets sneak peek at Sochi

 
 
By Jeff Hawkins | Feb 15, 2013, 3:30 PM ET
A stone’s throw from Lambeau Field, the Green Bay (Wis.) Curling Club is often dark when Penny Greely arrives. But Greely understands she is relatively inexperienced and has some catching up to do. With so much to learn, she shows up early to work — real early.

“I’m the only wheelchair woman in the club and (the members) have been good to me,” Greely said.

Nearly three years ago, the bronze medalist from the 2004 U.S. Paralympic Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team was searching for a new athletic challenge. She heard of an opportunity in wheelchair curling.

“I thought, ‘It’s not far from my house. I’ll go check it out,’” Greely recalled of her initial visit to meet national coaches at the club.

Located a few miles from the home Greely shares with her husband and teenage stepson, the curling club has served as her starting point. It’s been a fast ride from curiosity … to passion.

Greely threw her first stone in July 2010. Two months later, she was a Team USA alternate. This week, Greely is scheduled to shoot lead during the upcoming world championship in Sochi, Russia.

Team USA was scheduled to depart for the 2013 World Wheelchair Curling Championships earlier this week. Competition starts Saturday. The finals are Feb. 23. The week-long spectacle likely is serving as a prep event for the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.

“I trained hard,” Greely said. “Learning strategy is the big thing. I have picked it up relatively quickly.”

The current U.S. squad of Greely, Jimmy “Jam” Joseph, David Palmer, Patrick McDonald (the skip) and alternate Meghan Lino is in position to compete at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games. With a recent roster overhaul, Team USA appears to fielding a squad with improved chemistry.

“Before, we had ego issues,” Joseph said last Friday.

Now?

“Our team is gelling really good,” Joseph said.

Coach Steve Brown and Joseph, a nine-year veteran, attributed much of the continuity to the newcomers, Greely and Lino, who is making her international debut in Sochi.

Joseph was asked of the team’s expectations at Sochi, this week and likely next year. Raising his voice a few octaves, he said: “We’re going to be No. 1, baby.”

Early favorites Canada and Russia likely would debate Joseph’s proclamation. South Korea, China, Slovakia, Scotland and Sweden also will compete. Team USA has never captured gold.

After Team USA fell short of capturing a bronze medal on the final stone at the Vancouver 2012 Paralympic Winter Games, Joseph said he is using the fourth-place finish as motivation. The conclusion of the 2012 world championships is also fueling the fire.

“We started out 5-0,” Joseph said of Team USA’s quick start of the 2012 world championships in Chuncheon, South Korea. The Americans quickly faded out of the medal round.

“It was kind of a bummer,” Joseph said. “I believe we have potential.”

As coach of a team with no private sponsors, Brown has recently been impressed with the players’ commitment to the team.

“All of our training dollars come out of our pocket,” Brown said. “We have five people on this team who are all in … training … getting along …

“We are developing a strategy to get to the next level.”

A career woman with a family, Greely is one of the “rookies” Brown expects to consistently carry the United States into the medal round.

“I think her future on the team will be long term,” Brown said. “She has all the things going for her. The sport is difficult to learn, but she is coachable.”

Over the past two seasons, Greely has developed into a lead shooter. Like a lead-off batter in baseball, Greely’s lead stones at the world championships will set the stage for her teammates.

“She has picked up the game really fast,” said Joseph, the second shooter. “The lead and second is very critical and she’s pretty good at setting the table.

“I have confidence in her.”

CCA release on day 1


 
 
For Immediate Release

Feb. 16, 2013

 

Team Canada off to perfect start at Wheelchair Worlds

 

Team Canada couldn’t have asked for a better way to open play on Saturday at the World Wheelchair Curling Championship in Sochi, Russia.

 

Playing at the Ice Cube Curling Center, which will host the curling competitions at the 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Canadians rolled to a pair of lopsided victories to open their pursuit of a third gold medal over the past four years.

 

The Canadians — skip Jim Armstrong (Cambridge, Ont.), third Dennis Thiessen (Sanford, Man.), second Ina Forrest (Armstrong, B.C.), lead Sonja Gaudet (Vernon, B.C.), alternate Mark Ideson (London, Ont.) and coach Joe Rea (Prince George, B.C.) — opened the world championship with a 7-1 win over South Korea’s Hak-Sung Kim. Canada broke open what had been a tight game with a steal of two in the seventh end and three more in the eighth.

 

Later on, in a battle against a Scottish team skipped by Aileen Neilson (the lone female skip in the field) and coached by former Calgarian Tony Zummack, Canada was again in a stealing mood. Armstrong and Co. stole a single in the fifth end to go up 4-2 and then four more in the sixth to take control for good en route to an 8-3 triumph.

 

“It’s a rainy day in Russia, but not for Team Canada,” said Canadian team manager Wendy Morgan. “We survived the meteor, and we persevered and showed great patience and experience. The ice was terrific and the players feel great.”

 

Saturday’s results left Canada alone in first place with a 2-0 record, ahead of Norway’s Rune Lorentsen, Sweden’s Jalle Jungnell and Patrick McDonald of the U.S., who all won their only games of opening day.

 

Canada returns to action on Sunday with just one game on the docket, at 9:30 a.m. local time (12:30 a.m. EST) against the reigning world champion host team from Russia, skipped by Andrey Smirnov.

 

Live scoring and standings from the 2013 World Wheelchair Curling Championship can be found at: wwhcc2013.curlingevents.com/

 

 

Al Cameron

Director, Communication & Media Relations | Directeur, Communication et relations avec les médias

Canadian Curling Association | Association canadienne de curling

1660 Vimont Court, Orleans, ON K4A 4J4

Telephone: (403) 463-5500




Skype: alcameron99

 


World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2013 – Day 1 CORRECTED STANDINGS ADDS RUSSIA


CURLING: World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2013 – Day 1 CORRECTED STANDINGS ADDS RUSSIA

 

For immediate release: 16 February 2013

 

Sochi, Russia – Canada got off to a strong start on the opening day of the World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2013 in Sochi, Russia, winning both of their games on the first day of play at the Ice Cube Curling Center in the Olympic Park.

 

The Canadian side, led by Skip Jim Armstrong, beat 2012 silver medallists Korea 7-1 and then Scotland 8-3. The Canadians consolidated their win against the Scots in the sixth end, when a draw by Skip Aileen Neilson hit a Canadian guard and raised it into the house for a steal of four.

 

“We were actually a little slow out of the gate,” said Armstrong about the first half of their game against Korea in the morning. “This has been a trial year, getting ready for next year, so we’ve not had too many opportunities to play together. We have a couple of new faces on the team this year and I think we will get stronger and used to each other. The facility here is great, they’ve done wonders with the ice.”

 

Norway, Sweden and the USA also won their opening games and only had one game each to play on Saturday. Norway beat Slovakia 7-1. For Norwegian skip Rune Lorentsen, it was a satisfying win which he described as revenge, as their opening game of the 2012 championship was also against Slovakia but they lost that game and found themselves having to re-qualify for the world championships last November.

 

Swedish Skip Jalle Jungnell was delighted with their opening 8-1 win over reigning world champions and hosts Russia.

 

“This was a really good start!” said Jungnell, “it looks now like we beat Russia easily, but no – that was not the case. It was actually really close. They lost it in one end where we took two from them and then the game ran away for them.”

 

Russia was back on winning form by the afternoon. In a re-match of the 2012 World Championship final, Russian Skip Andrey Smirnov led his side to an 8-4 win over Haksung Kim’s Korean team. Smirnov said he and his team had spent the break between the morning and afternoon sessions analysing the game against Sweden so as not to make the same mistakes.

 

The USA won their opening game against China 7-4. The Chinese struck out an early lead but the Americans got back into the game in the fourth end taking three points to tie the game up and turn it round.

 

US Skip Patrick McDonald said “the first couple of ends of this game were a bit rocky. But in our preparations for this, we worked on how not to panic and take things shot by shot. In the fourth end we ended up with two biters and I was able to draw for three. Having missed some of my draws earlier, I took a deep breath and got right back into the game. China is a strong team. They are really good at forcing a take-out game and now they are better at doing raises and draws. They’ve developed finesse and weight control. I like playing them!”

 

But for China, 2012 Bronze Medallists, it was a tough start to the event. After losing to USA in the morning, they were defeated again by newcomers Finland 8-4 in the afternoon.

 

The Finns found winning form after losing their opening game 10-4 to Scotland. Finnish Skip Vesa Hellman put their first game defeat down to nerves: “It is the first time that we are here at the worlds, it is quite historical. We don’t have enormous expectations at this event. We need to make it to 7th or 8th place to get to the Paralympics.”

 

Standings after Round Robin Session 2

Rank - Team - Games/Wins-Losses

1. CAN - Canada 2/2-0

2. NOR – Norway 1/1-0

2. SWE – Sweden 1/1-0

2. USA – USA 1/1-0

5. FIN – Finland 2/1-1

5. RUS – Russia 2/1-1

5. SCO – Scotland 2/1-1

8. SVK – Slovakia 1/0-1

9. CHN – China 2/0-2

9. KOR – Korea 2/0-2

 

The ten teams will play a round robin. Playoff and semifinals take place on Friday 22nd with the Bronze and Gold medal games scheduled for 09:30 and 15:30 local time (MSK – Moscow Standard Time) on Saturday 23rd.

 

Further qualification points for the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia will be awarded at the end of this year’s world championship. Only ten teams will qualify for the Games. For more information visit: http://www.worldcurling.org/curling-at-the-paralympics

 

Results, news and photos from the World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2013 can be seen here on the event website: http://wwhcc2013.curlingevents.com

 

Follow live scores and shot by shot here: http://wwhcc2013.curlingevents.com/livescores

Live coverage of all games on SHEET C can be viewed worldwide here: http://russiasport.ru

 

World Curling Federation Wheelchair Curling Events Facebook: Go hit ‘like’ to keep updated: http://www.facebook.com/WorldWheelchairCurlingChampionships

 

END

 

Notes to Editors

 

About Wheelchair Curling:

·         Wheelchair curling is similar in many ways to its able-bodied parent game, except that no sweeping takes place, and each game consists of eight instead of ten ends.

·         More information about Wheelchair Curling see: http://www.worldcurling.org/wheelchair-curling and http://www.worldcurling.org/curling-at-the-paralympics

 

About the World Curling Federation:

 

  • The World Curling Federation (WCF) is the International Sport Federation governing the Olympic Winter Sport of Curling and the Paralympic Winter Sport of Wheelchair Curling.

·         The WCF represents curling internationally by facilitating the co-operation and mutual understanding of a network of 50 member associations

·         The WCF facilitates the growth of curling, which is carried out through a series of World Championship competitions and official WCF events, camps and courses and financial support programmes.

  • The WCF is one of seven International Sports Federations currently part of the Winter Olympic Programme.
  • For more information visit http://www.worldcurling.org

 

Media Contacts Onsite:

 

Joanna Kelly

WCF Media Relations


 

Mikhail Zaytsev

Sochi 2014 Press Operations


 

Media & Communications

World Curling Federation


Tel: +372 592 442 35

Friday, February 15, 2013

Sochi 2013 - A few more pictures


As we try to get coverage of the World Championships we thought we would send along a few more pictures from behind the ice for those of us not at the event.

Let us know what you think!







Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Sitrin Curlers Competing in World Wheelchair Curling Championships in Sochi, Russia

Sitrin Curlers Competing in World Wheelchair Curling Championships in Sochi, Russia


8 February 2013
Five of the nation’s top wheelchair curlers are competing at the World Wheelchair Curling Championships in Sochi, Russia in hopes of bringing home the gold! The competition will be held from February 15-23, and includes teams from USA, Russia, Korea, China, Slovakia, Scotland, Canada, Sweden, Norway, and Finland.




The USA Curling 2013 National Champion Team, pictured above is comprised of (from left) Patrick McDonald (skip) of Madison, WI; David Palmer (vice) of Mashpee, MA; James Joseph (second) of New Hartford, NY; Penny Greely (lead) of Green Bay, WI; and Meghan Lino (alternate) of East Falmouth, MA.


The USA Curling 2013 National Champion Team, pictured above is comprised of (from left) Patrick McDonald (skip) of Madison, WI; David Palmer (vice) of Mashpee, MA; James Joseph (second) of New Hartford, NY; Penny Greely (lead) of Green Bay, WI; and Meghan Lino (alternate) of East Falmouth, MA.
All of the members of Team USA are also members of the Sitrin STARS (Success Through Adaptive Recreation & Sports) program. Implemented in 2001, this unique adaptive sports program is the only one of its kind in Central New York. The wheelchair curling program began in 2002 in collaboration with the Utica Curling Club Sitrin is a national sponsor of USA Wheelchair Curling.
The Sitrin STARS have achieved international success with the wheelchair curling program, placing fourth at the Paralympic Games in Vancouver, Canada, and winning a bronze medal in the 2008 World Wheelchair Curling competition in Switzerland. In addition, the STARS have also competed in World Wheelchair Curling Championships held in Scotland, Czech Republic, Sweden, and Korea, as well as in the 2006 Paralympic Games held in Italy.

USA placed fifth in the 2012 World Wheelchair Curling Championships, and has already qualified for the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, which will also be held in Sochi, Russia
“We have a strong team of athletes representing our country,” said STARS Program Director and Team Leader Marc DePerno, who will accompany Team USA to international competition once again. “We’ve invested a lot of time and practice, and we’re all looking forward to this year’s competition.”

To follow the action of this year’s World Wheelchair Curling Championships, click here.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

World Championship Teams!



Teams

Russia, Korea, China, Slovakia, USA, Scotland, Canada and Sweden qualified for this event based on the final ranking at the 2012 World Championship.

Norway and Finland qualified from the World Wheelchair Curling Qualification event in Finland in November 2012.

Team Canada (CAN)

L-R:
  • Jim Armstrong (skip)
  • Dennis Thiessen (Third)
  • Ina Forrest (Second)
  • Sonja Gaudet (Lead)
  • Mark Ideson (Alternate)

Team China (CHN)

L-R:
  • Haitao Wang (skip)
  • Wei Liu (Third)
  • Guangqin Xu (Second)
  • Jun He (Lead)
  • Qiang Zhang (Alternate)
  • Back - Jianrui Li (Coach)

Team Finland (FIN)

L-R:
  • Mina Mojtahedi (Alternate)
  • Tuomo Aarnikka (Lead)
  • Sari Karjalainen (Second)
  • Vesa Hellman (Skip and Third)
  • Markku Karjalainen (Fourth)

Team Korea (KOR)

L-R:
  • Hak-Sung Kim (Skip)
  • Seoung-Won Jung (Third)
  • Byeong-Il Noh (Second)
  • Mi-Suk Kang (Lead)
  • Min-Ja Bang (Alternate)

Team Norway (NOR)

L-R:
  • Ole Fredrik Syversen (Alternate)
  • Terje Rafdal (Lead)
  • Sissel Løchen (Second)
  • Jostein Stordahl (Third)
  • Rune Lorentsen (Skip)

Team Russia (RUS)

L-R:
  • Marat Romanov (Third)
  • Oxana Slesarenko (Alternate)
  • Andrey Smirnov (Skip)
  • Svetlana Pakhomova (Lead)
  • Alexander Shevchenko (Second)

Team Scotland (SCO)

L-R:
  • Aileen Neilson (Skip)
  • Gregor Ewan (Third)
  • Robert McPherson (Second)
  • Tom Killin (Lead)
  • Gillian Keith (Alternate) to be replaced by Angie Malone
  • Background: Tony Zummack (Coach)

Team Sweden (SWE)

L-R:
  • Jalle Jungnell (Skip)
  • Glenn Ikonen (Third)
  • Patrik Kallin (Second)
  • Kristina Ulander (Lead)
  • Gert Erlandsson (Alternate)

Team Slovakia (SVK)

L-R:
  • Radoslav Duris (Skip)
  • Branislav Jakubec (Third)
  • Dusan Pitonak (Second)
  • Monika Kunkelova (Lead)
  • Alena Kanova (Alternate)

Team USA (USA)

L-R:
  • Patrick McDonald (Skip)
  • David Palmer (Third)
  • James Joseph (Second)
  • Penny Greely (Lead)
  • Meghan Lino (Alternate)

Downloads

Sochi prepares for 2013 World Wheelchair Curling Championship

 

The Ice Cube Curling Center awaits the world's best wheelchair curlers Photo: http://blogsochi.ru
Play begins at the World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2013 on Saturday the 16th of February at the Ice Cube Curling Center in Sochi, Russia.

Ten mixed national Teams will compete in the event which is the third and final opportunity for the world’s top wheelchair curling Teams to gather points for their nations to qualify for the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

This will be the first curling event to be held in the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Curling Venue, with the Wheelchair World Curling Championship being used as a test event for next year’s Paralympic Winter Games.

Many athletes who competed at the 2012 World Championship in Chuncheon, Korea, are returning to participate in Sochi.
They include reigning World Champions, Russia, who will be looking to defend their title on home soil with Skip Andrey Smirnov leading the same team that won gold last year.
Last year’s runners up, Korea, will be looking to go one better as Hak-Sung Kim skips the same line up that picked up silver medals in Chuncheon. Kim has taken silver twice at the World Championships and also at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver.
.
Haitao Wang’s team from China will also return to the World Championship after finishing with the bronze medal last year.

Making their World Wheelchair Curling Championship debut last year, Slovakia finished in fourth place. Skip, Radoslav Duris, returns with the same team that performed so well in Korea.
Canada meanwhile welcome back Paralympic gold medallist and two time World Champion, skip Jim Armstrong. After their seventh place finish last year, Canada will be aiming to get back amongst the medals after winning the event two years ago in Prague, Czech Republic.
Scotland’s Aileen Neilson, the only female skip in the field, will be hoping to improve on an eighth place finish in 2012.

Norway took the long road to this year’s World Championship. After finishing ninth last year they dropped down to the World Wheelchair Curling Qualification event. However Rune Lorentsen and his team won the qualification event in November and will be looking to return to the form that saw them win the World Championship in 2007 and 2008.

Finland, skipped by Vesa Hellman, finished runners-up in the Qualification event, behind Norway, and qualified for their first ever World Wheelchair Curling Championship. The Finns will be looking to finish as high up as possible in the standings in order to have a chance of qualifying for the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.

Team USA will again be represented by skip Patrick McDonald and the same team who earned a fifth place finish in the 2012 event.

Two-time Paralympic Games bronze medallist Jalle Jungell returns to skip Sweden and will be looking to win his second medal at the World Wheelchair Curling Championship having picked up the silver medal in 2009.

The ten Teams will compete in a round robin which runs from Saturday 16th to Saturday 23rd February. Semifinals take place on Friday 22nd with the Bronze and Gold medal games Scheduled for 09:30 and 15:30 local time (MSK – Moscow Standard Time) on Saturday 23rd.

Further qualification points for the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia will be awarded at the end of this year’s world championship. Only ten Teams will qualify for the Games. For more information visit: http://www.worldcurling.org/curling-at-the-paralympics

World Curling Federation Wheelchair Curling Events Facebook: Go hit ‘like’ to keep updated: http://www.facebook.com/WorldWheelchairCurlingChampionships

Team Canada to chase gold at World Wheelchair Curling Championship

Canada’s most decorated wheelchair curler has a piece of advice for the rookies on the team that will compete at the 2013 World Wheelchair Curling Championship, beginning on Saturday in Sochi, Russia.

Team Canada, from left, skip Jim Armstrong, third Dennis Thiessen, second Ina Forrest, lead Sonja Gaudet and alternate Mark Ideson. (Photo, courtesy Wendy Morgan)

Team Canada lead Sonja Gaudet (Vernon, B.C.) has won two previous world championships to go along with two Paralympic Games gold medals, and will be participating in her sixth world championship.

Vice-skip Dennis Thiessen (Sanford, Man.) and alternate Mark Ideson (London, Ont.), meanwhile, will be making their international debuts at the Ice Cube Curling Center in Sochi.

“Oh, boy,” said Gaudet, when asked about what she might say to her new teammates. “Just go out and enjoy the experience and know that they’re travelling with a group of people who’ve been there a few times; there’s a lot of comfort in that. Mark and Dennis are awesome teammates, awesome curlers — they are going to fit right in. They’ve just got to put that pressure right out of their mind.”

Team Canada lead Sonja Gaudet, right, trains with Darryl Neighbour. (Photo, courtesy Wendy Morgan).

There will be some pressure as Canada (the team is rounded out by skip Jim Armstrong [Cambridge, Ont.], second Ina Forrest [Armstrong, B.C.], coach Joe Rea [Prince George, B.C.] and team leader Wendy Morgan [Burlington, Ont.]) attempts to reclaim the world championship it last won in 2011.
Canada is traditionally a favourite going into any international curling competition. As well, with the 2013 world championship serving as the official test event for the wheelchair curling competition at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in 13 months, thoughts of those Paralympics will be hard to avoid.

Gaudet, though, believes it’s a good opportunity for Canadian players and coaches to check out the Paralympic facility. The Canadian Paralympic team will be named later this year, with the five current members of Team Canada all strong candidates.

“That’s certainly a good thing for us (to play in Sochi); we get to check out the venue and be prepared for next year, get all our ducks in a row and know what to expect,” said Gaudet. “Definitely, it’s a bonus.”

Canada will open the Wheelchair Worlds on Feb. 16 against South Korea’s Hak-Sung Kim at 9:30 a.m. local time (12:30 a.m. EST).

For the full schedule, refer to: wwhcc2013.curlingevents.com/schedule.

Preparations at the Ice Cube Curling Center Sochi... photo: S Henderson

Here are a few picutres from inside the venue for the upcoming World Wheelchair Championships:






World Wheelchair Championship Preview: Sochi, Russia

Posted on Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at 12:22pm

Scotland World Wheelchair Squad 2013
Team Scotland

Team Scotland depart for Sochi, Russia today (12th Feb) for the 2013 World Wheelchair Curling Championship which begins Saturday 16th February at the Ice Cube Curling Center. This will be the first curling event to be held in the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Curling Venue, with the Wheelchair World Curling Championship being used as a test event for next year’s Paralympic Winter Games.

Ten mixed national teams will compete in the event which is the third and final opportunity for the world’s top wheelchair curling teams to gather points for their nations to qualify for the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

Team Scotland consists of Aileen Neilson who is skipping in her third World Championship and will be joined by two team mates from her 2011 Silver Medal winning team, Gregor Ewan at vice and Tom Killin at lead. This will be Gregor’s third appearance at the World Championship while Tom Killin has competed in multiple World Championships and is a member of the Scottish Disability Sport Hall of Fame.

Two new athletes name to the team this year are Robert McPherson and Gill Keith. Robert joined the National Performance Program this past May and Gill was selected to the Performance Program two seasons ago. There looks to be a good combination of wisdom, experience and youthful exuberance on the team that is travelling to Sochi this year. Picture top right: Team Scotland with Head Coach Wheelchair Curling, Tony Zummack (back).

The opportunity to travel to the host country for next year’s Paralympics and compete in the same venue that will be used for Games next year is invaluable to the team and Aileen, the only female skip in the field, will be hoping to improve on Scotland’s eighth place finish in 2012.

Many athletes who competed at the 2012 World Championship in Chuncheon, Korea, are returning to participate in Sochi. They include reigning World Champions, Russia, who will be looking to defend their title on home soil with Skip Andrey Smirnov leading the same team that won gold last year.
Last year’s runners up, Korea, will be looking to go one better as Hak-Sung Kim skips the same line up that picked up silver medals in Chuncheon. Kim has taken silver twice at the World Championships and also at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

Haitao Wang’s team from China will also return to the World Championship after finishing with the bronze medal last year.

Team Korea
Making their World Wheelchair Curling Championship debut last year, Slovakia finished in fourth place. Skip, Radoslav Duris, returns with the same team that performed so well in Korea.
Canada meanwhile welcome back Paralympic gold medallist and two time World Champion, skip Jim Armstrong. After their seventh place finish last year, Canada will be aiming to get back amongst the medals after winning the event two years ago in Prague, Czech Republic.

Norway took the long road to this year’s World Championship. After finishing ninth last year they dropped down to the World Wheelchair Curling Qualification event. However Rune Lorentsen and his team won the qualification event in November and will be looking to return to the form that saw them win the World Championship in 2007 and 2008.

Finland, skipped by Vesa Hellman, finished runners-up in the Qualification event, behind Norway, and qualified for their first ever World Wheelchair Curling Championship. The Finns will be looking to finish as high up as possible in the standings in order to have a chance of qualifying for the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.

Team USA will again be represented by skip Patrick McDonald and the same team who earned a fifth place finish in the 2012 event.

Two-time Paralympic Games bronze medallist Jalle Jungell returns to skip Sweden and will be looking to win his second medal at the World Wheelchair Curling Championship having picked up the silver medal in 2009.

The ten teams will compete in a round robin which runs from Saturday 16th to Saturday 23rd February. Team Scotland play Finland in their first game on Saturday 16th.

Semi finals take place on Friday 22nd with the Bronze and Gold medal games scheduled for 09:30 and 15:30 local time (MSK – Moscow Standard Time) on Saturday 23rd.

Further qualification points for the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia will be awarded at the end of this year’s world championship. Only ten teams will qualify for the Games. For more information visit: http://www.worldcurling.org/curling-at-the-paralympics

Results, news and photos from the World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2013 can be seen here on the event website: http://www.wwhcc2013.curlingevents.com

Monday, February 11, 2013

CURLING: Sochi prepares for 2013 World Wheelchair Curling Championship

 

 
Play begins at the World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2013 on Saturday the 16th of February at the Ice Cube Curling Center in Sochi, Russia.

Ten mixed national teams will compete in the event which is the third and final opportunity for the world’s top wheelchair curling teams to gather points for their nations to qualify for the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

This will be the first curling event to be held in the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Curling Venue, with the Wheelchair World Curling Championship being used as a test event for next year’s Paralympic Winter Games. Many athletes who competed at the 2012 World Championship in Chuncheon, Korea, are returning to participate in Sochi.

They include reigning World Champions, Russia, who will be looking to defend their title on home soil with Skip Andrey Smirnov leading the same team that won gold last year.

Last year’s runners up, Korea, will be looking to go one better as Hak-Sung Kim skips the same line up that picked up silver medals in Chuncheon. Kim has taken silver twice at the World Championships and also at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver. .

Haitao Wang’s team from China will also return to the World Championship after finishing with the bronze medal last year.

Making their World Wheelchair Curling Championship debut last year, Slovakia finished in fourth place. Skip, Radoslav Duris, returns with the same team that performed so well in Korea.

Canada meanwhile welcome back Paralympic gold medallist and two time World Champion, skip Jim Armstrong. After their seventh place finish last year, Canada will be aiming to get back amongst the medals after winning the event two years ago in Prague, Czech Republic.

Scotland’s Aileen Neilson, the only female skip in the field, will be hoping to improve on an eighth place finish in 2012. Norway took the long road to this year’s World Championship. After finishing ninth last year they dropped down to the World Wheelchair Curling Qualification event. However Rune Lorentsen and his team won the qualification event in November and will be looking to return to the form that saw them win the World Championship in 2007 and 2008.

Finland, skipped by Vesa Hellman, finished runners-up in the Qualification event, behind Norway, and qualified for their first ever World Wheelchair Curling Championship. The Finns will be looking to finish as high up as possible in the standings in order to have a chance of qualifying for the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.

Team USA will again be represented by skip Patrick McDonald and the same team who earned a fifth place finish in the 2012 event.

Two-time Paralympic Games bronze medallist Jalle Jungell returns to skip Sweden and will be looking to win his second medal at the World Wheelchair Curling Championship having picked up the silver medal in 2009.

The ten teams will compete in a round robin which runs from Saturday 16th to Saturday 23rd February. Semifinals take place on Friday 22nd with the Bronze and Gold medal games scheduled for 09:30 and 15:30 local time (MSK – Moscow Standard Time) on Saturday 23rd. Further qualification points for the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia will be awarded at the end of this year’s world championship. Only ten teams will qualify for the Games.

For more information visit: http://www.worldcurling.org/curling-at-the-paralympics


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