Curl Manitoba announces latest inductees to hall of fame

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/02/2014 (4594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Six-time Manitoba men’s curling champion Steve Gould is among three individuals and two teams that are the latest inductees into the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame.

Gould, best known to Manitoba curling fans as the longtime former lead for Jeff Stoughton, is being joined in the hall’s Class of 2014 by longtime volunteer Mitch Tarapasky; icemaker Hans Wuthrich; and the 1979 Barry Fry and 1978 Chris Pidzarko teams, Curl Manitoba announced at a news conference Tuesday morning.

In making the announcement, former Curl Manitoba president Resby Coutts noted that Gould is widely credited with popularizing the ‘tick shot’ that is now so commonly used by teams as a way to move guards out of the way without removing them from play.

“Not only was he a spectacular player on the ice,” said Coutts, “he was an innovator in how the sport is played.”

Gould — who also won Canadian and world men’s championships with Stoughton in 1996 and 2011 — was humbled by his induction.

“I’ve got two words,” Gould told the crowd, “grateful and thankful.”

Tarapasky was inducted on the strength of his volunteerism in the sport in Manitoba, which included most recently being the chair of the 2013 Roar of the Rings at MTS Centre that propelled Jennifer Jones and Brad Jacobs to Sochi.

Wuthrich, who is currently making ice in Sochi, is widely considered the premier icemaker in the sport and has been responsible for making ice at 37 assorted provincial events over the years, not to mention 18 Canadian events, 19 world championships and the last two Winter Olympics.

The Fry team, which included third Bill Carey, second Gord Sparkes and lead Bryan Wood, went 17-2 in 1979 in winning the Manitoba men’s title and the Brier. The team went on to finish third at the worlds that year.

The Pidzarko team, which included third Chris Pidzarko, second Iris Armstrong and lead Patti Vande, went 12-3 in 1978 in winning the Manitoba and Canadian womens curling championships. There was no women’s worlds in 1978.

This year’s induction dinner will take place May 4 at Canad Inns Polo Park.