Debris-dumping allegation raises ruckus at trials

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/12/2009 (6091 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

EDMONTON — They’re starting to call it Snowgate, but it might be more appropriately dubbed a snow job.

Ben Hebert’s alleged debris-dumping incident in Thursday night’s battle for first place at the Roar of the Rings Canadian Olympic curling trials was still very much the topic of conversation Friday at Rexall Place.

Hebert, Kevin Martin’s lead, was accused of dumping debris during his skip’s first stone of a crucial ninth end against Glenn Howard. Looking heavy, Hebert lifted his brush straight up and did not finish his sweeping motion, both taboos in a gentleman’s sport known for its etiquette.

“Was it an oops? I don’t know,” offered veteran skip Randy Ferbey, whose own team had lost 9-4 in a quicker eight ends to fellow Edmontonian Kevin Koe on the very next sheet. “But if it’s as blatant as people are saying, competitive teams know they shouldn’t be doing it.”

Asked for his specific take on the occurrence, Ferbey said: “Let’s put it this way: In that situation (the rock was heavy), he shouldn’t have even been close to sweeping it anyway.”

It was a sentiment echoed Friday by Howard’s third, Richard Hart, who called Hebert out for it during the game, which resulted in an 8-6 Martin win. Hart’s mistake was he didn’t appeal to the official on the scene, said Danny Lamoureux, director of championship services for the Canadian Curling Association (CCA).

Not that it would have mattered. “He should have asked the umpire what her opinion was, and her opinion was there was no infraction,” said Lamoureux.

The stone, called on for a button-biter by Martin, was heavy, then suddenly picked and came to a halt, biting the back of the four-foot. Martin came back to make a dazzling runback double with his second rock that scored three and gave him an 8-6 lead. The Saville Centre skip eventually ran Howard out of rocks in the 10th end.

Hebert denied the dumping allegation afterward and his second, and co-sweeper Marc Kennedy, went out of his way to back his buddy and take issue with Hart.

— Canwest News Service