Pressure is curler’s pleasure

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This article was published 15/11/2010 (5679 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MORRIS — Manitoba skip Terry McNamee rode perfect ice and played a textbook pressure game Sunday afternoon to defeat Ontario’s Chris Gardner 6-2 in eight ends at the Canadian Mixed Curling Championship at the Southern Manitoba Convention Centre.

“It was very nice,” he said of the ice. “It curls lots and it’s really keen. It also stayed true throughout the game.”

Aside from the ice, McNamee said keeping the pressure on Gardner and his Arnprior team of third Erin Morrissey, second Brad Kidd and lead Kim Brown, was just part of his style of curling.

“That’s the name of the game,” he said. “Make them play the harder shots. We got a two in the third to go up by two, and had control the rest of the way.”

Stealing a point in both the fifth and sixth ends didn’t hurt Manitoba’s chances either. “Oh, for sure. It’s always nice to get the steals, because if they do get one in those steal ends, it is a much closer game.”

In Sunday night’s late draw, McNamee & Co. downed Steve Moss of the Northwest Territories 11-6.

The wins boost McNamee and his Hamiota Curling Club team of third Laura Hunter, second Allan Lawn and lead Lisa Blixhavn, who is replacing Tanya Enns, who is expecting twins in late December, to 3-0.

On Saturday, McNamee defeated the Steven Slupski rink of Saskatchewan 10-2 in seven ends.

Other scores in the third round saw Nova Scotia defeat British Columbia 8-5, Prince Edward Island come out on top of Northern Ontario 5-3 and Alberta defeat Quebec 7-4.

If anything, McNamee was confident, but cautious, going up against Ontario. “I was presuming to be 2-0 after the game, but you never know. If you don’t play well, you could lose one or two games. But we’re playing really well right now, and don’t see any reason why that would change. It’s just a matter of putting the broom down in the right spot. We’re all throwing well, so it’s pretty easy to put the broom down in the right spot.”

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The mixed game seems to fit right into McNamee’s style of play.

“You play a lot more of a garbage game in mixed, and that’s my strong game. If we can get the rocks in the right position, we can score a lot of points at times.”

Today’s 9:30 a.m., draw has Manitoba facing P.E.I., Quebec playing British Columbia, Northern Ontario taking on Newfoundland and New Brunswick playing Nova Scotia.

Two more draws go at 2 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.

allan.besson@freepress.mb.ca