Curl Manitoba builds new road to the provincial Scotties

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This article was published 18/02/2011 (5699 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CHARLOTTETOWN — The Manitoba women’s curling playdowns system is about to undergo its biggest overhaul in recent memory.

The zones system would be scrapped in favour of a regional qualifying system and berths into the provincials would be set aside for the both the defending champion and the champion of the Manitoba Curling Tour as part of sweeping changes proposed by Curl Manitoba yesterday.

“We’re trying to change the game a little bit,” Shane Ray, executive director of Curl Manitoba, said in an interview on Thursday. “By changing the qualifying, we’re hoping to improve the overall entry numbers so the result is the best provincial championship possible,”

Under the proposal, the number of teams in the women’s provincials would remain at 16 but the way those berths are allocated would change significantly.

The changes being proposed would see:

— Single berths awarded through a regional playdown in the Norman, Parkland, Westman, Central, Eastman and Interlake regions;

— Two berths awarded through a single Winnipeg playdown:

— Three more berths awarded to the region with the highest percentage of participation, as determined by entry numbers:

— A berth to the defending champion;

— A berth to the MCT champion;

— Two berths through a berth bonspiel;

— A final berth to be determined through a last-chance bonspiel.

The most eye-catching change is dropping the number of berths available through the Winnipeg zones from five to two, with only the possibility of raising that number back up to five if entry numbers warrant.

But Ray said he thinks the big picture is a good one.

“I don’t think there are any losers. Obviously, some of the regions are going to see their number of spots going down. But you can look at it another way and say the chances of qualifying are actually improving.

“We used to break it into zones. So if you were an individual team, you would compete for one spot and you’d have one chance to win. Now, it will be one big bonspiel with a few spots, increasing the opportunities a team has to win.”

Competitive teams throughout Manitoba were emailed a copy of the proposal yesterday, seeking feedback.

Ray said the Curl Manitoba board of directors has already signed off on the changes and a tentative schedule for next winter has already been drawn up with the changes incorporated.

Reaction from two veteran curlers was positive.

“We had asked for a spot for the defending champion and the tour champion, so that’s a good thing,” said Cathy Overton-Clapham.

Overton-Clapham third Karen Fallis loved what she saw.

“This looks really good,” said Fallis. “This gives the competitive teams more chances to qualify than just going through the zones.”

Ray said he has no illusions that everyone will like the changes.

“Obviously, some competitors aren’t going to like it because they’re going to have seen their opportunities reduced. It’s going to make some of their lives more difficult. And to me, that’s actually a good thing. Because if it’s hard to get into the provincials, then that means we’re going to have the best teams in the provincials. And that’s a good thing.”

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca