Zbeetnoff wins Region 11 Tour Championship

The Darrell Zbeetnoff team (third Ed Jaehrlich, second Ross Scott, lead Gary McLaughlin) from Peace Arch CC has finished the season with two strong performances, winning the last tour event at their home club, then winning the tour championship final Sunday at Golden Ears Winter Club. Zbeetnoff defeated the Mark Gilchrist team (third Darren Frycz, second Don O’Byrne, lead Al MacKinnon) from Langley 6-5 in the championship final, making up for their loss in the final last year to Royal City’s Clem Degobbi.

The difference in the final was a three-ender that Zbeetnoff scored in the fourth end to pull ahead 4-2. Gilchrist came back with two in the fifth end to tie the game, and then both skips were forced to draw for one in the sixth and seventh ends. There was a centre guard up in the eighth end giving Gilchrist an opportunity to steal. On his first skip rock Zbeetnoff made a hit and roll to be partially buried behind the guard, leaving Gilchrist a tricky come around tap. Gilchrist rubbed the guard and Zbeetnoff didn’t need to throw his last rock for the win.

Both Zbeetnoff and Gilchrist qualified for the semi-finals through the B events in their respective pools of eight teams in the 16-team championship, and both made it through to the final by stealing in extra ends against A qualifiers Vic Shimizu of Richmond and Tunnel Town’s Richard Brower. Zbeetnoff was down 7-3 to Shimizu after six ends then scored two in seven and stole two in eight to tie the game. Gilchrist made a difficult tap on Brower’s shot stone corner frozen to a Gilchrist rock on last rock in the eighth end to score two and send the game into extra ends.

For more information on the Region 11 Men’s Bonspiel Tour visit our page in the competitions section of the Curl BC or contact tour administrator Richard Brower at moc.liamnull@ruot11noiger or 604-943-9219.