‘Amazing’ curlers still playing after 119 ends

The score is 115-105 after 119 ends and 32 hours of play.

And it’s really only the mid-way point in this, the longest game of curling ever.

The players, ten Campbell River curlers split into two teams, red and yellow, are hoping that they can last for another 30 hours.

If they can do it, their reward will be their names in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Susan Johnson, Campbell River Curling Club’s manager, is confident they’ll achieve their goal. “They’re so focused. We don’t doubt for a minute that they’ll do it.”

The aim is to beat the record set by Dumfries Curling Club in Scotland. Players there curled for 61 hours, 39 minutes and 33 seconds.

It’s a momentous task for the ten friends – Cody Hall, Andrew Veldhuis, Trevor McClung, Paul Mansueto, Rhys Mansueto, Ed Mullen, Mike Fowler, Paul Miller, Cliff Carr-Hilton and John LaPointe.  But it’s one the curlers are taking in stride. 

And if you think these curlers are conserving energy by throwing their stones with no thought for the scoreline, you would be mistaken.

Susan said: “They’re playing the 119th end like they played the 8th. It’s amazing.

“They’re absolutely competitive. The yellow team was quite a bit ahead, by about 20 points or so, and the reds joked they would be making their move on Saturday. But now the score is more even.”

As far as Susan is concerned, these guys are top athletes and this has been a wonderful experience for everyone involved. “They’re really quite in shape. I’m impressed. I’m totally amazed, in fact. I’m so proud of them and I’m proud of our club and our community for getting together and putting this on.”

 

Some of the Campbell River curlers on Friday morning. The scoreline was Yellow 94, Red 85.