Elaine Dagg-Jackson

In 1987, the Pat Sanders Rink, from the Racquet Club of Victoria, won the BC, Canadian, and world women’s curling championships.
Pat Sanders and Louise Herlinveaux were seasoned veterans in the sport of curling, members of the Steve Skillings Rink that captured the 1985 Canadian mixed curling title. In 1987, the two women teamed with Georgina (Hawkes) Wheatcroft and Deb Massullo, runners-up at the Canadian Juniors. Georgina’s dad, Bob Hawkes, became coach.
As the season unfolded, it became apparent that this combination of youth and experience was a winning one. At the provincial finals in Fort Nelson, BC, the Sanders Rink from Victoria defeated the Linda Moore Rink from North Vancouver (1985 world champions) for the title, and won a spot at the 1987 national championships, known as the Scott Tournament of Hearts. Despite less than ideal ice conditions, the Sanders Rink defeated the reigning world champion Marilyn Darte Rink and Kathie Ellwood’s Manitoba Rink for the Canadian title and the right to represent Canada at the international level.
Because Canadian rinks had already won three consecutive world women’s championships prior to 1987, the pressure was on Sanders and her teammates to bring home a fourth. Rising to the challenge at the world event in Chicago, Pat Sanders led her rink to victory in the final over the Andrea Schopp team from West Germany.