Last Week in BC Curling: Start of the 26/27 Season
The week that was:
A bit of a cheat to start the 2026-27 season as we’ll be recapping the first two weeks of September in our first column.
Curling season seems to start earlier and earlier every year, and this season was no exception. The calendar was barely showing September (the first month anyone is allowed to call Fall and be at least partially correct) and several of the teams hoping to represent BC started their seasons in Ontario and Alberta.
Women’s Recap
The Hogged Rock KW Classic, Sep 4-7
A new team to the BC landscape, Team Daniels (made up of Sarah Daniels, Abby Ackland, Calissa Daly and Dayna Demmans) were first out of the gate, competing the very first weekend of September.
The team went 1-3 during pool play in a pool that also featured Xenia Schwaller and Carly Howard and did not qualify for the playoffs.
Stu Sells Oakville Tankard, Sep 11-14
Back-to-back weekends for the Daniels rink as they try and find a groove together and the new look Team MacMillan (Kayla MacMillan, Val Sweeting, Lindsay Dubue and Lauren Lenentine) made their season debut at this triple knockout competition.
A rough weekend for the Daniels team as they went 0-3. They did play some tough competition, going up against a revamped Team Skrlik (featuring the former long-time Team Brown front end of Sarah Koltun and Samantha Fisher), Team Miyu Ueno from Japan and bowing out in a close game against MacMillan.
Kayla’s team fared a little better going 2-3 and losing some close games against Ueno and the Swiss Team Huerlimann along the way.
Saville Shootout, Sep 11-14
Team Reese-Hansen (Taylor Reese-Hansen, Megan McGillivray, Kim Bonneau and Julianna Mackenzie) were the lone BC entry on the women’s side of the draw and picked up where they left off last year with a semi-final finish.
The team went 4-0 in pool play with a nice win against Eun ji Gim from Korea who is currently ranked #3 in the world. In the playoffs they went on to defeat Team Skylar Ackerman from Saskatchewan in the quarterfinals before losing to the Serena Gray-Withers rink (playing with Kaitlyn Lawes at second for the weekend) in the semis.
That’s a lot for the first two weeks of the season! So, what were the men’s teams up to? Glad you asked!
Men’s Recap
Four men’s teams opened their season this past weekend in Edmonton. All four sporting different lineups than last year and trying to build some momentum for the season ahead.
Saville Shootout, Sep 11-14
Team Hall (Matthew Hall, Sterling Middleton, Alex Horvath and Thomas Thierbach) finished 1-3 in pool play and DNQ for the playoffs.
Team Blandford (Matthew Blandford, Cam de Jong, Sebastien Robillard and Cody Johnston) finished 2-2 in pool play and DNQ for the playoffs.
Team Kopytko (Mitchell Kopytko, Cam Weir, Calder Fadden and Coburn Fadden) finished 3-1 in pool play, with a win over Team Hall included and made the playoffs.
They scored a win over Kevin Koe (6-4) in the quarterfinals and then were eliminated in the semis against our next team:
Team Cotter (Jim Cotter, Jared Kolomaya, Connor Deane and Erik Colwell). Few things in life are certain but as the saying goes, death, taxes and Jim Cotter in a final. Jim and the gang went 3-1 in pool play, beating fellow BC competitors Team Blandford along the way and made the playoffs.
In the playoffs the Cotter team beat the Jaxson Hiebert [6-5] team in the quarters, eliminated another BC rival by sending Team Kopytko home with a 4-1 score and then lost a very close final to Germany’s Benny Kapp 5-4. Not bad for a first event.
Coming Attractions
This upcoming weekend sees a few more teams get their season started. Team MacMillan is staying in Ontario to compete in the AMJ Shorty Jenkins. Team Reese-Hansen will get some company in Edmonton as the new look Team Hafeli and Team Prokopowich make their debuts at the Saville Grand Prix.
Speaking of the Saville Grand Prix, the Kopytko rink is competing there, and Team Miki is starting their season as a three-person squad.
On the junior side of things, the Anita Cochrane is running this weekend at Royal City Curling Club. So, we’ll have even more to recap next week. Luckily mixed doubles don’t have an event until October, and we get a chance to get back into the swing of things at Last Week in BC Curling.
Craig’s Choice for Game of the Week
Anytime you beat the number 3 ranked team in the world, that’s a pretty cool start to your season. My pick this week is Team Reese-Hansen against Team Gim.
Check it out here: FEATURE: Eun ji Gim vs. Taylor Reese-Hansen – Draw 8 – Saville Shootout [4]
That does it for Last Week in BC Curling (two weeks, but who’s counting?). We’ll be back earlier next week to recap all of action. Thanks for reading!
Written by Curl BC Correspondent Craig Coyne
Craig is a devoted curling fan and third-rate player who loves watching, talking about, and now writing about the BC Curling community and all the amazing athletes in it. He also has the world’s greatest dog. Just ask him!
