Olympic Aspirations on the Line at 2009 Grey Power Players’ Championship

Three-year race for Canadian Trials and Pre-Trials spots concludes at season’s final Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event

 

GRANDE PRAIRIE, ALTA., April 13, 2009 – The 2009 Grey Power Players’ Championship in Grande Prairie, Alta. represents the final opportunity for teams to earn points towards securing one of four direct berths into the 2009 Canadian Trials event or one of 12 berths into the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials tournament.

 

The 12-team 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials tournament is scheduled from November 10-14 in Prince George, B.C.  The top four men’s and women’s teams from the event will advance to join the four direct qualifiers at the 2009 Canadian Trials.

 

The eight-team 2009 Canadian Trials tournament will take place in Edmonton from December 6-13.

 

The following are the Canadian Trials and Canadian Pre-Trials qualifying scenarios for Canada’s top men’s and women’s teams heading into the Grey Power Players’ Championship, the eighth and final leg of the 2008-09 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series.  The list of qualifying scenarios was provided by the Canadian Curling Association. 

 

Note: There are many different ways teams can qualify to compete in the Canadian Trials or the Canadian Pre-Trials tournament based on their Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS) point total and major tournament victories over the past three seasons.  While there are far too many possibilities to list, the following list provides an overview of the most likely scenarios and / or results a team will need at the Grey Power Players’ Championship to remain in the race to represent Canada at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

 

Men

Kevin Martin (Edmonton, Alta.), Glenn Howard (Coldwater, Ont.) and Kevin Koe (Edmonton, Alta.) have already secured three of the four direct berths into the 2009 Canadian Trials.

 

Wayne Middaugh (Midland, Ont.), Randy Ferbey (Edmonton, Alta.), Kerry Burtnyk (Winnipeg, Man.) and Jeff Stoughton (Winnipeg, Man.) remain in the hunt for the final direct berth into the 2009 Canadian Trials.  All four teams have already secured at least a berth into the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials event.  The qualifying scenarios for each team for the 2009 Canadian Trials are as follows:

 

 

 

• Kerry Burtnyk could clinch the fourth and final direct berth into the 2009 Canadian Trials if he reaches the quarterfinals of the Grey Power Players’ Championship, Wayne Middaugh does not win more than two games, and he finishes higher in the tournament than Jeff Stoughton. If Middaugh was to reach the quarterfinals, Burtnyk would have to win the Grey Power Players’ Championship to win the two-year CTRS title.
   
• Jeff Stoughton could clinch the fourth and final direct berth into the 2009 Canadian Trials if he reaches the semi-finals of the Grey Power Players’ Championship, Wayne Middaugh does not win more than two games, and he finishes higher in the tournament than Kerry Burtnyk. If Middaugh was to reach the quarterfinals, Stoughton would have to win the Grey Power Players’ Championship to win the two-year CTRS title.

Pat Simmons (Davidson, Sask.), Brad Gushue (St. John’s, Nfld.), Mike McEwen (Winnipeg, Man.), Joel Jordison (Moose Jaw, Sask.), Bob Ursel (Kelowna, B.C.) and Jean-Michel Ménard (Quebec City, Que..) have all secured a berth into the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials event. 

 

Sean Geall (New Westminster, B.C.) can secure a berth into the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials event by reaching the quarterfinals of the Grey Power Players’ Championship and finishing higher in the tournament than Chris Schille, Ted Appelman and Dale Matchett.

 

Chris Schille (Edmonton, Alta.) can secure a berth into the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials event by reaching the quarterfinals of the Grey Power Players’ Championship and finishing equal or better than Ted Appelman and Dale Matchett.  If Sean Geall reached the quarterfinals, Schille would need to reach the semi-finals to secure a Pre-Trials spot..

 

Ted Appelman (Edmonton, Alta.) can secure a berth into the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials event by reaching the quarterfinals of the Grey Power Players’ Championship and finishing higher than Sean Geall and Chris Schille, while also finishing equal or better than Dale Matchett at the event.

 

Dale Matchett (Churchill, Ont.) can secure a berth into the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials event by reaching the quarterfinals of the Grey Power Players’ Championship and finishing higher than Chris Schille and Ted Appelman.  He would also need Sean Geall to win no more than one game at the event.

 

Brad Heidt (Kerrobert, Sask.) can secure a berth into the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials event by reaching the final of the Grey Power Players’ Championship, have Chris Schille and Ted Appelman not reach the quarterfinals, and have Sean Geall go winless at the event. 

 

Greg McAulay (Richmond, B.C.) can secure a berth into the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials event provided that Jean-Michel Menard and Joel Jordison do not get passed by two of the following four teams – Sean Geall, Chris Schille, Ted Appelman and Dale Matchett – in the three-year CTRS standings.

 

Daley Peters (Beausejour, Man.) can secure a berth into the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials event provided that Jean-Michel Menard and Joel Jordison do not get passed by two of the following four teams – Sean Geall, Chris Schille, Ted Appelman and Dale Matchett – in the three-year CTRS standings.

 

 

Women

 

Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg, Man.) and Shannon Kleibrink (Calgary, Alta.) have already secured two of the four direct berths into the eight-team 2009 Canadian Trials.

 

Cheryl Bernard (Calgary, Alta.), Stefanie Lawton (Saskatoon, Sask.) and Kelly Scott (Kelowna, B.C.) remain in the hunt for the final two direct berths into the 2009 Canadian Trials.  All three teams have secured at least a spot in the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials event.  The qualifying scenarios for each team with respect to a direct Canadian Trials berth are as follows:

 

• Cheryl Bernard can secure one of the two final direct berths into the 2009 Canadian Trials event provided that Kelly Scott does not win the Grey Power Players’ Championship.  Should Scott win the Grey Power Players’ Championship, Bernard can still qualify for the Canadian Trials provided Stefanie Lawton does not make up a 12.82-point deficit in the two-year CTRS points race.
   
• Stefanie Lawton can secure one of the two final direct berths into the 2009 Canadian Trials event provided that Kelly Scott does not win the Grey Power Players’ Championship.  Should Scott win the Grey Power Players’ Championship, Lawton will have to make up a 12.82-point deficit to Bernard in the two-year CTRS points race to grab a direct Canadian Trials berth.
   
• Kelly Scott can secure a direct berth into the 2009 Canadian Trials event with a victory at the Grey Power Players’ Championship.

 

Sherry Middaugh (Coldwater, Ont.), Sherry Anderson (Saskatoon, Sask.), Amber Holland (Regina, Sask.) and Marie-France Larouche (Quebec City, Que.) have all secured a berth into the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials event. 

 

Michelle Englot (Regina, Sask.), Cathy King (Edmonton, Alta.), Marla Mallett (Vancouver, B.C.) and Krista McCarville (Thunder Bay, Ont.) are currently in position to secure a berth in the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials event.  While none of the four teams have mathematically secured a berth, each squad is virtually guaranteed a spot in the Pre-Trials event.

 

Eve Bélisle (Montreal, Que.) did not qualify for the Grey Power Players’ Championship and may not qualify for the Canadian Pre-Trials event depending on the performance of Crystal Webster, Rachel Homan, Marla Mallett and Barb Spencer in Grande Prairie.

 

Crystal Webster (Calgary, Alta.) could qualify for the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials event by reaching the quarterfinals of the Grey Power Players’ Championship or by maintaining their lead in the two-year CTRS point total standings over Rachel Homan (4..065 points behind), Marla Mallett (7.137 points) and Barb Spencer (18.712 points).

 

Heather Rankin (Calgary, Alta.) could qualify for the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials by maintaining their 2008-09 CTRS points lead over Rachel Homan (2.9 points behind) and Barb Spencer (3.65 points).

 

Rachel Homan (Ottawa, Ont.) and Barb Spencer (Winnipeg, Man.) would not qualify for the 12-team Canadian Pre-Trials event if the qualification process ended today.  Both teams will need to win a few games at the Grey Power Players’ Championship and hope the teams above them falter.

 

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