Ringette westerns
The fastest game on ice is on display at the Western Canadian Ringette Championships in St. Albert.
The tournament features 25 teams from Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the host St. Albert Ringette Association in the U14AA, U16A, U19A and 18-plus A divisions.
Overall, 10 teams are competing in U14AA, including four Alberta reps, and the U16A, U19A and 18-plus A draws consist of five teams apiece.
The Ringette Alberta champions at westerns are the U14AA Zone 2 Blaze (Alberta 1), U16A Calgary Northwest Nova, U19A South Calgary and 18-plus A Edmonton Last Call.
The host teams are the U14AA Mission (Alberta 2), U16A Saints, U19A Select and 18-plus A Crew.
Overall, 66 games will be played at the Go Auto, Mark Messier, Akinsdale and Kinex arenas. There is no admission charge.
At provincials, the Mission finished second, the Saints and Select both placed sixth and there was no St. Albert team in the 18-plus A tournament.
The Mission’s 4-2 record at provincials included losses to Zone 2 by scores of 7-2 in pool play and 5-3 in the final.
The Mission skate into westerns with a record of 32-14-3 after going 41-9-4 last year as silver medallists at provincials and westerns.
This year’s Mission lineup boasts of six returning players.
Visit www.2019wcrc.com for the tournament website.
Game times for the St. Albert teams at westerns are as follows:
U14AA Mission
Pool A
Thursday: 9:45 a.m. vs. B.C. 2, Kinex.
Thursday: 6:45 p.m. vs. Alberta 4, Go Auto.
Friday: 9:45 a.m. vs. Saskatchewan 1, Kinex.
Friday: 6:30 p.m. vs. Manitoba 1, Mark Messier.
Saturday: semifinals 8 & 8:15 a.m.
Third place: 12:45 p.m. Akinsdale.
Final: 12:30 p.m. Go Auto.
U16A Saints
Thursday: 12:30 p.m. vs. Manitoba, Mark Messier.
Thursday: 5 p.m. vs. Alberta, Mark Messier.
Friday: 9:45 a.m. vs. Saskatchewan, Go Auto.
Friday: 3:30 p.m. vs. B.C., Mark Messier.
Saturday: playoffs 8 & 11 a.m.
Final: 2:15 p.m. Go Auto Arena.
U19A Select
Thursday: 12:30 p.m. vs. Manitoba, Akinsdale.
Thursday: 5:15 p.m. vs. Alberta, Go Auto.
Friday: 8:15 a.m. vs. Saskatchewan, Go Auto.
Friday: 2 p.m. vs. B.C., Mark Messier.
Saturday: playoffs 8 & 11 a.m.
Final: 12:30 p.m. Mark Messier.
18-plus A Crew
Thursday: 12:45 p.m. vs. Manitoba, Go Auto.
Thursday: 6:45 p.m. vs. Alberta, Kinex Arena.
Friday: 2:15 p.m. vs. B.C., Kinex.
Friday: 6:45 p.m. vs. Saskatchewan, Kinex.
Saturday: playoffs 9:30 & 11 a.m.
Final: 2:15 p.m. Mark Messier.
Mixed provincials
The Curling Alberta mixed championship starts today at the Shamrock for a somewhat different St. Albert lineup that won the B qualifier for provincials.
Tyler Pfeiffer replaces Doug McLennan at skip for the rink of third Kim Zsakai, second Lyle Biever and lead Brenda Doroshuk that finished 4-1 in the 13-team competition in Camrose.
McLennan was unable to book time off from work so Pfeifer, who went 4-3 in the mixed playdowns with his Beaumont rink, was recruited for the eight-team provincials.
Today’s opening draws for St. Albert are 2 p.m. against Glen Hansen of Spruce Grove and 7 p.m. against Cassiel Kobylnyk of Calgary.
Thursday’s game times are 2 p.m. against Daylan Vavrek of Sexsmith and 7 p.m. against Albert Gerdung of Brooks.
Friday’s opponents are Graham Powell of the Avonair at 2 p.m. and Warren Cross of the Saville Centre at 7 p.m.
The round robin wraps up Friday at 10 a.m. against Craig MacAlpine of the Saville Centre and the first-place team goes straight to the final.
The semifinal is 7 p.m. Friday and Sunday’s final is 1 p.m. with the winner advancing to nationals.
Visit www.albertacurling.ab.ca for results.
