Schenectady Curling Club

Canada Takes The Coveted Gordon International

[caption id="attachment_3154" align="alignleft" width="197" caption="The Gordon International Medal"][/caption]

Congratulations to Team Canada in their victory over the U.S. in the Gordon International Competition that was held March 13th through 15th at Schenectady, Albany and Norfolk Curling Clubs. The Gordon International Competition was first held 130 years ago — on February 8th, 1884 — in Montreal, pitting two rinks from the United States against two from Canada. Thus began a long-standing, friendly rivalry and fellowship between the Canadian Branch of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club and the Grand National Curling Club. Each year, representatives of these curling organizations compete for the Gordon International Medal, originally presented by Mr. Robert Gordon of the St. Andrews Curling Club of New York and the first Patron of the Grand National Curling Club of America. This year’s event boasted forty teams; 20 from the GNCC and 20 from the Canadian Branch of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club. Teams from Adirondack, Cape Cod, Schenectady, Utica, Granite, Nashua, Rochester, Norfolk, TCC, Nutmeg, Potomac, Lake Placid, Albany, Bucks County, and Broomstones represented the GNCC and teams from Ormstown, Canadian Branch, Point Claire, TMR, Lennoxville, Lachine, Hudson Legion, Gordon Comm, Glemore, Royal Montreal, Valleyfield, Prescott, Boucherville, Danville, Baie D’Urfe, Mont Bruno, Lacolle, Brockville, Huntington, and Bedford represented the Canadian Branch of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club. At this year’s event Canada beat the U.S. by a margin of 310 stones to 233 stones.

Two other awards have been added to the Gordon International Competition over the years. In 1968, Addison Hastings of the Ardsley Curling Club presented the first Gordon International Bowl—now the Add Hastings International Bowl—to the Canadian Branch of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club. This award is given annually to the rink on either side that has the largest margin of victory in any single Gordon medal game. In 1988, the James C. Stevens Memorial shield was introduced in memory of Jim Stevens, Canadian Branch curler and Honorary Life Member of the Grand National Curling Club. The shield is awarded to the winner of the Gordon International Friendly games.

Congratulations to all of the Event Winners:

Gordon International Competition

The Gordon International Medal
Winner: Canada

The Add Hastings International Bowl
Winner: Mont Bruno - John Monroe, Donaid Bourget, Dave Dubois, Normand Gauvean

Gordon Friendlies

The James C. Stevens Memorial
Winner: Glenmore – Skip Greg Sleno and rink

Highest one-game score by a Canadian rink
Winner: Bedford - Bob Grevatt, Jacques Marziali, Pierre Marziali, Jacques Pelletier

Highest one-game score by a U.S. rink
Winner: Albany - Ed Springstead, Steve Ryder, Bill Koniowka, Mike O’Neill

Highest two-game score by a Canadian rink
Winner: Boucherville - Serge Sirois, Michel Castongury, Luc Mansean, Andre Guilbeault

Highest two-game score by a U.S. rink
Winner: Utica 1 - Brian Moore, Tom Clark, Roger Rowlette, Dan Stuhlman

Congratulations to all of the winners and thank you to all of the participants who traveled far and wide to attend this event! Thank you also to Albany and Norfolk curling clubs for co-hosting this event with us!

Hall and Feiden Become Event Finalists at the Childs

[caption id="attachment_3148" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="2014 Childs Challenge D Event Finalist: Team Hall (l to r: Mary-Sue Reed, Denise Cashmere, Christina Hall, Laura Dolins)"][/caption]

Congratulations to Team Hall for being the D Event Finalists at the Elisabeth Childs Challenge that was held at the Utica Curling Club March 13th through 16th 2014. This event is the GNCC’s Women’s 5 and Under and boasts 18 teams competing this year. Christina Hall led her team of Denise Cashmere, Laura Dolins and Mary-Sue Reed in an impressive streak through the A event but came up short in the semis which led to the D Finals Sunday against Ardsley 1. After an exciting 8 end match (which almost led to some bonus 9th end curling) Ardsley 1 prevailed. Great job throughout ladies!

Also, SCC's Roberta Feiden led her mixed club team of Linda Kirkman, Shirley Hutchinson, and Frances Ciolinom from Potomac and Utica to the F Event finals vs Plainfield and became that event's Finalist as well.

Elisabeth Calder Childs, for whom this event is now named, was born in Utica, NY in 1921, into a family of curlers. Introduced to the game by her father, Elisabeth watched from the sidelines until she started curling in her twenties. She moved to Norfolk, CT in 1950, bringing her love of the sport of curling to northwestern Connecticut. The first Women’s Challenge Bonspiel was held at Norfolk in 1991. At the time, the GNCC requested Elisabeth’s permission to name the bonspiel in her honor. It is said that she refused, replying in typical Elisabeth Childs fashion, “I’m not dead yet!” After her death in 2009, the Women’s Challenge Bonspiel was renamed in her honor.

Melville Wins the Gordon and Stefanik Takes the Emmett

[caption id="attachment_3139" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="2014 Gordon Medal Winners - Broomstones: Robbie Melville, Erik Paul, Wade Norquey, and Paul Marseglia "][/caption]

Congratulations to Broomstones Team Melville in winning the prestigious Gordon Medal at the Gordon-Emmett Bonspiel that was held March 7th through 9th 2014 at SCC. This prestigious men's event is considered the Grand National Curling Club Team Championship and is the third oldest competitive athletic competition in North America! Robbie Melville led his team of Erik Paul, Wade Norquey, and Paul Marseglia to the win over SCC's Team Damon. Brian Damon and his rink of Dan Machold, Peter Drechsler, and Chad Stoffer came up just short in the final match.

And Congratulations to all of our event winners and finalists:

The Gordon Medal (A Event)
Winner: Broomstones - Melville: Robbie Melville, Erik Paul, Wade Norquey, and Paul Marseglia -12
Finalist: SCC - Damon: Brian Damon, Dan Machold, Peter Drechsler, and Chad Stoffer -6

The Emmett (B Event)
Winner: SCC - Stefanik: Mike Stefanik, Jack Stopera, Scott Brennan, and Charlie Brown - 12
Finalist: Broomstones - O'Neill: Mike O'Neill, Todd Herbert, Kyle Proehl, and Brian McCaferty - 2

The Mohawk (C Event)
Winner: Albany - Costello: Brian Costello, Dave Ryan, Stu Howells, and Mike McIntyre - 8
Finalist: Broomstones - Fink: Dave Fink, John Barbagallo, Iain Munro and Mike Springstead - 6

The Reid (D Event)
Winner: Petersham - Breault: Paul Breault, Ted Paul, Scott Ennis, and Dave Kittridge - 8
Finalist: Albany - Sentiwany: Brent Sentiwany, Dan Keller, Brian Stewart, and Kevin Ryan - 7

Thank you to Mike Stefanik for chairing this event and for all the volunteers who helped out. Thank you to all of the curlers who took part in this event and we hope to see you again soon!

Nutmeg's Kriz Takes the Dykes Medal

[caption id="attachment_3117" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="2014 Francis Dykes Winner: (l to r) John Larson (2), Jonathan Gibbon (v), J. Michael Kriz (s), Tony Tortorella (l) "][/caption]

Congratulations to Team Kriz from the Nutmeg Curling Club for winning the 75th Annual Francis Dykes Memorial Bonspiel that was held at SCC and ACC February 27th through March 2nd. This GNCC event is for men with 5 years of curling experience or less. J. Michael Kriz led his rink of Jonathan Gibbons, John Larson, and Tony Tortorella in this exciting 10 end match which left Team Gallegos to try and steal 2 in the 10th for the win. Matthew Gallegos and his team of Jordan Becker, Michael Spensieri, and Joseph Panella came up just short but had a great run through this event and capped it off with a tight game in the finals.

And congratulations to all of our event winners and finalists:

Francis Dykes Medal (A Event)
Winner: Nutmeg – Kriz: J. Michael Kriz, Jonathan Gibbons, John Larson, Tony Tortorella
Finalist: Ardsley – Gallegos: Matthew Gallegos, Jordan Becker, Michael Spensieri, Joseph Panella

Brookline Medal (B Event)
Winner: Potomac – Dobbs: Michael Dobbs, Michael Sells, Mark Carlson, JR Grohs
Finalist: Albany – McIntyre: Mike McIntyre, Stu Howells, Jeremy Olson, Jim Margalus

Davies Bowl (C Event)
Winner: Utica – Conboy: Tim Conboy, Ben Gaetano, Erich Krumme, Jeff Lottermoser
Finalist: Petersham – Padellaro: Frank Padellaro, Paul Picariello, Matthew Roy, Paul Anderson, Robert Cook

Sinnett Cup (D Event)
Winner: Cape Cod – Smith: Gary Smith, Chuck Barnes, Derrick Zarra, Scott Illingsworth
Finalist: Ardsley – Eaton: Andy Eaton, Ray Ullmer, Jon Schuster, Darrel Seife

Saranac Shootout (E Event)
Winner: Rochester – Benway: Chris Benway, Tim Egan, Chris Lee, Kevin Heiser
Finalist: Albany – Randolph: Steve Randolph, Brian Stewart, Nicholas Schiraldi, Adam Weber

Thank you to all the teams that traveled to compete in this event and to all participants. Special thank you to Brad (and Linda) Austin who chaired this event and the entire team of volunteers that are too many to name who spent numerous hours preparing and executing this bonspiel. SCC and ACC hopes that everyone enjoyed their time at our clubs and that you will come back again for another of our events!