Skip to content

Kelowna quartet rakes in Cotter cash

Hannah Rempel rink wins 20th annual Rick Cotter Memorial Junior Spiel at Vernon Curling Club
26945009_web1_211028-VMS-curling-junior-JRCURLING_2
Lauren Cochrane (centre), lead for Kelowna’s Hannah Rempel rink, delivers a stone with sweepers Megan Rempel (left) and Vivian Schmeeckle at the ready during semifinal play Sunday, Oct. 24, in the 20th annual Rick Cotter Memorial Junior Spiel. The Rempel foursome went on to win the event at the Vernon Curling Club. (Roger Knox - Black Press)

Kelowna’s Hannah Rempel rink rattled off four straight wins to claim the first prize cheque at the 20th annual Rick Cotter Memorial Junior Spiel Sunday, Oct. 24, at the Vernon Curling Club.

Rempel, with teammates Lauren Cochrane at lead, Megan Rempel at second and Vivian Schmeekle at third, defeated Kamloops’ Holly Hafeli 7-5 in the championship game.

Hafeli handed Rempel her only loss at the tournament in the opening draw Friday night, 7-3.

The Rempel rink, coached by former Salmon Arm resident Wendy Cseke, rebounded to beat Jillian Evans of Kamloops 11-3 and edged Emily Bowles of Delta 7-6 to qualify for the championship side semifinals along with Gracelyn Richards of Comox Valley, Kaila Buchy of Kimberley and Hafeli.

Rempel scored a 5-3 win over Richards in a Sunday morning semifinal while Hafeli knocked off Buchy 9-2.

Emma Woike’s crew from Duncan won the consolation final with a 3-2 win over Penticton’s Jessica Trip.

Nine rinks competed in the annual event.

• Buchy’s dad was cheering from afar while achieving success on his own Sunday afternoon.

Former Vernon junior curler Tom Buchy won the Connect Hearing B.C. Senior Men’s championship in Abbotsford, defeating Craig Lepine of Langley 9-3 in the final.

A total of 18 teams competed in the event including rinks skipped by Mark Longworth and Jamie Sexton of Vernon, and Scott Furevick of Salmon Arm. The field was split into a pair of nine-team pools.

Longworth, curling with third Dean Mackney, second Greg Hamilton and lead Ron McDougall, went 1-3 as did Sexton, who was backed by third Brad Snyder, second Donald Hodgin and lead Alan Shepherd.

Furevick also finished 1-3. He was supported by third Gerry Kovacs, second John Danks and lead Cliff Hosker.

• Lake Country’s Mary-Anne Arsenault won the nine-team Connect Hearing B.C. Senior Women’s Championship in Abbotsford, scoring an 8-2 win over defending champion Donna Mychaluk of New Westminster/Parksville in the final.

Mychaluk defeated Penny Shantz in the 2020 final at the Vernon Curling Club. She has now finished as runner-up six times in the provincials.

Shantz was throwing third stones for Arsenault, who had Diane Gushulak and Grace MacInnis at the front end. Arsenault is a 14-time participant in the Scotties Tournament Canadian Women’s Curling Championship and a five-time champion with skip Colleen Jones in their native Nova Scotia.

Vernon’s Kim Slattery was throwing lead stones for the Sheila Cowan rink of New Westminster, which went 3-1 in the preliminary round, but lost an A event qualifier to Arsenault, 5-3, and was eliminated in a B event qualifier by Janet Klebe of Chilliwack, 5-4.

Arsenault and Buchy now advance to the Everest Canadian Seniors Dec. 6-11 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

READ MORE: First win, fifth win highlight B.C. Senior Curling finals

READ MORE: BC junior curlers bring home third national gold

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Want to support local journalism? Make a donation here.