Olympic Festival at Rockefeller Center

Numerous Nutmeggers attend the Olympic Festival at Rockefeller Center on Wednesday 11/4. I don't want to list them all in case I miss someone. The juniors presented hats to all the Olympic curlers in a ceremony held on the ice rink. There was a curling booth set up to showcase curling in the Olympics and lots of people helped out there and chatted with interested parties. Some of the ice crew was present as well trying to help out with getting the Olympic curlers to throw some rocks. That was really interesting as they set up a "sheet" the short way on the rink so it was only about 40 feet long or so. And they had skating going on just before the curling demonstation was to take place. But people got to see rocks being thrown.

Not sure if any of it made it onto the Today show. A quick review of the DVR did not find anything on TV.

Thanks to all who attended and helped out in anyway they could.

Let's go to Denver!!!!

Congrats to Charrissa, Tanya, Karen and Nicole along with coach Joseph on the win this morning. Exciting, nerve wracking and fabulous.

The last two ends were reallllly nervous to watch especially for Derek who got permission to attend. Team Lin down one without the hammer in nine. Charrissa made two nice shots without the hammer to leave Anne Stuhlman just a draw to the four foot for one. Anne came up light and it was a steal of three.

Tenth end, up two without the hammer. Team Lin trying to keep it clean. A flash on a takeout of a guard makes it interesting. Anne has two rocks touching the four foot with one behind the button. Charrissa makes a great freeze down to that rock to sit shot. Anne tries to throw a big weight takeout to remove the Lin rock and her own. Flash. Charrissa comes up just a bit short on another draw to the button but it is a good guard. Anne tries the same takeout and makes contact but not enough to remove the Lin rock. Anne scores one and Charrissa wins!

Congrats to all the teams that played at Ardsley. Sandra McMakin from Potomac who has been to Nutmeg for instructor classes also advances to the challenge round.

Okay Nutmeg, road trip to Denver upcoming!

Jeff

Charrissa in a tiebreaker

Charrissa lost to Patti so now has to play in a tiebreaker game for the third spot to the Trials. There is three way tie for third. Charrissa will play the winner of the first tiebreaker game.

Updated: The first tiebreaker game will be played tonight at 6:00pm. The winner of that game will play Charrissa tomorrow morning at 9:00am. The losing team in both games advances to the Challenge (second chance) round.

Jeff

Derek down to his final chance

Derek lost his game this morning in an extra end. He had stolen two in the tenth to tie and lost in the 11th.

Now he plays another game against the loser of the other game, Matt Hames. Winner of that game goes to the second chance and the loser is done. GO DEREK!

Jeff

Fifth end break update

Charrissa stole one in the first after Patti made a great shot to only give up one. A tick of a guard in the second gave Patti a draw for three. Blank third end. Charrissa had a good chance for two in the fourth but again Patti made a great shot and Charrissa drew for one. Patti had open draw for two in the fifth and was slightly heavy, measure for second shot goes to Charrissa.

4-2 after five ends, Charrissa starts the sixth with the hammer.

Jeff

Sunday update

In Boston, Derek is playing for a spot in the Second Chance. If he wins he is in, if he loses he plays again for a second try.

At Ardsley, Charrissa is about to play Patty Lank. If she wins, she advances directly to the Trials. A loss probably sets up a tiebreaker for the Trials spot. I think she has a spot in the second chance locked up at this point.

Jeff

Derek loses the first

Okay, so here is the situation. He plays Farbelow again at 8:00pm. If Derek wins, they play again with the winner being the pool winner. If he loses then he finishes second and plays for a second chance spot. Simple, huh?

Jeff

Saturday update

Charrissa lost her game this morning to Erika Brown. Still in the hunt for the third spot to the trials as the team they lost to yesterday also lost. Big game tonight against the GNCC Junior champions of Katlyn Beebe.

Derek is even more complicated then I explained this morning. At this point he is basically in a playoff with Farbelow. Those two teams need to determine first place so they play each other at least twice. If one team wins both, they win the pool and move to the playoffs for a Trials spot. If they split the two games they have to play once again to determine the winner. The rest from this morning applies. Winner of the pool plays for a Trials spot, second place team plays for a spot at the second chance.

Jeff

Trials update after Friday

Okay, this is a bit complicated but here goes. Derek has qualified for the playoffs. If he wins today he will play in the playoffs to go directly to the Trials. He would then need to win one of his next two to get there. A loss today would give him a playoff to get to the second chance event where there is another round robin to play with 4 teams from that going to the Trials. So, basically his game today is a playoff and a very big game. They play at Noon.

Charrissa is tied for 3rd right now and needs to win 2 of the next 3 to get to the Trials (I think). She plays one of the top seeds today and the other tomorrow. So things will be clearer after today.

We watched the game yesterday afternoon. They played well but the other team played better. A tough day but they will bounce back today I know it.

Heading down there soon so updates will happen later.

Jeff

A good day for Nutmeg

Charrissa won both her games today. She is 3-0 at this point with her next tomorrow morning at 9:00am.

Derek won his first game today and is off until tomorrow at Noon. Derek won in an extra end against wily veteran Stu Graves. Stu has his Senior National team there to get some practice for the Senior World playdowns. He is always tough. So, a good start for Derek, Tim, Sean and Ron.

Sally and I are heading down to Ardsley tonight to catch some of the action.

Jeff

Another W for Charrissa

A big confidence boosting win this morning. Derek on the ice right now, Charrissa back at it at 2:00.

Jeff

Charrissa wins her first

A big steal of 2 in the tenth to wrap up a win for team Lin. Anne Stuhlman is a tough team and this was a great game to pull out. Congrats to Charrissa, Tanya, Nicole and Karen. Keep it up!

Jeff

Follow all the Trials action

Charrissa starts today at 4:30, Derek starts tomorrow (Thurs) at noon.

You can follow the action from all of the regional events HERE. Under the scoreboard just click on the region you want to follow. Derek and Charrissa are both playing in the East.

The complete schedule for all the regionals is also available at the USCA site.

If you are a Twitter user, they may also be posting some info there as well.

Jeff

Olympic Trials schedule finalized

The USCA has posted the schedule for all the playdowns HERE.

For those interested in making the short trip down to Ardsley, Charrissa will be playing:

Wed. 4:30 Thur. 9am, 2pm Fri. 9am, 2pm Sat. 9am, 7pm Sun. 1pm

I will try to say this as gently as possible. This is serious competition. Decorum in the warm room while watching is most important. Do not cheer misses or bang on the glass. Cheering a great shot is appropriate.

Jeff

Olympic Trials

Nutmeggers Derek Surka and Charrissa Lin are both playing in the Olympic Trials. Derek and his team will be at The Country Club in Brookline, MA and Charrissa and crew (with Joseph Smith coaching) will be just down the road at Ardsley.

The playdowns start on Wednesday January 7th for both. There are games all day Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

If you have all recovered from New Years, take a short drive to Ardsley to support Charrissa, Tanya, Karen and Nicole. The schedule is not quite set but will be available HERE soon.

Or if you are looking for a road trip, take the longer drive to Brookline to support Derek, Tim, Sean and Ron.

Both sites feature prior US national champions so the curling will be great.

JH

Charrissa and team in Canada

The Olympic hopeful team coached by Joseph Smith is off to Brantford Ontario this weekend. A big cashspiel to get their feet wet. First game is Friday morning at 9:00 against the Chinese team. The Chinese team finished second last year in the Worlds. They are professional curlers as all they do is curl. They go to Canada starting in September and live there the entire season, playing in events and practicing.

You can follow all the game action HERE The draw and teams are all listed just by clicking on the tabs. Scores will also be updated. All the top US teams are playing there as well.

Good luck to Charrissa, Tanya, Karen and Nicole.

JH