Kevin Baldock and Brian Maurer teamed up to attend the Canadian Stick Curling Championships at the Golden Ears Curling Club in Maple Ridge, March 23-25. Baldock has been a stick curler for approximately 15 years while Brian has been at it for just over a year. Their team earned wins over Manitoba and the Tim Smith/John Campbell rink from Armstrong in the ‘A’ event, which put them into the championship round.
In the championship round they defeated Alberta to advance to the semifinals.
In the semifinal they once again met the team from Armstrong. This time the Armstrong team managed a win over the Baldock/ Maurer rink to advance to the final. The Armstrong team was crowned Canadian Stick Curling Champions after defeating a team from Maple Ridge. Baldock/ Maurer placed third.
Stick curling is different from regular curling in several ways.
• Most curlers who play with the stick have minor handicaps such as bad backs or knees.
• The team is made up of only two curlers.
• Each curler throws six rocks.
• Each game is only six ends.
• The rock is delivered by the curler using a stick device that slips over the handle of the rock. The curler pushes the rock forward no further than the hog line and releases it much the same as in regular curling.
• Curlers are not allowed to sweep the rocks between the hog lines.
Baldock and Maurer are already looking forward to further championship curling come fall. The Salmon Arm Curling Centre has approximately 50 stick curlers and would encourage anyone who has given up curling because of bad backs or knees to sign up for stick curling in the fall. In March 2012, the Salmon Arm Curling Centre will be hosting the Provincial Stick Curling Championship.