The Crush

Team Birr

The Crush 2007 Champions (Event Cavernet Sauvignon)

photo by A. Dominguez

Finals

photo by Art Dominguez 

Northern California First Open Bonspiel

photo by C.A. Casey, SPM Sportspage 

by C.A. Casey, SPM Sportspage 

Labor Day weekend. The last chance for summer picnicking, boating, camping, curling . . . Curling?

Sixteen curling teams from all over the United States and Canada descended on Vacaville, California for Northern California’s First Open Bonspiel, otherwise known as “The Crush” as an homage to the wine country motif of the hosting club, the Wine Country Curling Club. It might have been 100 degrees outside but it was nothing but a cool time inside the Vacaville Ice Sports rink.

Curling in California wine country? Back in 2006, before the Winter Olympics, Jerome Larson, known as the Johnny Appleseed of curling, walked into Vacaville Ice Sports and said, “We’re going to start curling here and I’ll come back after the Olympics.” When Larson returned, he formed the Wine Country Curling Club. Less than a year later, the club of sixteen active members started tossing around the ambitious and admittedly crazy idea of hosting a Bonspiel–the Scottish word used for curling tournament.

Read complete article here 

SPM California Open Curling Photo Gallery 

Fairfield Daily Republic 

Dave Holt likes to call the Wine Country Curling Club “The little curling club that could.”

Warning: This is a subcription only website 

The championship game between Birr and Markowski was close for a few ends. In the third end, Markowski had the option of going for a double takeout with the hammer which would have left them sitting four or five, I think. But it was a difficult shot. If they missed they would have given up one. The discussed it for a while, but in the end they chose to go for the hit / draw with backing which they made for one. One of the other observers I spoke to said…

Complete blog here 

NOW SHOWING: Day 1
The Crush 2007
Wine Country Curling Club
Vacaville, California

THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA CURLING CLUB (SFBACC)

by C.A. Casey 

My life is now complete. I’ve witnessed the great sport of curling in person.

Vacaville, California’s curling club–yes, you read that right–the Wine Country Curling Club is hosting a Bonspiel. That’s a German-looking Scottish word meaning curling tournament.

I spent most of today out of the 100 degree weather covering the tournament. Last weekend was the first time I’d ever stepped onto a golf course, today was the first time I’d ever stepped foot on indoor ice. Ice rinks are, like, cold. Go figure.

Read complete blog here 

“Our first game of the day (second overall) went well. We scored eight in the first three ends, then the other team got one. Then they conceded.

That’s not unusual in curling, but at our club, ice time is so valuable that we always play it out even when the score is lopsided. Nevertheless, I did not mind because I could use the sheet to practice which was something I badly needed. (Practice time is even more rare than ice time!)….”

COMPLETE BLOG HERE 

Sunday Sep 2, 2007

A- Cabernet Sauvignon

Markowski vs Birr          Winner: Birr  (Team USA)  7-4

B- Pinot Noir

Holt vs Seeger                 Winner: Seeger (SFBACC)

C- Chardonnay

Lamoureux vs Tasker    Winner: Tasker (TN)

D- Merlot

Garber vs Hemenway     Winner: Garber

Find me on MySpace and be my friend!