A total of 16 rinks (including the Joanne Kerns foursome from Chilliwack) took part in this past weekend’s Merritt mixed bonspiel, sponsored by Coyote Collision.
Divided into two pools of eight, every team played four four-end games. Five points were awarded for a win, three for a tie, and one point was given for each end that a team won in a game. The highest possible score for the two-day event was 36.
Emerging victorious with 32 points was the Jerry Sanders quartet that included Jerry’s wife Marg along with Jim and Diane Murdoch. Second was the Dennis Couture rink with 26 points, followed closely by the Brent Lindquist foursome with 25.
Couture put in yeoman’s service on the weekend. He not only skipped his own team, but also filled in for an ailing curler on the Lindquist rink.
George Mathieu was perhaps the biggest winner at the mixed bonspiel, first taking the top prize in the loonie toss (a turkey donated by Liz Ladyman. Over $122 was raised for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.)
Mathieu later went on to win the weekend 50/50, one of the event’s Calcuttas and shared the special consolation prize for the lowest score.
This year’s mixed bonspiel also featured a team comprised entirely of family members. Husband and wife Rob and Tracy Dunsmore were joined by their children, 12-year-old Megan and Aidan, 9.
