WHEELCHAIR CURLING USA heads to Switzerland in search of gold By Terry L. Davis, Editor
World Wheelchair Curling Championship. Te U.S. will be represented by Patrick Mc-
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Donald (Madison, Wis.), Steve Emt (Hebron, Conn.), Jimmy Joseph (New Hartford, N.Y.), Penny Greely (Green Bay, Wis.), and Justin Mar- shall (Evansville, Wis.) at the world champion- ship, which will take place Feb. 21-28 in Lucerne, Switzerland. Eight athletes were named to USA Curling’s
national wheelchair curling team following a competitive three-day skills event at the Wausau (Wis.) Curling Center back in November. Since then the athletes have been competing in events and most recently concluded a high performance camp at the Coyotes Curling Club in Tempe, Ariz., where Team USA was formally named. Te team, which has plenty of international
experience at Paralympic and world events, will compete in a weeklong competition at the world championship in Switzerland against nine other countries. Te U.S. is seeking a return to the po- dium aſter earning bronze in 2008. Te team fin- ished fiſth last year. Team USA will be coached by Steve Brown (Madison, Wis.) and Rusty Schieber
ſter a competitive past few months of events and camps, Team USA has officially been named for the 2016
Team USA includes Justin Marshall, Penny Greely, James Joseph, Steven Emt, and Patrick McDonald. Te team will compete in the 2016 World Wheelchair Championship Feb. 21-28 in Lucerne, Switzerland.
(Portage, Wis.), with Marc Deperno (New Hart- ford, N.Y.) serving as team leader. Te U.S. will face nine other countries in hopes
of securing its first world title. Tose countries include Canada, China, Finland, Germany, Ko- rea, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, and Switzerland.
Russia is the defending champion aſter defeating China, 7-4, in last year's final in Lohja, Finland. Te U.S. team finished fiſth in 2015. To find out more about the upcoming world
wheelchair championship, visit http://www.
worldcurling.org/wwhcc2016. Q
Everett set to host 2017 National Championships
Arena in Everett is set to host the 2017 USA Curl- ing National Championships. In partnership with the Granite Curling Club
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of Seattle and Snohomish County, the 2017 Na- tionals will take place Feb. 11-18, 2017. “Te Granite Curling Club and Snohomish
County Sports Commission put together an ex- ceptional bid to host these championships, and we couldn’t be more pleased to be bringing them back to the Seattle area for the first time in two decades,” said Rick Patzke, chief executive officer of USA Curling. “Te Granite Curling Club it- self has a long and storied history of competitive success, with the most recent chapter being the celebration of the 2015 World Senior Champi- ons. Tis is truly a club of champions, and we are confident that their partnership with Snohomish
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usacurl.org
he most competitive curling event in the U.S. will return to Washington for the first time in 20 years as Xfinity
County will make for a successful and memo- rable national championship in 2017.” Te 10,000-seat Xfinity Arena is home to the
Everett Silvertips, an American major junior hockey team. “Granite Curling Club of Seattle and Snohom-
ish County are extremely excited to be selected as hosts for the 2017 USA Curling National Cham- pionships, in Everett, Wash. Tis event will fall on the 20th anniversary of Granite Curling Club last hosting the U.S. Nationals, and we are so proud to have the United States’ biggest curling competition back in the Pacific Northwest re- gion,” said Harry Saylor, event chairman. Te National Championships are the final
opportunity for teams to earn points toward be- coming Team USA for subsequent world cham- pionships. Te 2017 Nationals will be a stepping stone to the 2017 world events in China and Can- ada that year.
“Curling is a sport experiencing tremen-
dous growth in America. Snohomish County is delighted to be hosting the 2017 USA Curl- ing National Championships,” said Anthony Brenneman of Snohomish County Sports Com- mission. “It is an honor to be hosting this pres- tigious National Championship in partnership with Granite Curling Club and USA Curling. With this partnership and the support we have received from our community, it will ensure the success of this national event and enhance economic prosperity of the region.” Te Seattle area previously hosted the Na-
tionals in 1997, 1986 and 1965 at the Granite club. Q
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