Dean Joanisse and Daniel Wenzek skipped their way into the upcoming B.C. men’s curling championships.
The two Royal City Curling Club rinks joined clubmates Sean Geall and Ken McArdle, who previously won the A and B events, respectively, at the Lower Mainland playdowns in Cloverdale in December.
The four New Westminster rinks will also compete alongside former world and two-time provincial champion, Brent Pierce, who qualified for the B.C.s as the Canadian Team Ranking System points winner.
The Joannise rink of third Paul Cseke, second Jay Wakefield and lead John Cullen made short work of the field in the men’s open A event playdown at the Peace Arch club in White Rock, winning four straight matches, including an 8-5 nine-ender over Victoria’s Wes Craig.
Joannise, who won a provincial men’s title in 2007 while in Victoria, scored two in the first end, three in the third and another pair in the seventh to knock off the eventual open C-event qualifier.
Joannise also defeated C-event finalist Andrew Forrest of Vancouver 9-1 in four ends in the quarters and first C-event qualifier Mark Longworth of Vernon 6-3 in the semifinal – on the strength of a deuce in the fourth end and a second pair steal in the fifth.
The Wenzek rink of third Nicholas Meister, second Calvin Heels and Byron Heels at lead, was relegated to the B event after a second-round 10-7 loss to Longworth.
But Wenzek rebounded in spades, winning four consecutive B-event draws, including a 7-2 six-ender over Craig in the qualifying final.
The combined RCCC, Victoria and Langley-represented rink opened with a steal of three against Craig and then added a deuce in each of the fourth and sixth ends to claim entry into the B.C.s.
Wenzek made some big shots in his march to a B-event berth, scoring three in the ninth end in a 9-5 win over Sean Matheson from Kelowna in Draw 6.
In Draw 8, Wenzek got past Christopher Ordog of Vancouver 11-6 with a four-ender in the ninth.
In the B semifinal, Wenzek scored two in the 10th to squeak past Longworth, 6-5.
RCCC’s Bruce Law had a couple of chances to qualify, making it to the semifinal of the B event before losing an 8-4 decision to Craig after giving up steals in the third and fourth and a deuce in the seventh end.
Law advanced to a C-event final with steals in the eighth and ninth ends to pluck a comeback 7-5 victory over Chris Faa of Richmond.
The Law rink then dropped the ensuing C final 6-1 to Longworth.
The 2015 B.C. men’s curling championships will be staged at the Vernon Curling Club from Feb. 3 to 8.
