Stefanie Lawton (at right) and her winning teamSUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. – It's a rematch of Father versus Son in today's men's final of the 2012 Sun Life Financial Players' Championship.
Back on Thursday, Glenn Howard's world champions lost to Toronto's John Epping – the squad that features Glenn's son Scott Howard at lead position. Now, following Saturday night's semifinals, the two will tangle again – this time live on the Global Television network (12 noon ET).
Yesterday afternoon, the women's crown went to Saskatoon's Stefanie Lawton, a 7-3 winner over Winnipeg's Cathy Overton-Clapham. Lawton scored a first prize of $28,000 for the victory.
"It means a lot to us to win this event, we never have," said Lawton, who lost the Saskatchewan women's provincial final back in January. "And to be out here at the end of the season and still still curling well definitely means a lot. It feels great.”
Overton-Clapham scored $24,000 in runner-up winnings but also claimed the 2012 Capital One Cup, which signifies excellence in the four capital One Grand Slam of Curling events throughout the season. The title is accompanied by $50,000 top prize, meaning her team actually took home the biggest women's cheque of the week: a whopping $74,000.
So, Cathy... how you doin'?
And Slider loves you, too!"(It's) pretty awesome, amazing, (I) never thought we'd ever have a chance to win that much money in curling," said Cathy-O. "We’re really fortunate to have Capital One on board and that we were in the running for it. We're really excited. It's very overwhelming, to be honest with you."
Overton-Clapham won the Autumn Gold Classic in Calgary in October and then qualified for the semi-finals in the Manitoba Lotteries Classic in her hometown of Winnipeg to sit first in the Capital One Cup rankings heading into Summerside. Lawton finished second, worth another $25,000, and Jennifer Jones placed third. ($10,000).
Subject to official confirmation from the Canadian Curling Association, Heather Nedohin of Edmonton has clinched the 2011-12 Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS) points total, and with that a direct berth into the 2013 Canadian Olympic Trials in Winnipeg. Sherry Middaugh needed to win the 2012 Sun Life Financial Players' Championship title to pass Nedohin, but lost in in Saturday morning's semi-finals after eliminating Nedohin in a tie-breaker on Friday night.
And now, back to today's men's finalists. How did they get there?
Well, folks, Hogtown's John Epping made a rather stunning semifinal comeback of improbable proportions, upsetting Edmonton’s Kevin Martin by a 6-4 count. Epping trailed 4-2 in the seventh end – these are eight-end games, don't forget – when a missed hit by Martin allowed Epping to score three and take a 5-4 lead. In the final end, Martin had tough double-takeout for two points and the win, but his last stone didn’t curl enough, and Epping ended up with the victory.
Epping pulled a Zowie on the Old BearA win like that over K-Mart is rare enough, but consider this: the Martin Men scored two in the first end, a lead that is typically safe for the team. Very, very safe. In fact, going into last night’s game the team – which was formed in 2006 – boasted an astonishing 98-1 won/loss record when scoring two in the first end with the hammer.
Zowie!
“Wow, that’s a crazy stat,” said a stunned Epping. “They just hit so well, I think he’s the best in the game in managing the scoreboard. It’s shocking, but the way he plays, I guess it doesn’t surprise me. I’m glad to be number two.”
“We got really lucky that Kevin whiffed that hit (in the seventh end). We thought we had a deuce in line and after Scott (Howard) threw his we thought he would make that double. (Martin) threw a couple that he didn’t throw as well as he usually does and then his last one he gave us enough room to pick it clean.”
In the other semi, Howard advanced to the final with a 7-3 win over Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen. Howard hit for two points in the first end, then forced McEwen to draw for a single point in the second. In the third end Howard laid the big hurt, hitting for four points and taking a 6-1 lead.
The semifinal victory for Howard clinched the men's Capital One Cup and the $50,000 top prize winnings. On Friday, Team Howard clinched the 2011-12 men's CTRS rankings crown, and with that – subject to official CCA confirmation, of course – the second men's berth into the 2013 Canadian Olympic trials.
A win today would give Howard one the best – and most lucrative – two months of curling ever seen in the sport.
Once again, today's final will be hosted by play-by-play man Don Landry and colour analyst Don Duguid, although second analyst Cheryl Bernard is unable to make it. Make sure you tune in for the final major of the season!
Capital One photos copyright by Anil Mungal – click on images to increase viewing size