Sport appears to have bright future around the world

B1

by dwayne tingley
times & transcript staff

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Approximately 80,000 spectators jammed the Moncton Coliseum for eight days during the Ford World Men's Curling Championship and they were rapt in equal parts tension and celebration as they witnessed a sport in transition.

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On the ice, many youthful players from the 12 teams were coming of age. Most have had success at the junior level so the time has arrived for them to excel among men at world championships such as this and prepare for the 2010 Olympic Games.

Most teams which competed in Moncton will be the same ones who will represent their countries in the Olympics. Canada still has an arduous process and the men's and women's teams that will wear the maple leaf won't be determined until December at the final selection tournament in Edmonton, Alta.

Off the ice, there were stalwart curling fans from all over the globe who have had a passion for the game for decades. However, it was also evident that curling has won over a new generation of fans -- those who show unbridled exuberance and a new love of the game.

The youthful shift wasn't lost on World Curling Federation president Les Harrison.

"All you have to do is look at Team Canada and how they captured the imagination of the young people," Harrison said yesterday.

"Kevin Martin has been around the game and you would be hard-pressed to fine a better curler anywhere, but the other guys on his rink are young and the young people in the rink loved them," said Harrison, a Moncton resident and native of Amherst.

"A lot of the teams here had young players and they were popular with the fans. People got to meet them and chat with them. Everyone had a good time with these guys."

Marie-Anne Power, a Moncton native who has competed in 11 Canadian junior and mixed curling championships, said young fans could relate to many of the players.

"It's been a great event to see," said Vautour, who volunteered in the medical room and with the statistics.

"Watching the worlds on TV is good, but here you get to see them up close, meet them and get their autographs after a game in the corner of the rink or in the Patch. They were all so nice and personable. That means a lot to everyone, including the young people."

Vautour, who was a member of New Brunswick's 1979 team that won the gold medal at the Canada Winter Games in Brandon, Man., said young fans also got a kick out of meeting all of the visitors.

"Everyone has talked about the spirit and friendships," she said. "Some people who came here probably didn't know much about Moncton or what we're all about, but they've all had positive comments and everyone is leaving with very positive memories."

Jim Lockyer, chairman of the organizing committee, said the world tournament's legacy will be its impression on young people.

"There have been people here who have never watched curling before or even tried to watch curling before," Lockyer said. "They got to see what a great game it is.

"They got to see these great athletes at their best, on the world stage, right here in Moncton. They got to see the sportsmanship and the dedication of these athletes.

"I know there are going to be young people who will want to try this sport now that they've seen it in person. Now that the sport also has the Olympic profile, we're going to see curling get a major boost in popularity."

Lockyer praised the tournament's 500 volunteers.

"Once again, Greater Moncton has come through and done what Greater Moncton does best. We've come together to put on a world-class event. It's a credit to each and everyone of the volunteers and others in the community who have stepped forward to help.

"I know that today, we have people in our community take the Scots out to the sugar bush to show them what that is all about. There have been other people volunteer to take visitors around the area, to show them our city and our region. Young people have also been doing this. It's been a great event for young people, on and off the ice."