Four day bonspiel held on Norfolk ice

By Bob Bumcrot

Ice Master Jon Barbagallo prepares the ice at the Norfolk Curling Club in preparation for the Calder Cup bonspiel.

In an exciting four-day, 16 team Bonspiel at the Norfolk Curling Club (NCC), Canadian Club (CC) of Boston took the Calder Trophy. The final match against Philadelphia 2 was sewn up in the sixth end when Boston placed a solid block of four stones within the four-foot. The CC Boston team, consisting of curlers Dick (Veidenheimer Tim Kelley, Davis Yetman and Robert Yetman, was one of eight participating teams on the Grand National circuit, perhaps with dreams of the winter Olympic games curling tournament, to be held in Vancouver, February 16-27, 2010.
The second event, The President’s Trophy was won by the non-Grand National Broomstones 1 team, made up of Stuart Groves, Paul Sofuolis, Doug Burchesky, and Don Ritchie, by defeating Nutmeg.
Schenectady 1 members Tim Brooks, Dion Warr, Dave Hooper, and Jim Jordan out-threw Schenectady 2 to take home the Darrell Russ Sap Bucket.
In the Beer Bash for the Calder runners up, New York Caledonian 2 members, the ever-colorful George Austin, Jeff Paul, Jim Parsons, Mike Courts, defeated Philadelphia 1.
“It was a very successful event,” said past NCC President George Zavagnin. “[Bonspiel Chair] Ted Stone, [Ice Master] Jon Barbagallo and all the cooks and servers did a great job.” The next large event, the Mixed Bonspiel is set for February 12-14. Spectators are always welcome, however. For more information, go to norfolkcurlingclub.org or call 860-542-1100.