2014 CANADA CUP RECAP - MCEWEN WINS AGAIN! NEDOHIN REACHES SEMI'S

Team Mike McEwen continues its winning ways winning their 6th event of the season by capturing the 2014 Canada Cup of Curling. McEwen started the game by taking a deuce in the 1st end.  In the 2nd end, McEwen was lying 3 around the 4 foot.  Jacobs had an light tap in off to score 1 or at least limit the damage, but his draw was about 2 feet too heavy which gave the steal of 3 to McEwen, and what turned out to be an insurmountable 5-0 lead.

In the 4th end, Jacobs was down 5-2 and attempting to steal.  They sat 2 in the four foot, until B.J. Neufeld's 1st rock in the end, a spectacular double-raise triple takeout to sit one and turn the end around.  Right after that, he comes back with a soft back 8 weight tap and roll to sit 2.  You can view both shots here:  B.J. Neufeld Shots 

After taking a deuce to lead 7-2, and after the 8th end, the final score was 8-3.

The game was far different from the men's semi finals which was a closely contested game between Mike McEwen and Glenn Howard. Both teams made amazing shots. McEwen blanked the first 3 ends before finally taking a deuce in the 4th end.  After Howard was held to a single in the 5th end, McEwen got into some trouble in the 6th end, but calmly drew to the button facing 3 Howard counters and kept the lead 3-1.  After trading singles, Howard came home in the 10th end down 4-2 but had the hammer and scored the tying deuce.  In the extra end, lead Denni Neufeld made two fantastic tick shots, and the rest of the end was peels, which left McEwen a draw to the full 8 foot for the win and he made it! With the win, they qualified not only for the finals, but the 2015 Continental Cup in January.

After the Canada Cup victory, Team McEwen matches their highest ever win total in a single season with 6.  They are 45-7 and firmly hold the #1 spot on the World Curling Tour Order of Merit, CTRS rankings, and the money list.


Nedohin Reaches Semis

Team Heather Nedohin played a strong round robin at the Canada Cup finishing with a 4-2 record, good enough for 2nd place and a semi final berth against fellow AB team Val Sweeting.  In a hard fought battle and back and forth game, missed a chance for a deuce in the 7th end settling for 1 and a 4-3 lead. Sweeting then took 2 and stole another in the 9th end to take a 6-4 lead.  Nedohin played a strong 10th end to score 2 sending the game to an extra end. Nedohin played a raise on her last rock but narrowly missed giving Sweeting the win.  

Flaxey finishes 1-5
Team Allison Flaxey playing their first Canada Cup had a rough week finishing with a 1-5 record, but saw the team lose 2 tough games including an extra end loss to Olympic champions Jennifer Jones.  They could have easily finished with 3-3 record and we look to more successes from this team in the future.

THE STORY BEHIND THE PANTS!

So what's the story with the RED pants of Team Mike McEwen?

Some people love them, some others not so much.  But a lot of people are talking about them, that's for sure!

Early in the season, right around the first event of the season in Oakville, Hardline met up with Team McEwen.  We had made some light blue pants that we thought they would look great in.  While they liked the pants, they asked if they came in red.  We checked and it was available in red.

So we made 4 custom red pants for them.  They had said they would only wear them in Grand Slam events in the playoffs.  We kept it a secret, and in early November, as advertised, they brought out the red pants when they qualified in Selkirk MB for the Masters GSOC event, making the shot of the year in the 6th of the finals against Brad Gushue!  Unfortunately they lost that final, but came right back at the National in Sault Ste Marie and beat Brad Jacobs in the finals!

So far so good with the red pants!

Photo courtesy of Anil Mungal

TEAM SASKATCHEWAN WINS THE CANADIAN MIXED NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Team Saskatchewan won the Canadian Mixed National Championship in North Bay ON.  Max Kirkpatrick’s team from the Swift Current Curling Club — third Jolene Campbell, second Chris Haichert and lead Teejay Haichert — claimed the gold medal  with a 7-4 win over Jamie Koe of the Northwest Territories.

This marks the first CCA national championship victory for Hardline Curling, and we're very happy Team Saskatchewan are Hardline supporters!

The team will represent Canada at the upcoming World Mixed Championship in September 2015.

Congratulations!!

Team Saskatchewan - Canadian Mixed Champions

(Photo courtesy of Brian Doherty Photography)

TEAM McEWEN WINS THE NATIONAL

Team Mike McEwen continued their great start to the season with a win at The National, a Grand Slam of Curling event.  The win marks their 5th win in 6 events this year, with a runner up finish at The Masters, another GSOC event.  It was also the team's 4th career Grand Slam victory.

McEwen beat Brier and Olympic champion Brad Jacobs by a score of 5-2.  After a bit of slow start to the game, McEwen and team got big steals in the 3rd and 7th end to lead 4-2.  In the 8th end, Jacobs had an angle raise double takeout to try and score his deuce to tie game, but ended up jamming shot rock and McEwen stole another 1 to win and claim the title.

McEwen with the win claimed top spot on the World Curling Tour Order of Merit is officially the # 1 team in the world.  They also retain the #1 spot on the money list, and #1 on the CCA CTRS standings.  

McEwen made history with the win - it was Hardline Curling's first GSOC victory! 

Team McEwen - National champions

Team McEwen had also reached the final in the 1st GSOC event of the year - The Masters.  After going down 4 in the finals, McEwen scored an improbable 4 in the 6th end with a shot that was heard around the curling world.  It can be seen here:

http://youtu.be/jTbsFva2ZNU

In other Hardline news - 

Team Reid Carruthers also played in the National, their 1st Grand Slam event as a team, and they did not disappoint by qualifying for playoffs!  They finished the round robin with a 5-0 record after recording a big win over Bottcher on the Sportsnet televised game.  They lost the quarterfinals game to Jacobs, but despite the loss, proved they are a team to be reckoned with!

In Red Deer, AB, Team Heather Nedohin played the Red Deer Cashspiel and qualified B side by beating reigning Scotties champion Rachel Homan.  In the quarterfinals, they lost a tough battle to Casey Scheidegger.  Team Nedohin appears to be rounding into form, and we look forward to more success for the season.

In Victoria, BC - Team Dean Joanisse claimed the WCT event title at the Vancouver Island Shootout. This marked their 2nd title in 2 seasons with Hardline Curling.  They are great supporters of ours and we congratulate them!

HARDLINE CURLING MAKES A DEAL ON DRAGONS' DEN!!

On November 5th, 2014, Hardline Curling appeared on the CBC Program Dragons' Den, where entrepreneurs enter the den seeking investment dollars!

A deal was struck with David Chilton and Arlene Dickinson!

Watch the episode here:

Hardline Curling on Dragons' Den

And check out some promotional photos provided by the CBC!

Week # 9 - MAKE IT 4 WINS FOR TEAM MIKE MCEWEN IN 2014/15

The winning ways continue for the team from Winnipeg MB!  The continue to dominate the competition by winning their 4th consecutive title in 4 events to start the 2014/15 curling season, this time winning the Challenge Chateau Cartier de Gatineau in Gatineau QC.

The team qualifed A side winning their 4 games to reach the playoffs.

On Sunday, the team won their quarterfinal matchup by default when Mark Dacey of NS opted to fly home instead of playing their game.

In the semi finals, it was an all Hardline Curling battle with Team McEwen facing their MB counterparts Team Reid Carruthers.  In a see-saw offensive battle, McEwen took 2 in the 1st with hammer.  Carruthers countered with a 3 ender in the 2nd, and McEwen fought back with a 4 in the 3rd end.  Carruthers took a deuce in the 4th end to trail 6-5.  After a 5th end blank, McEwen sealed the game with a 3 in the 6th to win 9-5.

In the finals, McEwen played Team Jean-Michel Menard from QC in a tight game.  McEwen was held to 1 in the 1st, and then stole 1 in the 2nd after a Menard double takeout attempt failed.  A blank in 3rd led to Menard taking a single in the 4th.  McEwen and Menard traded deuces in the 5th and 6th.  McEwen then scored a single in the 7th to take a 5-3 lead, and were able to run Menard out of rocks in the 8th.

Team McEwen has started the season with an astounding 28 wins and 1 loss record after 4 events.  They are definitely the hottest curling team on the planet at the moment, and will be the favorites heading into the first Grand Slam event of the season, the Masters in Selkirk MB from Oct 28 to Nov 2.  

Hardline Curling Week # 8 (Oct 17-20,2014) Recap - TEAM MIKE MCEWEN WINS AGAIN!

McEWEN WINS AGAIN!

The highlight men's event for Week # 8 on the World Curling Tour was the Canad Inns Men's Curling Classic.  The event has been won by Team Mike McEwen 3 of the last 4 years.

Make that 4 of the last 5 years!!!  Team Mike McEwen earns their 3rd event win of the season in as many events winning the Canad Inns Men's Curling Classic in Portage la Prairie MB.  McEwen won their 1st game, then lost their 2nd game dropping them to the B event.  From there, they beat some world class teams such as including Brad Jacobs, John Epping, and Steve Laycock to qualify B-side!

In the playoffs, they won a quarterfinal battle against Morozumi of Japan by a score of 8-6.  In the semis, McEwen defeated Willie Lyburn 7-2.

In the finals, McEwen played Kevin Koe.  Koe got off to an early lead with a deuce in the 1st and a steal of one in the 2nd to go up 3-0.  McEwen came back in the 3rd end with a 3 of their own after a couple of uncharacteristic misses by Team Koe.  In the 4th end, McEwen forced the issue and stole a 2 to take a 5-3 lead.  After a blank in the 5th end, Koe went for a double takeout in the 6th end to score 3 and take the lead, but he missed and scored only 1. McEwen took 1 in the 7th to lead 6-4 going to the 8th end.  Koe got some rocks in play, but McEwen 3rd BJ Neufeld made a spectacular double takeout to end any threat and Team McEwen went on to the win!

After 3 events, Team McEwen's record is a spectacular 21 wins and only 1 loss.   Up next for them is the Gatineau event Oct 24-27, and then the first Grand Slam event of the year in Selkirk the weekend after that!

TEAM HARDLINE RECAP

The Canad Inns Men's Classic was a first for Team Hardline.  Of the 31 teams playing the event, Hardline was represented by SIX teams - Mike McEwen, Reid Carruthers, Brock Virtue, John Shuster, Steve Irwin, and playing in their first event with the icePad was Jared Kolomaya.  Carruthers, Virtue, and Kolomaya made it to "C" event qualifier games, with Kolomaya winning and qualifying for playoffs!  A nice start with the icePad for Kolomaya!  After losing the quarterfinals to Glenn Howard, Kolomaya took to Twitter and wrote:

In Kamloops BC, Team Dean Joanisse and Team Grant Dezura both qualified for playoffs in the Hub International Crown of Curling event.  Joanisse lost the quarterfinals to eventual winner Brent Pierce, and Dezura lost the semifinals to Dean Geall.  Great showing for two Hardline teams!

Over in Europe, Team Silvana Tirinzoni played in the European curling trials to represent Switzerland in the European Championships.  Tirinzoni qualified for the best of 3 finals against Binia Feltscher, but lost the finals.  Next up for Tirinzoni is the Grand Slam MASTERS event in Selkirk MB October 28-November 2nd.

TEAM CARRUTHERS WINS STU SELLS TORONTO / TEAM TIRINZONI FINALISTS IN BASEL / OCT 9-13 RECAP

Thanksgiving Weekend in Canada was a busy weekend for Team Hardline all around the world!

Congrats go to Team Reid Carruthers on winning their first WCT event at the Stu Sells Toronto Tankard beating big nameteams such as Glenn Howard, Brad Gushue and finally Brad Jacobs in the finals!  We hope this is the first of many wins for the newly formed team of Braeden Moskowy, Derek Samagalski and Colin Hodgson!  Here's a photo of the team with the winning trophy courtesy of Gerry Geurts and Curling Zone!

Also qualifying for playoffs in Toronto was the team of John Shuster from the USA!  They are one of the latest teams to make the switch to the icePad and Hardline Curling.  

Over in Basel Switzerland, Team Silvana Tirinzoni played in the Women's Masters and were finalists of the event losing out to fellow Swiss team Team Binia Feltscher.  Team Tirinzoni is a recent addition to Team Hardline and we look forward to many wins from them this season!

In Halifax NS, Hardline supporters Team Emily Dwyer won the Skyy Vodka Cashspiel beating Mary Anne Arsenault in the finals!  Congratulations ladies!

Stay tuned for more updates in the weeks ahead!  

2nd WIN FOR TEAM MCEWEN of 2014/15 AT POINT OPTICAL CURLING CLASSIC

WHAT A GREAT START TO THE SEASON!

Team Mike McEwen continued their great early season start with their 2nd event win in as many starts, winning the Point Optical Curling Classic in Saskatoon the weekend of Sept. 26-29, 2014.

The team of Mike McEwen, BJ Neufeld, Matt Wozniak, and Denni Neufeld went 6-0 to continue their great start to the season.  They also went undefeated in Oakville, bringing their season record to a perfect 13-0.

The POCC fielded a great  lineup of world class teams including Jacobs, Gushue, Epping, Edin, Koe, Stoughton, and Carruthers.

Team McEwen beat Clark, Laycock, and deCruz to qualify "A" side, and then went on to beat Koe in the quarters, Gushue in the semis, and then John Epping in a repeat of the Oakville final to win their 2nd event of the season.

Congratulations Team Mike McEwen!

TEAM McEWEN WINS STU SELLS OAKVILLE TANKARD

Congratulations to Team Mike McEwen on winning the 2014 Stu Sells Oakville Tankard!  The event took place Sept 4 to 7 in Oakville ON.  The team of Denni Neufeld, Matt Wozniak, BJ Neufeld, and Mike McEwen ran the table, going a perfect 7-0!  

The team won all their round robin games, and then defeated John Shuster from the USA, Mark Kean of Ontario, and John Epping on Ontario in the finals by a score of 6-2.

This was the team's first event playing with Hardline Curling's icePad brush, and it certainly turned a lot of heads!  We at Hardline Curling are looking forward to a great season from Team McEwen.

In other news, Team Reid Carruthers and Team Allison Flaxey also made their season debuts at the Oakville event, and both qualified for playoffs.  Team Carruthers finished a perfect 4-0 in round robin but lost out in the quaterfinals.  Team Flaxey finished a solid 3-1 and also lost their first playoff game.  This was the first event for both teams using the icePad! A great way to start the season! Team Brock Virtue also debuted their season using Hardline Curling equipment and finished at 2-2, just out of the playoffs.

  

Team McEwen celebrates their victory with a team photo! (Photo by: Stan Fong)

Since 2010, Hardline Curling has been working diligently to offer curlers the highest quality curling equipment available on the market. The icePad, the lightest, most efficient brush on the planet, is unlike anything you’ve ever played with before. Ask for Hardline Curling equipment from your proshop, or check us out online at www.hardlinecurling.com for your next purchase, and see first hand all that we have to offer. 

We don’t just sell curling gear. We sell awesome curling gear.

Hardline Curling Welcomes Team Mike McEwen & Team Carruthers

Hardline Curling is excited to announce that Teams Mike McEwen and Reid Carruthers of Winnipeg MB will both use Hardline Curling equipment next season to help them achieve their greatest success. Both teams will play with Hardline Curling brooms with icePads, the lightest, most efficient brush on the planet.  Team McEwen will also be outfitted in our C3 Custom Curling Collection clothing line.

Team McEwen is a 3-time Grand Slam curling champion and has been consistently one of the top men's curling teams on the money list and world rankings over the last 5 years.

Reid Carruthers is a 3-time Brier participant, including Brier and World Champion in 2011. Reid will be skipping a young team this year and we're looking forward to some exciting things from this team.

Hardline Curling is honoured to be part of Team McEwen’s and Team Carruthers' quests to reach curling’s promised land, and looks forward to a great partnership.

In addition, skip Mike McEwen will become a Hardline Curling representative and will promote Hardline Curling equipment.


Since 2010, Hardline Curling has been working diligently to offer curlers the highest quality curling equipment available on the market. The icePad, the lightest, most efficient brush on the planet, is unlike anything you’ve ever played with before. Ask for Hardline Curling equipment from your proshop, or check us out online at www.hardlinecurling.com for your next purchase, and see first hand all that we have to offer. 

We don’t just sell curling gear. We sell awesome curling gear.