Team Farbelow won 10-4 in eight ends, defeating North Dakota, and finishing 11-0 for the week. Second player Tim Solin said his team executed very well all week. “We managed to get up a few points in the first half of most games. As the game progresses, the team that’s behind has tougher shots and more pressure. Except for a barnburner against Wisconsin Thursday night, we had our games in control. All four players, from lead to skip, curled so well, with great rock placement. And Mike (skip Mike Farbelow) is such a fine strategist that we almost never get in trouble when we are shooting well.” From its two points in the first end, Minnesota just never let North Dakota in the game.

The Minnesota champions are Mike Farbelow (Minneapolis, Minn.), Nick Myers (Eagan, Minn.), Tim Solin (Mahtomedi, Minn.) and Tim Gartner (Eagan). Team North Dakota silver medalists, from the Grand Forks Curling Club, are Chad Carlson, Elton Brekke, Steve Staveteig, Richard Staveteig, and coach Edward McEwan.

The women’s final was much more dramatic, an extra end nail biter featuring a critical “burned” rock in the 10th end that contributed to a Minnesota steal of one point. Team Wisconsin, from the Madison Curling Club, controlled the game through eight ends, leading 6-3. But momentum seemed to change after the fifth end break, with Minnesota’s Margie Smith and her team tightening up their game and starting to put Wisconsin under some pressure. In the eighth end, Wisconsin skip Lori Karst had to make a fine draw to the button with her last shot, facing two guarded Minnesota rocks. In the ninth, Smith hit and stuck for two points two come within one point. In the tenth end, Wisconsin had the last rock advantage, and the end developed well for the Badgers until a key made takeout by third Stephanie Radl was fouled (inadvertently touched by a sweeper’s brush). Wisconsin immediately declared their foul, and Minnesota’s rock was put back in play. This was a great demonstration of the Spirit of Curling with alot at stake. Smith put another guard on the front, Karst’s first draw was a bit deep, and after another guard completely sealed the front of the house, Karst missed the only last shot available to her, a low percentage circus shot. Minnesota’s steal of one tied the game in regulation.

In the extra end, Wisconsin got the potential winning point on the button in the house early. From that point on, the team with the hammer was guarding, the other team peeling, just the opposite of usual. Wisconsin was in position to win until Smith made a great soft-weight tap back on Wisconsin’s counter with her last shot. On Karst’s last “hammer” shot, she did have a tough draw to the button, but ended up just an inch too deep. Minnesota had stolen the point, the game and the Women’s National Club Championship.

The champions are Margie Smith (Shoreview, Minn.), Debbie Dexter (St. Paul, Minn.), Peggy Gazzola (Lakeville, Minn.) and Jennifer Kamarainen (North St. Paul). The Madison, Wisconsin silver medalists are Lori Karst, Stephanie Radl Erstad, Shelley Pape (shoots second and plays vice-skip) and Martha Busse.

Line scores: (* indicates hammer in first end)

Men
Farbelow (MN1)* 202 031 02x x 10
Carlson (ND) 010 100 20x x 4

Women
Smith (MN2) 010 010 102 11 7
Karst (WI)* 200 102 010 00 6

Women's round robin standings:
MN1 8-1 Q#1
MA 7-2 Q#2
WI 6-3 Q#3
MN2 6-3 Q#4
MD 5-4
ND1 5-4
IL 4-5
ND2 3-6
CA 1-8
TX 0-9

Men's round robin standings:
MN1 9-0 Q#1
ND 8-1 Q#2
IL 7-2 Q#3
MD 6-4 Q#4
WI 5-5
MN2 4-5
MI 2-7
TX 2-7
WA 2-7
OR 1-8

USA Curling is sponsored by AIT Worldwide Logistics, AmerAust Technologies and Nike as well as by AT&T, General Motors, The Home Depot, and Bank of America through a joint marketing program with the U.S. Olympic Committee.

For more information: Terry Kolesar Luder, USA Curling, terry.luder@usacurl.org, 715-344-1199