Jansson rink sweeps up bonspiel victory

Skip Kyle Jansson took a team of first-year curlers to the top, winning the Canadian Tire Sportsmen’s Bonspiel at the Whitehorse Curling Club last weekend.

Skip Kyle Jansson took a team of first-year curlers to the top, winning the Canadian Tire Sportsmen’s Bonspiel at the Whitehorse Curling Club last weekend.

Twenty-eight teams competed in the fun competition that saw experienced and rookie players compete.

“Our team played exceptionally well,” Jansson told the Star.

Jansson was the only experienced player on his rink, having spent seven years playing in Ottawa.

His draw to the button following his rink’s first game proved to be the difference-maker, as it broke a three-way tie for first.

The bonspiel was a competitive one, and came down to the last shot for Jansson’s rink.

His opponent sitting shot rock with six guard stones staggered in front of the house, Jansson made a perfect shot to win.

“I figured no guts, no glory,” he said. “Let’s go for the raise. I hit the broom dead on and as soon as I called on my sweepers, they must have burned through an inch of ice.”

Bobby Smallwood’s Atlin rink finished second, while Wade Kopan took third.

“This year’s running of the Sportsmen’s was a great success,” said Matt Bustin, business manager of the curling club. “We had great attendance and a good combination of experienced and inexperienced curlers making for a very balanced and skilled field.”

Just nine points separated first and last place, Bustin said.

“We were able to pay out over 70 per cent of the teams, and the winner of the bonspiel came out of the bottom pool,” he said.