Kris Granchelli, a very good friend of mine and partner in crimes (that hurt no one) is going to the Tim Horton's Brier taking place from March 7-15, 2009 in Calgary, AB. Here's the press release as it appears on the Brier website:
2004 Brier winner Mark Dacey takes Nova Scotia Title
February 15...Mark Dacey, who won the 2004 Nokia Brier in Saskatoon, captured the Molson's Championship in Chester on Sunday by hammering Ian Fitzner-LeBlanc, 8-1 in the final, to complete a perfect 6-0 record.
Dacey had won the A side of the 16-team competition, before defeating Fitzner-LeBlanc, also by an 8-1 score, in the A vs B game, to advance to the final.
Brookfield's Fitzner-LeBlanc then beat Doug MacKenzie of Halifax, 7-6 in the semi-final to set up a rematch with Dacey. But once again, it was no contest, as Dacey opened with three in the first end, took two in the third, then stole a single in the fourth and two more in the fifth for the win.
Joining Dacey on his Halifax Mayflower Curling Club team are third Bruce Lohnes, second Andrew Gibson and lead Kris Granchelli.
Dacey, of course, ended Alberta's Randy Ferbey's attempt to win four straight Briers, capturing the 2004 final in Saskatoon when taking three in the 10th end for an improbable 10-9 win. His team would go on to finish third at the Ford Worlds in Gävle, Sweden, losing a semi-final to Germany's Sebastian Stock, his only loss of the week, before earning a bronze medal by defeating Norway's Pål Trulsen, while finishing 10-1.
It will be the sixth Brier appearance for the Saskatoon-born Dacey. He played third for Saskatchewan skip Brad Heidt in 1995, finishing the runner-up in Halifax to Manitoba's Kerry Burtnyk, then skipped Nova Scotia in 2001, 2003 (runner-up), 2004 (won) and 2006 (third place).
For Lohnes, it will be his seventh trip to the Brier. In addition to playing with Dacey in 2003, 2004 and 2006, he skipped in 1995 and played third for skip Ragnar Kamp in 1989 and for skip Dave Jones in 1992. Gibson will be making his fourth Brier appearance, while Granchelli is making his Brier debut.
Nova Scotia has won three Briers, the inaugural one in 1927 (Murray Macneill), followed in 1951 (Don Oyler) and in 2004 by Dacey.
That's Kris in action above ^^^. Google rules. The blog I found that picture on described that particular moment as "graceful". Nice.
I am hoping to do a little Q&A with Kris for the blog. I want to talk to him about the little known fact that it is in fact the Leads who control the fate of a team and how solid sweeping ability can overcome some shitty throwing or sliding. Maybe some we can do a "Live from the Brier Patch" podcast type of thing. That's when lips are looser ya know. Haha!
Being serious though, I am really excited for my friend. Good luck Kris!
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