Wausau, WI – A Wausau team came within a whisker of winning the Master’s division at the U.S. Senior Men’s Curling Association national championships held this past weekend at the Wausau Curling Center.
The Sirianni rink—manned by Steve Sirianni, Joel DeKoning, Eugene Geurink, and Harley Davison — lost to the Devore rink from Duluth, Minnesota 4-3 in the final match. Their final shot curled barely outside a Devore stone to give the Minnesotans the win. The game had been tied at 3 for several ends. The Masters division is for curlers over the age of 68.
The event—one of the largest curling tournaments in the United States—drew a total of 314 curlers on 74 teams from coast to coast, including Alaska. A local volunteer committee, headed by Randy Brandner, managed the five-day event. Some overflow games were held in Medford and Stevens Point.
Wining the Senior division for curlers over the age of 55 was the Faltesek rink of St. Paul, as they defeated the Pulsovar rink from Hibbing, Minnesota. In the Super Seniors division, for curlers ages 63-68, the Sharp rink from Rice Lake, Wisconsin, outscored the Team Lovick from Arlington, Wisconsin.
The USSMCA was founded in 1977. This was its 50th national championship, the fourth to be held in Wausau.
Next up on the local curling ice will be the Wisconsin State High School curling championships, beginning next Friday.
Events at the curling center on Curling Way in Wausau are free and open for public viewing.