The potential for victory in the Canadian Police Curling Championship (CPCC) was in Chris Cottrill’s hands.
“It came down to the last rock. I had a chance actually to tie the game if I make my last shot,” said Cottrill, who skipped Penticton’s Bob Lee, as well as Darren Regush, who used to be stationed in Penticton, plus Brad Sullivan and Bill Taylor in the final in Sudbury on March 28. “It was just a one shot game. We played well, but not well enough.”
Cottrill and Lee dropped the championship 8-5 to an Ontario rink representing Saskatchewan, since that province didn’t have a team to represent them. Cottrill and his team, which went 9-2 in round robin play, had defeated the Ontario side two other times.
“It was a great week,” said Cottrill, who won the championship back in 1991 when it was hosted by Kelowna. “Neither team expected to be playing for the final. We were both kind of dark horses out there.”
The favourites, said Cottrill, were Newfoundland, Ontario and Team Canada, which featured Summerland’s Glen Brennan, who was named to the Reed all-star team with teammate Randy Nelson. The CPCC featured teams that were a step below those that have competed in the Tim Horton’s Brier. Cottrill also said there were teams with players who had competed in the championship before, while his team had two making their national debuts. Teams qualify by winning their respective provincials championships. The event is put on by the Canadian Police Curling Association, which celebrated its 60th anniversary this year.
“This was probably the best field I’ve ever seen,” said Cottrill, who has competed in the championship three times and was told by others it was the most competitive field in years.
Cottrill hoped that Brennan’s rink would have advanced to the final for the chance to face them. Throughout the championship, Cottrill said his team played consistently.
“To walk away with silver is a pretty good accomplishment,” he said. “I was quite pleased to be able to say that we finished top in the round robin.”
The CPCC was formed to encourage fellowship among Canadian police and promote the game.