Big year for Vernon curlers

VERNON – It’s shaping up to be an exciting couple of months for Vernon curlers.

Dave Merklinger, manager of the Vernon Curling Club, is predicting great things on a variety of stages in the next couple months. And he’ll be making the ice at one of them.

First off, Vernon curlers Ina Forrest and Sonja Gaudet are going to the 2014 Paralympics. Both have been to the Paralympics before. 

Meanwhile, Vernon is sending two teams to the B.C. Men’s Curling Championships in Vancouver. Whoever wins the championship will go on to compete at the 2014 Brier in Kamloops.

“I’m thinking that Sonia and Ina will win gold in Sochi. I’m thinking team Cotter/ Morris will win the men’s provincials, go to the brier and win there too,” Merklinger says.

He’ll be cheering them on in Kamloops this March—when he’s not busy in his other role as ice technician.

“I will make their ice and maybe they’ll win and love me forever,” Merklinger says.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infotelnews.ca, call (250)309-5230 or tweet @charhelston.