Edmonton Journal from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada • 38

D4 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2004 SPORTS EDMONTON JOURNAL Kleibrink prevails for Alberta title Horwood puts on a show as Bears take Clan in overtime Santos rink comes up short NORM COWLEY Journal Curling Writer CALGARY Edmonton'sDeb Santos was hoping for redemption as the host team at the Scott Tournament of Hearts Feb. 21-29 at Red Deer but shell have to wait for another year. The reigning Alberta women's curling champion was dethroned by Shannon Kleibrink of Calgary in Sunday afternoon's final at the North Hill Curling Club. "It was my seventh time in a (provincial) final," Santos said after losing 6-5 to Kleibrink. "I was just itching for the win but they played an awesome game.

"When you're playing a game and she's squeaking by the guards just barely, you get that feeling that things are going her way" added Santos, tht only skip to play in each of the last four provincial championships. Last year, Santos, 46, finished 5-6 for a five-way tie for fifth place at the national tournament Santos was making her 13th appearance at the provincial championship since 1987. Kleibrink took advantage of missed shots by Santos in the fourth and sixth ends to score deuces and take a commanding 5-2 lead "If Deb makes that one in four, then she's looking at three," pointed out Santos third Jackie-Rae Greening. "That was a huge turnaround in momentum because we were outplaying them at that point" Kleibrink, who became the first woman skip to win the Canadian mixed curling tide last month, held on to end Calgary's seven-year championship drought in the women's playdowns. "Winning the mixed Canadian was awesome but it was nothing compared to winning to go to the Scotts," said Kleibrink, who had previously lost provincial finals to Santos in 1991 and 2003.

That's what you play for every year." Besides getting revenge on Santos, it was also sweet satisfacuonforKleforink, who changed her team this season, adding formerskips Amy Nixon, Glenys Bakker and Stephanie Marchant Representing Alberta at the Scott Tournament of Hearts will be Calgary's Kleibrink rink, Stephanie Marchant, lead; Glenys Bakker, second; Amy Nixon, third, and SCOTT'S B.C Georgina Wheatcroft (New Westminster) Alberta Shannon Kleibrink (Calgary) Saskatchewan Sherry Anderson (Delisle) Manitoba Lois Fowler (Brandon) Ontario Sherry Middaugh (Victoria Harbour) Quebec Marie-France Larouche (Quebec City) "I haven't been to the Scott (Tournament of Hearts) since 1993, so this is really special," said Kleibrink, who has played in 11 Alberta championships since 1990. "It's been 11 years of trying really hard, so it finally paid off." Not badforateam that barely qualified for the provincial championship out of theCevent in the Southern Albertaplay-down and then had to overcome adversity this week withNixon's mother, Bonnie, havingbrain surgery on Wednesday champ Deb Santos 6-5 in Sunday's final. Bakker, 41, actuSly lost the provincial final with Santos third Jackie-Rae Greening the very first year she curled back in 1987. "Jackie-Rae took me under her wing and showed me how to drink a margarita and I time of my life," recalled Bakker, who also said "it was interesting" because she had previously 1 vi CAIGARY HERALD. CANWEST NEWS SERVICE including, from left, Daryl Nixon, coach; Shannon Kleibrink, skip.

little pressure off the outcome here." An emotional Nixon jumped into Marchant's arms when Weibrink's last shot eliminated a Santos rock in the back 12-foot to win the game. "That was a tradition we started last year in Regina when we won that 'spiel," said Nixon. "So today, before the game, she said, When we win this thing, you're jumping into my Kleibrink becomes the first Calgary team to win the provincial title since Cheryl Bernard captured the crown in 1996. They were also playing in the first provincial championship held in Calgary since 1986. Asked to sum up her career since she made her debut in the 1990 Alberta championship with mother-in-law Corinne Kleibrink and Sally Shigehiro, a long-time teammate for 15 years, Kleibrink had previously said: "I've had the best time.

I mean, we don't always win but we have fun, no matter what." It's even more fun when you win. ncowleythejournal.canwest.com Meanwhile, Bakker will be returning to work as a legal assistant for the first time today after an 11-month maternity leave and asking for more time off to go to the Canadian championship. It won't be a totally new experience because she went to the 1993 Scott Tournament of Hearts as Kleibrink's fifth player, "so it's so sweet to be a teammate this time." Cup lead record. Ontario has won eight championships since the tournament began in 1973. Dunn will represent Canada at the World Seniors in Gavle, Sweden starting Apr.

17. I Newfoundland's Bas Buckle beat Nova Scotia's Steve Ogden 9-8 in an extra end for the men's crown. Lange stopped cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy Switzerland's Martin Annen won his first career World Cup bobsleigh four-man race, ending the winning streak of Germany's Andre Lange at seven straight victories. Canada 1, piloted by Pierre Lueders, finished a 13th after taking the silver medal in Friday's four-man race. Annen posted a two-run combined time of 1:45.02, putting his sled 0.11 seconds ahead of Lange.

The U.S., piloted by Todd Hays, was third. Lueders' team had problems on its second run and could not make up time after a driving error during the early section of the course. Calgary's Bakker turns tables on her margarita teacher COLLIN GALLANT Special to The Journal EDMONTON WhenDonHorwoodfinallydeddes to hang up his coach's whistle, the Golden Bears head strategist could make his first million bucks taking his act to Las Vegas. He took his usual bench-side antics to a new level on Sunday during the Bears' 102-97 overtime win over the No. 10 Simon Fraser Clan a result that acts as a big morale boost, if the game doesn't dismiss rumours of off-court tension.

From motivational speaker from ing magician, complete with a post--; game poker face when the rabbit came out of the hat. 'You really can't get better than that," said Horwood, cool after 45 minutes of prowling and scowling his way up and down the bench chewing out his players and the iefs with equal vigour. "This was a huge weekend for us," said Horwood, whose No. 7 ranked Bears (11-5) won their second-1 straight home game following the team's first consecutive home-court end to No. 5 Calgary.

Sunday's game and Friday's 96-78 win over Trinity Western also vork in the Bears favour in a possible conference Final Four wildcard situation. "We haven't played with the cocky confidence we need to beat the best teams, and we haven't been consis-. tent," said Horwood. little bit of that is little compla-; cency, they need a few wakeup calls to show that other teams aren't waiting for them." Simon Fraser didn't wait for any-one on Sunday. Theyovertookanearly20-llleadby Alberta, which was unable to stop Clan guard Pasha Bains from racking overall to lead all scorers.

Playing out-of-sync for long stretches, the Bears regained and lost the lead twice before Phil Sudol's free throws tied the score at 86-86 with less than -1 20 seconds left in regulation. Two huge blocks, one by Brandon Park to force overtime and another by Tyson Jones in the deciding frame, proved the difference along with a three-point play from Sudol in extra time. "It was a total grind out there," said i Sudol, who led the Bears with 28 i pointsandllreboundsin44minutes. "This was just for ourselves, not for -a roll again." Guard Mike Melnychuk had 22 points, Fhil Scherer followed with 20 and Tyler Coston had 19. The Clan's Chad Clifford scored 28.

Meanwhile, the Pandas are in tough I to make the playoffs after losing a 68-l 66 decision to the No. 5SFUinSun-; day's early game. SFU post Lisa Sigurdson was fouled out an Alberta rally with 5.6 seconds remaining. ItwasatoughlosstotakeforthePan- das, now 5-11 and in need of a ton of help to make the conference's last playoff spot "We played with a lot of guts," said coach Trix Baker, who had a tremen-. dous second half from fifth-year guard '01513 Allan in her last home game.

Stephanie Stolkand another retiring veteran, Diane Smith, were tied in team scoring with 16 points, with Stolk adding 10 boards. "It's ironic," said Baker. "Early this year we were playing poorly and losing to average teams, now we're playing well and losing to good teams." cgallanthejournal.canwest.com Journal Staff CALGARY Glenys Bakker said her first reaction after winning the Alberta women's curling championship was "disbelief." "It really hasn't sunk in until I hear some bagpipes," said Bakker, the second on Shannon Weibrink's championship crew which knocked off defending WINTER SPORTS ROUNDUP The comeback man LINEUP New Brunswick Heidi Hanlon (Saint John) Nova Scotia Heather Smilh-Dacey (Halifax) P.E.I. Suzanne Gaudet (Charlottetown) Newfoundland Cathy Cunningham (St. John's) Defending champion Colleen Jones YukonN.W.T.

to be played Feb. 5-8 I Tournament in Red Dm Feb. 21-29 in Edmonton. "We weren't sure that we were even going to have our team together for this," Kleibrink said. "So, when Amy was back on Thursday and her mom was healthy, we were all so happy and that's really what catapulted us to the final because we were in really good spirits.

"When you kind of look at the big picture, her mom was far more important than this week ever was, so it took a played with Santos front-end members Kate Home and Brenda Bohmer with Cathy King a few years ago. Home, who will turn 50 later this year, and Bohmer have been teammates since 1996. As a pair, they helped King win three provincial titles and one Canadian championship before jumping to the Santos team two years ago. grabs World of sharp curves and moguls to finish in one minute 25.04 seconds. Her time was later matched by Montillet.

"It's absolutely unbelievable. It's like a miracle," said Riesch. Super-G world champion Michaela Dorfmeister of Ausuia finished third, 0.15 back. German takes luge koenigssee, Germany Olympic champion Sylke Otto won a luge singles race, becoming the first woman to claim four season World Cup tides. Germany's Panic Leitner and Alexander Resch also won the men's doubles and wrapped up their third season tide in the evenL Ontario wins senior title vernon, B.C.

Anne Dunn of Cambridge, Ont, defeated Kathy Smiley of New Westminster, B.C., 7-3 to win the Canadian women's senior curling championship on Sunday. Dunn's team is only the fourth to finish the tournament with a perfect 12-0 Journal News Services GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, GERMANY Austrian star Hermann Maier won Sunday's super giant slalom race to vault into the lead in overall World Cup standings with his third victory of the season. Racing on one of his favourite slopes, Maier edged Dalcin of France by .07 seconds to assure himself of the super-G tide for the season with two races left In his first full season since coming back from a motorcycle accident that nearly cost him his right leg, Maier now has 922 points after picking up 100 for his victory. "It's the best of all of my World Cup wins," Maier said. "Who would have imagined that I would come back from all of that and win back the super-G tide.

It's a very emotional victory for me. Women share first place haus im ennstal, Austria Germany's Maria Riesch and France's Car- HBf BDEal THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Austrian winner Hermann Maier ole Montillet finished with identical times to share first place in a World Cup Super-G. It was the second win in three days for Riesch, who dominated the first of back-to-back downhills here Friday only to suffer a high-speed crash Saturday. The 19-year-old German posted a flawless run down the treacherous, Krumrnholz course full MM" mm una mm mm mmmmnmv rti Wi rti iii.4iWii.