Times Colonist from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada • 33

TIMES COLONIST Tuesday April 7 1998 C3 SPORTS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Curling a mystery Down Under Canadian skip Wayne Mid-daugh (right) gets a big laugh out of Hugh Millikin, his Australian counterpart, during recent play at the world curling championships CHUCK STOODYCP Upstart Danes a handful for Middaugh KAMLOOPS (CP) Denmark gave Wayne Middaugh all he could handle, but the Toronto skip managed a 5-4 victory Monday to remain undefeated at the world curling championship. Middaugh breathed a sigh of relief when Danish skip Tommy Stjerne missed a last-shot raise that could have left the Danes with three counters buried deep behind guards. "He makes that and we're in big trouble," Middaugh said. In women's play, Canada's Cathy Borst improved to 3-1 with a 6-3 victory over Japan. Her Alberta crew of Heather God-berson, Brenda Bohmer and Kate Home climbed into a three-way tie for third place with Sweden and Norway in round-robin play.

"We played the the kind of game we wanted to play against them," Borst said after barely breaking a sweat against Mayumi Ohkutsu's foursome. "I feel we had control the whole game." Middaugh, and his Toronto crew of Graeme McCarrel, Ian Tetley and Scott Bailey, are the lone undefeated rink in the men's competition. Millikin ended up in Australia by accident. He grew restless living in Ottawa so, 10 years ago, he sold everything and bought an around-the-world airline ticket. "I ran out of money in Australia so I stayed there," he laughed.

Millikin started a computer software company "to be able to eat." The company grew and he recently sold it to an Ottawa-based firm for a comfortable profit. "That's what's funded curling in Australia," said Millikin, who remains vice-president of the company's Pacific operations. "It provided me with the financial backing to be able to put all the money into curling." So why curling? Why not just retire and enjoy the sun and beaches. Millikin said he still remembers when he was 10, and his mother took him to a curling rink for the first time. "Once you see curling it just gets into your blood," he said.

"After playing for so many years I just can't give it up. It would kill me if I had to stay away from the world championships and not play. Curlers are just diehard guys that want to play all the time." KAMLOOPS (CP) Australia, the land of shrimps on the barbie, a cold can of Fosters, and the rumble of granite curling rocks sliding.down a sheet of ice. Well, maybe two out of three. Hugh Millikin, skip of the Australian team at the world curling championships, admits his sport hasn't exactly taken root in the country more known for koala bears and Australian rules football.

In fact, most Australians think curling is a bit of a joke. "They giggle at us and call us the synchronized swimming of the Winter Olympics or lawn bowls on ice," said the 40-year-old father of two. "They like to poke fun at us." But Millikin, who was born in North Vancouver and raised in Ottawa, is dead serious about fostering the growth of curling Down Under. He's spent $150,000 of his own money getting his team to the last six world championships. "One of these days we'll knock them on their butts and finish in the playoffs," he said with the confidence of a man who is used to getting the last laugh.

Millikin's team had a 1-2 record entering Monday's play at the world curling championships. He's never won more than four games at six previous championships. The team is also suffering from major funding cuts after failing to qualify for the recent Winter Olympics in Japan. Part of the problem is there are no curling rinks in Australia and it costs about $200 an hour to rent hockey ice. "We don't throw rocks in Australia," Millikin said.

"About three or four weeks before a competition we fly to Canada, Japan or Europe and practise." Millikin's rink at this year's competi- tion is Australian in name only. Third Trevor Schumm, 30, was born in Edmon- ton while lead Stephen Johns, 32, was raised in Saskatoon. Third John Theriault, 38, is from Zweibrucken, Germany. Alternate Steve Hewitt, 39, was born in Melbourne. "We've been trying hard to try and get the Australians involved in the game but it's very difficult without a curling rink," Millikin said.

"If we had our own rink we could get a lot more interest" He wants to find an unused abbatoir, with the refrigeration unit for the meat coolers intact, and turn it into a curling rink. BASEBALL VICTORIA CITY POLICE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION PRESENTS Brew Crew fattens up on Marlins mm son, is a National League-best 6-1. That's the fastest start for the Cubs since they began 1985 7-1. Mark Grace added an RBI double for the Cubs, who swept a series from an NL team for the first time since Sept. 25-27, 1995, when they took three games from St.

Louis at Wrigley Field. It was Chicago's first four-game sweep since July 15-18, 1993, against Colorado. Clark (2-0) gave up both runs and six hits in eight innings, struck out four and walked one, retiring the final 14 batters he faced. Rod Beck finished with one-hit relief for his fourth save in four chances. Carlos Perez (0-2) scattered nine hits in a complete game, striking out four and walking two.

With the score 2-2 in the sixth, Jeff Blauser and Henry Rodriguez singled and, one out later, Clark singled to left. Cubs pitchers have five RBIs and are batting over .300 this season. Vladimir Guerrero put Montreal ahead with an RBI single in the first, but Sammy Sosa's run-scoring grounder tied the score in the third. Ryan McGuire's RBI single gave Montreal a 2-1 lead in the fourth. throw by shortstop Edgar Renteria on a rundown resulted in two unearned runs.

"That's Bad News Bears baseball," said catcher Gregg Zaun, who took the blame for botched rundown. "It's sick. That's just embarrassing." "I'm going to start getting a little angry if those things continue," manager Jim Leyland said. "It's a reflection on myself and the coaches. It makes it look like we're not prepared, and I take the responsibility for that." The Brewers, meanwhile, head home with a 5-1 record.

"It's better than the alternative," manager Phil Garner said. "We've got a little momentum going, and that's nice. I didn't know what to expect I certainly like our situation right now." AT CHICAGO, pitcher Mark Clark hit a go-ahead single with two outs in the sixth inning and the Cubs edged Montreal 3-2, sending the Expos to their worst start ever. Montreal, which purged most of its veterans to save money, is the only winless team in the majors at 0-6 and eclipsed the 0-5 franchise mark set in 1987 for worst start. Chicago, which lost its first 14 games last sea MIAMI (AP) The Milwaukee Brewers seem right at home in the National League, while the Florida Marlins look like they belong in the Midwest League.

But perhaps that's unfair to teams in the Midwest League. Jeff Cirillo tied a club record with three doubles Monday and the Brewers completed their first series sweep in the NL, beating hapless Florida for the fourth consecutive time, this time 8-5. After losing on opening day, Milwaukee has won five in a row. Florida, playing with the skeletal remains of its World Series championship team, has lost six straight since an opening-day victory. The Marlins were swept at home in a four-game series for the first time in their six-year history.

The losing streak is their longest since dropping seven consecutive games June 30-July 6, 1996, a skid that ended with the firing of manager Rene Lachemann. On Monday, poor pitching and shaky defence again doomed the Marlins. Felix Heredia (0-2), making his second career start, allowed seven runs in 4 23 innings and was demoted after the game to the bullpen. A wild ARCHIE BROWNING SPORTS CENTRE ESQUIMAU RECREATION CENTRE JVC KD-GS 610 AMFM CD PLAYER With Detachable Face Plate 120 watts APRIL 4:15 7:30 pm 2:00 7:00 PM 12:00, 3:30 7:00 PM THURS. 9th FRI.

10th SUN, MON 11th, 12th, 13th Grizzlies' West puts problems behind him 970 Lit INSTALLED BASIC INSTALL I FREE TICKET with this coupon I ADMIT ONE CHILD 1 I 1 1 1 ADULT SAVINGS I I I $2 off one adult price I I I usih tuih thic fmmrtn I in Willi IIIlll UHO WUUUWII unuer i yts iu ob accompanied oy aaun SP0RTS BRIEFS TUB MORNING MAYOR it ROBIN ADAIR Robin Adair 8:30 a.m. Parry Powwaw 5:30 8:30 a.m. VANCOUVER (CP) Doug West was sounding very positive about rejoining the Vancouver Grizzlies at some point this week. Grizzlies general manager Stu Jackson said the veteran shooting guard, acquired in a Feb. 18 trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, has been released from a substance abuse treatment centre stateside and would likely arrive in town later this week.

"He sounded good," reported Jackson who had spoken with West over the weekend. "He sounded in real good spirits. He talked a lot about the team. It was obvious from the questions he asked that he had followed us fairly closely and I think he feels good at least about beginning to put some issues behind him. "He was looking forward to joining the team." West was sent to Minnesota for disgruntled shooting guard Anthony Peeler in a deal just before the league's mandated trading deadline.

But while Peeler reported, West was crushed by the trade, having spent his entire career in Minnesota where he helped turn them from a perennial loser into a playoff team. The stress caused West to reevaluate his lifestyle and he decided it would be better to address issues involving his alcohol abuse. Canada on a rugby roll RODEZ, France (CP) Canada's under-19 rugby team continued its remarkable run at the world championship, upsetting Chile 19-16 Monday to move into the semifinals. Canada, ranked 14th in the world heading into the championship, defeated 1 lth-ranked Chile on a penalty kick from Victoria's Ed Faimurst with no time remaining. "It was a fun one to watch," said an ecstatic Dave Johnston, coach of the Canadian side.

Ron Larisch of North Vancouver had Canada's only try. Fairhurst added a convert and four penalty kicks. In their first game, Canada scored a major upset with a 23-19 win over No. 3 Wales. "We went into this thing with nothing to lose and we've had a supreme effort," said Johnston.

"The kids are great." Canada next plays No. 2-ranked France on Thursday. In the other semifinal, No. 1 Argentina faces No. 4 Ireland.

"We don't know anything about France," said Johnston, a Vancouver high school counsellor. "We've never seen them play. "Historically, they've done very well in these championships. On paper, we'd be underdogs but we've done so well here that we're feeling pretty confident. "We going to let it go and go after them." Courier saves U.S.

bacon STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. (AP) Jim Courier saved the United States from Davis Cup elimination on Monday. The veteran rallied from the brink of defeat to beat 18-year-old Marat Safin 0-6, 64, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, giving the U.S. a dramatic 3-2 victory over Russia in the first round. "This feels like vindication for a lot of bad things," said Courier, whose ranking has dropped to No.

53 this year. "I needed a good, tough win like this, under trying conditions, with as much pressure as possible." Andre Agassi was beaten in straight sets by Yevgeny Kafelnikov to even the best-of-five series earlier in the day. "I haven't played a match that poorly in a long time" said Agassi, who had only three break chances all in the final game of the first set. "I just didn't find the range on my shots." The Americans seemed headed for their first Davis Cup home loss since 1987 when Courier lost the first eight games against the Russian teenager, ranked No. 170 in the world.

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