CANADIAN MIXED CURLING CHAMPIONS

The success of the Rick Folk team at the 1983 Canadian mixed championships followed two seasons of close calls. The Saskatoon Nutana team won the Canadian round robin in 1981 but lost in the final to Rick Lang of Northern Ontario. They were contenders again in 1982 but lost to Glen Pierce of British Columbia in the final.

The march to the 1983 title began in Saskatoon when they beat Dan Zultok, 9-8 in an extra end final.  At the provincial playoffs, they won the A side, lost to Kirk Ziola of Regina, 5-3, in the first game of the A-B final and then came back to win, 4-3, for their third straight Saskatchewan championship.

In the Canadian finals at St. John, New Brunswick, Rick's team came from behind to win its first three games and that set the tone. Their only loss came at the hands of Northern Ontario but the Saskatoon rink recovered and finished the tournament with a record of nine wins and one loss.

They beat Steve Skillings of Victoria, 11-9, jumping out with threes on the first and third ends in the semifinal match. In the final, they gained revenge against Scott Hamilton of North Ontario, winning 6-4. The Saskatoon team led 5-2 after five, scored on the seventh to take a 6-4 lead and Rick made doubles on both the ninth and 10th to protect the lead.

Rick Folk (skip), Dorenda Schoenhals (third), Tome Wilson (second), Elizabeth Folk (lead)