Benson competing for U of M Bisons
Emma Benson has taken her love for volleyball to a higher level as she competes for the University of Manitoba Bisons.
The Selkirk Comp graduate is in her first year as a member of the Bisons volleyball team.
Rangers defeat Jets on home ice
The visiting New York Rangers earned a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre on March 6.
Oilers earn victory over hometown Jets
The Winnipeg Jets faced off against the visiting Edmonton Oilers at Canada Life Centre on Feb. 19.
The Oilers earned a 4-2 victory against the Jets.
The jig is on at Festival du Voyageur
Announcing an anticipated hybrid format of the popular winter festival
St. Boniface, January 20, 2022 – The largest French event in Western Canada, Festival du Voyageur, anticipates offering programming that continues to shine that famous joie de vivre and Voyageur spirit. At present, a hybrid in-person and virtual format is planned for the celebration of the 53rd Festival du Voyageur taking place from February 18 to 27, 2022.
A creative, ambitious, and tenacious team at Festival du Voyageur is planning a wide range of activities and performances by local artists. Festivalgoers will be able to step into the always greatly anticipated Parc du Voyageur to benefit from outdoor activities such as historical interpretation at Fort Gibraltar, children’s playground and large slide, horse sleigh rides, snowshoeing, sticky and delicious maple taffy, and traditional and contemporary music projecting from the new Boîte à chansons – a mobile concert trailer!
Additionally, the Relais du Voyageur will be back at the Centre culturel franco-manitobain (CCFM) with daily and nightly weekend in-person and virtual performances. For festivalgoers at home, a selection of these performances will be available for viewing online and accessible on demand.
“Just like the Voyageurs did in troubled waters, we continue to paddle the canoe forward,” explains Darrel Nadeau, Executive Director of the Festival du Voyageur. “Festival enthusiasts have a desire to be back at the Parc du Voyageur to celebrate once again, to dance and be festive. We owe it to them to remain optimistic regarding programming for Festival 2022 and have planned over 50 performances, outdoor activities and various ways to celebrate from home.”
Festival continues to monitor the situation regarding COVID-19 and will adapt accordingly to any potential changes to the restrictions currently in effect. The organisation is dedicated to creating a safe environment where festivalgoers can celebrate their joie de vivre.
Tickets for access to the Parc du Voyageur and the performances at the CCFM will be on sale in February in accordance with the restrictions and guidelines as established by Public Health. Follow the Festival’s social media accounts to receive the latest information on tickets and programming. (Facebook: @festivalduvoyageur; Instagram: @fdvoyageur; Twitter: @FDVoyageur)
Visit heho.ca for the latest information on Festival du Voyageur 2022.
West St. Paul rink wins Men’s Provincial Curling Championship
Submitted by Curl Manitoba
Mike McEwen and his West St. Paul team have won the 2022 Viterra Manitoba Men’s Curling Championship. McEwen, with third Reid Carruthers, second Derek Samagalski, lead Colin Hodgson and Coach Rob Meakin won a pair of games Sunday in Selkirk to earn their second title as a team. Team McEwen had previously won the championship together in 2019.
Entering the championship as the #1 seed and favourite to win, Team McEwen had lost the Page 1-1 Playoff game Saturday evening to Colton Lott and his Winnipeg Beach team. Lott was supported by his brother Tanner at third, with second Kyle Doering and lead Emerson Klimpke.
The loss put them in the Sunday morning semi-final game which they won, with a last shot draw, 10-9 over Ryan Wiebe – Fort Rouge, with Ty Dillello, Sean Flatt and Adam Flatt.
The afternoon final against Team Lott opened in the Winnipeg Beach team’s favour with a two on the first end. McEwen came back to score two on the second end and began to take control when the veteran team forced their younger opponents to a single on the third.
After blanks on the fourth and fifth ends, Team McEwen scored a three on the sixth end to lead 5-3 enroute to an 8-3, eight end victory.
This year’s victory is the fourth Manitoba men’s title for Mike McEwen, who won as skip in 2016, 2017 and 2019, and Hodgson, who was at lead for Carruthers in 2015 and 2018 as well as for McEwen in 2019. For Samagalski, it is a fifth Manitoba men’s title after he won as lead for Rob Fowler in 2012 and as second for Carruthers in 2015 and 2018 as well as for McEwen in 2019.
It is a seventh Manitoba men’s title for Carruthers who won three times at second for Jeff Stoughton, including a Brier and World title in 2011 followed by Manitoba wins in 2013 and 2014. He also won as skip in 2015 and 2018 and as McEwen’s third in 2019.
In addition, McEwen owns a pair of Manitoba Junior Men’s titles and a Manitoba Mixed title; Carruthers has a Junior Men’s and a Mixed championship and Samagalski has won a Mixed and a Mixed Doubles final game.
Team McEwen earns the opportunity to represent Manitoba at the Tim Hortons Brier in Lethbridge in March.
Team Einarson adds to growing list of curling laurels
By Jim Bender
The ‘Golden Girl of Gimli’ has just added to her lustre.
Kerri Einarson clipped Northern Ontario’s Krista McCarville 9-6 in the Scotties Tournament of Hearts final in Thunder Bay, Ont., to win her third straight Canadian women’s curling championship.
“It feels absolutely amazing,” Einarson told TSN right after the game. “Three back-to-back titles is tough, and I give it to my team. They played absolutely amazing all week.”
That Gimli team of third Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard, lead Briane Meilleur and alternate Krysten Karwacki will join the skipper in Prince George, B.C., March 19-27 for the women’s world curling championship.
When Einarson won her first Canadian crown, her team was supposed to play in the world championship in Prince George but the pandemic closed it down after the team had already gotten there.
“I just want a chance to play in Prince George in Canada,” said Einarson, who had beaten New Brunswick’s Andrea Crawford in the semifinal. “So, I’m super excited to go to Prince George and play this time.”
Einarson also credited new coach Reid Carruthers for helping to turn their season around.
“We brought Reid in, and he’s definitely kept things light for us,” she said.
Carruthers has now won both a men’s and women’s Canadian curling championship.
Einarson’s third consecutive Canadian title puts her in elite company. Only Manitoba’s Jennifer Jones, Nova Scotia’s Colleen Jones (with four) and Saskatchewan’s Vera Pezer have win three straight previously.
Carruthers, who plays third for Manitoba’s top-seeded Mike McEwen, will next compete in the Viterra men’s provincial championship that starts at the Selkirk Curling Club on Feb. 9.
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Athletes excel at Jim Daly Bison Classic
Athletes from the interlake competed at the annual Jim Daly Bison Classic 1.0 track & field at the James Daly Fieldhouse in Winnipeg on Feb. 4 and 5.
Manitoba Merv sees his shadow
Here are some key points about Groundhog Day/World Wetland Day:
- Groundhog Day is an old tradition that comes from the blessing of the candles back in Europe. It was called candlemas.
- On this day, people would look at some animals coming out of hibernation like hedgehogs. The tradition was that if they would see their shadow, there would be another 6 weeks of winter but if they couldn’t see their shadow, spring was on its way.
- When European came to America they used groundhogs for that purpose since there are no hedgehogs here.
- Some of the most notorious groundhogs are Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania, made famous by the movie, Shubenacadie Sam in Nova Scotia and Wiarton Willy in Ontario.
Manitoba Merv:
- Manitoba Merv started predicting the arrival of spring in 1994 as we needed our own groundhog in Manitoba since we have a very different climate here.
- Manitoba Merv is a puppet (a golf club cover actually) and this is great because unlike other groundhogs, it lives forever and does not need to be awoken from hibernation to make its prediction. Live groundhogs usually hibernate until late March or early April.
- He has a great track record with 98% accuracy, he only made a mistake once, the year he fell in love with his girlfriend Manitoba Maria. Their relation was short lived.
- It’s pretty hard to be wrong in Manitoba because 6 more weeks of winter after February 2 is still and early spring for us 🙂
First Goose Contest:
- Although we like our plush prognosticator, we know very well that the arrival of spring is tied with the arrival of the geese at the Marsh.
- We organize our First Goose of the Year Contest every year where we encourage people to guess the date and time the first goose will arrive at the Marsh.
- The person closest to the date and time wins a plush Canada goose and a one-year family membership to Oak Hammock Marsh.
- People can vote online, check our website for details.
World Wetlands Day:
- One of the reasons we celebrate Groundhog Day at Oak Hammock Marsh is to bring attention that today is also World Wetlands Day
- February 2nd was chosen as World Wetlands Day because it marks the anniversary of the signing of the Ramsar Convention. A convention to protect wetlands of International Importance.
- Over 100 countries have joined the Ramsar Convention and designated some 900 wetland sites. These wetlands are known as Ramsar Site.
- Oak Hammock Marsh was designated a Ramsar site in 1987
- Ducks Unlimited Canada, a leader in wetland conservation, has its headquarters at Oak Hammock Marsh.
- Wetlands provide the perfect habitat for countless species of plants and wildlife. They are often referred to as the wetlands of the North. Oak Hammock Marsh for example has nearly 300 species of birds using the marsh either during nesting season or during migration.
- Wetlands are also vital on the landscape as they reduce flooding and the impact of drought, two very important issues here in Manitoba.
- They help in recharging aquifer, sequestering carbon and filtering water naturally.
- They are also great places for wildlife watching, wildlife photography, canoeing and many more recreational activities.
You can find more info on our website: https://www.oakhammockmarsh.ca/events/world-wetlands-day/
The Wetland Discovery Centre is finally reopening to visitors on February 5. Current health regulations will be in effect (vaccination card and masks are required while indoor).
Here are our upcoming events for February: https://www.oakhammockmarsh.ca/experience/events/
Canucks earn victory against Jets
The Winnipeg Jets didn’t get the outcome they were hoping for against the visiting Winnipeg Jets in National Hockey League action at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg on Jan. 27.
