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Northern Exports!
Former Northern Ontario champions Dallas Burgess and Matt Duizer finding success with new provinces at 2024 New Holland Canadian Under-21 Curling Championships
The first signs of a looming spring are starting to shine through in Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo, Alta., playing host to the 2024 New Holland Canadian Under-21 Curling Championships this week at the Suncor Community Leisure Centre at MacDonald Island Park.
And while Northern Alberta’s boreal forest is flecked by the details of the seasonably warmer days ahead, the real colour change is happening on the ice for both Dallas Burgess and Matt Duizer.
Burgess and Duizer, who attended the 2023 New Holland Canadian Men’s Curling Championship as representatives for Northern Ontario at Rouyn-Noranda, Qué., are representing new provinces at the 2024 iteration of the New Holland U-21s.
Burgess landed a spot playing vice-skip for Jordon McDonald’s Assiniboine Memorial Curling Club rink in Winnipeg, finding immediate success as the team quickly gelled its way to a U-21 provincial title, earning the right to become Team Manitoba #1.
The success has since continued to roll as Team Manitoba #1 bested Team British Columbia #1’s Adam Fenton (0-1; New Westminster) 10-5 in nine ends in its opening draw at the 2024 New Holland U-21 championship on Sunday.
“Feels really great coming out to a hot start,” said Burgess. “Getting the first game down, especially with a little extra tension for me.”
That extra tension that Burgess alludes to is the bison that is now on the back of his uniform instead of the moose.
“Playing with new colours on my shoulders, but it’s been really fun,” said Burgess. “It’s definitely something I felt in the first end and coming into practice. As the game settled in though, it felt really good.”
Burgess was skip of the Northern Ontario rink that ended up losing the 2023 New Holland U-21 men’s final to Alberta #2’s Johnson Tao and is already eying up a better result here in 2024.
“We definitely plan to be in the mix,” said Burgess. “We’ve worked really hard all year. As long as we do what we know how to do, we’ll keep playing well and have some good games out there.”
Matt Duizer threw second stones for Burgess at the New Holland U-21 championship in 2023, also taking home a silver medal in the process.
He’s since found a home throwing lead for Team Ontairo #1’s Kibo Mulima of the Guelph Curling Club and is settling in nicely, solidifying a 9-7 opening draw come-back extra-end victory over Alberta #2’s Tim Marin (0-1; Edmonton) in Draw 1 action on Sunday.
It was a game in which Team Ontairo #1 trailed 5-2 after six ends before the momentum shifted. Skip Kibo Mulima needed a dandy triple take-out and stick to score three to force the extra end.
“It’s nice to get a good jump on it,” said Duizer. “Skipper, got to give him a hand for the shot he made to go to the extra, but the boys played well. It’s nice to get that first one under your belt and not start with a loss.”
Duizer is doing his best to not let the change from the moose to the trillium be a distraction.
“Switching from Northern Ontario to Ontario, the red and white, it feels a little different,” said Duizer. “But I’m representing a province that is known for some good curling, so, glad we could go out there and get a win.”
While Duizer might notice the difference in colours, he isn’t letting Ontario’s winning history in curling cloud his focus.
“Pressure is inevitable for anyone,” said Duizer. “So, you just got to go out there and put it behind you. Play the best you can. Pressure is in the back of your head but not anywhere near what you should be thinking about.”
Action from the 2024 New Holland Canadian Curling Championships will resume Sunday evening at 9 p.m., (all times Mountain).
Select games from two sheets will be broadcast live on Curling Canada’s streaming platform, Curling Canada +. Sheet C will feature a complete broadcast with commentary and sheet D will be a static overhead camera broadcast.
For the list of teams, draw and live scores, visit the event website.