OGDEN -- A rare raucous crowd rocked the Ice Sheet at Ogden during Monday's noon draw of the USA Curling 2000 National Championships.
The spectators included nearly 1,000 Utah schoolchildren -- part of the anticipated 6,000 youth and children scheduled to attend the curling nationals this week as part of SLOC's "Kids to Events" program. And the result was a noise level likened to that of a packed gymnasium for a high school basketball game.The loud crowd was welcomed by most of the curlers, even though they had to adjust communications to use hand signals in place of audibles during the action. "It's a little disturbing, but on the other hand it's just one more element that you have to adjust to," said North Dakota 1 lead Joel Jacobson.
"I think it's great," he added over the noise. "The future of curling is sitting out there right now."
North Dakota 1 gave the kids plenty to cheer about. Skip Craig Disher made the "shot of the draw" to put away New York's Gert Messing rink in the sixth end. Messing had attempted to freeze his last shot of the end on a North Dakota 1 stone in the house. But Disher was able to corner it out to score five and give North Dakota 1 a 9-2 lead. The game finished with the same score after Messing conceded in eight ends.
In other noon draw contests, Wisconsin 3 needed an extra end to upend Alaska and to stay perfect for the tourney, while Wisconsin 1 defeated North Dakota 2 10-5. And in women's action, Nebraska downed Washington 9-3 to remain undefeated, while Wisconsin defeated Illinois 10-4, and Massachusetts doubled up Alaska 8-4.
In the afternoon men's draw, Maine kept Minnesota winless in five outings with a 10-8 extra-end victory, Nebraska downed Wisconsin 2 7-6 on a final-shot victory, Illinois picked up its first win with a 5-4 triumph over Ohio, and New Jersey shut out Washington 11-0.
In women's action in the afternoon, Patti Lank's Team USA whipped Ohio 11-2, while North Dakota nipped Minnesota 9-8.
And in Monday morning's draw, Don Barcome's North Dakota 2 team ran its record to 4-0 with a win over defending national champion Team USA. The game had added interest because Barcome played third for opponent Tim Somerville's team last year before forming his own team this year.
In other first-round action Monday morning, New Jersey outlasted Minnesota 11-9, Wisconsin 2 edged Illinois, Washington routed Maine 12-4 and Nebraska nipped Ohio 7-6.
The initial men's 16-team round robin continued through Tuesday, and eight teams will move on to a second round robin that started Wednesday.