Sports
Alaska has long history of curling at PIC
Alaska maintains a special place in the
history of the Pacific International Cup.
When organizers decided after the success of
the inaugural club championship in 1999 (which was limited to B.C. curlers) to
extend the event by creating an international competition, Alaska was one of
the first to step forward. The state has been represented ever since at the
PIC, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary April 17 to 21 at the Richmond
Curling Club.
This year’s Alaska men’s team itself has a
lengthy and proud connection with the event.
This will be third Levi Piehl’s third trip to
the PIC. And his wife, Michelle, was a sportsmanship winner at the 2012 PIC.
Born and raised in North Dakota, Piehl
learned to curl at the Minot club in the mid-90s. He moved to Alaska in 2001
and has been curling out of Anchorage ever since. Perhaps one day their
daughter, Eva, will also grace the PIC ice.
Transplanted Canadian George Newman,
originally from Calgary, is skipping this year’s team.
A veteran of the curling wars, Newman has
been playing for almost 40 years; the last three out of the Anchorage club.
A keen sportsman who enjoys skiing, hiking
and experience the great outdoors of Alaska, he is married to an equally
lifelong curler in wife Donna, who has played the sport for 30 years.
Lead Skip Desaulniers is also a transplanted
Albertan, originally from St. Paul. He began curling in 1971 and is married to
another lifelong curler in wife Debbie. The couple is in the midst of moving to
Phoenix, where they anticipate continuing to curl.
Tony Hubbard, who moved to Alaska from Oregon
in 2009, credits curling with forging many “incredible” friendships.
Dan Bogan is the fifth player on the team.
While Alaska is still looking for their first
men’s title, while Alaska won the women’s PIC championship in 2014 and the
international pool in 2016.