World Financial Group

O Give Me a Home, Where the Buffalo Roam, Where the Deer and Antelope Play… Curling!

Could the animals of the prairie actually play curling? The buffalo could slide rocks with their heads and the antelope hold their brooms with their teeth… okay, probably not. But Wainwright, AB held its annual Roaming Buffalo Classic last weekend. And among the teams seeking a “house” were the Ferbey 4, the World Financial Group-sponsored “Kings of Canadian Curling”.

Fri., Nov. 20 saw Randy Ferbey, Scott Pfeifer, David Nedohin and Marcel Rocque start with a game opposite the rink of John Regnier from Alberta. Randy and the guys threw three rocks in the first end and only needed five more ends to win 8-3.

The next morning, our men in the WFG curling shirts faced off against the fellow Edmonton rink of Colin Tanton. The Ferbeys had the hammer and needed it to win this game 6-3 in eight ends. The score does not really reflect how close this game was. Later on Saturday, our guys took on Warren Hassall out of Lloydminster, SK. And thanks to four two-rock ends in the match, Randy and the guys won this match 8-3 in six ends. With that win, the Ferbey 4 became the second team to make it to the quarterfinals and earned a Sunday off.

Their draw for that match with Warren Cross’s rink out of the Ferbeys home town of Edmonton. And, unfortunately, Randy and the guys were on the losing end of this one. But the match did go to eight ends in the 5-4 loss.

In two weeks, things in the curling world get really interesting. The Roar of the Rings, the Canadian Olympic Curling Trials, starts on Dec. 6 in the Rexall Centre in Edmonton, the Ferbeys hometown. We at World Financial Group are excited to see the Ferbey 4 play for the chance to represent Canada on the largest world stage there is for sports.

The Nanaimo Clippers, the BCHL “Junior A” hockey team sponsored by World Financial Group, have a seven game unbeaten streak.  With three games played this past week, would the streak continue?

The winning ways were on display for the Clippers on Wednesday, Nov. 18 when the Merritt Centennials came to the Clippers home ice at Frank Crane Arena.  The Cents scored the first goal of the game, but the Clippers scored the next eight.  Thanks to Colton Cyr and Kyle Kramer in the first period; Matt Ius on the power play, Teal Burns, Sam Waterfield and Nicholas McIntyre also on the power play in the second period; and Cody Bremner and Brayden Jaw in the third, the Clippers won this game 8-1.  Jaw, Ius and Kramer were named the Three Stars of the Game.  Goalies Loic Boivin and Mark Segal combined to save 21 shots on goal.  This game marked the last Clippers game for Segal, as he is now with the Vancouver Giants in the Western Hockey League.

Friday, Nov. 20 saw the WFG hockey at the rink of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.  The Bulldogs were determined to end the Clippers’ unbeaten streak, and came very close.  Bulldogs player Sam Mitchell scored twice on the power play and Matt Hatch added a third period goal.  But the Clippers kept it close thanks to a power play goal by Luc Olivier Blain in the first and goals Cody Bremner in the first and an unassisted power play goal by Nicholas McIntyre in the third to send the game to double overtime.  Finally, at 1:20 into double OT, Joe Perry scored from a Cody Bremner assist to put this game away 4-3.  For blocking 41 shots on goal for 66:20, goalie Loic Boivin was named the Second Star of the Game.

On Saturday night the winning team returned to Frank Crane Arena to face the Westside Warriors.  And, sad to say, the Warriors had more spirit than our team did.  Despite a power play goal by Tyler Mah in the first and a Brayden Jaw goal in the second, the Warriors proved to be too much for our guys and won 5-2.  In the loss, the Clippers only had to kill five penalties and were successful on four of them. 

So, what does a team who sees the end of an unbeaten streak do?  They hopefully start a new win streak, which our guys will get a chance to do this Friday and Saturday opposite Langley and Burnaby on the road.  Also, December 4 will see the annual “teddy bear toss” game opposite Surrey at Frank Crane Arena.  Look for more info regarding that event soon right here on wfgsports.com.

The USA Luge team, proudly sponsored by World Financial Group, started their season last weekend at the first Nations Cup and World Cup match held in Calgary, AB.

Friday, November 20 saw the Nations Cup competition, and for the men, Toby Benshoof finished third among the U.S. competitors with a time of 45.167 seconds - only 0.345 seconds away from first.  Also sliding were Chris Mazdzer, who finished tenth with a time of 45.385 and Trent Matheson, who ended 23^rd with a time of 46.044. 

U.S. women competing included WFG-adopted athlete Kate Hansen, who finished fifth with a time of 47.667 seconds, which was only 0.501 off first place.  Not too far behind her was Julia Clukey, whose 47.802 time was good for eighth place.  Also sliding for the US were Emily Sweeney with a time of 48.343 for 18^th and her sister Megan who finished at 48.743 seconds for 22^nd. 

Doubles Nations Cup sliders for the United States were Matthew Mortensen and Preston Griffall, whose 45.032 second time was good for ninth place. Only 0.731 seconds off the lead. 

Also on Friday, the Calgary World Cup started with the doubles competition.  Each team takes two slides on the track to determine a total time.  WFG-adopted athletes Mark Grimmette and Brian Johnson finished first among the U.S. sliders with a combined 1:28.415 over two runs, and put them in eighth place with a time only 0.56 seconds off first place for the competition.  Also sliding was the team of Matthew Mortensen and Preston Griffall, who finished 14^th with a combined time of 1.28.711.  Sadly, due to weight concerns, the third U.S. doubles team of Christian Niccum and Dan Joye were disqualified.

World Cup sliding continued the next day with men’s and women’s competition.  For the men, Tony Benshoof finished the best among the USA Luge team with a sixth place time of 1:30.491, which was 0.423 seconds behind first.  Also sliding was WFG-adopted athlete Bengt Walden, whose combined time of 1:30.625 was good for a tenth place finish.  Rounding out the competition for the U.S. men was Chris Mazdzer, finishing 32^nd with a combined time of 1.32.202.

Among the women, the U.S. ladies did well in their first competition.  Finishing seventh was Erin Hamlin, last year’s World Cup winner, with a combined time of 1.34.716 just 1.025 seconds off first place.  Not far behind her was Julia Clukey, finishing with a 1.35.092 for 11^th.  Finally, WFG-adopted athlete Kate Hansen, in her first World Cup race, finished 16^th with 1:35.421.

In luge, a winner is determined by a fraction of a second.  When less than two seconds separate the first place finisher from the end finisher, you know you’re pretty fast on the ice.  Next, our USA Luge team travel to Igls, Austria for a competition this weekend.  We at World Financial Group can’t wait to see our team slide to victory.

The World Financial Group-sponsored Nanaimo Clippers played four games this past week, their busiest schedule so far this season.  Would these games add to the team’s current three game win streak? 

Tuesday, Nov. 10, saw the BCHL team travel to Salmon Arm to take on the Silverbacks.  In a very evenly matched game, both teams went on the power play five times and scored on one of them and each scored two goals in regulation, forcing overtime.  The Clippers did outshoot the Silverbacks, 42-26, but the game still ended in a 2-2 tie.  The two Clippers who scored goals were Luc Olivier Blain and Joe Perry (on the power play).  For blocking 24 shots, goalie Loic Boivin was named the Second Star of the Game.   

The next day, the WFG-sponsored Clippers ventured to Surrey to take on the Eagles.  And, like the previous day’s contest, this game also featured a 2-2 score at the end of regulation thanks to goals scored by Luc Olivier Blain and Victor Newell.  However, Tyler Mah proved to be the difference maker for our “Junior A” hockey team, who scored an OT goal to give the Clippers a 3-2 win.  For assisting on two of the three goals, Cody Bremner was named the First Star of the Game. 

After an off day on Thursday, the Clippers headed to Frank Crane Arena to take on the Burnaby Express on Friday the 13th.  And the game was unlucky for the Express, despite scoring four goals, including once on the power play.  The Clippers scored six, thanks to Carson Schell, Cody Bremner on the power play, Luc Olivier Blain, Andrew Galdiuk (twice) and Nicholas McIntyre on both the power play and an empty Burnaby net.  The final score was 6-4 in favor of the Clippers.  Gladiuk and Blain were named the Third and First Stars of the game, respectively.  

Sunday, Nov. 15, saw a home matinee opposite the Cowichan Valley Capitals.  The Capitals did not score until the start of the third period and even had two power plays that didn’t see a score.  The Clippers were 2 for 4 on the power play with goals scored by Luc Olivier Blain and newcomer Matt Ius, who also scored twice more to earn a hat trick.  Also scoring goals for Nanaimo were Andrew Gladiuk, Cody Bremner and Victor Newell.  This game was a runaway win for the Clippers, with the final score of 7-1, and Nanaimo boasting all Three Stars of the Game: Joe Perry for two timely assists, Blain and our newest Clipper Ius. 

Although in fifth place, our WFG Nanaimo Clippers are on a tear with a three game win streak and a seven game unbeaten streak!  Up next for our team is a Wednesday home contest against the Merritt Centennials.  Friday sees a road game opposite the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, and Saturday has our “Junior A” team playing the Westside Warriors at Frank Crane Arena.  Way to go Clippers from all of us at World Financial Group!

The World Financial Group-sponsored Ferbey 4 participated in the Red Deer (AB) Classic over the past weekend.  The curling team of Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer and Marcel Rocque continued their warm up for the Canadian “Roar of the Rings” in this triple knockout tournament. 

The curling action for the foursome started Friday evening opposite the rink of Jamie Koe of Yellowknife, NT.  The Ferbeys had the hammer and used it to slide to a sound 8-0 win in five ends.   

On Saturday afternoon, the men in the WFG curling shirts faced off opposite Calgary’s Dean Ross and his rink.  Dean’s team had the hammer, but the Ferbey 4 only needed seven ends to win 5-3.  Their next draw later that day, opposite Brad Heidt of Kindersley, SK, unfortunately resulted in an 8-3 loss for the Ferbeys in seven ends. 

Thankfully, it was only one loss and it did not result in elimination, which meant the Ferbey 4 had to wake up early on Sunday to take on Brent Bawel’s rink out of Calgary.  While Brent had the hammer, Randy and the guys were able to win 8-2 in seven ends.  Later on Sunday afternoon, our WFG curling team faced off against Dean Ross for a second time which, according to David, is “unusual [in a triple knockout tournament]”.  Only five ends were needed to for Randy and the team to win 7-2, placing the WFG-sponsored Ferbey 4 in the quarterfinals. 

Monday morning saw a 9 AM start for Randy, David, Scott and Marcel.  Their first opponent was opposite Claudio Pescia’s rink from St. Galler, Switzerland.  The Ferbey 4 had the hammer and used it slide to a 6-0 win in four ends.  Later in the day, the WFG-sponsored curling team took on Tyrel Griffith from Kelowna, BC in the semi-finals, and this time our guys only needed three ends to win 10-0! 

This win put the Ferbey 4 into the finals opposite Red Deer’s own Rob Armitage, whose rink also scored 10 rocks in their semi-final match.  And in an exciting final, the Ferbeys had the hammer and used it to slide to an 8-3 victory, with Randy and the team scoring four rocks in the fourth end -- something that doesn’t happen very often. 

The Ferbey 4 will next take “the house” at the Roaming Buffalo Classic in Wainwright, AB starting November 20.  We at World Financial Group can hear the roar, and it’s getting louder.  Keep reading here for all the latest on this dynamic curling team.

The WFG-sponsored Nanaimo Clippers began November with two games.  Anxious to return to the ice after their last contest against the Victoria Grizzlies was cancelled due to illness on the opposing team, the Clippers hit the ice at their home arena Friday against the Powell River Kings. 

The Clippers won their last game against the Kings, so both teams were doing their best to beat the other. The Clippers killed all ten penalties in the game with eight power plays, with one in the first period providing a scoring goal from Kyle Weber.  Also scoring in the contest were Teal Burns (unassisted) and Colton Cyr (shorthanded).   These three goals were enough for the Clippers to win 3-1.  Burns and goalie Mark Segal, who blocked 25 out of 26 shots, were named the Second and First Stars of the Game, respectively. 

On Saturday, the WFG-sponsored Junior A hockey team hit the road to take on their Coastal Conference rivals, the Cowichan Valley Capitals.  The Island Savings Centre was not kind to the Clippers on the power play (no goals in nine attempts).  But the team played smart hockey, only going shorthanded five times and killing four of those penalties.  Goals scored by Cody Bremner in the first, Carson Schell (unassisted) and Teal Burns in the third ensured a 3-2 victory.  For their hard playing, Burns was named the Third Star of the Game and Schell the First Star. 

The upcoming week sees the Nanaimo Clippers in action four times.  For the Remembrance Day holiday, the Clippers take on the Salmon Arm Silverbacks and travel to Surrey to play the Eagles on Wednesday.  Friday evening sees the WFG hockey team skate opposite the Burnaby Express at home and a Sunday home matinee (3 PM) against Cowichan Valley.  Check back here for updates on these games.

You wouldn’t think a cactus would be something seen related to curling.  But no one thought to tell that to the curling club in Brooks, AB, who recently hosted the 2009 Cactus Pheasant Classic over the Halloween weekend.  Among those participating were the WFG-sponsored curling rink of Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer and Marcel Rocque, better known as the Ferbey 4.

The Ferbeys started Thursday morning opposite the rink of Thomas Dufour from Chamonix, France.  While Thomas’s rink had the hammer, Randy and the guys slid to a 7-3 victory in six ends.  Later that day our WFG curling team slid against Sean Geall of New Westminster, BC.  For this match, the Ferbey 4 had the hammer and used it in their 7-2 win in five ends.

The WFG-sponsored Nanaimo Clippers were scheduled for two games this past Halloween weekend.  Would these games be treats or tricks for this Junior A hockey team? 

Friday night saw the Powell River Kings visiting the Clippers’ rink, Frank Crane Arena.  The Clippers showed no fear of playing good hockey, as four different players scored five goals.  Tyler Mah, Kyle Kramer, Colton Cyr (twice, once on the power play) and Brayden Jaw all put the puck in the Powell River net in their 5-1 victory. The Clippers goalie Mark Segal didn’t give up the lone Powell River goal until the third period.  For their good performances on the ice, Kramer, Segal and Cyr received Stars of the Game honors. 

Halloween night, though, saw a real scare.  The Clippers, scheduled to take on the Victoria Grizzlies in Victoria, had the game cancelled on them because of the number of Grizzlies players battling the flu. The game will be rescheduled for another night. 

The WFG Nanaimo Clippers will see their first action in November this Friday against the Powell River Kings.  The puck drops at 7:30 in Frank Crane Arena.  Saturday night will see the Clippers travel to Cowichan Valley to take on the Capitals, also at 7:30.  Fans at World Financial Group wish our BCHL “Junior A” hockey team smooth sailing through November and the rest of the season.