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Parksville skip Shantz leads team to second Canadian Masters Curling title in a row

Two-time champion curler to relocate to Vernon-Okanagan in May
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Penny Shantz, right, and teammates third Cindy Curtain, second Shirley Wong, lead Janet Suter and fifth Leslie Shearer celebrate after winning the 2023 Canadian Masters Curling Championships. (Submitted photo)

Penny Shantz is Canadian Masters Curling champion for the second year in a row.

The Parksville Curling Club member and her team, consisting of third Cindy Curtain, second Shirley Wong, lead Janet Suter and fifth Leslie Shearer bested Team Diane Foster from Saskatchewan 4-3 in a very close final. The 2023 masters championships were held at the Thistle-St. Andrews Curling Club in Saint John, New Brunswick April 2-9.

Shantz and her crew represented British Columbia at the national tournament after winning the 2023 BC Masters title, repeating as champions for the second consecutive year at the tournament held at the Parksville Curling Club. They’re thrilled to have defended their Canadian title.

“We had a great time in St. John and really supported each other and had a lot of fun,” said Shantz. “It’s important to really enjoy what we love to do and I don’t think I have laughed and enjoyed the on-ice and off-ice fun with this team.”

Will there be a three-peat? Shantz said after committing to play for two years as a team, extending it for another year is uncertain at this time.

“We have not discussed next year at all as it’s all still a very fresh win,” said Shantz.

However, this will be Shantz’s last time to represent the Parksville Curling Club as she and husband Stan will be relocating to the Okanagan-Vernon in May. She said it’s where she had resided for 17 years prior to moving to Parksville.

“I will miss all my curling friends here both at Parksville and Qualicum curling clubs,” Shantz said.

“Curling brings friends together all over the province, country and world. Cindy, our third, actually resides in Penticton.”

Shantz loves to compete. Prior to rocking at the Masters, which is for players 60 years old and over, Shantz skipped a BC senior ladies provincial team from the Okanagan and won two bronzes with them. She also led the Qualicum Beach Curling Club team that included Nicole Backe, Marla Guldbransen, and Shelly Stouffer to a silver medal finish at the BC Women’s Curling Club Championships, losing to the eventual winners, the Duncan Curling Club team of Carley Sandwith-Craig, Marika Van Osch, Roselyn Craig, and Megan Montgomery.

That’s three consecutive tournaments, said Shantz, who played a total of 500 rocks. She said her season is now over and she will be focusing on her move to Vernon-Okanagan.

Michael.Briones@pqbnews.com

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Michael Briones

About the Author: Michael Briones

I rejoined the PQB News team in April 2017 from the Comox Valley Echo, having previously covered sports for The NEWS in 1997.
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