Tyler Tardi said 鈥渋t hurts a little鈥� to make it to the final game of the 2020 BC Curling Championships in Cranbrook on Sunday, only to be denied a trip to the Brier.
On Sunday, 91原创-based Team Tardi was defeated 10-6 by defending champions Team Cotter, with the help of four stolen ends.
For Jim Cotter and Rick Sawatsky, it was a record ninth B.C. title.
Tardi, whose rink made the jump from juniors a year early, was disappointed, but overall happy with their first season.
READ MORE: Tyler Tardi takes aim at men鈥檚 competition
鈥淲e鈥檝e got a whole lot to be proud of,鈥� Tardi commented.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e [Cotter] a great team.鈥�
In making the move to adult-level; competition a year early, Tardi, his brother Jordan as second, Sterling Middleton as third, and Alex Horvath as lead were prepared for a bumpy ride in their first year.
Despite having 鈥渘ot a whole lot of expectation,鈥� it went better than expected, he said.
In their first appearances on the World Curling Tour, the new Team Tardi won the Prestige Hotels and Resorts Curling Classic in Vernon in October, and made the finals of the Kamloops Crown of Curling and the Red Deer Classic.
Tardi said the team hasn鈥檛 had a discussion about whether they will continue to be based at the 91原创 Curling Centre, but he is 鈥渁bout 100 per cent sure鈥� they will.
READ MORE: Fans gather at 91原创 Curling Centre to cheer for Team Tardi at BC Men鈥檚 Curling Championship
Cranbrook Curling Club president Rick O鈥橬eill called the Tardi team 鈥渁 class act.鈥�
They gave team Cotter a run for his money and I guess in this particular case you can say the veteran won over the newbie but Team Tardi 鈥� they鈥檙e not going away,鈥� O鈥橬eill commented.
鈥淵ou can see from how they play that they played almost like a veteran team.鈥�
Tardi won鈥檛 be able to take time off just yet.
He and girlfriend Dezaray Hawes qualified for the 2020 BC Mixed Doubles Curling Championship that takes place at Hope Curling Club from Feb. 25 to Mar. 1.
The fast-paced version of the game features one male and one female curler and the game is played over eight ends (instead of the usual 10).
- with files from Black Press
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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