TEAM MANITOBA WINS CANADIAN MIXED

Congratulations to Team Manitoba, Canadian Mixed National Champions

Manitoba's Sean Grassie won the Canadian mixed curling championship on Saturday by defeating Ontario's Wayne Tuck 6-4.

Down 4-3 in the sixth end, Grassie scored once in the sixth, seventh and eighth to complete the comeback victory.

Manitoba finishes with an overall record of 11-1 at the tournament, which was staged in the territory of Nunavut for the first time.

It's the eighth mixed title for Manitoba - first since 1991 - since the championship began in 1964 in Toronto. Alberta leads all provinces with nine wins, while Saskatchewan also has eight victories.

It's also the first Canadian mixed title for Grassie, lead Kendra Green, second Ross Derksen and third Alli Nimik, who represent the Deer Lodge Curling Club.

Derksen is a former Canadian and world junior champion, having played third for David Hamblin in 2002.

Two players from the winning team will now represent Canada at the 2009 world mixed doubles championship, April 17-25, 2009 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.

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