TEAM FARBELOW CAPTURES SENIOR MEN’S NATIONALS
Photo by: Seattle Curling Club/Ray Kwan
[EAGAN, MN, February 12, 2024] — Another national champion was crowned this past weekend, as Team Farbelow went undefeated through pool play and then the playoffs to capture the USA Curling Men’s Senior Nationals at the Heather Curling Club in Mapleton, MN.
Team Farbelow (Mike Farbelow, Rich Ruohenen, Bill Stopera, Tim Solin) competed three-handed throughout the week, as Solin was ill and unable to play. But that didn’t prevent last year’s silver medalists from running the table, going 7-0 in the qualifying round, before defeating Team Pustovar (Paul Pustover, Ross Litman, Dan Wiza, Mike Kniffin) in a well-played semi-final. In the championship game against Team LeClair (Bob LeClair, Fred Maxie, Jeff Baird, Tom Danielson), Team Farbelow charged out to a 4-1 lead at the break, only to see it evaporate when LeClair answered with three in the fifth end. But after being forced to one in the sixth end, Farbelow scored a decisive two points in the seventh and ran LeClair out of rocks in the eighth and final end.
Team LeClair reaching the championship game by topping Team Jackson (Murray Jackson, Kim Hicks, Brian Chick, Mario Riveron) 4-3 in the other semi-final. With the victory, Team Farbelow becomes Team USA and will represent the country at the 2024 World Senior Men’s Championship in Oestersund, Sweden, from April 23-30.
“Throughout the event, we made good shots in critical moments, and that was the difference,” remarked skip Mike Farbelow. “There were a lot of tough teams in this field—it’s exciting to capture the title after finishing runner-up last year.”
In the bronze medal game, Team Pustovar defeated Triangle-based Team Jackson by a score of 7-6.
There were sixteen teams at the Senior Men’s Nationals, with competitors from coast to coast. The volunteers at the Heather Club made the event seamless for players while the local ice crew worked to create a championship-quality surface, and appreciated the knowledge they gained from USA Curling Head Ice Technician Scott Olesen and Chaska’s Scott Belvitch, who both attended the event.
The Senior Women’s National Championship will be at the Circle City Curling Club, just outside Indianapolis, from February 19-25. The winner of that event will also head to Sweden to compete for a world title as Team USA.
About USA Curling
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, USA Curling is the National Governing body for the Olympic sport of curling and the Paralympic sport of wheelchair curling in the United States. The mission of USA Curling is to grow, strengthen, and advocate for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of curling in the United States by prioritizing accessibility and programmatic development from grassroots to podium. USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Toyota, Thorne, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), Rock Solid Productions, Jet Ice, and Laurie Artiss. USA Curling is a proud member of the World Curling Federation and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. To learn more, visit usacurling.org.
