The Canadian Way 

By Bob Garvin
November 2001

Is it just the Canadian way?

Lino Di Iorio is the Richmond Hill inventor of several curling innovations, such as the BalancePlus slider.  Di Iorio has created technical teaching aids for delivery and sweeping that have been accepted and are in full use throughout Europe.  Indeed, Scottish and Norwegian federations have purchased full sets of the equipment for use back home.

A new wrinkle this year is the addition of strategy seminars headed up by hall-of-famers Eddie Werenich and Neil Harrison.  The Wrench may not be throwing ‘em in anger anymore, but he’s still widely recognized as a top strategist.

In the first week of November, Di Iorio, along with partner Scott Taylor (John Morris’ coach) and their colleagues hosted several top European teams for instruction.  A total of 14 international teams have taken part so far this year, including such luminaries as 4-time world champion Elisabet Gustafson of Sweden, former world champ Hammy McMillan of Scotland and current Norwegian champion teams of Pal Trulsen (men) and Dordi Nordby (women).

Yet, with the exception of two Ontario-based ladies teams skipped by Colleen Madonia and Deb Rauter (yes, she is Vic’s wife), Canada’s curlers have reacted with a collective shrug.

Is this the same syndrome that once afflicted Canada’s other favourite sport, hockey?

It’s not so long ago that Canadians poo-poohed hockey training methods used in other parts of the world.  Then, in 1972, we got the shock of our hockey lives then the hated Russians same with a Paul Henderson miracle of defeating our heroes in the infamous Summit Series.  Hockey hasn’t been the same since.

Did we learn anything, or are we destined to repeat the same lack of action in the last sport in which Canadians can still lay claim to world dominance?