News Release

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. -- Team New Brunswick won three medals Friday on the last day of competition of week one at the Canada Winter Games, in Prince George, B.C.

The ringette squad defeated Team Quebec 7-6, to claim the bronze medal. The ringette victory lifted Team New Brunswick’s medal count to seven to end the first week of competition.

"We would have preferred the gold, but our close semi-final loss put us for the bronze,’’ said Team NB coach, Gilles Proulx, of Dieppe. "We never stopped playing. We are happy with this medal. The girls worked hard and gave it all they had. At the stoppage of play at the end of the game, I asked them to keep control of the game. We did have a scare with Quebec scoring twice at the end. We were confident. It is a great feeling to win. All the trips we did prior to the games were worth it for the experience."

"I am very excited, this is quite a feat,’’ added Shanie Cormier, of Shediac. "We worked hard and we never let go. We were believers. This iis an incredible feeling. We are very happy. This is a great ending to our Canada Games experience.’’

The ringette team’s medal win is Team New Brunswick’s best-ever Canada Games performance. The team never placed higher than sixth prior to coming to Prince George, B.C.

The short track speed skating relay teams hit the podium Friday afternoon, claiming silver in the women’s 3000m relay and bronze in the men’s 3000 m relay race.

The men’s short track skaters have hit the podium in the 3000 metre relay in the past three Canada Games, claiming bronze in 2007, 2011 and Friday.

The long track speed skaters wrapped up their competition in Fort St. John on Friday.

Freya Clark, of St. Andrews was the top female skater in the 3000 metre long track event, placing 17th Danielle Dumouchelle, of Quispamsis placed 18th followed by Maggie Oliver, of Grand Bay-Westfield, 27th, and Abby Jackson, of Moncton, 31st.

In the men’s 5000 long track metre event,  Ian Vershoor, of Berwick, was the top New Brunswicker, coming in 24th followed by Spencer Thorpe, of Saint-Andrews, 27th, Gabriel-André Savoie, of Dieppe, 28th and Andrew Peppard, of Chamcook, 30th.

In alpine skiing, Cameron Magee, of Saint John, placed seventh in men’s ski cross final.

Team New Brunswick curling foursome of Ben MacFarlane, Carter Small, Adam Tracy and Brent Wishart defeated Team Newfoundland and Labrador 9-8 to finish in the seventh spot.

The wheelchair basketballers beat host Team B.C. 66-65 in a close game to rank sixth while the women’s hockey squad finished the Canada Games in eighth spot after losing 2-0 to Team Nova Scotia Friday.

The biathlon threesome Zacharie Boissonnault, Raphael Daigle and Alexandre Daigle placed 10th in the 7.5 kilometre relay. The womens squad was disqualified from the relay.

Following are Team New Brunswick Friday results:

Alpine (Tabor)

Ski Cross -- Jennifer Clarke lost in quarter finals in women action. Cameron Mcgee took 7th spot in men’s competitions.

Biathlon (Otway)

Junior Women's 3 X 6 km Relay Competition- Team NB disqualified –too many bullets

Junior Men’s 3 X 7.5 km Relay Competition—Team NB is 10th -- Zachary Boissonnault, Raphael Daigle, Alexandre Landry

Men’s Curling (Prince George Golf & Curling Club)

New Brunswick 9 Newfoundland and Labrador 8 (NB terminates in 7th spot)

NL 10003030111  8

NB 01110101031  9

Women’s Hockey

NB 0 NS 2 (NB takes 8th spot)

Ringette (Coliseum)                

NB 7 vs Quebec 6 (NB wins bronze medal)

NB – Britney Snowdon (Moncton) 2-3, Miguelle Proulx (Dieppe) 2-3, Isabelle Cormier (Dieppe), Jenny Snowdon (Moncton), Dominik LeBlanc (Dieppe) 1-3. Nathalie Poirier (Dieppe) goaltender.

Long Track Speed Skating (Fort Saint John - Pomeroy Centre)

Final – 3000m women --  Fraya Clark (St. Andrews) 17th, Danielle Dumouchelle Quispamsis) 18th, Maggie Oliver (Grand Bay-Westfield) 27th, Abbie Jackson (Moncton) 31st.

Final – 5000m men – Ian Verschoor (Berwick) 24th, Spencer Thorpe (St. Andrews) 27th, Gabriel-André Savoie (Dieppe) 28th, Andrew Peppard (Chamcook) 30th.

Short Track Speed Skating (KIN 1)

3000m women -- Heidi Evans 8th, Courtney Sarault 9th, Rikki Doak 10th, Sarah Gibert 12th, Alyssa Seymour 19th.

3000m  men – Brendan Corey 8th, Seamus Smith 14th, Brady Oakes 15th, Paul Tremblay 19th, Roger Fulton 24th.

Relay women -- NB takes second spot and silver medal - Heidi Evans  (Fredericton), Alyssa Seymour (Baxters Corner), Courtney Sarault (Moncton), Rikki Doak (Fredericton) and Sarah Gibert (Rothesay).

Relay men – NB finished third and wins bronze medal -- Paul Tremblay (Saint John), Seamus Smith (St. Andrews), Brendan Corey (Fredericton), Roger Fulton (Fredericton) and Brady Oakes Dalhousie).

Wheelchair basketball (Duchess Park Secondary School)

N.B. 66 British Columbia 65

NB -- Sean Wilson 31, Jacob Fudge 19, Alexandre Hayward 6, Colin Higgins 4, Marc Cyr 4, Brandon Humphrey 4.