Fort dominates district senior games

Playing in the comfy confines of their home town, Fort Frances dominated this year’s Senior 1A District Games last week, hauling in 36 medals–including 14 of the golden variety.
That put them well ahead of second-place Dryden (six gold, three silver, and two bronze) and third-place Kenora (one gold, five silver, and five bronze).
In fact, the Fort Frances contingent–which made up about half of the 200 athletes competing in the games this year–swept several events.
Organizer Nick Wihnan said he was impressed with the local team’s results.
“We did exceptionally well,” enthused Wihnan, who also competed in the games. “We dominated in euchre, snooker, shuffleboard, and contract bridge.”
In euchre, Annabelle Cooper and George Roy took the gold, with Marjorie Leatherdale and Irene Skirten teaming up for silver and Alvina Zrum and Eleanor Kuchma bronze.
In men’s snooker, Ralph Longmuik won the gold ahead of Wihnan and Lyman Coughlin. Mildred Bedard picked up the gold in women’s snooker as the lone participant.
Winning the gold in the floor shuffleboard was the team of Norris and Gerty Langtry while Nellie Shybyski and Ann Anderson picked up the silver.
Leda Frenette and Ruth Anderson took the bronze.
In contract bridge, Dick Kircher teamed up with Kehler to win the gold, followed by Hazel Johnson and Kay Whalen (silver) and Henry Kemper and Roy (bronze).
Wihnan said their success could be attributed to having a busy group of athletes participating in a variety of events during the course of the year. That, he noted, keeps them sharp for when the district games roll around each June.
But because this was not an “Activest” year (it runs every second year), the Fort gold medalists will not advance to the provincials down east.
Still, Wihnan said there’s no denying the success of this year’s games here–from the nice weather, banquet, and donations by local businesses to the hard work of several volunteers.
Add to that a huge improvement in their medal count and Wihnan is excited about their chances at next year’s district games in Dryden.
Other local medal winners included:
•Cribbage–Kehler and Roy (gold), Norris and Gerty Langtry (silver), and John and M. Maybank of Kenora (bronze);
•Horseshoes–Spike Cole and Jim Norris of Dryden (gold), Gord Calder and Richard Jourdain of Fort Frances (silver), and Albert Lamb and George Maggrah of Dryden (bronze);
•Darts–Cole and Maggrah of Dryden (gold), Phil Wood and Maurice Frenette of Dryden (silver), and John Moran and Clora McEvoy of Fort Frances (bronze).
•Carpet bowling–Shybyski and Anderson (gold), Ruth Atkens and Helen Piotroski of Kenora (silver), and Mollie Carlson and Eileen Poitier of Kenora (bronze);
•Golf (hdcp 15-26)–Dave Holliday of Dryden (gold), Don Hammond of Fort Frances (silver), and Gerald Martin of Fort Frances (bronze);
•Golf (hdcp 0-14)–Fred Beck of Fort Frances (gold), and John Kozak of Kenora (silver);
•Men’s golf (Callaway system)–Bill Creed of Kenora (gold), Raymond Howard of Kenora (silver), and Art Vansteenkiste of Dryden (bronze);
•Women’s golf (Callaway system)–Elaine Hebert of Fort Frances (gold), Mildred Halliday of Dryden (silver), and Doreen Creed of Kenora (bronze); and
•Five-pin bowling–Jet Set of Dryden (gold), Ruff Riders of Kenora (silver), and YU Ban of Fort Frances (bronze).
In related news, winners of the District 1A Senior Games raffle draw held last Thursday at the Red Dog Inn, all from Fort Frances, were Elsie Cameron ($1,000), Wayne McIntyre ($500), and Norm Hyatt ($250).