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Championship host

Home-mat advantage might not seem like much to the untrained eye, but for Lakehead University wrestlers it could mean the difference in their national championship aspirations.
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Lakehead University wrestling coach Brock Curtis grapples with the school’s mascot, Wolfie, at a news conference Monday. (Leith Dunick, tbnewswatch.com)
Home-mat advantage might not seem like much to the untrained eye, but for Lakehead University wrestlers it could mean the difference in their national championship aspirations.

The school on Monday announced it has been awarded next February’s Canadian Interuniversity sport men’s and women’s nationals – and in an unusual twist, that they will also play host to the provincial championship earlier in the month.

Woman’s wrestling team member Emma Brightwell, who has yet to compete this year because of an injury, said being at home should give the both teams an edge.

While wrestlers do get used to being on the road week after week – a local meet at the university level is a rare occurrence – it does get tiresome.

It will also be nice to have the cheers directed their way, Brightwell said.

"It’s going to be pretty exciting when we can have all our friends and our staff and everybody in the crowd cheering for us. It will be a pretty good advantage for us over the other wrestlers," Brightwell said.

LU wrestling coach Brock Curtis has high hopes for both his squads, particularly the men’s team, which took home the OUA championship last spring and finished third at nationals.

"We have a very good chance to (win an OUA title) again this year," Curtis said. "To do that in front of the home crowd is a great opportunity. As for the CIS tournament, we were just behind a few teams, and one of the teams has moved to the NCAA, so there are just two teams that were ahead of us last year, and we’re really close with them.

"So we could legitimately win the CIS title."

Like Brightwell, the home-court advantage can’t be understated, he said.

"The athletes get to sleep in their bed that night, instead of on the road and cutting weight on the road. They get to be comfortable. They’re in this gym every single day, Monday to Friday, and it’s really going to be an advantage I think. Plus there’s the added motivation of wrestling in front of your friends and family," Curtis said.

Seven teams, including the 20-member Lakehead team, will come together in Thunder Bay for the provincial portion of the bid. Each team gets to send one wrestler per weight class. The CIS representatives are chosen based on those results.

"From there the top three in the OUA make it to the CIS championships," Curtis said. "So out of seven wrestlers in the weight class, you have to place top three."

Canada West sends three wrestlers per weight class and the smaller Atlantic University Sport conference sends two.

"So at the CIS championships there are eight wrestlers per weight class. All of them are bronze medalists or higher in their conference. It is very good wrestling."

Eight men and four women represented Lakehead at last year’s nationals, with Corey Lee, Steve Gross and Gaston Tardif finishing third in their respective categories. For the women, who finished ninth, Aislynn Torfason was the top finisher, coming in fourth in the 59-kilogram category.

This marks the first time since 2002 that the CIS tournament has been held in Thunder Bay. Unlike the University Cup, this won’t be a multi-million bid, said LU athletic director Tom Warden.

But they are hoping to jam the stands at the C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse, where the event will be staged. Warden said he thinks the school’s track record of hosting national-level events, combined with the school’s success in the sport, is what put them over the top of the other three universities who bid for the event.

"This community and this university is just great at hosting events and I think we’re being recognized for that," Warden said.

Tickets will range from $15 to $50, from the basic day passes to the ultimate VIP package.


Leith Dunick

About the Author: Leith Dunick

A proud Nova Scotian who has called Thunder Bay home since 2002, Leith is Dougall Media's director of news, but still likes to tell your stories too. Wants his Expos back and to see Neil Young at least one more time. Twitter: @LeithDunick
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