The New Zealand senior men's team reached the podium at the world championships in Canada this week.
The over-50 side of Hans Frauenlob (Auckland), Dan Mustapic (Dunedin), Lorne DePape (Waikato), Allan Langille (Auckland) and Pat Cooney (Alexandra) won the silver medal at the tournament in Fredericton, New Brunswick.
They team finished top of its pool and had a 10-2 win against Sweden in the semifinal.
It was always in command after skip Frauenlob made a double take-out to score five on the first end.
But the New Zealand team could not repeat that effort in the final lost to a strong Canadian team 6-4. Frauenlob teamed up with Natalie Thurlow (Alexandra) in the world mixed doubles championship at the same venue. They finished top of their pool and faced the Czech Republic in the quarterfinal, the only side to beat them in pool play. The Czech Republic was too strong, winning 9-2 and eliminating New Zealand from the tournamentThe New Zealand senior women's side of Helen Greer (Maniototo), Christine Diack (Maniototo), Carolyn Cooney (Alexandra), Elizabeth Matthews (Auckland) and Glenys Taylor (Auckland) finished in the middle of its pool with a three-win, three-loss record.
Their tournament started badly when Cooney collapsed with a stroke during the team's warm-up before its first game. She has improved and was temporarily released from hospital to watch her husband play in the men's senior final. Cooney and her husband will remain in Fredericton for another 10 days until she is well enough to travel home to Alexandra.
